Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens – Review & Summary

Introduction

“She was bonded to her planet and its life in a way few people are.

Rooted solid in this earth. Born of this mother” (363).

In this highly sought-after novel, which is set to be made into a movie, we are introduced to a young girl named Kya Clark who is in love with the beautiful marsh land off the coast of North Carolina, where she lives with her parents and her siblings. Soon after we meet her, though, she is left behind by her Ma; her Pa had beat her and the children to the point where she couldn’t take it anymore and had to leave (except she forgot to take the other most important people in her life – her children). At the time, she is too young to understand the reasons why, and constantly watches the road to see when her Ma may come back home. Slowly, each one of her family members leaves as well, causing her to figure out how to live alone.

Kya is one of those characters that you would love to sit down and have a conversation with, especially for her to teach you about the incredible beauty of the world she sees, but she won’t be one to speak much back to you. Since she’s lived the majority of her life alone, she prefers the solitude more than being around people…or rather anyone besides a couple boys she sees in the marsh and ultimately befriends. She lives near a town, but she only visits the town when absolutely necessary.

The storyline centers on the death of a local man named Chase Andrews and determining who may be responsible for his murder. You will spend your time figuring out who committed the crime and I promise you – you WILL be surprised at the outcome (no spoilers here, don’t worry – you can find them under Spoiler Alerts).

My Review

While I can absolutely understand the depth of love that readers have for this novel (and soon to be film goers), I was not in as much awe as I thought I would be. I spent part of my life visiting and living on the coast of North Carolina, so the setting quite resonated with me, but the story not so much.

Now, before you go and get your bookshelves in disarray, let me explain – I didn’t HATE it, but I also didn’t LOVE it. I was captivated by her explanation of the marsh land, and compelled with her experiences with the local wildlife, but the plot fell short. There are opportunities for the story to pick up in a way that will excite the reader, but it doesn’t happen until the second half of the novel.

I found myself struggling to get excited to read the novel, but then couldn’t put it down. I HAD to know what happened with Kya, whether Chase was murdered and if so who did it, if her Ma ever came back or what happened to her, and if she was ever able to have a long term relationship with someone. All of these questions are answered by the end of the novel, which I was grateful for, but then you are left with more questions once you find out the truth.

Normally I am not one to be a fan of novels with heavy details on the setting, but in this one I was quite enchanted by Owen’s description of the marshland and Kya’s fervent love for it. I literally felt like I was there seeing it with her; I give great kudos to the author for creating such an intense understanding on where the story took place. I felt the sea water splashing against my warm skin with the sea gulls overhead begging for bread.  I saw the estuaries while I boated along, hearing the purr of the motor. I tasted the lumpy grits and salty mussels she made for herself on an almost daily basis. And of course, I couldn’t help but experience and reminisce back to my first love when she described the love that Tate had for her.

It’s surely a novel to experience – both visually and emotionally. I highly recommend reading the book before you watch the movie – that way, you can truly see the marshland through YOUR eyes – and it will be breathtaking. If you enjoy incredible descriptions of nature, an intriguing plot, and learning the joy of solitude, I promise you’ll be smitten.

Rating: I give this novel a solid 4/5 stars. Even though I felt the story could have been stronger, the writing is impeccable and truly sets you into the scene.

Beer Pairing:

There are so many great beers you can pair with this novel! I wish I could have found beers from breweries in North Carolina, but I decided on some that could be enjoyed off the coastline somewhere, especially to pay homage to Kya’s love of fishing and the outdoors.

First up, I thought the name of this brewery was absolutely perfect. Stump Knocker by Swamp Head Brewery. I purchased it merely for the name and the fact that it had a big fish on it, not knowing it was named after a fierce fish.

Second by Swamp Head Brewing is Wild Night, a delicious cream ale. This one is the perfect choice since it reminded me of the wild night when Chase was murdered.

Next, I wanted to add a beer you could enjoy while sitting on the coastline somewhere – Island Coastal Lager by Island Brands. This beer is made for thrill-seekers, outdoor enthusiasts, and of course for those drinkers who live off the coast of North Carolina…or are just reading about it (Untappd).

