This book is being read everywhere!! I bought a copy a while back but never really felt gripped enough to read it, even with hearing all all the positive reviews. Chatting to a friend at work who felt the same way she decided to add to our list of book club books so that we had to read it! And it worked.
For years, rumors of the “Marsh Girl” haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet fishing village. Kya Clark is barefoot and wild; unfit for polite society. So in late 1969, when the popular Chase Andrews is found dead, locals immediately suspect her. The story is split between Kya as a child growing up in the marshes with her family and also learning to survive on her own, to present day in 1969 with the mystery of what happened to Chase being unravelled.
To start with I thought the book itself was super pretty so when I finally got to reading it, it felt nice carrying it around with me! It did feel a little on the chunky side, and I don't usually like books set in the past which I think contributed to me putting it off for a while. But I am definitely glad I picked it up.
So first off I have to say I did enjoy this book. It was a clever little story, I liked the characters and their relationships through each other, and I actually quite liked the setting. Following Kya as she grows up on the marshes was much more interesting than I thought. She added a level of vulnerability and loneliness but she owned it to the core. She knew she was different but she carried herself in a way that wasn't like she was missing out on something. Of course she had her longing of friends but she still felt like such a strong character in that respect. She didnt fall for peer pressure or social pressure and I respected her hugely for that.
Also the characters she encounters, Tate Walker and Jumpin' really brought some colour and light to the story and I enjoyed reading everything about them. There are of course characters not so favourable but they did well to bring out the anger in me which I also enjoyed!
I have to admit, while I liked the storyline and how it ran, I did also feel like there was a long road of nothing during the middle of the book. It was more substance than anything to really sink your teeth into. My recommendation is to get past it as there is more to come.
Also I have heard some people say they struggle with the language. With the setting this is set in when people speak the writing is very much written as they would say things. 'Lawd, we gotta do something 'bout that child' is an easy example I found. But this is continued in the book and as I myself am British I did sometimes have to take a second to 'get into character' 😆. It certainly reminded me where we were in the book so I personally didn't mind it.
Overall I found it a nice calm book. Not a holiday read, but also not something that will provoke a huge level of excitement either. It was a lovely book! I didn't find much to not like but I also wanted a little bit of something more.
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Pages - 384
Goodreads Rating - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
