Over winter break, I was able to get back to reading for fun, and I’m so glad that I ran across a recommendation for the novel Where the Crawdads Sing on Reese Witherspoon’s Instagram account.
I recently finished the moving and memorable first novel by nature writer Delia Owens, and it’s left me wanting more from this author! When I started reading this New York Times best-seller, I had a fairly short attention span, which I blame on the fact that I was struggling to unwind after a very busy fall semester. Consequently, I thought the book was a little slow during the initial chapters, but the more I read, the more I became caught up in the main character Kya’s world and the mystery that flows through the entire story.
This coming-of-age novel paints a detailed, beautiful picture of the natural world in the marshes of North Carolina. Using the environment and animals that engulf Kya’s solitary life, the novel also deeply examines the idea of belonging, the importance of our social ties, and ultimately what it means to be human.
Owens writes with powerful insight and understands exactly how to express both the beauty and pain of the human experience. I think this book is an amazing read, and the story really stuck with me after I finished it. I know it’s definitely one I’ll be revisiting again someday, and I highly recommend it if you are looking for a captivating literary escape!
– L
leslieannramey.com 