Reese's Book Club x Hello Sunshine discussion
Where the Crawdads Sing
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But that ending...
I loved that ending! Definitely didn’t suspect her- and it was such a sly reveal!
I kept the thought hidden in the back of my mind as I read, especially when Kya was thinking about insects and their mating process. I think I fell for the build-up of the red cap, but I really did think when we got to the last few pages and the "true" killer emerged that it would be someone we never suspected. I do give kudos to the poem :)
The true killer was cleverly revealed and I was left a bit shocked. But not upset. The insects and the mating process was a great parallel and I appreciate everything about this novel.
I was completely surprised at the reveal! I had ideas of who the true killer was and did NOT suspect the person it ended up being! I also loved the poem!!
Loved the ending...read it with a lump in my throat from the verdict on.
I loved the ending too. Books rarely make me cry, but I was bawling when Tate found Kya lifeless in her boat, and then as he was revealing her secrets pulled at my heartstrings. Although I think I always had an inkling as to who the true killer was, I was still surprised and enjoyed how it all unfolded in the end.
I think the ending was perfect! Not what I expected, but that makes me love this book even more. Although it could be argued she was too young, I love that she had a natural death after her many years with Tate.
I loved the ending and was not surprised. I thought how she pulled it all together at the end was perfection!
Man, what a shocker. Part of me always wondered though if it was her or maybe Tate? But to put the reveal right at the very end made you feel comfortable in thinking it could have been an accident. And for Tate to find all those poems and the necklace after all those years? Wow.
I just finished this book yesterday and I swear I sobbed through the last two chapters. It was such a beautiful story and while the reveal didn’t surprise me, I love the way it unfolded.
I just finished this morning and that ending! I didn't see that coming but it was put together so well. I enjoyed this book so very much.
I had a few guesses at the ending and I kept going back and forth between it being Kya, Tate or Jumpin'. After the trial, I ended up content with Chase's murder being an accident, so I was surprised when Tate found the poems and necklace! I also loved Kya's connection/reference to the firefly throughout and thought that was a good way to wrap up Kya's story. Also, being intrigued by the Amanda Hamliton poems throughout, I Googled the name before finishing the book to see if she was a real person. Interestingly enough, there is a poet named Amanda Hamilton who has a chapbook, The Dust We Cherish, "a collection of poems about transition, isolation, and almost communicating". What an interesting connection to Kya's character! This couldn't be a coincidence??
That poem y’all!! I finished the book this morning and was most taken by her poem. It all just unraveled so quickly and perfectly. My heart ached at her death, she was still young at 64. I had my suspicions about how Chase died, and as I neared the ending I was starting to get a little antsy wondering if the killer or what happened would be revealed. The parallels to the insects made more sense too at the end. Soooo good!!!
I actually found the ending rushed. Either end it early, and then write the "reveal" as en epilogue, or draw it out another five chapters.
Beautifully written story; however its’ twist ending... shucks! I hoped “nature protected her” translated to Chase’s death which would have made this novel even more unique & authentic. Instead the final ending felt like a safer solution to the murder mystery. Maybe Owens’ next book will be more daring (the gulls did it, riptide swept away all the evidence including shell necklace!) - Lisa
Amazing ending. I had to go back and relisten to the audiobook because it was so good. The parallel to the dragonfly in the poem tied it all together.
I really enjoyed this novel. I was disappointed in Kya at first but thought about it more...and realized she had no other way out, except to move! That would not be in her reality though. No one would have believed Chase was threatening or trying to hurt her. She would of had to live with his terror for as long as she and he were alive. So sad! But loved the ending!
I was surprised by the ending. At one point I thought it might be Kya, Tate, or Jumpin', but by the end, I assumed it was just an accident. I had no idea that she was the poet! I loved the ending, but I was so sad that she died. I thought she deserved several more years with Tate. It's a beautiful ending but so, so sad.
I suspected the killer at different times and then others at other times. I loved the reveal. I’m conflicted and don’t think I would have been if the murder took place at the time of the attack. I was very vested in the characters and it feels like I found out my sister killed someone! Great book!!
