Solid book with very engaging characters that kept me guessing about what way the pendulum would swing until the very end. + engaging characters and plot + deeply-rooted love for nature and the ecosystem of the marsh that shines from every page - some grammatical choices that reoccurred throughout the book and really through me off - spoken dialect reflected in writing (awful in the beginning, gets better over time)

Ich hatte das Buch letztes Jahr irgendwann angefangen und kam gaaaar nicht rein und habs jetzt 7 Monate liegen lassen. Aber holy moly, wie gut ist dieses Buch bitte?? Vor allem auch der suspense Teil zum Ende hin? Ich hab ja mal so krass mitgefiebert. Auch wie schön alles beschrieben ist und wie sehr man mit Kya mitfühlt und sie für ihre Stärke bewundert. Einfach toll! Als Nächstes wird der Film angeschaut! 😍

I liked it, read it in a few days! It reminds you of how awful and selfish humans can be. However, I sometimes just did not really feel with Kya. I understood why she has become "absent", especially during the trial, but I found it quite exhausting to read sometimes. I just wanted to shake her and get some sort of emotion out of her.

Usually I am very skeptical regarding books which are too highly spoken of. But after reading a single sentence of this I was sure that I wanted to take my time reading it and I am glad I did. Kya and the marshes have their own organic pull. The descreption of nature, deeply intertwined with Kya's loneliness, resourcefulness, are beautiful. Like her, the words are precise but still poetic. I loved that. It made me want to shrug of my skin and swim with the fish, fly with the sea gulls. And at the same time, Kya is so achingly human, searching for her connection to other human beings. It's always tragic if it doesn't work out, wonderful if it does, but never treated bluntly as humans simply being bad or good. I can only recommend a read :)

Let's face it, a lot of times love doesn't work out. Yet even when it fails, it connects you to other and in the end, that is all you have, the connections. in 1952 Catherine "Kya" Danielle Clark witnesses her mother leaving her family, with no intention of coming back to continue the marriage with her abusive husband. While patiently waiting for her mother's return, slowly all her siblings follow the vanish into the unknown. Eventually, even her father leaves her, making her the only person left behind, alone in the small shack in the marsh. Only nine years old, Kya has to adjust to the new situation very quickly, learning how to survive alone by making money out of mussels and fish. Through the journey, she grows up, her body developing to that of a woman. She falls in love, gets her heart broken, falls in love again. A never-ending spiral of comfort and loneliness, all the while asking herself why it had to happen to her. Throughout "Where the Crawdads sing" you grow up with the marsh girl. You'll learn the world through the eyes of a little girl, fully depending on herself. The book was scar, heartwarming and sad, sometimes all at the same time. Getting to know Kya and trying to experience what she must feel thoughout the story made me again realize, what a rich life I am living and what I should be thankful for, every second of the day. I didn't just read this book, I felt it. And I can't explain in which ways. So get out there, be the Marsh Girl and read this fantastic book.

I was recommended this so many times and didn’t think I would like it. I tried reading it and couldn’t get into it so decided to listen to the Audiobook instead. Cassandra Campbell does an amazing job of telling Kyas story. Genuinely one of the most beautiful books I’ve ever listened to.

Nervige Geschichte, nervig geschrieben und da die Autorin auch selbst eine fragwürdige Vergangenheit hat kann ich hier wirklich nichts empfehlen. Waren die 99 Cent nicht wert, die das E-Book gekostet hat. Spätestens ab dem Punkt wo das N-Wort mehrfach auf einer Seite gedroppet wurde hatte ich keine Lust mehr

Das war eine echte Entdeckung. So zart, so unschuldig und gleichzeitig so tragisch und gemein. Kya ist eine tragische Figur, die man nur lieben kann. In den ersten 50 Seiten musste ich mich an die vielen unbekannten Vokabeln im englischen gewöhnen, danach konnte ich jede Seite genießen und wollte das Buch nicht mehr aus den Händen legen. Ich wollte wissen, wie es mit Kya weitergeht. Wird sie ihr Glück finden? Wird sie endlich nicht mehr allein sein? Ich habe Tate geliebt. So ein guter, sozialer und liebevoller Mensch. Für mich war das Buch nahezu perfekt. Es hat mich zu Tränen gerührt und das hat lange kein Buch mehr geschafft. Ich bin dankbar für diese Entdeckung und kann es nur weiter empfehlen. Das Ende hat mich überrascht, rundet die Geschichte aber ab und ist ebenso perfekt wie der Rest des Buches.

