BLURB:

For years, rumors of the “Marsh Girl” have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life–until the unthinkable happens.

Perfect for fans of Barbara Kingsolver and Karen Russell, Where the Crawdads Sing is at once an exquisite ode to the natural world, a heartbreaking coming-of-age story, and a surprising tale of possible murder. Owens reminds us that we are forever shaped by the children we once were, and that we are all subject to the beautiful and violent secrets that nature keeps.

Where the Crawdads Sing was definitely a “bookstagram made me do it” grab. When I saw this on the new releases shelf at the library, I impulsively decided to give it a read. The blurb sounded right up my alley and the hype surrounding this book practically insured I’d love reading it. Despite all this novel had going for it, I still wasn’t completely satisfied.

I’m not normally someone who needs a book to be incredibly realistic to enjoy reading, but I struggled with the believability of Crawdads. I had a hard time imagining a 7-year-old girl could make it in the marsh completely alone. There was only one instance speaking of a potential illness Kya faces, but other than that moment, she never got sick. I’m left scratching my head pondering this. It’s also improbable on one of her many trips to town through the years, the authorities would not have snatched her up and placed her in foster care. Solitary survival for as many years as Kya was faced with, with few incidents seems laughably unlikely, which made me feel an emotional detachment to a book that should have tugged on my heartstrings.

Though I never wanted to stop reading because I was curious about the ending of the story and what would become of Kya, I found the book to be painfully slow. The ever-changing perspectives and past to present time warps made this story seem to drag excessively in some areas. The main reason I was able to stick with it was simply for Kya and the lifestyle she experienced in the story. She was incredibly likable and relatable, despite her unique circumstances. I also enjoy Southern US Fiction immensely, along with the vivid descriptions of the landscape. I think it’s fair to say lovers of Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate would find this book similarly appealing.

I was constantly waiting for a big twist or heartwrenching moment to occur. The ending almost did it for me. In fact, I enjoyed the ending of the book most of all. However, I still could not get past my few hangups enough to enjoy this book to the extent I imagined I would.

Don’t take my word for it, plenty of people loved this book and I’m clearly in the minority with my three-star review. I still found the story beautifully written and engaging, despite my issues. I only wish I could have had the experience many of my fellow readers did.

Purchase on Amazon.

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