I wasn't too surprised. I thought that she might do a twist at the end, although I thought maybe it was Tate that was the murderer and not Kya. In Tate's position yes. Chase had no intention of leaving Kya alone ever. He was going to continue to search for her to take advantage of her I think.
Just finished this book and absolutely loved everything about it, except the ending. It felt rushed to me and didn’t fit with the character. The early death and no children seemed to be added in for depth and didn’t like that left ether. I can see Kya killing him out of self-defense but to actually be the murderer?! The ending alone made it go from new favorite book to going down several levels :(
The part that really had me all chocked up was when Tate found the box with the little jar of her mom's letter ( Ashes) so very sad she never was able to read it :( I loved this book so much...one of my favorites...
This book just replaced my favorite of all time: To Kill a Mockingbird. So many great themes in this book, yet the notion of justice and culture in this book warmed me. It reminded me of how far we have come in one lifetime. I came through a terrible year of loneliness this year. So the way Kya survived and thrived in loneliness resonated deeply. Loved it. Best book of the year.
I was starting to think the true killer was either Tate, Jumpin, or Jodie to get back at Chase for what he did to Kya. But then I realized that there was no way that any other those characters would let Kya take the blame and sit in a cell for two months. I loved the ending. I was not surprised that Kya killed Chase but surprised that she was Amanda Hamilton. I loved the poem, it was great.
When the lawyer had the skipper of the fishing trawler give testimony I had an "Aha" moment as to who did it - up to then I was thinking it was Pearl.
Finished this book over a month ago and can’t stop thinking about how wonderful it was! Going back to listen to the audiobook
Amy wrote: "Finished this book over a month ago and can’t stop thinking about how wonderful it was! Going back to listen to the audiobook"I listened to it on audible over a month ago and it was just wonderful. I've been itching to listen to it again!
I guessed it all along, but it still gave me goosebumps!!
[SPOILER ALERT] I have a theory. The ENDING show us that we don´t know everything about Kya and what she´s capable of, right? Maybe the not having kids was her doing? Maybe she wanted Tate all to herself, or maybe she lived in fear Tate would abandone her and put a child into the mix would make that even harder? I love that the ending was a little abrupt, it made me think what else could we have missed along the book?
I had all those thoughts too! I just finished a couple days ago. My favorite book as an adult I think, and I’m old lol.
I too googled Amanda Hamilton as I was reading: http://www.bronzemanbooks.com/chapboo...I've now finished the book and I am somewhat confused. First, the statement that Hamilton's poems are about "transition, isolation and almost communicating" sound an awful lot like Kya's story. Secondly, the sample poem on this page has the same structure as the poems that appear in the novel (short lines, enjambed, short stanzas). There's no formal acknowledgement of the real Amanda Hamilton by the author. There is, however, an Amanda in the dedication. What's going on here? Who actually wrote the poems that appear in the novel? Amanda Hamilton or Delia Owens?
Here's another thing that bothers me about this book. The narrative structure leads us to assume that we are getting the thoughts of Kya (limited omniscience). But we go through all the jail/trial chapters without really knowing what she is thinking. She had to be thinking, "I hope I get away with this," struggling with some sort of doubt or guilt. I thought it was likely that she did it, but dismissed that thought during these chapters because for the first three quarters of the book we've been inside her mind. I find this an unfair move on the author's part. She violates her own structure in order to create a surprise ending. That means we don't really know Kya, have never really known her. Owens sacrifices narrative logic and emotional honesty for plot device.
Beth wrote: "The part that really had me all chocked up was when Tate found the box with the little jar of her mom's letter ( Ashes) so very sad she never was able to read it :( I loved this book so much...one ..."I agree with you! :)
I wasn't surprised about the ending....I just wished Delia Owens kept Kya alive for another book about her journey with Tate!!!! I want more about their lives BEFORE she died.I also thought that Chase's wife could have been involved with killing Chase out of a jealous rage... Could have been interesting...Hahahaha.
