What a marvel this book is! Where the Crawdads Sing (#797) is Delia Owens' first novel, although not her first book. No, indeed. She is an award-winning nature writer, and it certainly shows in this book, with her lyrical observations of marsh life in North Carolina. But that's not necessarily even the main attraction here. She has introduced a unique character in Kya Clark, abused and abandoned and left to grow up on her own in the wild marsh country, as well as a compelling murder mystery.
Kya has learned the ways of the creatures of her environment, even though she has only spent a single, horrible day in the local town's school, tormented by those around her. She is far more comfortable with the ways of nature than with her fellow humans. Since she avoids people, naturally gossip has led to legends surrounding the "Marsh Girl". She is not totally without friends, though.
When the former star of the high school football team is found dead under mysterious circumstances, Kya is a handy scapegoat; she has been seen with Chase Andrews in the marshes and rumors link them together.
In the end, what really happened is as surprising as the rest of this wonderful novel. Don't deprive yourself of the pleasures contained within the pages of Where the Crawdads Sing.
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