Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

In Where the Crawdads Sing, Kya is abandoned by her family and must find her own way in the marsh.

A great way to stay motivated about the great outdoors is by reading books about being in nature. For me this is crazy motivating and makes my imagination run wild about enjoying the benefits of being in nature

Stories about surviving and thriving in nature are inspiring because they make you reminisce about being outside. You start remembering fun trips or think about your next trip. If you need a little extra inspiration, try reading a great story about the outdoors! 

This blog post reviews Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens based on how likely it is to motivate someone to get outside. This story goes from barely surviving, to learning to work with nature to worshiping everything about the outdoors. There is a good chunk of nature inspiration in here!

Get Outdoors Get Happy Where the Crawdads Sing Book Review
Where the Crawdads Sing Review

Where the Crawdads Sing: the Plot

Kya’s mom walks out one day and slowly her other siblings leave to escape their abusive father. Eventually, Kya finds herself alone without access to food and must fend for herself. Over time, she figures out how to live alone and isolated from other humans. Even though Kya connects with nature she can’t ignore the need to be around other humans. This leads her to seek companionship (love portion of the plot) and results in precarious situations involving others she thought she cared about (the conflict portion).

Read the author’s synopsis here.

  • Story
  • Characters

Will it motivate you to get outdoors?

Reading about Kya’s perseverance to survive in the marsh and her deep connection with nature is motivating to spend more time outdoors (at least for me!). I loved how she started studying nature, created collections, and then published her knowledge of the marsh. It reminded me of how fun it is to hike around with plant identification books to learn the names of all the plants. 

There were a couple of aspects of the story that were far-fetched. Specifically, that a 7-year-old would be left alone like that and later the conditions around her arrest and court hearing. Other than that, I really enjoyed the story and would recommend it if you like reading about spending a lot of time in nature and really connecting with it. 

Where the Crawdads Sing Review

Is Where the Crawdads Sing worth the Read?

Some aspects of the story were annoying but Kya’s connection with the outdoors definitely made me fantasize about living a more simple life closer to nature. I started dreaming about living in a remote cabin where I study plants and animals and grow all my own food. It was an entertaining story for the most part. If you are looking for something to read, give Where the Crawdads Sing a go and tell me what you think in the comments! Did it also make you want to live in a remote cabin away from people and grow your own food?

Hikes to inspire you to get outside

Reading about other people’s hikes and looking at their great photos can be so motivating. You think I want to do that! Check these out for more inspiration:

Hike to the Lookout, McDowell Sonoran Preserve

Why hike to Tom’s Thumb with you can hike to the Lookout? The views are even better, the trail is fantasic and there are less people!

Piestewa Vs Camelback? Which Should You Hike?

Piestewa vs Camelback? Not sure which one you should hike? Read this article to help you decide. Hint: they both have pros and cons!

Natural Tunnel Via Dirt Road Trail Hike, South Mountain Preserve

Hiking to the Natural Tunnel via the Dirt Road Trail starts out lame (you’re on a dirt road) but quickly turns into a sweet hike. Learn more!

Latigo Chuckwagon Loop Hike, McDowell Sonoran Preserve

The Latigo Chuckwagon Loop Hike is the best hike starting from the Brown’s Mountain trailhead. It is not as busy and has great views!

Sunrise Trail Hike, McDowell Sonoran Preserve

The Sunrise Trail Hike has a lot to offer: some elevation but not too much, SUPERB views, and not too far outside the city! Read more here.

Forest Road 2076 Hike, Tonto National Forest

The Forest Road 2076 hike starts out pretty lame but then opens up to huge views as you hike out of the wash. Plus you most likely won’t see another soul!

136th St Express Trail Hike, McDowell Sonoran Preserve

The 136th St Express Trail Hike is easy, high on the solitude scale and has mountain views in all directions. Great for those more chill days!

136th St Express/Cow Poke Loop Hike, McDowell Sonoran Preserve

Create a scenic 4 mile loop with the 136th St Express/Cow Poke Loop Hike. It’s beautiful over here and there are fewer people too!

Free Hiking Goal Tracker [Downloadable Excel Sheet]

Do you have a hiking goal you are working hard towards achieving? Or do you go on a lot of hikes and want to keep track of them? Start tracking your hiking goals today with this free Hiking Goal Tracker!

Hiking to Brown’s Ranch, McDowell Sonoran Preserve

The remains of the old Brown Ranch are limited and the area is protected. But hiking around this area is still excellent. Expect great views and cool desert landscape.