Book Review: Where the Crawdads Sing

 I have been influenced by the great modern philosopher Ali Abdaal; one the biggest regrets of his youth was not having written reflections about the books that he read. He notes that it is important to record how certain books affect you at the time that you read them. Books hit differently at different points in life, and looking back, its true. I can read summaries of old books but cannot recall how I interpreted them in the past. I will never be able to recall the raw emotion and zeal to which they have influenced me. Thus, I will begin recording the effects of thy books read.

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens was the best mystery (one of the only I read in this genre kekw) I have experienced. Recently, it kept me up till the AM hours of the night and destroyed my sleep schedule for the week. The main character, Kia (aka Marsh Girl), grew up in the coastal swamp ghetto of the Carolinas. Society scorned her family, and her family all abandoned due to their abusive father. Her father left too, so she braved the swamp life solo at age 12. By surviving off selling mussels and fish to some other swamp guy for 10 yrs (one of her only contact with the outside world), Kia grew up isolated, and thus, had low EQ and distrusted the world. In her youth, she met another swamp kid who taught her how to read and they fell in love. Sadly, he left to get his PhD in biological marsh studies (respectable), but it added to Kia's world view of people always abandoning her. Plot is - 10yrs later someone dies in the marsh, and its easy to blame the outcast Marsh girl even though there is barely any evidence. She must prove her innocence.

[[At first, it was pity for her character, but then as a reader, it was frustrating to see Kia miss all the basic social ques which lead to further her problems. I understand though, some people were just raised different and it's just how they think. At the end of the day though, I always root for the underdog who survived against all odds, and spoilers - she won (had a good ass lawyer) and married swamp boy. However.... 30 yrs later swamp boy discovered that she was actually the killer :O ... I know it was just a book, but DAMN I felt betrayed; SLAPPED to the face; it all makes sense looking back. Kia, bruh I rooted for you... could barely sleep the rest of that night. overall 5/5 read and movie coming soon]]