Chances are you’ve heard of this book... It was incredibly popular and then became a blockbuster movie. I was late to the party, only reading it a few months ago, but I soon learned why there was so much buzz around it. It was trendy for good reason!
It’s honestly hard to put it down once you get into it. I spent an entire Sunday afternoon reading the second half because I couldn’t wait to find out what happened. And then when I finished it, I almost immediately watched the movie because I was sad it was over! (I heard the film got bad reviews, but I loved it. And it stayed very true to the book.)
Since moving back to Kenya in 2017, my love for nature and valuing of wild things has really increased. Not that I didn’t care about it before, but things that I had previously known in my head began translating into something much deeper than just facts. It became part of who I am and how I live.
Everything in an ecosystem is connected and the damage of one can disrupt and create an imbalance far beyond its immediate geographical reach. The marshes of North Carolina described in this novel remind me of the mangroves in different areas of the Kenyan coast. The way she talks about the natural world and the need for its protection is in such a non-preachy, stunning way. You feel like you’re there with the main character Kya, enjoying the birds and sand and marsh.
The story itself is also compelling. The author also makes you really feel Kya’s pain. From her earliest years, she has only experienced people abandoning or taking advantage of her. The only things in her life that have not let her down are herself, the natural world, and one couple who lives and works nearby. She is resilient, creative, and integrated into her physical surroundings. As a reader, you find yourself really caring about her, caring about what happens to her and
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