Finally read ‘Where the Crawdads Sing’

[MsAmerica]

I wasn't particularly interested, but became mildly curious, as it's been a best seller for two years now.

So I finally read it, because a friend bought a copy and offered to loan it to me - and I'm amazed that something so mediocre has stayed on the best-seller list for so long. It's not actually a bad book, although there is some stiltedness that had me guessing that it's the author's first book, and I endured the excessive landscape description, but I didn't give a damn about the characters nor even about who the culprit would turn out to be.

I'm thinking that maybe it's just popular because it's so middling? Not much sex, not much violence, not much intellect.

I have never even wanted to read this book because the title alone makes me feel murderous. It's so bloody literary and pretentious. What even is a crawdad?

I did love Atwood back in the day. My faves were Cat's Eye and Alias Grace. I did see her speak once at a literary festival and she was quite funny. I was surprised.

@FinallyFluid

It was a toss up between finishing it, and taking my eyeball out with a rusty spoon.

I am getting used to only having one eye.

Does that help.

Brilliant! Yes it was … okay … not the greatest book I did finish it.

@IdblowJonSnow

I have never even wanted to read this book because the title alone makes me feel murderous. It's so bloody literary and pretentious. What even is a crawdad?

I did love Atwood back in the day. My faves were Cat's Eye and Alias Grace. I did see her speak once at a literary festival and she was quite funny. I was surprised.

I don't think it's intended to be either literary or pretentious. It's an American book, crawdad is a kind of seafood like a shrimp/prawn, and to most Americans the choice of word would imply regional Southern rural poverty.

Dreadful book, badly written and full of cliches