The immensely popular book “Where the Crawdads Sing” by Delia Owens was recently turned into a film, and shortly after, added to Netflix where it became one of the most liked movies on the streaming service. It blends the perfect mix of romance, murder mystery, drama, and beautiful story telling bolstered by the great acting and scenery. The movie begins with the discovery of a dead young man in the marshes of North Carolina named Chase Andrews (Harris Dickinson). Immediately after, the young woman living in the marsh and Chase’s former girlfriend, Catherine “Kya” Clark (Daisy Edgar-Jones) nicknamed “Marsh Girl” is accused and forced to attend the murder trials. Although the nearby town views her as an untamed wild girl, she becomes very intelligent learning to read, write, and love throughout her life.

One of the greatest aspects of the movie was how similar it was to the book. They followed the “flashback” timeline used in the book, jumping back and forth from their current murder trials to Kya’s childhood. The characters were exactly like I’d pictured them; the tension, passion, and sadness just emanated from the screen because the chemistry between the actors in their respective scenes together contributed very well to the plot, and their physical appearances, accents, and body-language were spot on. But the part of the book that I thought made it so incredible was the detail in the description of the marsh and creatures. From the gulls and shells to the muddy water and sand, Owens wrote with such detail. I could easily paint a picture in my head, and the movie replicated this, creating a stunning visual.

If you’ve found yourself enjoying movies with themes like the ones present in Gone Girl, The Weekend Away, The Fallout, and Don’t Worry Darling, Where the Crawdads Sing should be your next watch.

The characters, especially Kya, go through experiences that many viewers may relate to, and I found her reactions and emotions easy to connect with. I enjoyed the movie overall and would highly recommend to anyone who’s interested in thrilling mystery and romance with a sprinkle of plot twists thrown in.