This book is excellent for those who want to experience a little of everything while reading. For the most part, this is a coming of age story. You follow the main character, Kya, as she deals with being abandoned by her entire family as a child and learns to fend for herself. You also dive into her peculiar mind as she struggles to interact with other people after growing up secluded from society. This novel also includes a compelling murder mystery case and a bit of romance. The prose is also beautifully written as the author depicts the natural environment of the marsh.
Review *** Warning: Spoilers Ahead***
Hearing Kya’s story as she learns to earn money and live alone is inspiring. Her love story with Tate is heart-warming. However, the most compelling part of this novel, for me personally, is the investigation and court case of the murder of Chase Andrews. The format of the book has you flipping back and forth between Kya’s storyline as she’s growing up and the ongoing investigation of Chase Andrews’s murder until Kya's storyline finally catches up with the investigation. The reader empathizes with Kya and her struggles since we see her succeed in growing up on her own. So when the prejudiced community of Barkley Cove accuses her of Chase’s murder, I wanted to defend her. However, seeing how poorly Chase treated her, I started to suspect her of the crime. I was even surer of my suspicion when she observes and describes how the female insects eat their lovers. Then, the court case happened. Her lawyer, Tom, was so effective at bringing doubt to the prosecution’s evidence that I started to believe Kya was innocent. And of course, we get the revelation at the end which was so well prepared and executed. All this flip-flopping that I was doing while reading this book kept me invested in the story. I hope that as you read through Where the Crawdads Sing, you have a similarly satisfying experience.
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