Lastly, (yeah…3 could of been enough, but I like options), I suggest Veteran’s United Fish Camp Pils. This one was obviously chosen because the main character in the book, Kya, spends her time fishing – for food and to be used as a trade for supplies. This beer is a traditional German-style Pilsner and is an easy drinking, light-bodied beer. It has just the right amount of hop bitterness to make this an extremely balanced brew.

If you’d like to give it a try (and support local bookstores), find the book here:

If you’d like to check out the book on Amazon, find the book here: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

Spoiler Alert: Summary & Discussion Questions

Part 1: The Marsh

Prologue, 1969

The body of Chase Andrews was found in the marsh in October.

Chapter 1: Ma, 1952

The area in which they live is a marsh land, set on the coast of North Carolina.

Ma left the house without saying goodbye, carrying a blue case and wearing fancy shoes. Kya, her six-year-old daughter is worried. She waits on the porch, looking out until it’s dark, but she’s still not back by the end of the day. Kya did notice that she had a bruise on her face that morning, and a sullen expression. The next day she waits again, plays around with her brothers, but there’s still no sign of Ma.

Chapter 2: Jodie, 1952

It’s been a few weeks, and Ma still hasn’t returned. Kya’s brothers and sisters have slowly begun leaving the house, as Pa is an angry man who not only abuses his wife, but also his kids, and they don’t want to be around anymore. Kya wonders why no one wanted to take her with them.

Pa stayed away for a few days, and when he came back, he began setting all of Ma’s things on fire. All her precious memories gone up in smoke.

Now, she must adjust to this new lifestyle with her father. She must keep the house cleaned and he’ll provide her an allowance to go grocery shopping.

She takes care of the house and cooks as best as she can, trying her best to avoid Pa. “Not because she’d been told, but because it was the only way to keep the shack decent for Ma’s return” (20).

Her birthday comes with the autumn moon, and she hopes Ma will come back.

Discussion Question: Where do you think Ma ran away to? Why didn’t she take her children with her?

Chapter 3: Chase, 1969

Two young boys find them body of Chase Andrews in the marsh. The sheriff and town doctor check out the body and confirm it’s him. They’re confused on how it happened – there’s not foot tracks near him or near the tower he could’ve fallen from.

Chapter 4: School, 1952

The truant officer arrives at the house to take Catherine “Kya” to school. That same day, Kya is enrolled in school, in the second grade, even though she’s never attended a day in her life. She’s most excited to learn what comes after 29 and for the free food.

She’s embarrassed, though, and the students laugh when she answers something wrong. At the end of the day, she sobs; she hangs out with the gulls on the beach, feeding them her leftovers. She’s so lonely and was “so afraid they would leave her like everybody else…[she] wished she could gather them up…all packed in her bed…under the covers together” (31).

She never went back to school.

While playing outside, she steps on a rusty nail and immediately worries about tetanus. Pa isn’t home and who knows when he’ll be back. After 8 days, he’s still not home, but the pain in her foot is gone; she believes she’s healed herself with the saltwater soaks and mud caked rags (something her mother did).

Months pass and she comes to the reality that her mother won’t be coming back; the pain had seeped away and the “marsh became her mother” (34).

Chapter 5: Investigation, 1969

The sheriff is trying to determine how Chase died – was he killed or murdered? There are no footprints near him and no evidence that they were covered. They check the tower and notice that a grating has been left open, and is right above where his body lay, which points to the idea that someone pushed him to his death.

Chapter 6: A Boat and a Boy, 1952

Pa leaves for Asheville and will be gone a few days. She heads for the lagoon and decides to take his boat out for the first time on her own. Traveling along the estuaries and the lagoons, she takes in the beauty of the nature surrounding her.

She’s about to head home when she comes upon a boy fishing. She must pass close to him, but she’s uncomfortable being around people, especially boys.

On her way back to her house, she gets turned around a bit and becomes lost. She’s frustrated because she knows she must go back to see the boy so he can help her find her way back home.

