An absolute delight

Our group had unanimous support for this book  - definitely one of our best reads to date. 

 

It is simultaneously a coming of age tale and a murder mystery plot which brings to life the rich wildlife of the marshlands of North Carolina amidst dark shadows of domestic violence, poverty and isolation.  

 

The characters are richly portrayed and memorable. – none more so than the central character Kya.  Beautiful, clever and feisty, she shows us a life of hardship and rejection warmed and comforted by the beauty and wonder of nature 

 

The plotting is quite slow but the rewards are worth the effort and the descriptive prose is delightful, fluid and unpretentious. 

 

The book is Delia Owens' first fictional novel and it has been widely praised.  The accolades are justified – an alchemic blend of an original and memorable protagonist, and an entertaining and engaging story  underpinned by powerful observations on the enduring themes of inequality and prejudice.  This is a classic which, we understand, is already on its way to the big screen. 

 

As the Covid 19 lockdown continued, albeit less rigorously, we met outside.  Our socially distanced nibbles were vaguely protected from the elements by an overhead canopy.  It was the height of summer and the fresh air and poor shelter were faint echoes of Kya’s shack, but the wet lawn and chilly Northumberland breeze were a far cry from where the crawdads sing.