2019 Book Review #10: Where the Crawdads Sing

Well, the last book I reviewed, was my fave so far all of 2019.  Until I read this one. This is quite a work of art.  The author is new to me. She has written several non-fiction books related to wildlife in Africa and nature.  This is her first novel. It was set in the 1960s in North Carolina on the coast. I could not put this book down and read far into the night when I needed to be sleeping because I work!  This book has stuck with me and the character of Kya will be forever in my heart.

STORY SUMMARY

Kya has been known as "the Marsh Girl" for many years. She lived in the marsh outside of the town of Barkly Cove on the coast of North Carolina.

 Her Ma took off on the family when Kya was just 6 years old. Her mother was escaping a drunk of a husband who also beat her.  He even beat the children sometimes.  Kya had 2 older sisters and 2 older brothers.  They all left her, except the brother named Jodie.  But eventually, he left her too, to make his own way in the world.  That left her and Pa.  Finally, around age 10, Pa left and never came back. Kya was truly on her own in the little shack in the marsh. She was used to it though because from the age of 6, her Pa would go gamble and drink and disappear for days. Kya learned to trust no one.  She also learned about life in the marsh from watching and relating to the gulls, fish, and other wildlife.  She was fiercely independent. 

In late 1969, the town rich boy and all -star athlete was found dead near the old fire tower outside town.  He was the handsome and womanizing young man named Chase Andrews.  His parents owned the Western Auto store in town and they were very wealthy. They were also very prejudiced against  blacks and marsh people.  When Chase was found dead, everyone began to suspect Catherine Clark (Kya)...the one known as "Marsh Girl".

However...Kya was never like what the townspeople thought.  She was very sensitive and shy and also very intelligent.  She survived for years alone in her home which was the marsh.  She was friends with the seagulls. She learned lessons from the sand. She fell in love with Tate, her best friend who had been a friend of her brother Jodie.  Tate's father Scupper was a shrimper and taught Tate many things about the sea.  And Kya taught Tate many things about the marsh.

Kya opens up herself to Tate....and then to the handsome Chase.....Tate goes off to college promising to return.  But he doens't.  Not for 4 years. Chase meanwhile, wants to "have" Kya. He woos her.  But she doesn't really know him or love him. He gets engaged to a town girl after lying to Kya. She feels abandoned, alone, and vows never to trust anyone again.  

And then the unthinkable happens........

MY THOUGHTS

This book is a true gem.  I've read 10 fiction books so far this year.  This is by far the most excellent of them.  The descriptive prose is just beautiful and often poetic.  It's like a tribute to the natural world and it's also terribly heart-breaking in many spots....and also a coming of age story.....a mystery....a love story...a drama....and a work of literary art.

The author does an incredible job of pointing us to the fact that we are often shaped by the children we once were.  That there are secrets in nature.  That there is poetry in nature.  That there is deep beauty in nature....all around us!

I love how the author paints Kya and the world around her in words.  You can practically smell the mud, taste the grits and hear the gulls.

There are several themes in this story:  domestic violence, addictions (gambling, alcohol), abandonment, bullying, prejudice, isolation (physical, emotional/social),  friendship, love, forgiveness, and acceptance.

I can see why this novel has been on the NY Times best seller list in the number 1 spot for over 25 weeks.

You don't want to miss this story.

Kya will stick with me for many months to come.  

In my opinion, this book is appropriate for ages 17 and older.

On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest, I rate this a 10.