So, If She Did It, Then She WAS The "guy"... - Goodreads

A Goodreads user asked: So, if she did it, then she WAS the "guy" in disguise on the bus? It was kind of a disappointing ending for me. The author did a really good job in court showing how she didn't do it - that by the time it came around to the ending it seemed so unbelievable. flag

• 98 likes · like
• 7 years ago
• 66 answers

To answer questions about Where the Crawdads Sing, please sign up. Bre kozak This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[I saw it coming... Kya always found it interesting when insects would kill their mate, and I think to Kya, it was natural to defend herself in this way since she knew nothing would be done if she reported him. She was so observant of the creatures in the marsh, studying their behaviors. She mimicked what she saw in the wild in her own way. She was calculating, yes, but also desperate to stay safe... I would guess that she planned it the night she slept in the reading cabin as she hid from Chase and noticed the praying mantis. (hide spoiler)] flag

• 155 likes · like
• 9 comments
• 7 years ago

View all 9 comments Write a comment... Tanya This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[I think the whole point of the court case was to show how she did it while leaving the reveal until the end. She was a woman of few words so would never have left a long explanation of her actions. It was the only way we, as the reader, were going to find out what really happened. (hide spoiler)] flag

• 131 likes · like
• 6 comments
• 7 years ago

View all 6 comments Write a comment... Cynthia This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[I felt pretty certain of her guilt. I think we can assume that, despite how absurd the testimony about the disguised individual seemed to be, Kya was the guy in disguise on the bus. But the case against Kya was largely built on prejudices and they happened to find evidence that supported their prejudices along the way. Even some who testified demonstrated that they had been coerced by the sheriff. The state wanted a conviction, even if the testimonies weren’t completely accurate.As far as the ending goes, I’m sorry that you were disappointed. I felt it made sense. I don’t think Kya felt she had much choice. She knew Chase would continue to come after her. He would continue to be physically aggressive. He would eventually succeed in raping her. And because of prejudices, she knew she didn’t have a leg to stand on when it came to the law. He was the town’s poster boy. She was the trash of the marsh. There wouldn’t have been any justice for her. She took matters into her own hands, creating her own sense of justice that put an end to his abuse. (hide spoiler)] flag

• 126 likes · like
• 9 comments
• 6 years ago

View all 9 comments Write a comment... Staci I loved the book. I think the ending was perfect. Kya was so connected to nature that her instincts were powered by nature. I loved that not only was she a successful and renowned biologist and author but she was also secretly the gifted local poet. Just an incredible woman. She was just so deeply connected to nature and the laws of the marsh and its inhabitants. flag

• 99 likes · like
• 5 comments
• 6 years ago

View all 5 comments C Patel It is hard. At first I liked the ending, but the more I thought about it, she did take a human life. I think she thought she had no choice. But did sh It is hard. At first I liked the ending, but the more I thought about it, she did take a human life. I think she thought she had no choice. But did she regret her choice. ...more Mar 08, 2020 12:33PM George "Gifted local poet"? I concur with Tate's opinion--which I believe echoes Owens's own--that her stuff is at best weak. "Gifted local poet"? I concur with Tate's opinion--which I believe echoes Owens's own--that her stuff is at best weak. ...more Aug 31, 2021 04:04PM Write a comment... Lori Michael Johnson This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[SPOILERS!!! She was a survivor. She was extremely intelligent even though she wasn't educated. She saw things creatively. She was a fighter. It was mentioned a couple times that she KNEW he would keep coming for her. The hints were there and I just dismissed them. In the trial, it was shown that there was terrible prejudice against her because she was just a "dirty marsh girl," which made me believe she was wrongly accused. Even though she did do it, the prosecution never was able to prove it beyond a reasonable doubt. Not even close. The trial was VERY realistic because even though there was prejudice against her, they still realized the hard evidence simply wasn't there. I thought the jury, because of what they thought of her, was going to find her guilty and the judge was going to grant her a judgement of acquittal. The defense attorney was brilliant. I first thought it was Tate, then Jumpin', then Tate's dad. I never considered she actually did it but I am glad it was her. IMHO the author did an awesome job of dragging me around by the nose making me question everything. I LOVED that she did it and Chase got his! This is one of my all time favorite books! (hide spoiler)] flag

• 94 likes · like
• 11 comments
• 6 years ago

View all 11 comments Write a comment... Trish I loved the book. I thought that Tate had killed Chase and was so surprised by the ending. I love the ending because it proved once again (like I needed any more reminders) how amazingly strong and courageous Kya really was. I thought of her as a survivor most of the book, she was that but so very much more. flag

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• 9 comments
• 6 years ago

View all 9 comments Write a comment... Milie2112 Also, you must remember that she witnessed her mother's abuse at the hands of her father. When Chase was trying to rape her, she gathered strength by thinking what her mother went through She knew what the outcome would be and she was not going to let it happen to her. I think there was another time when after the attempted rape he came looking for her and she hid. The disguise was most likely provided by Jumpin. She was like a daughter to him. The court case showed that she would not have had enough time to do the crime and go back to Greenville . but she could outrun anyone. i really liked the end. flag

