WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING by Delia Owens | Book Club Discussion

[@stephaniedavis2993]

This book was so good! I loved the ending. I heard an interview with the author and she said she left clues throughout the book but you really only understand them on the second reading. I listened to this on audible and narrator was incredible.

[@debragertz6836]

Stephanie Davis I read the book, then months later I listened to it on audible. Yes, the narrator was wonderful. I love all of the voices she used for the characters.

[@MistyinTexas]

I balled my eyes out thru most of this book. And I can't get it outta my mind! Loved it!

[@katherinefoxwatrous9541]

Saaame!

[@wags635tt]

@@katherinefoxwatrous9541 .

[@tzaph67]

I feel the same. I loved this book. It’s left a beautiful atmospheric impression - really haunting. I can’t bear to read anything else yet!

[@eringreen846]

This is the kind of book that will live on forever. I can imagine it being read in high schools and colleges, similar to the staying power that To Kill A Mockingbird had. Delia Owens will definitely be a household name for many years to come.

[@esthersedition]

Spoiler alert ! Delia Owens wrote about many instances that foreshadowed Kya's murderous intent 1. Her aggressive reaction when the boys heckled Jumpin' 2. The study of female fireflies devouring their male partners -foreshadows how she will kill Chase 3. Most obvious, the poem hinting at her intent to kill 4. She said she was not going to be like her mother verbatim - that she was not going to live in fear - killing him was the best way to achieve this 5. She was not able to look up to see the faces in the courtroom 6. We know the hat was not given to her four years ago - as Tate gave it to her shortly after Chase sexually assaulted her 7. She was always able to evade everyone - just how she would be able to evade the sentencing However, I have one unusual theory, 1. It is assumed from Tate's perspective that the shells were placed there by KYA, at the end it says that "HE REALISES" 2. But it is very plausible that Chase placed the necklace there. KYA did not return to the shack for fear that Chase would catch her again, but when she attempted to return she saw Chase at the shack looking for her 3. So maybe Chase went to the shack after sobering up out of a guilty conscience to return the necklace to KYA as he was intoxicated - but he could not find her and left it there. 4. In the book during the trial - it was noted several times that the town was against her and that she could not believe she was on trial for murder - we heard that from KYA's perspective - so as far as she is concerned she is innocent. Either Tate has got the wrong idea or Kya is just a really good liar. However, this theory can be easily refused as shown above but it's still a very interesting theory.

[@darcymann8900]

I,m a 64 year old male and I loved the book. I felt like I was along for the whole adventure. I really enjoyed watching Abbe and Jess discussing the book for the past half hour, and I loved their emotions. Great job ladies..

[@jessicamizzi9346]

Thank you so much for watching! :)

[@rnviii31]

The sheriff was actually a great character and he wasn’t bad at his job. He was methodical, patient, and did his best to apprehend who he thought was the murderer which turned out to be...

[@josefinewissing4562]

***

[@aidyhc7899]

I didn’t like him just because he was after her… But I agree with you. You are right! He did pointed the finder at the right person.

[@senseimoon4853]

My close friend and cousin didn’t like the book or understand why it was so popular but..my friend’s mother and my mother in law loved it, so I felt compelled to read it. So...I loved it. It took me to a world I never experienced. I think justice WAS served. I liked the non linear quality of the book that eventually became one timeline It had an amazing tension that I felt the strongest when the sheriff came to see Tate and Kya sees him get on the boat. I liked the plot twist and was surprised at the end of Tate’s discoveries. I loved the improvements on the shack

[@t0dd000]

Favorite element of the book: how the author portrayed her change over time ... Maturity. Education. Social development. Ironically Chase was not a waste. He pushed her to push outside of her box. Second favorite element: the primary theme ... humans as creatures of nature. It makes the murder mystery important to the story (though it is almost unneeded except for structure). I have known Kyas. I have known this class of people so shunned. I have also known people that rose out of extreme disadvantage to super high achievement. It was nice to see that reflected. Brilliant people only need a short ramp and an open door. This was a fantastic book. I have criticisms. Away from the main character, the narrative became wooden. The trial . . . ? Meh. But on the whole . . . a fantastic novel. I could turn around and read the book all over again.

