Book Review: WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING, by Delia Owens
I first heard of this book, from a video in which someone called it her favourite book of 2020. Published in 2018, Delia Owens’ first novel has spent 2 years on the New York Times’ Bestseller List. Other than this, she has written bestselling nonfiction books about her life as a wildlife scientist in Africa.
Kya is the youngest of 5 children, growing up in a marsh on the North Carolina coast. We follow her closely, at intervals, from 1952, at age 6, to 1969, mostly living alone, surviving on her wits, befriending the seagulls and a young boy, Tate, with whom she shares her love of the marsh. She collects “feathers and shells and bones and nests”, reads the skies and navigates the marshland in a small boat left behind by her abusive, alcoholic Pa — the last of her family to abandon her, at the age of 10.
After the experience of one day at school in the small town of Barkley Cove, Kya decides never to go back, and succeeds in avoiding the Truant Officers, until they give up and leave her alone. Few people enter the marsh, because it’s wild, and Kya, barefoot and wild, called the Marsh Girl and swamp trash, rarely goes into town. The marsh wilderness becomes her school for life’s lessons. Fortunately, she is helped by a gentle black man who runs the marina gas station, Jumpin’s Bait and Gas, outside town. She’s able to trust him, and later his wife, when times get tough. Tate, a few years older than her, teaches her to read, gives her books and, as an adult, encourages and helps her to publish her art of the plants and animals she knows so well. In spite of the fear and watchfulness that comes with living in isolation, Kya yearns to be touched and loved, first by Tate and later, by Chase, a well-known, young man from Barkley Cove. When Chase is found dead, the town suspects Kya of murder.
Delia Owens has touched my keen interest in language, nature and a child’s point of view. This book is well-written, with lots of alliteration: “fingers of fog flirted with the waves” (p.178); words of wisdom: “‘Unworthy boys make a lot of noise’, Ma had said.” (p.183); and amazing imagery:
“… Ma spoke about adult things Kya didn’t understand,
but she figured Ma’s words needed somewhere to go, so she absorbed
them through her skin, as she poked more wood in the cookstove.
Nodding like she knew.” (p.9)
Delia reveals interesting facts of animal behaviours, such as kleptogamy. (read the book to learn the common term for the behaviour of some beta males), or the female praying mantis, that sometimes eats her mate, head first, as he continues doing his thing. After all, she needs the extra protein for her offspring. Stark realities and savage truths that can’t be denied.
It’s all about survival.
Fiona