Home > Opinion > Book Review- “Where The Crawdads Sing”

Book Review- “Where The Crawdads Sing”

Nicole Fasciano

Associate Editor

If you want to be transported to the beautiful coastal marshes of North Carolina, then look no further than the book Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. This vivid novel is a page-turner that you won’t want to put down. 

Rumors of the “Marsh Girl” have haunted young Kya Clark for most of her life, but her need for love and lust furthers when two young men start to seek her attention. Yet, when one of them, the town’s most beloved Chase Andrews, is found dead, the “Marsh Girl” undoubtedly becomes one of the top suspects in the case. 

This romantic coming of age novel dives deep into what it means to grow up in solitary, when family is no longer dependable. To learn from nature and its enriching influence, Kya finds friends in the gulls and comfort in the sand .

Owen’s novel reminds us of the beauty that nature can bring in addition to the secrets it may keep. This suspenseful tale of murder undeniably makes the reader question what they thought was true. 

As readers are reminded that our childhoods shape the person we may become, Owens highlights that our own will can create the change no one may expect to see. 

I highly recommend this read because the language Owens uses is captivating. The alternating plot, between Kya’s most present life and the intertwining story of Chase Andrews’s death, creates a complicated love story with an ending nobody sees coming. 

To this day, I am still contemplating what I believe to be the actual conclusion to this novel because although things may be true as they appear on the surface, there is always a new wave to come and wash what we thought away. 

Be sure to look out for the adapted version of this story. It is rumoured that Reese Witherspoone’s production company will be turning it into a movie. 

If you liked this novel, I also recommend checking out:

  • In Five Years, Rebecca Serle
  • More Than Words, Jill Santopolo
  • The Light We Lost, Jill Santopolo