This book is about a young woman named Kya, who's left to raise herself in the marshes of North Carolina when her family abandons her at a young age. There is so much to her story: romance, mystery, and a murder… and it takes place in the breathtaking backdrop of the South. So I went into this book with absolutely zero knowledge of the plot or whatsoever and I’m really glad I did. This book is so special and the writing style is so unique I loved every second of it. And even though the ending was very sad I still think it was the perfect ending. All the characters were so well written and felt so real I got so attached to each and every one of them. I was slowly starting to get disappointed because I only had like 4 pages left and the murderer of Chase Andrews still wasn’t revealed so I thought that we would be left with an open ending , but than there is that last page and boom there it is and my jaw drops to the floor . I honestly can’t decide if I want to give this 5 stars or 4,75 stars I need some time to think about this, holy moly. Quotes: “Faces change with life’s toll, but eyes remain a window to what was...” “Time is no more fixed than the stars. Time speeds and bends around planets and suns, is different in the mountains than in the valleys, and is part of the same fabric as space, which curves and swells as does the sea.” ,,But when he reached the lagoon, he stopped under the deep canopy and watched hundreds of fireflies beckoning far into the dark reaches of the marsh. Way out yonder, where the crawdads sing.“

This was such a great story. And I think it's also a really important story. It tells you about being alone and taking care of yourself. How it feels to be lonely. It tells about love and trust. And it tells so much about nature in such a beautiful way. What I also really liked was that poetry plays a big part in this. I think it's also a great idea to combine a love story with a crime/thriller element. All in all I really liked this and I was shocked at the end.

I knew from the start that this story wasn't for me, but it kept appearing over and over again, begging for a chance and so I gave it to it. The first third of the book was beautiful, but after a while the author seemed to realise that they hadn't enough of a story to fill a book and so it turned into a cliche kind of love story which just cheapened the whole thing for me. The constant blasting of poems just made it worse and I now have to say, I'm happy it's over. Especially because the ending felt really unnecessary.

DON’T READ THIS IF YOU DON’T READ BOOKS DUE TO A FEW NEGATIVE COMMENTS ABOUT IT. A wonderfully descriptive book! The writing is amazing and you can clearly imagine every scene in this book. I did not really like when the author let the characters start talking and also the character development was pretty poor. In some parts of the book there are way too many details so I get the few negative comments about the book being boring. Some things also did not really make sense to me at all and were not authentic and seemed fake (Can’t tell you an example cause I don’t want to spoil anything.) I still REALLY enjoyed it especially the writing style

I am so sorry, but this book was super disappointing for me. A friend recommended that one and I thought I had to get it. I read it trough in two days. Not because I could not stop to read. I just wanted it to end. At the beginning the story of little Kya was very interesting. But later in the book it started to feel like the author lost the red string. It got super fast and was all over the place. The writing style was definitely not my cup of tea. I usually don't mind jumps between the present and the past, but it mostly felt random. The story was hard to read from the middle part until the end.

I am so sorry, but this book was super disappointing for me. A friend recommended that one and I thought I had to get it. I read it trough in two days. Not because I could not stop to read. I just wanted it to end. At the beginning the story of little Kya was very interesting. But later in the book it started to feel like the author lost the red string. It got super fast and was all over the place. The writing style was definitely not my cup of tea. I usually don't mind jumps between the present and the past, but it mostly felt random. The story was hard to read from the middle part until the end.

I was really considering to only give it three stars… I saw the ending coming from miles away, and it really left me wondering what I should take away from this story. Then again it was an entertaining read, and it’s rough to judge a book only by its ending. The story telling with the parallel glimpses into the present/ past is very creative, and the introduction of the marsh as a setting in such a detailed way is truly worth honoring. Im so curious what they made the movie look like… I just cannot picture Daisy Edgar Jones as Kya and I hope they haven’t dropped the dirty look of the marsh, as people on the outside must have seen it.

