Mother Nature and the Outsider Narrative, my review of Where the Crawdads Sing

If you have read my last book recommendations post (you can find it here), you will know that I have recently read Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, and that I somewhat compared it to the Netflix show Outer Banks. You will also know that I have promised you a review of this wonderful novel.

Admittedly, it took me a really long time to actually pick up Where the Crawdads Sing; it has been on my physical TBR for over 6 months now. I think that for me it was one of those books that were so hyped that I was afraid to read it. What would have happened if I did not like it? So many people had been praising it over and over again, and while I was curious, there was also a lot of pressure put on that book. And for the first 50 pages or so, I was so much in my own head that I did not really enjoy reading it.

However, as you will see in my review, I did end up giving this novel 5 stars.

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Where the Crawdads Sing tells the story of a young girl, Kya, born in a poor family who lives on the outskirts of town, in the marsh. After her family leaves, she finds herself alone to fend for herself and relies on her environment to survive, earning her the nickname “Marsh Girl”, a town myth, an outsider. The story operates on two different timelines: one in which we see Kya grow up and figure out how to live alone in the marsh, and the other years later when Chase Andrews, a popular local, is found dead and Kya is the main suspect.

(Wo)Man and Nature

“She knew the years of isolation had altered her behavior until she was different from others, but it wasn't her fault she'd been alone. Most of what she knew, she'd learned from the wild. Nature had nurtured, tutored, and protected her when no one else would.”

I think that one of my favourite things about this novel is the way Kya’s life is so deeply linked with nature, and the incredible descriptions of the marsh and its purpose as a habitat for life. Where the Crawdads Sing relies a lot on man’s relationship with nature, or in this case, a woman’s.

We often use the image of a ‘Mother Nature’ to evoke the notion of nature as a nurturing presence who will take care of those who seek her. In a sense, nature becomes a form of parent for Kya after her mother leaves when she is no older than 6 years old. But it is also something that her biological mother has taught her, to love nature and let it play an important part of life.

For a long time, nature is the only presence in Kya’s life, and plays a fundamental part in her education – which later on leads her to publish books on the marsh and become a successful author and respected expert in her field – and Kya seems to be more comfortable with nature than with other human beings. Later on in the novel, Kya’s knowledge of the marsh is used against her in her trial for Chase Andrews’s murder.

Kya does have recurrent interactions with a few trusted friends, the main ones being Jumpin’ and Mabel, Tate, and Chase. However, all of those interactions are represented through nature’s lens. What I mean by that is that Kya observes her friends and her relationships in a very scientific and biological way. She often compares them to animals she encounters in the wild, the ones she spent her lifetime observing. Just like with animals, when she is with other human beings, she is an outsider, and a simple observer to a life and to the behaviours of what surrounds her.

“Female fireflies draw in strange males with dishonest signals and eat them; mantis females devour their own mates. Female insects, Kya thought, know how to deal with their lovers.”

The Outsider narrative

“Before the feather game, loneliness had become a natural appendage to Kya, like an arm. Now it grew roots inside her and pressed against her chest.”

Where the Crawdads Sing heavily relies on the Outsider narrative, dealing with people’s reaction to the unknown, something they believe that they can judge. Kya’s first excursion to town happens after her brother Jodie leaves, and she needs to buy groceries. People’s reaction vary, as some of them try their best to be kind to her, maybe even overly so, as the cashier at the store gives her back more money than she should, but for the most part, she is judged by the townsfolk. Throughout the novel, she is shunned by whoever she meets. The town’s prejudices shine through when Chase Andrews is found dead near the marsh. Kya is instantly accused of the murder, even though the police have little proof.

Throughout the novel, Kya is considered to be ‘dirty’ and ‘uneducated’ by the people in town, and even after she becomes a successful author, they hold many prejudices against her for the way that she grew up. In a way, this book made me think of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. The two novel give a very interesting perspective on prejudices in the justice system, and how outsiders often become the easy target to powerful institutions.

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As I have said at the beginning of my review, I did end up giving Where the Crawdads Sing five stars. Once I was fully immersed in the story, I did not want to put it down, and it almost felt like I was transported into the marsh itself. This is a very character driven story, and while there is a mystery involved, it is very secondary to the book, and seems to only serve to further Kya’s character rather than be a central plot to the story.

I will admit that a part of me was worried that there would be no dialogue throughout the book, as many summaries described Kya as completely isolated from others, but Delia Owens does a wonderful job as giving Kya a real voice, even when she is not speaking.

If you are like me and worry that this has been over-hyped online, and you might not enjoy it, I would say give it a go. For me, even with high expectations, this novel really delivered on what was said.

Have you read Where the Crawdads Sing? And if so, what did you think of it? If you want to talk about it with me, I would love to hear from you! You can subscribe to my blog so you never miss a post, and follow me on Instagram where we can chat about it all!