“Kya laid her hand upon the breathing, wet earth, and the marsh became her mother.”
She didn’t know anything different when she was little, but the townspeople called her family and those who lived near her, “Swamp Rats.” She had three older siblings and a mother and father, but there was always turmoil in the house. Her father was loud and abusive when he was drunk, so Kya learned her way around the marsh and how to hide when her father was on a tirade. Her mother finally reached her tipping point one day and walked away from the family. One by one, each sibling left until Kya enjoyed a few short months of peace with her father. Then, when she wasn’t even 12, he left her, too.
Where the Crawdads Singhas been on the bestseller list for a while now and even though I don’t often read books that deal with crime, the fact that this book was on the list for so long got my curiosity piqued. Then, several people posted on social media that they read it and loved it, so I put it on my to-read list. Our book club then chose it as our May book shortly after that. I waited a little more than a month before the ebook was available from my library through the Libby App.
Kya learns to live and survive on her own in the marsh. She digs mussels and sells them for food and gas for her boat. A local boy who has known her family since she was young starts coming to visit and teaches her to read. Tate ends up breaking her heart, but she opens it up again for another local boy, Chase Andrews. When Chase ends up dead, the town suspects “The Marsh Girl,” but can they prove a case beyond a reasonable doubt?
I really enjoyed Where the Crawdads Sing and how the characters develop throughout the book. There are twists and turns and I’m anxious to see how our book club discussion goes – it’s a book you’ll want to talk to someone with after you read it. The book is for adults as there is some romance, abuse, murder and attempted rape.