Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

Liz's book pick in October 2019 was Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens.  The novel recounts the story of a little girl whose family abandons her one-by-one, leaving her to fend for herself in a dilapidated house in the marshlands. She looks to nature to help her survive and find meaning in life. The novel moves back and forth in time, interweaving the story of her childhood with a time in her young adulthood when she is viewed as an outcast and is accused of being involved in an unsolved murder.

The novel was well-liked by all of us. An interesting comment was that the storyline was compelling even though the main character was not always viewed as likeable. Some of the minor characters were the most adored, even though many had their own failings. We also responded positively to the various turns and twists in the plot.

The book inspired some interesting conversation about abandonment, resilience, and ethics. Lunch included fruit salad in jack-o'-lanterns, delicious muffins by Lisa, and pumpkin parfaits.