When any book makes a surprise splash in the oversaturated marketplace, talk of a film adaptation can never be far away. Often times this leads to disappointment. Thankfully Where the Crawdads Sing bucks that trend. It successfully intertwines the book’s two stories into one cohesive tale.
When American writer/zoologist Delia Owens’ debut novel solo nine-teen million copies and topped The New York Times Fiction Best Sellers List a film version was inevitable. The book follows the life and times of Kya Clark played by Daisy Edgar-Jones (Cold Feet and Ear Of The Worlds). Her life is one filled with extreme hardship.
As the youngest member of a family led by an abusive father played with believable ferocity by Garret Dillahunt, she has to endure all of her loved ones leaving the toxic environment. She stays with their father and suffers the physical and mental isolation until he too leaves their shack home located out in the marsh lands. Forced to raise herself until her teens she is shy but very intelligent.
Her interface with the outside world is minimal and most people try to take advantage of her including a boy named Chase Andrews (Harris Dickinson). He is the small town’s star athlete and comes from a known family. Their relationship become adversarial and when he turns up dead she is charged with the murder. Through backstory during the trial we discover more details about her life and relationship with Chase. This film is a treat for both fans of the book and those new to the story, Where the Crawdads Sing speaks of one woman’s strength against insurmountable odds and her ultimate victory.
Rob Hudson
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