Hello Bookworms, I initially read Where the Crawdads Sing late in 2021 and, surprisingly, went into it as somewhat of a skeptic. I had heard nothing but rave reviews, which actually turned me off from the book for quite a while, and when I finally got around to reading it, I was expecting disappointment. Yet I found myself genuinely astonished. Sometimes you read a book and are just so captivated, and it’s so difficult to pinpoint the exact reason. I look for certain fundamental things in books, a requirement of some sort in the different building blocks of a novel. The writing, plot building, character development, etc., have to be up to a certain par, in which the writing challenges me yet isn’t too challenging to comprehend, and the plot is both manageable but unpredictable.

Right off the bat, I need to say I loved the main character. If I hadn’t, I would not be writing this review; if I were, it would be a much more negative one. Characters make or break a book for me; I don’t care how good the plot, writing or ending is. Suppose a character gets on my nerves one way or another. It’s an adios from me. Even though I am in no way, shape or form similar to Kya, I was able to relate to her, connect with her, and it came to a point where her emotions became mine. NOW THAT’S WHAT I CALL GOOD WRITING.

summary:

In Where the Crawdads Sing, Owens juxtaposes an exquisite ode to the natural world against a profound coming of age story and haunting mystery. Thought-provoking, wise, and deeply moving, Owens’s debut novel reminds us that we are forever shaped by the child within us, while also subject to the beautiful and violent secrets that nature keeps.

The story asks how isolation influences the behavior of a young woman, who like all of us, has the genetic propensity to belong to a group. The clues to the mystery are brushed into the lush habitat and natural histories of its wild creatures. (Goodreads)

my thoughts:

If I had to narrow it down to one thing that’s kept this book at the top of my list for adult literary fiction, it might have to be both the setting and the main character’s development. And the writing. Impossible to overlook the writing. I was floored by how beautiful(and I genuinely mean it) and descriptive the storytelling was. That’s another reason the movie felt like such a realistic depiction or, better yet, an extension of the book. The novel was already so visually present and a central attribute that was all at once quite at the forefront but also woven into every minuscule detail.

Oh, and that ending. Will I ever process it? Will I ever get. over it? Will my love for this book ever die? No no nooo.

To elaborate on the setting, it’s a stark contrast to the environment I was raised in and am used to, being a city in Canada or just bustling cities focused around the corporate world. Although it’s not exactly what I’ve envisioned for myself, living as she does is so dreamlike and fantasy-like. She lives alone, and of course, the circumstances aren’t ideal. She’s alone as everyone has left her. Yet her surroundings are still romanticized straightforwardly: the birds, nature, and the water. Nothing is elaborated or exaggerated in its fashion or being. The water is described perfectly, in such a genuine way. It was within reach as a reader, yet not at the same time. Maybe that’s another aspect of why I felt so drawn to nature, this background to the novel. It’s something one almost romanticizes when they read it was written so wonderfully. It seems idyllic, almost heavenly.

This might’ve been the book where I could visualize the environment down to the blades of grass in a scene. The writing..of course, played a part in this. I commend the author for adhering to their consistent style and maintaining detailed descriptions throughout the book. It led me, at least, to feel safe. Some reports became familiar near the end but not dull or predictable because it drones on. It was the opposite, where I could have read pages upon pages of these descriptions, never even thinking to stop.

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Like many other readers, although I tried not to be biased as I opened up this book with such high praise and millions of reviews and ratings, I did have somewhat of a high expectation.

One thing I love in a book is when it surprises me. No, I’m not talking about a thriller novel with an incredibly shocking revelation. But precisely in this book, how the writing and story evolved allowed me to connect with it more profoundly.

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The book takes several various directions and merges them to form one beautiful product. The overall portrayal of the main character and her growth is just something I have never seen depicted so perfectly. She’s so multi-faceted, almost unimaginably real. She almost can’t be fake; that’s how much I believe in her. Her intelligence, her loneliness, discomfort. All things that could be described plainly, with one or two words, were portrayed as exquisite, as art in their own right. Never said outright, but made so evident to the reader.
Additionally, her affinity for nature was terrific to read. She would subconsciously draw connections between her experience with nature since birth and her current and past relationships. Her deep affinity, the never-ending love for the earth, and the comfort it gave her.

