Themes: Isolation, loneliness, survival, education, prejudice, human connection.
Synopsis & Review: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens is a fictional novel set in the 1950's marshlands of North Carolina. The protagonist is a young girl Kya, whose journey we follow from childhood to adulthood and maturity. Kya is slowly abandoned by her family members, left to fend for herself. With no taught skills or education she learns to survive through trial and error. Kya lives in the marshlands, spending her days and nights exploring nature and befriending wildlife. She desperately craves human connection and wishes to be accepted by the townspeople, to fulfil her need for belonging. But, after a few experiences with people, Kya is left disappointed and is convinced she is destined to live a loveless, lonely life in the marsh.
I absolutely loved this book. It's easily one of my favourite reads. The descriptive imagery is so real, I felt like I was living with the characters. The poetic language is so beautiful and intimate - each description is breath-taking. This story was completely unexpected and took me by surprise. A fictional description of nature's beauty, a love story, a murder mystery, a journey of survival - it packs it all! I can't wait to see the film adaptation.
It's a slow burn with a bold end. If you're after a memorable reading experience I would highly highly recommend this.
Favourite Quotes: 'I wasn't aware that words could hold so much. I didn't know a sentence could be so full.'
'Faces change with life's toll, but eyes remain the window to what was.'
Rating: 5/5
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