• 67 likes · like
• 4 comments
• 6 years ago

View all 4 comments Write a comment... J.C. Ahmed This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[I didn't think she was the killer because she never seemed like the type. The author gave us no reason to believe she was capable of carrying out such a complex crime or that she was capable of violence. Other than Kya observing insects killing their mates and feeling like Chase would never leave her alone, I felt like it came out of nowhere. There just wasn't anything in her personality or prior behavior that gave me a reason to think she could meticulously plan a murder. And she was so frightened of him, I found it a little hard to believe she would have the courage to lure him to that spot so late at night. I thought it was probably his wife who did it. (hide spoiler)] flag

• 58 likes · like
• 13 comments
• 6 years ago

View all 13 comments Write a comment... Elizabeth This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[I enjoyed the story very much and have no issue with the ending except for what I consider plot holes. 1. She was a fish out of water any time she left the marsh. The whole scheme required time, planning, procuring a costume, and at least one run-though to make sure it could be done in the limited amount of time she’d have to pull it off all the while putting aside deeply ingrained fear. 2. What could she have possibly done to be able to a) make contact with Chase, and b) get him to agree to go to the tower at precisely the right day and time. 3. During the trial, one of the key arguments to me was the timeline being virtually impossible. How was she able to accomplish just getting to all the points on time and back again, not to mention the time she would have had during their encounter? And did she just get lucky that the desk clerk from the hotel never saw her leave or return? It was a good twist to the ending but I feel a bit more exposition to fill in the details on how she accomplished this elaborate, completely out of character, plan would have made the story more complete. Going by the prosecution’s theory alone leaves too many unanswered questions.Side note: I kind of felt bad for the sherif at the end. He seemed so desperate to pin the murder on Kya that his testimony began to sound half-baked and conspiratorial. He was never elected sherif again after the trial, but in the end he was right all along. (hide spoiler)] flag

• 55 likes · like
• 9 comments
• 6 years ago

View all 9 comments Write a comment... Anna I totally thought it was Jumpin since he insisted on knowing when she would be out of town and knew about the attempted rape. Tate's father was the fisherman who testified right? I wonder if he lied to protect her.I think Kya had a real fear that Chase would continue to come back to rape her and she felt she couldn't press charges so I think she felt this was her only option. flag

• 44 likes · like
• 15 comments
• 7 years ago

View all 15 comments Write a comment... Bahareh Mostafazadeh This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[Actually, I liked the ending because it makes the court part even more interesting and makes you go through everything again. I'd like to go back to it and re-read some parts but I think you could find some holes in the defense. The strongest ones for me were the red cap (we know she didn't have it any other time she met him), the necklace which wasn't found, and I think Kaya never actually said she was innocent, she said she wouldn't admit guilt or something like that when talking about a plea deal. I think I would've liked it way less if someone else had turned out to be the murderer. (hide spoiler)] flag

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• 7 years ago

View all 9 comments Write a comment... Sally I agree! I had a hard time with the ending. I also had a hard time believing a 7 year old could live alone and support herself--I was almost over that by the end of the book but then the ending... flag

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• 13 comments
• 7 years ago

View all 13 comments Write a comment... Phil Neely This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[I enjoyed the book immensely. However, the ending was a little hokey. The hokiest thing to me was that Kya would have kept the necklace she had given to Chase!!! Why would she have kept one of the most damning pieces of evidence that she had killed him. She certainly would not have had any sentimental reasons to keep it, after he had tried to rape her. That made no sense to me at all. That being said, it made for an interesting ending. (hide spoiler)] flag

• 38 likes · like
• 14 comments
• 6 years ago

View all 14 comments Write a comment... Kumari de Silva yup, she WAS the guy on the bus. . . and the good lawyer got her off. The tip off is when she decides a life of loneliness is acceptable but a life of fear is not. That's when I figured we know she did it flag

• 35 likes · like
• 1 comment
• 6 years ago

View 1 comment Write a comment... Amanda This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[I found the ending disappointing as well. Someone mentioned how Kya found it interesting that insects kill their mate, and that is a great angle I hadn't considered to set up this ending. But that said, I agree with a few others in not finding it believable that Kya could plan something like this. She is brilliant, of course, but the disguises and the timeframe she had to do it felt like too much of a stretch. Killing him in self-defense would have felt so much more within the character we'd come to know than actually luring him to kill him. I know she felt betrayed and abandoned by everyone she knew throughout her life, but ultimately she betrayed those who stuck by her and cared about her the most, and that leaves me feeling really unsatisfied with how the book ended. (hide spoiler)] flag

• 29 likes · like
• 4 comments
• 6 years ago

View all 4 comments Write a comment... Melanie This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[I love that she lured him in to take care of him for good. Kya knew she needed to take care of Chase for good. However, I was very confused by the whole traveling to Greenville and returning in disguise bull. That was so out of character and far-fetched I couldn't get behind any of it. I think she should have snuck up on him and siphoned all the gas out of his boat to get him stuck and then caused some accident as he tried to find his way out of the marsh by land. I would have loved it if Tate and Jumpin had helped her too, but she wouldn't have risked involving them. (hide spoiler)] flag

