Where the Crawdads Sing is a thought-provoking, emotional tale of a little girl dealt a rough hand at life.
5 year old Kya is abandoned in turn by each member of her family, the school system, and the town she lives in which labelled her the ‘Marsh Girl’. Intelligent beyond her years, she makes the decision to live off the land and comes to see it as the family that will not leave her.
Years of loneliness leave her yearning for a friend, and when one appears she is torn between what she wants- companionship, and all she has known all her life- abandonment.
Years older, Tate worms his way into Kya’s life, trust and affection through their shared love and respect of the marsh. He nurtures, educates and encourages her, seeing her as far more than the freak child living in a swamp.
Whilst following the life of Kya from childhood into adulthood, the story takes you to a prologue set in the future depicting the suspicious circumstances of the death of a prominent town member and then follows the two storylines artfully.
A great read with very heart-wrenching themes that include abuse, abandonment, racism and the healing power of nature. The physical and emotional growth of the protagonist is enlightening and inspiring. The writing style is engaging and easy to read. I found it to have rather stark similarities to the novel ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee, so if, like me, you enjoyed one, you will enjoy the other.
xx
-iM