[@rx8mac]

I really loved this book. It reminded me so much of Pat Conroy's "The Prince of Tides". I did have the single gripe of Kya being guilty of Chase's murder. I really felt that: 1. it wasn't in her character. Justified or not, it's very difficult to kill another human being, and to do so premeditatively indicates a darkness that I didn't feel the character was sufficiently shown to possess.. 2. The commission of the crime itself, as described, would have taken a pretty sophisticated knowledge of the workings of a world she that was not really all that familiar with. Also, the timeline and details of the crime itself seem too much of a stretch. How did she contact Chase? Beforehand? That would have exposed her too much to potential discovery. Did she plan all this and just hope she'd run across Chase, convince him to climb the tower with her, kill him, remove all the evidence, don a disguise, and still have the time to be back to the return bus before it left?

[@chloepeterson1854]

just finished about five minutes ago! i didn’t get into completely until she turned around 15.

[@jessicamizzi9346]

I had a hard time getting into it too but then I was hooked!

[@gen.c4853]

Same. Glad I stuck with it.

[@laurelleafr6091]

@@gen.c4853 same here. I finished chapter 9 Jumpin' and didn't realize Jumpin was a person. I stronly rejected the book to the point that I started skmming through it. Then I watched a review to see what the heck impressed people in teis world's most boring book and found out from the video review that Jumpin was a person. So i decided to go back and reread attentively from chapter 9. From there the book sticked to me . I just finished it right now, 10 min ago. Can't wait to write a review.

[@Shrekmochi]

I love their enthusiasm for the book. I'm going to read it now.

[@tammypell8009]

Loved this book!!! This novel is up there beside of To Kill a Mocking bird.

[@CJ928]

Tammy Pell I thought the same thing. Very similar to TKAM but more of a focus on women rather than race

[@MarleneSellsRVAHomes]

I loved the book, the ending is what put the twist on the story and made the book so poplar, what a shocker. However, the author does throw out hints.

[@tzaph67]

I was really shocked at the identity of the murderer but pleased and delighted beyond my wildest expectations when I found out. I don’t mean that ghoulishly but it was almost as if Nature’s Justice had been served in some way. I loved the way this discovery was disclosed in such a round about way right at the end.

[@anikajoy5739]

This book was INSANE!!! I loved it!!!! OMG!!!!! SO GOOD.

[@iki6286]

SPOILER ALERT: Tate wouldn't let her go to jail for 2 months (waiting for her trial) if he did do it. I thought it was him too, until the trial part started. It also became clear to me it was her because there were too many loose ends about Chase's death (specially the shell necklace). I was finishing the book and there was no indication they would give answers so it was just natural to believe she did it. But some questions are left: WHY didn't they ask to hear her statement on the trial? This seemed so unrealistic to me. The prosecution would want to push her to the edge and get the truth out of her. And I believe they would succeed. I don't think she could lie (she never once said she was innocent, she just wanted to get out). And it would help the defense too (well, that's if her lawyer thought she wasn't guilty and wasn't in town). I can believe and agree maybe Tom thought her statement was useless against the town's prejudice. But not Eric. It was a MAJOR hole for me, the prosecution not asking to hear her side of the story. She was right there. And another thing was.. how did she know he would be there at the tower in that exact day and exact time? We know she had a short time lapse to do it all, so she would've killed him and left there, no time to doubt or wait or anything.

[@meesund]

It is in the firefly poem, she lured him to the fire tower.

[@iki6286]

@@meesund yeah, I reread that part and I guess that's the answer. But it still doesn't seem right, because of the VERY short time she had to do it all

[@gabriellarosesanchez1591]

I felt from the moment they said “not guilty” the whole end of the book was rushed. Especially when such care and detail was used in the rest. My head was spinning by the time Tate’s dad died. I was waiting the entire time through the trial for us to go back to 1969 and hear Kya’s side about what happened. I mean looking back on it now when the grasshopper or whatever it was ate it’s mate, that was when she came up with the idea, but Kya is so gentle, I wanted more of her thought process, the fear that led her to desperation, the planning, the doubt that it will work. And just the fact that she was guilty the whole time makes all of the moments of me feeling so sad for her in jail seem wrong. I mean I don’t blame Kya, but she seemed to have absolutely no remorse. Even if insects kill their mates, that doesn’t mean Kya wouldn’t know better.

