Author: Delia Owens (American, 1949- )
Originally published: 2018
Page count: 365
Dates read: 2/20/23-2/27/23
2023 book goal progress: 3 out of 23
February Mindful Readers' Family Bookclub
Read my other book reviews for my 2023 goals HERE.
Description on back of book:
In late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals of Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast, immediately suspect the "Marsh Girl," Kya Clark. She is not as wild as they assume, but sensitive and intelligent. Kya has survived for years alone in the marsh, finding friends in the gulls, and lessons in the sand. When two young men become intrigued by her, Kya opens herself to a new life—until the unthinkable happens.
Description on back of book:
In late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals of Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast, immediately suspect the "Marsh Girl," Kya Clark. She is not as wild as they assume, but sensitive and intelligent. Kya has survived for years alone in the marsh, finding friends in the gulls, and lessons in the sand. When two young men become intrigued by her, Kya opens herself to a new life—until the unthinkable happens.
First sentences:
"Marsh is not swamp. Marsh is a space of light, where grass grows in water, and water flows into the sky."
Favorite quotes:
"Sometimes she heard night sounds she didn't know or jumped from lightning too close, but whenever she stumbled, it was the land that caught her. Until at last, at some unclaimed moment, the heart-pain seeped away like water into sand. Still there, but deep. Kya laid her hand upon the breathing, wet earth, and marsh became her mother."
"You all listen now, this is a real lesson in life. Yes, we got stuck. but what'd we girls do? We made it fun, we laughed. That's what sisters and girlfriends are all about. Sticking together even in the mud, 'specially in the mud."
"The definition of a man: one who can cry freely, feel poetry and opera in his heart, and do whatever it takes to defend a woman."
CAWPILE Rating: Overall - 7.9/10 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Characters - 9
Atmosphere - 9
Writing Style - 6
Plot - 8
Intrigue - 8
Logic - 7
Enjoyment - 8
What is a CAWPILE Rating?
Review:
I enjoyed this much more than I expected! I can't really say much since it's a mystery and I don't want to give anything away. The book is divided into 2 parts and the chapters go back and forth between Kya's backstory and the present mystery. I would have preferred there be 3 parts: the first would solely focus on Kya's backstory, the second would introduce the murder mystery and go back and forth between the timelines, and the third would focus just on solving the mystery and wrapping up the loose ends. I really enjoyed Kya's story and the mystery was extremely slow in the beginning - they felt like annoying intrusions on the part of the story I actually wanted to read.
I liked the ongoing saying that certain things of nature keep secrets better than others. Mud doesn't keep secrets well - nor do crows, but both sand and shells keep secrets really well. My favorite characters were definitely Jumpin' and Mabel - an older black couple. I cried twice. The poetry was a little annoying and felt unnecessary until the very end. For a little bit, I thought the book was going to end without solving the murder, but I was wrong! The ending was great, bittersweet for several reasons, but great nonetheless.
Book to movie review:
The movie was alright but didn't feel true to the book. The story spans Kya's life from about 6 to 23 - except at the very end when they fast forward a lot. There were all of 2 actors that played her and it should have been 4. There was an upper elementary actor and an adult actor, but there should have also been a lower elementary actor and a teenager.
It was way too tidy and clean - she's a little girl living alone in a marsh - she looked too perfect all the time. The timeline was completely jumbled. Jumpin' and Mabel didn't come off as endearing in the book - and Mabel was horribly cast. The movie also completely botched the ending. It felt like a rushed afterthought than the wonderful surprise it was in the book.
I did like the build-up of the character Tom, her lawyer. I also liked how she saw her mom at the very end. Overall, though, the movie just isn't worth it compared to the book.
Now I'm off to read another book... but since a review should be more about the author of the book than about the writer of the blog, I will let Delia Owens have the last words:
"Autumn was coming; the evergreens might not have noticed, but the sycamores did. They flashed thousands of golden leaves across slate-gray skies... And just at that second, the wind picked up, and thousands upon thousands of yellow sycamore leaves broke from their life support and streamed across the sky. Autumn leaves don't fall; they fly. They take their time and wander on this, their only chance to soar. Reflecting sunlight, they swirled and sailed and fluttered on the wind drafts."
