I would like to begin by acknowledging that I’m a few years late to the craze surrounding this book and my only excuse is my stubbornness about being a “band-wagoner”. Additionally, I had heard mixed, lackluster reviews from friends, which only cemented its position at the bottom of my TBR list. I’m thankful for my belated reading if only to bring attention back to a book that I finished in two days.
Growing up in the 1950s, Kya (Kaya) is part of the “swamp people” of North Carolina, a community outside the reach of the law for lack of caring, destined to live in the murky, humid marshes where no one else wants to be. Kya’s is a story of survival, being abandoned by her mother on account of her alcoholic father. One by one, her siblings disappear as well, leaving her to fend for herself amongst the marshes.
While the story focuses on Kya, there’s an element of mystery that is woven throughout the novel, switching the narrative between Kya’s story and an ongoing investigation. I thought the navigation of the two time-frames was well executed and paced the novel well, helping me stay engaged throughout. As for the investigation, Owens does a great job of teasing certain details so you’re left second-guessing your predictions the whole time.
Some feedback from friends cited a slower story on account of the extensive detail over the marshes and I believe this is a strong determinant in whether or not you’ll enjoy the book. Growing up, I was always captivated by the thought of living off the land and being one with nature, so Kya’s story of doing just that captivated me more than it might others.
I listened to this as an audiobook and finished within two days, absolutely and utterly sucked into Kya’s life in the marshes and her story of resilience, and now a little sad I hadn’t read it sooner.
Personal rating: 7.5/10
Recommend? If you also fantasized about living off the land, then yes, absolutely. Even if you were content in civilization, I’d probably still recommend
Re-read? Mmmmm yeah maybe
Time: 1:44