Where the Crawdads Sing - Delia Owens

[marymary]

Delia Owens is an expert on wildlife and co-authored natural history books before writing this fictional work. Set in the marshlands of North Carolina a neglected girl fends for herself as adult after adult lets her down. First her mother leaves, then her siblings then finally her drunken abusive father disappears. Meanwhile Kya learns how to cook grits, hide from the truancy officer and collect enough shellfish to buy the other things she needs to survive.

Some adults find ways of subtly helping, notably Jumpin’ and his wife, but others go out of their way to make her feel – by turns – dirty, stupid, whorish and if not for her fierce intelligence and interest in the wildlife of the marshes she would probably have gone slowly mad. As it is, she makes friends with a boy with similar interests and this occasional friendship improves her life.

A decade or so later, she is on trial for murder. The victim is the town’s former star school quarterback who Kya has been used and abused by but did she do it, and was it even a murder at all? Is this just another way for the town to victimise Kya for not being like them again.

The book is a sad reflection of small minded small town communities. The minister’s wife is particularly unkind. The book spans the fifties to 1970 for the trial then swiftly tells us what happened to some characters afterwards.

You will learn a lot about human nature and the natural world of N.C. You will tell yourself that children would never be treated this way nowadays after you’ve finished the book. Sadly, you would be mistaken.

[Little John]

Sounds like my type of book.

[Leigh]

It does sound quite interesting. I wonder if 'tis available down here.