Her growth progressed, as did the plot, and the pacing, which was slower than my typical “need for speed” pace desire; the calm writing aided in the natural progression. Reading such a wild turn of events and portraying our loss was heartbreaking. Oh, human innocence, trust and sense of abandonment that we have all felt at varying degrees.

It’s something we’ve come to both accept and normalize. The destruction of childlike naivety is inevitable. As we mature, it gets real. It gets scary, and that’s life. Right? Why do these things have to occur? On whose agenda are we truly living, if not our own?

Although it was out of her control, Kya’s dissociation from society led to her challenging certain societal norms and values. Revealing questions surrounding the games we play and the costumes we genuinely put on for others.

Her deep severance was ultimately that she was different. They are so similar, yet so different. I suppose being distinguishable and unique is something we all desperately both fear and desire. Perhaps it’s the need to stray from the pack, denote ourselves, and feel important. To be important. But external pressures remain, and those are demanding. Comparisons are complicated, and humans are notoriously exceptionally hard on themselves. The need to assimilate and force others into a life you have most likely been manipulated into believing is the right one is so interesting—quite a study on human behaviour.

Further, this book reinforced the importance of reading out of your comfort zone; who doesn’t love safe books, but the worst that could happen with a new type of read is a dislike. So put it down. It’s that simple. And on the other end is discovering something so brilliant that might teach you something about yourself too. This book was much slower than I would reach for, a very foreign setting and a genre out of my comfort zone. Yet here we are, having found a new lifelong favourite.

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The film…

Now to talk about the film adaptation. Something that probably confirmed in my mind is my love for the book, which is VERY surprising. As we know, the book-to-film adaptation journey is usually filled with disappointment upon disappointment. At its’ best, just being a wrong portrayal of the book you first loved, and at its worst, destroying that love to its core, even changing your perception of the novel. This is why my mind instantly rejected these adaptations, but I was intrigued by all the commotion surrounding its release and the actors playing in the film. And the pretty movie cover…who am I to resist such a thing…

The movie. P H E N O M E N A L. truly.

The actress had me in a chokehold with her performance. I would never have cast her (clearly, I’m a film critic??), and that’s precisely why nobody has made me a director because I would have missed out. She was incredible. In portraying the character, she was her. I don’t even know how to describe it. Nobody could have played the main character better; the way she played it well and her meshing with the environment to the general setting was gorgeous.

This book, to me, was less about what it was “actually” about and more about how it came to be, how the novel was formed and executed. How every little part. What goes into writing a novel was elevated and highlighted. Nothing went unnoticed by the author; nothing was left unwritten. It’s a book I can see myself re-reading for years because it goes beyond the murder mystery plot. It was never about that. It was about one girl. Marsh girl. Who she is, why she’s the way she is, and just a beautifully crafted tale about human connection, innocence, and its ultimate collapse.

I keep having to remind myself that it is also a debut novel. How?? The literary work leads me to believe it may be her first published piece, but far from the lack of depth a new author typically starts with. Owens has a way with words that is rarely seen, especially in a debut novel. It is worth the read, especially since the live-action movie is now in theatres. I thoroughly enjoyed Kya’s story and looked forward to seeing it come to life. As everyone knows, the book is always better, so I would suggest reading the book before seeing the movie. “Where the Crawdads Sing” is suspenseful and unique and keeps you hooked until the last page.

about the author

I am a massive fan of Delia, my love for her is similar to that I hold for Margaret Atwood—such a strong, versatile, intelligent woman. Something so powerful about the whole lives they live, the way their writing is immensely impactful, it’s so inspiring to me. I aim to live as they do.

Lot of times love doesn’t work out. Yet even when it fails, it connects you to others and, in the end, that is all you have, the connections.

Delia Owens

Thanks for reading!