Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

On the day of this post, it’s International Women’s Day – so happy day to ladies around the world! As a woman, I know exactly how far I’ve come in this life. Thinking about generations past, they’ve come so much further. 

In honour of today, I wanted to talk about “Where the Crawdads Sing” by Delia Owens.

This was a book club choice last summer, and not one of my usual reads. However, I was glued to this story in ways I never imagined, and our typical book club (all strong, independent women) went well overtime discussing this novel.

Before I summarize what happened within the pages, I thought I’d talk a little about the author.

The Life of Delia Owens

Delia Owens, born in Georgia, spent most of her life in the wilderness. She earned a degree in Science, and a Ph.D. in Animal Behaviour.

In the early 70s, Delia and her husband, Mark, moved to the Kalahari Desert in Africa to study lions and hyenas.

If you Google her, you’ll find pictures of Delia with lion and hyena cubs, and it’s so fascinating. In her studies, she talks all about the pack and mating habits of the animals.

She’s also co-authored a number of non-fiction books, but “Where the Crawdads Sing” is her first piece of fictional works.

I genuinely hope it’s not her last.

Why You’ll Love Where the Crawdads Sing

This novel is about a little girl who was born and raised in a marsh, forever known as ‘the Marsh girl’. When I say ‘raised’ I should specify that she raised herself.

One by one, her mother and older siblings left and never returned, leaving the Marsh girl alone with her abusive, alcoholic father. 

At an early age, she learned to keep out of sight, keeping the home tidy but otherwise remained hidden. Her life was rough and lonely but she survived. 

Keeping this brief, I’ll just say this, one day she is accused of the murder of a rich boy from town, and the story unfolds from there.

There are very few characters in this book, and Nature plays a huge part.

Imagine spending your whole life outside, not going to school, or work, but finding ways to trade for the essentials. You’d learn quite a lot about your environment, simply by observing.

The outcome of the murder trial keeps you turning the page until the very end. 

I loved how this book portrayed strength and survival – two very important skills.

Recommending this book to women on International Women’s Day!