Review [English ver.]: Where the Crawdads Sing

 by: Nabila Rhapsodios






PRODUCT INFO

Title: Where the Crawdads Sing
Author: Delia Owens
Publisher: G. P. Putnam's Sons
Language: English
Year Published: 2020
Page(s) Number: 370




PROLOGUE

Hello, Nabila Rhapsodios's here. I am terribly sorry that I am not too active in posting content on my blog, as my current status to write on this blog is semi-hiatus. All of my readers are not too eager to see my blog like it used to be because of my passiveness. Nevertheless, I am an active user on social media channels, and I continue posting my reviews on everything that catches my interest or silly stuff. Should any readers here find my social media channels, and we have a mutual interest in mainly books or videogames (Final Fantasy/Kingdom Hearts), please add me. For now and for an indefinite date, my social media channels are private because I have the anxiety to immerse in a broad community. Corroborated by my introverted nature. I believe in quantity over quality when forging a relationship with anyone. Small numbers of circles, but very cohesive and unified. 

I hope I am not too late to post for 2024. What I'm doing right now is odd to my blog readers because the writing uses full English. Unprecedented, I am aware. I carry over this habit of English being my primary language in my writing zone for my social media and blog (as well now) because my English skills are slowly whittling away as I do not use English as my number one language daily. This English writing habit is my way of exercising and preserving my knowledge of that language. I hope you welcome this switch language beginning with this article, dear readers. 


PLOT

Delia Owens

Anyway, regarding Where the Crawdads Sing, authored by Delia Owens. The novel has captivated many young readers in 2018. And the movie adaptation has been made. Where the Crawdads Sing follows Kya, an abandoned girl living in the secluded marsh. Kya, at the present time, is accused of the murder of a handsome boy named Chase Andrews, and she faces a trial as a result. While the trial progresses, the readers return to her past to learn why she never leaves the marsh and becomes an urchin. 

Each year's passing makes no difference for her, as society is intolerant of her presence. Only a tiny handful of people come to her rescue. Among these people is Tate Walker, a fisherman's son who teaches her how to read and write and, by fate's design, a strong supporter to help Kya nurture her naturalist nature. Kya is sure happy with Tate, but a reluctant Kya lets him go when she has to part ways with him as he has to continue his education. Chase comes into the picture during this period of loss of Tate's presence. 

Kya and Chase are soon in love with each other. This romantic is only one-sided because Chase takes Kya for granted. One day, Kya catches Chase going out with another woman introduced as Chase's fiancee. Furious, Kya intends to cut ties with Chase forever. Chase is not good with rejection and grows possessive of Kya and begins to assault her. Chase's attack elevates to sexual harassment. Kya fights back and gives Chase an ultimatum that once more do the same thing in the subsequent encounter, Kya will take his life. 

Back to Kya's trial at the present time. The prosecution tries to turn in Kya's favor because all evidence is enough to declare her innocence. The juries agreed and ruled Chase's death as a pure accident of human error. Kya is released. She returns to her life and lives happily with Tate until they grow old despite some society still holding a belief that she is the actual murderer of Chase. 


MY IMPRESSION

I was enchanted by Where the Crawdads Sing, both in print and on screen. In 2022, around Christmas, I read the book, and in 2023, I saw the movie practically before Christmas on Netflix.

The descriptions of the landscape in Where the Crawdads Sing were fantastic. The narrative became more complex as the story progressed, and the characters were captivating and remarkable. The conclusion was excellent, providing a satisfying resolution to the enigma hanging over the whole arc.

The novel's flaws are in its wordiness. It sounds so lovely and art-esque, but why was the author so fixated on using excessively flowery wording that it splattered over every page? After that, things became murky. Was the story about a love story? Was it a Young Adult? Was it a murder mystery? Was it a courtroom hearing gala? No one genre comes to me when I think of this book.

Without a doubt, the book was much superior to the film version. I thought the movie was still fun. The cinematography, locales, and aesthetics were all top-notch.


Kya & Tate -movie adaptation version-

The chemistry between the main characters and her love interests was so lovely. The main character was also quick to adapt to social norms despite living in the marsh her whole life, and I love her (Daisy Edgar-Jones) acting because she presented herself as an intelligent girl, not a dumb girl. Next, like the novel itself, the ending wraps things up warmly and bittersweetly.


Tate teaches Kya how to read -movie adaptation version-

One minus from the screen adaptation was that it lacks intensity by not showing the regretful results of being an abandoned child, lonely, excluded, reviled, and hungry. I miss her growth because she's portrayed as always being all right by herself. The novel shows this growth.


Where the Crawdads Sing Movie Main Cast (Chase, Kya, and Tate)

The profound impact of Where the Crawdads Sing on my spirit is beyond words. The narrative deftly weaves together the realities of life and the numerous dangers it presents. Morale of the story: finding joy in this harsh world takes tremendous strength.

I scored 10 out of 10 for the book. I gave 8.3 out of 10 for the film.





~END OF THE ARTICLE~




 





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