This book includes all elements I like. -Little girl who grows up almost all by her own. Living in marsh, but still managed to educate herself ( with the help of Tate who teaches her reading). Reading books because she wants to learn knowledge, instead of for good notes. I even realized why so many people love peoms because of her. -Romance. Two boys are attracted by her wild beauty, one teaches her reading and has same interest with her, another gives her hope of future but never introduces her to his family and friends. It seems easy to choose when we say it this way, but Tate also broke his promise once. Which leads Kya even feel more betrayed, because she trusted him with her whole heart. I really like Tate, his kindness and carfulness. But I also can understand why Kya wants to be with Chase, even she doesn't like him that much. Like she said, she felt Chase filled her empty. So even she knows Chase is not that reliable, she still be with him until she found out he already engaged with another girl. -Murder. No need to talk a lot about this. When stories related to murder, I always feel some curious and eager to learn more about the mystery. -Alone and have plenty of time to do stuff interested without disturbing of anybody. Kya collected all kinds of feathers, mushrooms... She collected them many years without intention,which makes me impressive. I can feel the importance of insistence and love from her experience. And I also know, only when you have lots of "foundation" of knowledge, then you can go further in you own way because of the backup in you own body. -Kind people offering help without reward. Tate taught her read, Jumpin helped her live, Jumpin's wife taught her as a mother... It is the existence of so many kind people, makes the world a better place to live. I also have been helped by lots of people, and I am willing to help other people. That is how sociaty works. I would not say it is a perfect book, but it is an incredible book.

4 stars English review: This is essentially a book about a little girl, trying to survive alone in an environment that doesn't want her or support her and which effects this upbringing has on her. When I finished this book, I didn't really know what to think about it. I enjoyed the reading experience and wanted to know how the story would end. Somehow it was hard for me to decide if I liked it in the moment, but the more time goes by, the more I have good memories about reading it. It was heartbreaking, hopeful and suspenseful at times and I'm looking forward to the movie. Luise Helm, the narrator of the German audiobook, did a great job with it and her voice matched the character very well, I could imagine the story better in my head because of that. German review: In dieser Geschichte geht es im Grunde um ein kleines Mädchen, welches alleine in einer Umgebung aufwächst, die sie weder dort haben will noch unterstützt und die Effekte, die dieses Aufwachsen auf sie hat. Als ich das Buch beendet hatte, wusste ich nicht wirklich, was ich darüber denken sollte. Ich mochte den Leseprozess und wollte wissen, wo es hinführt, aber konnte meine eigene Meinung noch nicht wirklich greifen. Je mehr Zeit seitdem vergeht, desto positivere Erinnerung habe ich allerdings von der Leseerfahrung. Es war herzzerreißend, hoffnungsvoll und spannend an den richtigen Stellen und ich freue mich sehr auf den Film. Die Stimme von Luise Helm passte meiner Meinung nach sehr gut zum Hauptcharakter und machte es einfacher, mir deren Geschichte vorzustellen.

Ich habe dieses Buch wirklich geliebt, es ist eines der besten, die ich dieses Jahr bisher gelesen habe. Der Hype ist es auf jeden Fall wert. Da ich kein englischer Muttersprachler bin, hat es einen Moment gedauert, bis ich mich an den Slang der Südstaaten gewöhnt habe, aber er passt zur Atmosphäre und zum Ort der Handlung. Sie werden direkt in das Marschland der 1950er Jahre und die außergewöhnliche Geschichte von Kya, bekannt als das Marsh-Mädchen, hineingezogen. Das Buch ist in zwei Teile gegliedert: Der erste Teil konzentriert sich auf Kyas Kindheit und ihr Aufwachsen mit all den Höhen und Tiefen, die das isolierte Leben als Außenseiter im ländlichen North Carolina mit sich bringt. Sie wuchs allein auf und wurde von allen Familienmitgliedern und später auch von Männern völlig verlassen. Sie muss schnell lernen, wie man im Sumpfgebiet überlebt. Du hast in guten wie in schlechten Zeiten Mitgefühl mit ihr. Die Liebe zur Natur wird durch Kyas Charakter und den Schreibstil von Delia Owens wunderbar vermittelt, als ob man im Sumpf stünde. Als sie erwachsen wird und sich verliebt, findet sie sich in einer ihr unbekannten Welt wieder und muss lernen, Jungen zu vertrauen, was ihre eigenen Probleme mit sich bringt. Und wieder wird sie zweimal verlassen. Ihre einzige Konstante im Leben ist Jumpin‘, der sich um sie kümmerte und dabei half, Vorräte wie Kleidung zu besorgen. Im zweiten erfahren wir mehr über den Mordfall und alte Bekannte kehren zurück. Es scheint zunächst bergauf für Kya zu gehen, bis zu einem schicksalhaften Tag im Oktober. Der Mordfall wurde sehr gut geschildert und ich war vom Ausgang überrascht, zwischendurch vermutete ich noch die eine oder andere Person. Das Ende rührte mich zu Tränen, aber es war schön zu lesen, dass Kya immer noch die große Liebe und Geborgenheit fand, nach der sie sich immer sehnte, und dass sie das ein oder andere Geheimnis für sich behielt. Das Buch ist ein Genremix und spricht eine breite Leserschaft an. Es ist eine absolute Leseempfehlung für Naturliebhaber, Krimi- und Lovestory-Fans.

