'Marsh is a space of light, where grass grows in water, and water flows into the sky. Slow-moving creeks wander, carrying the orb of the sun with them to the sea, and long- legged birds lift with unexpected grace- as though not built to fly against the roar of a thousand snow geese'.
Where the Crawdads Sing (2018) is Delia Owens’s multi-million bestseller, which according to BookScan sold more print copies than any other adult title in 2019- a staggering achievement for a debut novel. It is soon to be adapted into a film by Reece Witherspoon with Normal People’s Daisy Edgar-Jones cast as Kya.
It truly does live up to the hype- Owens has created an ode to the natural world and a compelling story of resilience, love and loss.
Set in the 1950s and 60s in North Carolina’s marshes, Kya is a young girl when her family abandons her. She learns to survive alone in the wilderness, where she finds solace and strength in nature.
‘She was bonded to her planet and its life in a way few people are…Kya laid her hand upon the breathing, wet earth and the marsh became her mother'.
Nature does not stop the loneliness gnawing away at her though after years of living as an outcast and she longs to be loved.
Soon two men from the neighbouring town fall for her wild beauty. However, everything comes crashing down when she is dragged into a murder investigation and is made a suspect.
I loved getting drawn into Kya’s strong character and into the lush Carolina marshlands. Where the Crawdads Sing is a captivating concoction of nature writing, murder mystery, romance, and coming of age. The prose is atmospheric and lyrical and the plot shocks the reader with a surprising ending, making it an absorbing must- read.