[@anikajoy5739]

What I wanted to talk about most was the very end!!! That poem "the fireflies" OMG and Amanda Hamilton!! You didnt mention Amanda Hamilton being Kya

[@randyamywilliams6689]

Late to the party as I FINALLY had time to read now during The Covid (as we call it here in the South). While reading the book, I thought maybe Chase had taken his own life and done so in a way that would frame Kya ... throwing the shell necklace way out into the marsh before falling to his death.

[@alisonsarahcarroll6063]

I read the book when i was on vacation to las vegas. I love the book a wonderful story. 5 stars

[@kdash506]

Thought the book was fantastic, and the way it ended couldn't have been done better. It's a morally ambiguous end to a story that made you feel such a full range emotions from bliss to downright dread. A part of you, the reader, want to change Kya's final decision, but it's impossible.

[@snidediv]

I finished this book on the Subway ride home tonight. I wanted to sob my heart out, but it was my stop so I had to pull it together and make it to the exit. I did not want this book to end, and am thrilled to learn it will be a movie. Although, I may be sitting in theatre sobbing, with tears streaming down my neck. Great review! Beautiful book.

[@jessicamizzi9346]

We're so excited for the movie. Thank you!

[@gingercat123]

I wondered if anyone else felt that dispute the fact Kya learned to read, wrote poetry, and was an accomplished artist, she was still wild at the core. Similar to the way an animal is and how that animal reacts on instinct. And that this may have been the reason she kills Chase.

[@tzaph67]

Does anyone have any ideas about comparing the qualities of the marsh with the swamp in this novel?

[@smccure1808]

I think Tate loved her since she was little

[@anitawaite3603]

loved this book your review commentere spot on! this is a book one does not forget!!

[@lisabailey6605]

I don’t think you can say justice was served but I liked the ending anyway.

[@BookShook]

I love your review. Thank you. I’ve put a ‘book club’ style first impressions podcast on my channel. I love your review. Can I used any sound bites for my follow up podcast??

[@elenap8016]

You really should have discussed the ending. I mean the not guilty verdict is just as much of a spoiler

[@SR-oj2io]

Elena P agree! I came on searching for discussions because I wanted to process the ending. If people haven’t read it, they shouldn’t be watching!

[@elenap8016]

@@SR-oj2io I agree! How did you like the ending? I ended up loving it even though I didn't expect it. I completely expected the trial to end in a guilty verdict so I spent all my mental efforts being enraged in that, that it took me by surprise!

[@annestoriesph]

We could discuss it here. Just finished it, i was blown by the ending.

[@bilssharky8429]

thank you so much for this you saved my life (i couldnt read the whole book and i had to do it for school lol, i kinda wish i still read it tho but its to late now ;-; )

[@lynettebraun5507]

I thought Chase's wife did it the whole time.

[@janethunt4037]

Y'all are so fun!!!! I watched this to help me prepare to lead an online book club discussion in a few days. Now I have some great ideas. SPOIL ALERT: I didn't like that she really did do it. I wanted Jumpin' to have done it while she was gone and for it to come out after he died somehow. That he really did have love enough to kill Chase on her behalf. BUT, after watching an interview with the author, I understand better now how the nature observations were pointing to Kya doing it. Very happy that she got away with it.

