Please be advised this review does contain spoilers & affiliate links where I receive a small commission on any purchases you make.
A long-standing debate within the book community is whether the book or the film is better. Each should be analysed on a case-by-case basis, and it often boils down to personal opinion. In most cases I find I always prefer the book because the ability to understand characters on a more personal level always wins for me.
Where the Crawdads Sing, a coming-of-age murder mystery novel written by Delia Owens, was turned into a film directed by Olivia Newman. Being a big fan of the book when I read it in early 2023, I thought I would take the plunge and watched the film adaptation not too long ago. While I enjoyed the film, I was left with a slight feeling of disappointment. Here, I will share my review of both and compare the two.
Main Plotline
As with any movie adaptation, the main plotline of the story is kept the same from the book to the film, with very little changing. Although, what does change, could be seen as quite fundamental to the ending of the story.
A best-selling New York Times novel, Where the Crawdads Sing is a harrowing tale that follows the life of Kya, an orphaned girl living in the marshlands. The story is told over two-plots: one where Chase Andrews is found dead, and the other where Kya is abandoned by her mother, both narrated from the third person. A perspective I thoroughly enjoyed as readers gain insight into the lives, motivations, and true feelings of the protagonist. As the story advances, these two timelines seamlessly merge when Kya is arrested for the death of Chase Andrews.
Character Development
After years of fending for herself, Kya matures into a smart, beautiful and talented young woman who finds her solace within the intricate depths of the marshlands and its wildlife. Throughout her life, Kya confides in and forms with only a few people. The gulls too. The townspeople know her as the ‘Marsh Girl’ and have isolated her from their community. When popular local, Chase Andrews is found dead, it is no surprise that all fingers point to Kya as the main suspect.
The character development for Kya is not lost in the film adaptation, and those who watch the film but have not read the book will still feel the overwhelming sense of her growth and independence.
Themes and Setting
The book explores key themes of survival, human connection, and isolation. When it was first published it achieved widespread acclaim and broad praise for its atmospheric setting. This is a key theme that the film adaptation didn’t disappoint with – beautiful scenery and imagery was portrayed throughout the film and book, creating a beautiful world within the marshlands for Kya.
Performance Adaptation
In the film adaptation, Kya is brought to life by Diasy-Edgar Jones, who plays the part beautifully. Kya’s essence is captured perfectly throughout the movie adaptation, and her little quirks are not forgotten. The depiction of Kya from book-to-film is a seamless transition and one that I cannot falter.
Any book-to-film adaptation will have to reduce the richly detailed chapters, which can reduce the viewers’ ability to understand characters’ personal thoughts, motivations, decisions, and feelings. A key plot segment removed from the film is the abuse Kya experienced as a young girl, why her parents’ relationship deteriorated and the extent of her bond with her brother Jodie. Removing this, made the scene of Jodie’s return less poignant in the film than in the book. I only shed a tear because I had read the book and knew fundamentally how much that scene meant to Kya.
Ending Differences
Another distinct change in the film from the book is the ending. The big twist remains the same: after Kya’s death, Tate discovers that Kya was responsible for Chase’s death all along. In the book, Tate finds a poem by Amanda Hamilton, Kya’s favourite poet who she often quotes. The poem he finds, titled ‘Firefly’, acts as a loose confession to the murder of Chase by describing how female fireflies kill their mates. Along with the poem he finds the shell necklace belonging to Chase, made for him by Kya. This discovery also reveals that Amanda Hamilton was a pseudonym for Kya, who was publishing her poems locally.
In the film adaptation, Amanda Hamilton is entirely removed. Instead, Tate discovers sketches of himself, Kya, and Chase, along with the shell necklace, leading him to conclude that Kya murdered Chase all those years ago. By removing the poet aspect, the film reinforces the idea that Tate is Kya’s sole outlet for her creativity, whether this be through illustration or poetry.
In the book, after breaking Kya’s heart, Tate returns with a list of publishers for her to contact with regards to her drawings in the hopes of earning her forgiveness. However, the film portrays Tate giving Kya the list before he leaves for college. When Kya decides to contact the publishers in the film, it is to raise money for bills and rent. In contrast, in the book, Kya reaches out to the publishers to share her insights about the marshland with the world. By the end of the book, we also realise she was sharing her poetic insights on her own accord.
Conclusion
Personally, I thoroughly enjoyed both the book and the film and felt all types of emotions during both. I do favour the book by Delia Owens and will forever highly rate this book. Maybe my love for the book made it impossible for the film to live up to. That being said, the film itself, directed by Olivia Newman brought to live the beautiful marshlands which Kya resides.
If you’re looking for book-to-movie adventure, then this is one to go on. A great murder-mystery that contains stunning imagery and a heart-wrenching whether watched or read and one that will stick with people long after it’s finished.
If you would like to purchase Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens at a discounted price then you can do so here. By doing so, you will also be supporting independent bookshops!
Feel free to let me know your thoughts on this book-to-film adaptation and let me know of any others I should check out!
“How much do you trade to defeat loneliness?”
Delia Owens, Where the Crawdads Sing
Louise's Little Bookshelf 