BOOK REVIEW
MARY BARBER This is a story of survival. It reminded me of Tully, by Paullina Simons. Both are about girls who grow up in extremely harsh circumstances and carve out a life for themselves against the odds. Kya grew up alone in the swamp. Out of this isolation she formed a strong relationship with the gulls, the waterways and the land. There were some wonderful characters in the book, notably Jumpin and Mabel who ran a small store on the backwaters. I thought the marshes were romanticised. Where were the mosquitoes, the midges or the fetid water? But that said, the descriptions of Kya’s everyday life are a reminder of the value of wild places.
BILL MCCARTHY Novels set along the swampy coast of the Carolinas and Georgia seem to have a special attraction for me. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and The Prince of Tides spring to mind. While not quite up to the standard of those two, Where the Crawdads Sing is a worthy read. The ability of a young girl deserted by her family, to survive and grow, while living alone in the ecologically-rich coastal environment, creates a rich background for the story. Her relationships with the few sympathetic characters willing to interact with the “swamp girl” and a murder mystery go into the mix to create an interesting story. The journey from nine-year-old illiterate orphan to beautiful, educated woman in such circumstances, requires some suspension of belief but this can be forgiven as the tale pulls at the heart strings. A worthy read.
BOOK review
SUZI HIRST I loved this book but can’t really decide if it was a poor romance novel. The story is somewhat unbelievable, as how does Kya, a child, survive totally on her own in the marshes without any adult supervision or help? I looked into the author Delia Owens and have decided that I will read some of her other books. She has led an incredibly interesting life and her non-fiction books about her time in Africa will be of great interest. This one is an easy read, and it did keep me turning the pages. 7/10
Two timelines intertwine, one describing the life and adventures of Kya as she grows up isolated in the marsh of North Carolina from 1952-69 and the other following the murder investigation of Chase Andrews, a local celebrity of Barkley Cove. For years, the quiet town on the North Carolina coast has been haunted by rumours of the “Swamp Girl”, so when Andrews is found dead in late 1969, the locals immediately suspect Kya. But she is not the person they think she is – sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life – until the unthinkable happens. WHERE THE This is an ode to the natural world, CRAWDADS SING a heartbreaking coming-of-age story, and a surprising tale of by Delia Owens possible murder.
JOHN KLEINSCHMIDT This story is about abandonment, nature, love and murder. The author develops her characters and the scenery and wildlife of the marshland in which the story is set with skill and clarity. I was immersed in every scene with Kya. I felt her loneliness and joined her as she survived by teaching herself to forage, hunt, cook, read and eventually write and illustrate books on nature. The loneliness that Kya felt being ostracized by all except a kind black couple and Tate, her tutor and first love, is palpable. Abandoned by Tate, Kya is lured into a relationship with the town heartthrob and is accused and tried for his murder. The murder plot is weak but highlights the prejudices of the local community. Recommended.
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JO BOURKE I expected too much of this book as it had been lauded to the skies on every bestseller list. In her debut novel, Delia Owens writes with passion and deep understanding of the beauty of the marsh which comforted and sustained young Kya as she survived and grew to adulthood. The depiction of this young child, who was deserted, one by one, by her mother, her brother and eventually her horrible father, was utterly depressing. I wanted to pick her up and carry her away. Then, depressingly, more rejection as she found love as an adult only to be hurt again. The story was resurrected by the friendship of Jumpin and Mabel, by Tate teaching her to read and her ability to collect, catalogue and paint her collections and achieve success. Since not one member of her family ever bothered to track her down, the surprise ending was made much more satisfying to me. Good on her!
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This is an exceptional piece of work. This novel has everything. It is a story of survival, resilience, abandonment, loneliness, prejudice, coming-of-age, young love, and a murder mystery with a subsequent classic Deep South court trial. The setting is a North Carolina coastal marsh ecosystem. The main character, Kya, lives alone in a rundown shack in the swamp after being abandoned by her parents, family, the school system and the community. Nature protects her, nurtures her and teaches her the secrets of the natural world. This “swamp girl” becomes bonded to nature in a way few people are. She blossoms with the support of a childhood friend and future lover. Her loneliness and longing to be touched and loved are poignantly described by the author. I totally enjoyed this book. 10/10.
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