He recognizes her as Jodie’s sister, and she can’t believe someone knows who she is. She’s close to tears, so he (Tate) helps direct her back home.

Getting gas back into the boat is a top priority. “All that she could think of now was begging back into that space of grass and sky and water…the calmness of the boy…just being near him…had eased her tightness. For the first time since Ma and Jodie left, she breathed without pain…she needed this boat and that boy” (46).

…

Tate watches his father pull into the harbor with his shrimp boat, helps him unpack the boat, and then helps tune her up. It’s just the two of them – his mother and sister are gone (something happened to them, and Tate feels responsible).

At supper, they discuss school, focusing on the poetry he’s learning. His dad told him, “The definition of a real man is one who cries without shame, reads poetry with his heart, feels opera in his soul, and does what’s necessary to defend a woman” (48).

Chapter 7: The Fishing Season, 1952

Kya contemplates what it would be like being friends with Tate, the boy she met in the marsh. She doesn’t speak to anyone but the hills, so a friend could be a positive light in her life.

She needs to ask her father’s permission to use the boat, and she decides that cleaning up the house and taking care of more chores will do the trick.

Pa doesn’t come home for a few days, and she waits impatiently; when he finally does, she makes him dinner to appease him and hopes he will allow her the use of the boat.

Instead of asking to use the boat, she asks for him to take her fishing – she didn’t want him knowing she was being extra nice just to get something in return.

The next day, he takes her fishing, and she is so grateful for the opportunity to have some quality family time. She doesn’t want to actually catch a fish, but when she does, she thinks, “what it cost her and what it cost that fish was worth it to have this little shred of family” (55).

After that, they fish nearly every day and become closer through conversations about nature and family. She hopes to see Tate, and when she finally does, Pa cautions her to be mindful of who she talks to in the area, so she doesn’t get to speak to him.

Discussion Questions: What is your opinion about how the townspeople feel about those who live in the marsh? How do you feel about the names they call them and how they view them?

Chapter 8: Negative Data, 1969

The sheriff and deputy are overlooking the evidence and there’s still no clues to who committed the murder against Chase. They head up to the diner for dinner, and to hear the town gossip that might give them clues, but it’s too much chatter.

Chapter 9: Jumpin’, 1953

After being out fishing, her dad takes her out to a restaurant for the first time. People stare and say unkind things, but then mind their business. She eats and enjoys so much food.

Now that Pa seems to have gotten better – he still leaves home from time to time, but they talk more often – she wishes Ma would come back. Pa used to beat her, and everyone else in the house, but maybe he’d be better now.

Ma sends a letter, but she doesn’t know what it says, so she waits for Pa to get home. He burns the letter, leaving no trace of what it said, and leaves home. After that, Pa never took her fishing again.

If you’d like to read the full summary, you can find it on Amazon, here: Kindle Edition. It also includes discussion questions that can be used in your own book club or to deepen your thinking.

Final Thoughts

(includes spoilers)

I love that the author chose to include such vivid and descriptive detail of the beautiful marsh land in North Carolina, and I found myself wanting to follow alongside her. I’m not sure if I feel satisfied with how the novel ended – I was surprised…well, more shocked that she ended up being the killer. I wish there could be an addendum that provided details on how she pulled it off – maybe a sequel, but it would be too short.

I rooted for Tate continuously, fervently hoping that she would finally realize how much he loved her, so I was thankful when they merged their lives together and almost lived happily ever after.

Kya is an absolutely beautiful spirit and I cried so deeply when she passed away, even if it happened in just the way she would want it to. Tate loved her hard until the last day and I felt peace knowing that she didn’t have to be the one to handle the rejection, again.

I do recommend reading this book if you enjoy incredible descriptions of nature, an intriguing plot, and learning the joy of solitude.

If you’d like to give it a try (and support local bookstores), find the book here:

If you’d like to check out the book on Amazon, find the book here:

If you’d like to read the full summary, you can find it on Amazon here: “Summary of Where the Crawdads Sing”