[@sharonhall1067]

I loved the descriptions of the marsh. I pictured Zendaya playing Kya & Tom Holland playing Tate. It worked for me. :o)

[@du4654]

Who kills chase Andrews

[@flippinpages6550]

I haven't read it but I am always looking for books for my book group. You have done a great job explaining the book and Amazon is sure pushing it on my emails. It would be hard to guess who did the murder because you mentioned so few characters. You only mentioned the husband and wife gas shack owners and the sheriff and the long gone family. I used to teach k-8 home study art so I worked with many of the students who were considered outcasts by other students and some kids really surprised our team when they eventually wanted to join regular school and found a way to finally fit in. In home school they had several years to create who they were and gained confidence in that. Also, home school had everyone together once a week for a day of group activities where if a child had a skill we would spotlight that skill for an hour or so, such as cooking or sports. If a child wanted, they got to show off what they loved doing. Great book. Thanks

[@jessicamizzi9346]

Let us know what you think of it!

[@jennshields1061]

I loved this video, but I’d like it better with the assumption that everyone watching it had read the book so it can be discussed in full.

[@lishol7]

I just want to know aside from letting the reader know she was guilty, why didn't she destroy the necklace?

[@lishol7]

Nvmind. I just realized you can't be tried twice. So, it didn't matter.

[@toygirafe]

old R ssian expression: " when lobsters sing from the mountain tops"

[@RebornID]

I really started to worry when the book kept giving examples of female creatures killing off males. I think it just really bothers me the fact that she read so much and loved poetry yet still acted out what she saw in nature. It gave me really mixed feelings about the book and especially the ending

[@julielynn86]

I hated the way it ended. The ending destroyed the entire rest of the book which I had loved more each chapter. It destroyed this book. Uh. Hated it. lol

[@33479Leigh]

Me too

[@ky4864]

SAME!! really i think the whole murder line is unnecessary!

[@jessicamizzi9346]

I was okay with it but so many people felt this same way! It's so interesting to hear everyone else's POV! Thanks for sharing

[@jennahainey]

I feel it was completely necessary! Chase wouldn’t have stopped ever, and I viewed it as Kya doing what she needed for survival.

[@salay30]

I loved that she was the murderer. It totally surprised me. It made total sense with her understanding of the animal world.

[@natarajangovindasamy2638]

Nice

[@Lazy-Journalist]

Reading now bye!

[@wingrace9604]

I do think justice was served. Certainly self-defense might have been an adequate justification.

[@sodonewithit]

You failed to discuss the very best part!

[@laurelleafr6091]

Which one?

[@laurelleafr6091]

I live in NC and I actually live on the coast. Thi was the only thing I could relate to in this book. I finished reading it today. I found so many inconsistencies, omg...I can't tell you enough. Super unrealistic. Themes..abandonment and loneliness. Even for the 60s this is unrealistic. Ok how about the PHD doctoral guy marrying an illiterate girl who only went to school one day in her life and surprisingly bacame a published author. OMG Delia this is so you ! Delia is Kya.Delia is an author, Kya is an author. Delia is a nature lover, Kya is a nature lover. Tate is her real life love of her life that broke her heart. i am 100% sure of this. I appreciate all the nature description but it was too much. Just like the meal descriptions in the first half of the book. Very unnecessary. A waste of time. the books keeps you in the energy of povery , abandonement and loneliness. If you are ok with this, than this book is for you, The trial covered way too many pages and then all of a sudden in just a few pages she is 65. What's up with the poetry? Didi read any of it including "the one ". Then I went back to it realizing it hid the secret. The only thing I could relate to was the fact that I live in NC, on the coast in a beach city actually, very close to the ocean and I went to the marshes on my kayak. I did that , and I imagined me being Kya in the boat. I totally dislike the first one third of the book and gave up on it , then went back and finished it. It wasn't shocking , it wasn't life-changing , it wasn't thought provoking. I only admired how the plot went back and forth. Also that "i couldn't put it down" that i hear, is actually because yoy have to keep reading for the action to finally begin. Then you get hooked but it's also repetitive. the key word is "motoring".

[@twojjamatka3330]

This discussion was so incredibly boring. So many aspects one could talk about... this video is really disappointing

[@eijonasson]

Why aggravate the public with this faux vocal fry. I really wanted to know the information but could not listen to it any longer . Thanks but no thanks.

[@MisfitsFiendClub138]

A very good book. Definitely read it! 👍🏞