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Original poster

Am I the only person who did not love Where the Crawdads Sing?

42 replies

Iloveyoucaterpillar · 17/12/2020 22:32

Saw on another thread that this seems to be a book that people rave about and I was all ready to feel the same, yet just didn't end up liking it particularly without really knowing why.

I certainly did a massive internal eye roll when it turned out that Kaya - left to support herself since the age of about 6 I think - was blossoming into an unconcious willowy beauty, as though it would be impossible to care for her character without tumbling raven locks etc.

And the idea of Tate popping along every now and then and somehow miraculously teaching her to read seemed far fetched. Perhaps I'm just jealous as my oldest DC is 3.5 and has got home his first reading books, it's made me realise the whole learning to read process will take years and at the moment the end result feels highly unlikely.

Then there is the miraculous and very convenient book deal Hmm.

I wanted to like it so much more!

OP posts:
SantasBritchesSpelleas · 18/12/2020 12:59

I couldn't get into the Crawdads at all. Dull, dull, dull.

Eleanor Oliphant started off OK - but then fell into the tired cliche of (effectively) giving EO a makeover, at which point I lost interest. My tolerance for 'unattractive woman has makeover and becomes attractive' plots was exhausted in the mid-90s when it formed the plot of just about every chick-lit novel on the shelves.

ExpensivelyDecorated · 18/12/2020 12:58

Same here. Some beautiful descriptions of the setting but otherwise nothing to recommend it. The murder mystery plotline added nothing to it, the poetry ditto. Worst book I've read this year.

Longtalljosie · 18/12/2020 12:54

Yep me too. All of that. I love the friend who recommended it to bits though so I’ve kept my mouth firmly shut

CountFosco · 18/12/2020 12:52

The nature writing is the best bit and sometimes it's pleasant to be swept along by a mad page turner so I enjoyed it at the time but it's not a book I'd ever recommend. See also: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Unbelievable.

RhinestoneCowgirl · 17/12/2020 22:59

A book group friend read it and absolutely loathed it, so you're not the only one OP. I trust her judgement and haven't felt inclined to read it.

texarkana · 17/12/2020 22:58

I’m with you OP.
Glorified chick lit Blush unconvincing.

Original poster
Iloveyoucaterpillar · 17/12/2020 22:56

And yes, absolutely felt the book was a vehicle for the nature writing.

OP posts:
Crumpetycrump · 17/12/2020 22:56

I quite enjoyed it Blush

Original poster
Iloveyoucaterpillar · 17/12/2020 22:54

Yes, the poetry! Every time she was reminded of an "Amanda Hamilton" poem I just sighed. The murder mystery element also felt contrived.

OP posts:
GingerAndTheBiscuits · 17/12/2020 22:54

It was dreadful. The conversation between Kaya and her brother midway was the point at which I wanted to throw it against the wall (/delete it), but I pushed on to finish it. Needn’t have bothered.

sofiathe2nd · 17/12/2020 22:51

I’m with you OP but I seem to be in the minority: all my friends, family and book group loved it.

I thought some of the writing was atrocious, the story totally unbelievable and the bits about botany/nature which were clearly the author’s first love shoe horned in all over the place

SparkleClaws · 17/12/2020 22:46

I couldn't get over how bad I thought it was: two friends who are far more discerning than I raved about it.

I read it after American Dirt and it didn't hold a candle to that book I thought.

Fudgefeet · 17/12/2020 22:44

Another thing that came to mind was if I had to raise myself from the age of 6 I’m sure my teeth would be rotten, my hair matted and my armpits would probably have dreadlocks. Definitely no willowy beauty.

mollscroll · 17/12/2020 22:43

Very badly written. I couldn’t believe some of the sentences made it past the editor.

Sohardtochooseausername · 17/12/2020 22:42

I didn’t like it either. Seemed rather cliched to me.

Fudgefeet · 17/12/2020 22:42

I hated it too and for all the same reasons. Her being a secret poet really tipped me over the edge 😂

NiamCinnOir · 17/12/2020 22:41

I totally agree with you - I thought it was predictable and unbelievable with a very thin plot, but good film potential! Couldn’t understand why everyone was raving about it.

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