Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens (384 pages)
Who is The Marsh Girl in Where The Crawdads Sing
Barkley Cove, a small town in North Carolina, has been haunted by the “Marsh Girl” for a very long time. At least that’s what people claim. While you may think the “Marsh Girl” is a made-up swamp creature, in reality, the “Marsh Girl” is actually Kya Clark who is claimed to be uncivilized, out of control and a disturbance to the overall serenity of Barkley Cove.
Kya Clark is a young, reclusive girl who has been abandoned by her parents, siblings, school system, the entire town surrounding her, and what ultimately feels like life itself. When Chase Andrews, a popular boy in town is found dead, it doesn’t take long for Kya to become the number one suspect of murder around town. But, like everything, Kya is not what she is made out to be.
Perseverance, Faith, And Coming-Of-Age
I fell in love with the character of Kya; the underdog, the odd one out, the “other”. I have a soft spot for these characters–some of my favourites include Nemo, Dory, and Rudolph. Need I say more?
Kya, it turns out, is sensitive and quiet, not unlike myself. She keeps to herself and has learned to survive on her own with what she has. The marsh is her home, the gulls her friends and the sand, her teacher. Mother Nature has become Kya’s caretaker. Deep in this lonely Marsh along the North Carolina coast is where Kya not only hides but blossoms into a striking young woman with a wild and uninhibited spirit.
Without giving too much away (I hate spoilers!), Kya is taken to trial, faced with questioning what love truly is, and takes teachings from Mother Nature to develop collections that go on to teach countless others about the gifts of the marsh.
The Bottom Line: 4/5 Brookie Stars
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens is a coming-of-age story filled with perseverance, faith and love. While it took me some time to get into the story initially, I eventually felt captured by it. Once I was captured, I couldn’t put it down. I needed to know what happened to the “Marsh Girl.”
Have you read Where the Crawdads Sing? Want to know more about this novel to see if it’s right for you? Join Brookie host, Dianne Dixon on April 25th for a riveting conversation. If you’re feeling ambitious, try to cook one of the recipes based on the novel that Dianne shares with you, and don’t forget to bring your favourite beverage! You can sign up for the event here.
Favourite book: Purple, Green & Yellow by Robert Munsch
Favourite brunch item: waffles, fresh berries, maple syrup and, if she’s getting extra fancy, a little bit of coconut whipped cream to top it off
