Where the Crawdads Sing, Week 2

Welcome to Week 2 of the Online Book Club discussion of Where the Crawdads Sing. 

Are you loving this book this month? I felt like the first 19 chapters just flew by. I didn't want to stop reading!

Did you enjoy that the book started with a mystery? I was hooked--I wanted to figure out why there was a dead body in the marsh! 

What did you think of Kya throughout this section? She experiences a lot of growth in the first chapters. When we first meet her, she is reeling from the fact that her mother left the family. Then, all of her siblings leave, and she has to be alone with her dad. I was thankful that things with Kya's father didn't ever get too bad. I was so afraid he was going to really hurt her once he realized they were the only ones left. It was good that he taught her to fish. I loved seeing how Kya was able to learn to take care of herself as time went on. It was heartbreaking to see how alone she was, but it was nice to see that she learned to be pretty self-sufficient. 

I was so thankful for Jumpin' and his wife, Mabel. They did so much for Kya, but they allowed her to keep her dignity. I don't think Kya would have been able to survive without them in her corner. Do you think Jumpin' and his wife were your favorite characters in this section? 

What are your thoughts on Tate? I was so glad that he taught Kya to read, and I appreciated how tender he was to take care of her and help her. What do you think is going to happen now that he's going off to school? 

How does Chase Matthews fit into Kya's story? At the end of the section, Chase's mother wants to talk to the police about a shell necklace. Shell necklaces make me think of Kya. When do you think the two stories are going to start to intersect? There are rumors in town that Kya is connected to Chase, but I can't imagine how the two of them would be connected. Chase doesn't seem like the kind of person Kya would want to spend time with. He has not been kind to her in any of the interactions they've had so far. 

I think one of the saddest parts to read was the part where Kya attempted to go to school. Why was everyone so mean to her? They act like she is a wild animal, not a small girl who just needs someone to take care of her. I was a little surprised how easy it was for her to evade the truant officer, but I think that shows that he didn't want to work to hard to make sure she was taken care of. 

What stood out to you the most in this section? What parts did you find the most heartbreaking? 

Before you go, check out the video below in which the author, Delia Owens, talks about her inspiration for the book. 

Thanks for following along this week! Make sure to leave a comment, so I know your thoughts on the first section. Make sure to read through chapter 38 for next week!