Kildare Library Service

Author: Delia Owens

Genre: Adult Fiction, Mystery

Review by: Chantelle, LCA Intern for Library HQ

Synopsis: Abandoned by everyone in her family at a young age, Catherine Clark must persevere and learn to fend for herself in a land inhabited with wildlife, but not much else. Catherine (Kya to those who know her) learns to adapt to the wild land, and finds a home with the creatures. Soon Kya finds herself in a precarious situation. She is accused of murdering a well beloved man in Barclay Cove. The town is primed to pin the death of Chase Andrews on her.  

The only question that now remains is; Did the marsh girl kill Chase Andrews? Or is she being judged for being different and wrongfully accused of a crime she did not commit? 

Review: To the residents of Barclay Cove, Kya Clark is an odd, lonely girl. She’s always been a topic piece of conversation, subject to ridicule and mockery. Dirty, uneducated, and as wild as the creatures that live in the marsh.  

When the body of a local town member is discovered, Kya is accused of murder. The town is set on taking the marsh girl down. They believe that she is as dangerous as the wild creatures that bob about the marsh.  

She’s spent her entire life being judged by the folk who now hold her life in their hands, will they judge her by the facts presented? Or hold to their preconceived opinions of the marsh girl? 

Where the Crawdads Sing is a descriptive, immersive novel that leaves you on edge the entire time. It gets your heart pumping, your tears pouring, and your mind racing. If you want a book that celebrates nature, being different and makes you feel elation, sadness, and contentment simultaneously, then this is definitely the book to read. The novel flicks between past and present keeping the reader always enthralled with notably twisty turns right up to the end.    

If you like the sound of this book, place a request on it on our Library Catalogue or listen to the story on eAudio at BorrowBox. Since the film adaptation released, there is a short wait, but it’s well worth the wait!