Crossing fingers that this will become a movie next year! :)
The way I explain this book to friends is “it feels like To Kill A Mockingbird, but from Boo Radley’s perspective.” I loved this book so much, and felt like the ending wrapped up this story so well! Definitely recommend!
I knew when I read her observations on the mantis and firefly that Chase was dead by her hand, how could it be otherwise? Though for a brief moment when she noted Tate boating past in a red hat I wondered if it might of been him. I loved everything about this book and read the final chapter through my tears. A beautiful tale....
Honestly, by the end of the book, I was so content that I kind of forgot about the murder and didn't really care who had done it. So with that said, I was absolutely surprised (I would have put my money on Chase's wife). Then that made me rethink all those previous chapters when Kya was sitting in jail. We readers were led to believe we knew her thoughts, but we really didn't! How John Le Carre of the author...
I was not surprised by the ending. I thought the red cap, missing necklace, and no tracks gave it away. I’m ok with the ending except for the fact that it was too rushed for me (as others above have mentioned). I don’t like that Tate didn’t find out until after she dies- seems like it would’ve been obvious to him.
I absolutely loved this book. I thought I had things figured out right up until the end. I was wrong but honestly I was ok with being wrong. I loved the reveal - this book really pulled at the heart emotions. I'm looking forward to the next book pick
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I was wanting the ending to be just as it was! And am so glad it was! Poetic Justice! Loved the book. This book touched my heart so much and as I was reading I got so involved that I could suddenly feel tears running down my cheeks. Especially when Jodie returns. Hadn't even realized it until I found the words blurring. Ages since a book did that to me!
Holly wrote: "I wasn't too surprised. I thought that she might do a twist at the end, although I thought maybe it was Tate that was the murderer and not Kya. In Tate's position yes. Chase had no intention of l..."
I had thought that too, but the red cap that he gave her was before he could have realized that Chase harmed her (I wonder if and when he got to know about that). And the fibers could not have been there in his clothes as she got the cap after she stopped seeing him. I think that made me realize that it was her all the time.
If I got it right, she must committed the crime approximately in 15 minutes in order to take the next bus!!! I really wonder how Chase was there when she arrived at the fire tower! :D
The beginning and end of books are really what make me love or hate a book and the ending of this one was just EVERYTHING! I loved it! It was unexpected, and right, and everything it was supposed to be (at least for me) :).
Finished the book today and sobbed through the last third of it. Gorgeous imagery and characters you want to know.I had also wondered if Tate or Jumpin’ could have been the murderer but thought neither of them would have let Kya sit in jail for months if they knew she was innocent. In the end I was convinced Pearl (Chase’s wife) had done it in an attempt to frame Kya. Chase would have come home with some bruises after the assault and Pearl had to have been suspicious. And they spent time in the marsh together (she would have known where to find Kya’s boat) and he likely took her to the fire tower at some point as well.
But I am happy with the way it ended. Kya did become a poet, and she made her message clear.
Wonderful review! I had the same thoughts about Chase’s wife!😊 i love this book!
Heather wrote: "I actually found the ending rushed. Either end it early, and then write the "reveal" as en epilogue, or draw it out another five chapters."I agree with this. It was a five star book for me up until the very end.
just finished reading the book! the last 3 pages was the best part, I had goosebumps about the Firely!!!! ehhhhh
I just finished this book and I am at a loss for words. The whole book I stuck on the red cap and was sure I had the ending figured out. The last few pages though I was in shock I couldn't believe Kya was really the one that killed Chase. After I had a few minutes to process what I just read, it did make sense. Kya knew everything and how to cover her tracks. When Tate found Kya in her boat, I couldn't help but hold back the tears.
Kya being Amanda Hamilton; What?! I couldn't believe it.
It had me guessing to the very last page. One of the best books I ever read!
LOVED the ending!! I had suspicions when she mentioned never being able to feel safe because he would always be out there, trying to get the “last punch.” Not to mention her growing understanding of her mother’s life and fear. The trial was infuriating, and even though she did it I kinda feel like justice was served here. It was self-defense, even if premeditated!
Was it a surprise to you?
Would you have done the same?