Gosh, I loved this book! I can't say I didn't have to work for it a little, as I didn't find it super easy to get into in the beginning, but it was soo worth it and it left me thoughtful and quiet and with a heart full and broken at the same time. I loved how the book questioned my sense of right and wrong and how I felt so deeply for this girl who lived a life so different from mine. I love how we see her grow up and struggle but also find her place in the harsh world she is left in. For me, the beginning was hard to read, because it made me depressed and angry at the world which had left a girl so young to fend for herself, but I loved the growth she experiences and also the quiet sort of relationships she has with kind people around her. One of the best things for me was the whole natural world we get to explore with Kya and I found myself researching the kind of landscape type and animals she encounters in the book. For me, the book transports the kind of connection to nature that I think many of us have lost and that would do many of us so much good and would honestly save this world. I know I often crave it while at the same time struggeling to achieve it. Kya inspired me to go out there and just observe and watch and be part of it all. This book brings up so many questions and topics to reflect on, without pointing fingers, simplifying matters or indicating what is right or wrong, which is always a sign of a good book for me. I will definitely be revisiting this book in the future!

Eine schöne, tragische Geschichte, die mich sehr bewegt hat. Sprachlich manchmal etwas schwierig, die parallel erzählten Zeitstränge sorgen für einen guten Erzählrhythmus und Spannungsbogen. Ab der Hälfte des Buches bis zum Ende hatte ich einen Verdacht bzgl.des Mordfalles, doch die Lösung kommt erst ganz zum Schluss.

2.5 ⭐️ first of all, unfortunately the book was way too slow for me. at first i really liked the detailed descriptions of the marsh, but when it finally got some plot and suspense i was already 300 pages in and soo bored. it’s pretty sad, because i loved the characters, but the story could’ve been build in a more exciting way.

WARNING: Please look Delia Owens up and see in what she is conflicted and involved. Please don’t support her as an author and if you wish to read this book, buy it secondhand or get it at your local library - I don’t feel comfortable writing a review about this book. It is tied to Delia‘s life and you can’t separate the art from the artist here. @/newlynova on tiktok made a short explanation about everything so please watch her video or look at other sources. The murder in this book is obviously to some part tied to a real person that died and Delia’s (Ex?) husband is still wanted for questioning in Africa. Delia, Mark(ex husband) and their son fled the country after the death of an (assumed) pocher who was shot on sight (apparently by the son) because he was near a camp. This was detected in an ABC documentary about their life there. I can’t explain it as well as Articles can so please don’t support the author and this contains watching the movie in cinema or buying her books. Read the article in atlantic. It’s the most trustworthy source and explains everything that I might have wrong here

To be honest, I just read the book because the movie is coming out and I like to read the books before I watch the movies. The story didn’t get me at all. I did not really like the atmosphere or the characters. No one was actually relatable. Unfortunately it took me a really long time to get through with this book, i did. skip a few pages, where only the march was described - didn’t quite catch me tbh. I would not really recommend

~No, i caint leave the gulls, the heron, the shack. The marsh is all the family i got.~ --- Bewertung Insgesamt:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Inhalt (Storyline & Charaktere):⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Schreibstil:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Cover & Design: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ --- Where the crawdads sing ist eine wunderbare Geschichte über das Leben in der Natur, das Überleben und über das Verlassen werden. Kyas Geschichte hat mich wirklich fasziniert, es ist so interessant, wie ein sechs Jähriges Mädchen alleine klar kommen kann. Kyas Leben zu verfolgen fand ich wirklich interessant. Die Verbindung zur Stadt, die Gerüchte über sie. Auch wie sie alles fürs Leben gelernt hat und natürlich ihre Lovestorys ebenfalls. Das Ende hat mich komplett überrascht und war wirklich großartig. Kya ist ein sehr interessanter Charakter mit einer absolut faszinierenden Lebensgeschichte. Es fiel mir leicht sie ins Herz zu schließen und es fiel mir stets leicht ihre Entscheidungen nachzuvollziehen. Auch Tate mochte ich von Anfang, auch wenn es wenige Momente hab, in denen ich ihn nicht soo gerne mochte. Jumpin‘ und Mable waren so unglaublich nette Leute und ich bewundere, wie sie Kya unterstützt haben. Ich liebe die beiden einfach. Chase hingegegen konnte ich nicht liebgewinnen. Das Setting des Buches ist einfach wunderschön. Kyas Verbundenheit mit dem Marsh ist einfach wundervoll und ihre Bücher passen einfach so gut dazu. Kyas Leben mit den Tieren und dem Boot in der Natur ist so friedvoll. Auch den Schreibstil der Geschichte mochte ich wirklich gerne, auch wenn es mir manchmal schwierig fand den Akzent aus North Carolina zu verstehen. Ich mochte ihn dennoch, den er passte einfach zum Setting. Alles in allem ist where the crawdads sing eine wunderbare Geschichte mit friedvollem Setting und einem sehr passenden Schreibstil. Alle Komponenten haben einfach zusammen gepasst und das Ende war nicht vorhersehbar. Ein absolutes Highlight für mich und deswegen auch eine große Leseempfehlung. --- Song • Carolina (Taylor Swift) ---

