By: Delia OwensPlot: About a young girl who is abandoned by her family and grows up on the marsh, becoming the 'Marsh Girl'. Major spoilers ahead! (And lots of ranting.)
Thoughts: I did enjoy reading this book. It had major Before We were Yours vibes to me. There were definite similarities between the Marsh people and the river folk. Although I did enjoy it and sure it ended happily enough, I have MAJOR qualms with this book. First off, it baffles me how Kya was ever able to stay on her own in the first place. How does a whole freaking town, realize that a CHILD is basically abandoned and living on her own and no one ever does anything?? I mean Jumpin' did the most out of anyone but it's not like his family could take her in. There's no way she could have ran away from them forever if they had just tried! But they didn't try.
Also, her mom. Ugh. I mean I get why she left. If you are that broken and you can't even take care of yourself, how can you take care of five kids? She was in a horrible situation and she just escaped the only way she could. I get that part. I do not understand, however, that she stayed away. The whole, I think I left my kids behind, maybe I'll send my drunken, abusive (ex?) husband a letter and kindly ask for them back? No! Just no. You go and get your children back! You don't ask permission! It was implied that her family had money, and you mean to tell me they would never once have consult a lawyer and seen what could be done? Of course, he was going to be pissed and say no, when all you do is write a lame letter. Maybe she would have tried harder to go back if she had left those stupid fake alligator boots behind instead. You left your children with a man you couldn't stand to live with yourself. You think your kids are going to fair any better? I mean REALLY?? Okay rant over.
I was annoyed by the whole trial, because it felt like it was just a disaster waiting to happen. Then of course I couldn't stop reading once I got to the trial. I kept thinking maybe it was Jumpin' or Tate that had killed Chase, but I knew they wouldn't let her take the fall for them, if either one of them had done it. I definitely wasn't sad to see Chase go. I hated Chase the moment he said how cool it was that she didn't have parents to deal with. What a dumb thing to say.
Is it terrible that once I found out that it was her I liked the book even more? I'm glad she got her revenge and then was able to happily live the rest of her life on the marsh. It made sense because she knew she couldn't live in fear of him for the rest of her life and that he would never let it go. Of course she would have taken the necklace too, because he was just being a d-word continuing to wear it that whole time anyway, and I'm sure it just pissed her off. The fact that she did get away with it though was incredible. It seemed like the author wanted it to feel like the town was atoning for their previous prejudices and wrong doings, but they still left a freaking child to raise herself and no one stepped in and that's still messed up! I just can't get over that part.
Rating: 4/5 I liked it, especially that ending.