What are you Reading? - Where the Crawdads Sing

If you have been keeping up with the so-called “social bubble”, then this book probably already sounds familiar to you. Maybe you’ve even heard of the film adaptation that has recently been added onto Netflix. Whichever the case, Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens has taken the literary world by storm – and for good reason.

Owens’s most popular novel is a masterclass in keeping the reader at the edge of their seat (or bed, or wherever their personal reading hideaway is…) The primary plot, which we are introduced to on the very first page, is a classic whodunnit. Yet, the book is unique in its presentation of the perfect combination of murder mystery and coming-of-age story. What Owens does throughout her novel is divide the chapters up within separate explicit time periods. So you could be reading about what happened in May 1965, then instantly be transported to the goings-on in August 1991. This may sound odd at first, yet Owens’s clever execution of this narrative method basically gives us two stories at once; two stories which tend to line up in their content and the information they reveal to us, that is. We are able to gather how the protagonist, Kya, developed as a character during her younger years. Simultaneously, we learn about the progressive puzzle that is developing in the present. This keeps the reader gasping, nodding, and shaking their head with every turn of the page.

Another concept that paves its way throughout the novel is that of science. Owens has a background in zoology, and it definitely shows within her work. Maybe you could have even guessed that from the title. Many pages are chock-full of wildlife references, animal anatomy, botanical terminology, and so on. What this does is truly bring the novel’s backdrop of the marshes of North Carolina to life. Owens keeps us hooked with the knowledge of biology that she scatters throughout, which I think absolutely makes the chapters that much more interesting to read. Plus, zoology is what helps define the protagonist, who we learn early on has a reputation as the “Marsh Girl”. But, if you want all the details, I’m afraid you’re going to have to read the book!

In short, Owens’s novel is an absolute thrill to read. It was so much fun trying to solve the mystery before the answer was revealed, and constantly changing my theories every time a new piece of information was given. Moreover, the coming-of-age portion did an amazing job at making me invested in the story and the main character, while also teaching me all about wildlife. The ending is super satisfying, but what Owens does leave hanging is really the biggest mystery of all: Where do the crawdads sing?

My rating: 4.8/5

Pick up if you like: wildlife + animals, solving the murder, strong protagonists

Maybe don’t if you hate: time jumps, romance subplots, violent characters