There was a time when I would read a book cover to cover whether I was enjoying it or not. It was as if I was obeying an unwritten rule that went something like the line from Mastermind, “I’ve started so I’ll finish”. But eventually I realised it’s all about choosing carefully and only reading books that matter to you.
“I can never read all the books I want; I can never be all the people I want and live all the lives I want. I can never train myself in all the skills I want…”
― Sylvia Plath
Everywhere I looked people were commenting on Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, yet I hadn’t noticed its arrival in the shop at all. Ever curious, I found myself a copy and was hooked right from the start — I definitely wanted to know what happened next in this intriguing story. Set in the swamplands of North Carolina, this debut novel follows young Kya Clark as she explores the world around her in 1950s America. An outsider, Kya makes friends with nature and her immediate environment before she cautiously ventures further afield and makes a name for herself in the wider world. But when a young man dies in suspicious circumstances fingers are pointed in her direction. The townsfolk have already made their minds up about who’s to blame.
I can now say for certain that this is one of those books I’m glad to have read, both for my own enjoyment and to recommend to others. And it’s no surprise to find that the author, Delia Owens, is a wildlife scientist along with being a very good writer indeed.
If I choose carefully, I can read all the books I want. I’m happy being myself and love the life I’m living. The skills I’ve honed over the years include rewiring fiddly electrical household items, running book clubs, and up-cycling furniture in vivid colours (mostly orange). Everything else is icing on the cake!
