The book, Where the Crawdads Sing, has definitely become one of my favorite reads. I would without a doubt rate it a 5 star book. In the beginning, I was extremely skeptical about it. It seemed extremely boring due to the fact the setting takes place in the 1960’s on the coastline of North Carolina. The more I read the harder it was for me to put down.
The story focuses on our main character, Kya. She lives on the North Carolina Coast. The town has named her the “Marsh Girl,” due to her family living in the Marsh, which is basically just a piece of land with tall grass that is flooded with water. As you read, you soon realize that everyone in Kya’s life abandons her. Her mother abandons all six of her children, as her siblings become older they also flourish, leaving Kya with an alcoholic and abusive father. Due to everyone abandoning her throughout her whole life it is no shock to her when her first love, Tate Walker, also ends things with her to go experience college.
Tate is the first love interest of Kya. He is also the boy that taught her how to read, and due to this relationship, Kya learns to love and trust Tate, until he leaves her. In the span of a couple of years, Kya moves on to her next love, Chase Andrews.
Andrews was quite famous in his small town, everybody knew of him including Kya. One day he noticed her and asked her out on a picnic. Eventually, they start dating. Their relationship continues to continue even after Tate comes back from college to be with her. Tate learns of this relationship, and also learns that Chase has been cheating on Kya the entire time they were dating, but Kya refuses to leave him saying, “...He may not be perfect, but you're worse by a long shot.” Soon Kya then learns the rumors were true and Chase was actually engaged to another woman, and was soon to be married.
On the morning of October 30, 1969 Chase Andrew’s body was found in the marsh. After investigating the whole town believes that Kya murdered Chase out of anger. We then witness the whole court case throughout the last couple of chapters of the book. Eventually all charges were dropped on Kya, leaving the police no more suspects for the murder of Chase Andrews.
If you enjoy reading mystery books or love a good romance, this is definitely a good read just for that