In her gripping debut novel, Delia Owens harmonizes romance, nature and mystery in a coming-of-age story. Growing up in total isolation in the marshland of North Carolina, Kya proves that humankind is capable of doing anything for survival. I have instantly locked Kya in my heart and immersed myself in the atmosphere and her emotional experiences. Owens lives and breathes the philosophy of strong ties to nature and has her reader participate in a well of knowledge that she conveys in an extremely engaging way. This novel gave me goosebumps with each secret lifted! Crystal-clear recommendation! Has anyone watched the movie yet? I am not sure, if the screen adaptation will do any justice to this masterpiece in writing! Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. IG: nilguen_reads

I believe this is the best book I've read this year. And it is already December. I couldn't stop reading, the story was so thrilling and gripping. The story about Kya is so different to the most books I've read so far - and that is was I loved and enjoyed it so much. What might happen next? No idea! Who killed Chase Andrews? Just tell me!! This is a great book and I really don't get how I did not come across it sooner.

For all the hype and popularity, I expected more, I fear. It was basically the story of the exceptionally gifted and pretty outcast/orphan's struggle to then be rewarded with deserved happiness and prosperity. The plot twist at the very end was what I'd expected. I liked the descriptions of nature, I don't know about the representation of the very few non-white characters and racism, or rather lack thereof.

For years, rumours of the 'Marsh Girl' have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life - until the unthinkable happens.

„I wasn’t aware that words could hold so much. I didn’t know a sentence could be so full.“ Review: „Where the crawdads sing “ by Delia Owens Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 Pages: 370 Weiterempfehlung / rec: 100% Sometimes 5 stars are not enough! This is my highlight and favorite book of this year. Kya simply has my full heart, her story made me cry in the beginning of the novel and I was just praying that everything will fall into place for her. A beautifully written masterpiece, literary fiction at it’s best.

Dieses Buch hat sich komplett anders entwickelt, als ich es erwartet habe. Als ich den Klappentext gelesen habe, bin ich davon ausgegangen, dass es sich um einen etwas ungewöhnlichen Krimi handelt. Ja, es ist ein Krimi, aber die eigentlichen Kriminalelemente (mit Ausnahme des Gerichtsprozesses in hinteren Teil) bilden nur einen ganz kleinen Teil der Handlung. In den Sümpfen North Carolinas wird die Leiche von Chase Andrews gefunden. Der Sheriff geht nicht von einem Unfall aus und stellt Untersuchungen an. Sein Verdacht fällt schnell auf Kya Clark, die abgeschieden und isoliert von allen anderen im Marschland wohnt und von jedermann nur "das Marschmädchen" genannt wird. Erzählt wird hauptsächlich aus Kyas Perspektive, wie sie als Kind zunächst von ihrer Mutter, später vom Rest der Familie verlassen wird. Sie schlägt sich alleine, mit der Hilfe von sehr wenigen Freunden, durchs Leben, geht nicht zur Schule, lebt von Fisch- und Muschelfang. Ihr Freund Tate bringt ihr lesen bei und hilft ihr, zwei Bücher zu veröffentlichen. Ich fand das Buch schön zu lesen, auch wenn es ganz anders war, als erwartet. Allerdings war ich bis zum überraschenden Ende hin und her gerissen, wie ich es nun bewerten sollte. Mir kam doch vieles zu unwahrscheinlich vor (Kya kann zwar lesen und schreiben und verbringt viel Zeit in der Natur, aber wissenschaftliche Bücher zu verstehen und sogar selbst zu schreiben, scheint mir doch etwas weit hergeholt). Wenn man darüber hinwegsieht, ist es aber eine schöne Lektüre, die mich am Schluss sogar zu Tränen gerührt hat.