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• 8 comments
• 6 years ago

View all 8 comments Write a comment... Kara Roche This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[I disagree. I loved the ending. All the author needed to do was provide reasonable doubt at the trial, and I think she did that. (hide spoiler)] flag

• 25 likes · like
• 1 comment
• 6 years ago

View 1 comment Write a comment... Lisa This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[It wasn't what I was expecting, but I can't say that I was surprised. It definitely bummed me out. I was hoping there'd be a flashback at the end showing that she did it, but out of self-defense. I think that would have made a much better ending. With the ending the way it was it felt like she sunk to the level of the townspeople and actually made me feel a little sorry for the awful mother of Chase, which I really didn't want to feel. I still really enjoyed the book, despite many flaws. (hide spoiler)] flag

• 23 likes · like
• 9 comments
• 7 years ago

View all 9 comments Write a comment... Joan I honestly thought it was Jumpin, who did it to protect her. I expected that she would be found guilty and then he would speak up and finally be the only man who protected her. But I was wrong. I loved the ending. flag

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• 5 comments
• 6 years ago

View all 5 comments Write a comment... jhst kmil This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[There were hints all over the book. Her fascination with female insects killing off their partners. Classification of inferior males as sneaky fuckers and Chase's behavior being congruous with that class of males. After the assault, she was said to have been looking for escape routes through the swamps, which had implication about her murderous intentions. I think it went well with her character, who was raised by the marsh and the natural law, to resort to murder. Since, she didn't feel accountable to anyone but herself. (hide spoiler)] flag

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• 6 years ago

Write a comment... Karen This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[I agree with the other answers, the end was kind of disappointing. After hearing Kya's innocent and childlike thoughts throughout the novel, it felt wrong to have Kya reveal a very dark side. A side that would meticulously plan a murder. I listened to this story on audiobook and I must admit when the narrator read the letter that Kya had hidden all those years, her voice changed into something chilling and calculating. (hide spoiler)] flag

• 20 likes · like
• 8 comments
• 7 years ago

View all 8 comments Write a comment... Erika Patterson This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[I didn't even think of that part her dressing up in disguise...interesting thought. The whole time I just kept thinking it was Jumpin or Tate - like when she went to Jumpin's funeral I thought she was going to come into prove that he did it. Then I also thought ok they are never going to tell us what happened to Chase - and we still don't really know, which also kind of bugs me! (hide spoiler)] flag

• 16 likes · like
• 1 comment
• 7 years ago

View 1 comment Write a comment... Beth Snider This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[First I thought it was Tate. Then I thought it was Jumpin'. I think the clues pointing to them, like the red hat and Jumpin's stern message, were red herrings planted to create more suspense. Once the disguises were disclosed, I was certain it was Kya. I did wonder when/how she purchased those disguises, though.I ultimately thought the ending was completely in line with Kya's character. (hide spoiler)] flag

• 12 likes · like
• 10 comments
• 6 years ago

View all 10 comments Write a comment... Cathy This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[As others have said, I was disappointed and disturbed by the ending. The character she has been through the book showed resilience and a sense of overcoming adversity that made her winsome. These traits also won the admiration of some of the town people. Even with all of the allusions to the way male insects are eaten or her views on male animals throughout the book, I didn't find it believable that she would so cold-bloodedly plan out and then kill Chase. I would have believed a storyline that he dies from an accident in the midst of a rape where she is defending herself. I didn't think the author held together the sense of her being found innocent at the trial and living happily ever after with Tate with the findings by Tate that she killed Chase not accidentedly but with a premeditated murder that seems way out of character for her. A big stretch to believe when Kya has been very likeable despite all her adversities. For me, it doesn't hang together especially with a happy ever after ending with Tate. (hide spoiler)] flag

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• 1 comment
• 5 years ago

View 1 comment Write a comment... Brittni This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[I assumed throughout the entire novel that she was guilty. There was so much foreshadowing, between all of the explanations of various marshland creatures who killed their mates, to Kya stating that she would not live afraid as her mother had. She never claimed to be innocent, and even in the retelling of her being told Chase was dead, she doesn't exhibit shock, only questions why the Sheriff suspected murder. To me it seemed she was wondering where she had gone wrong in the cover-up. She was the only person who would take the necklace. I was actually surprised that we were explicitly told that she was guilty at the end; I had figured that it was implied. Being guilty doesn't diminish who she was as a person--she did the only thing she could do for justice, and followed the laws of nature. No one with authority would have believed her or taken action if she said that he was stalking, beating, and trying to rape her. I agree with others in this thread that the court case was there to explain to the reader how she did it, and to prove that she was right in that the entire case was based on prejudice and never on facts. It proved that she had no other alternative. (hide spoiler)] flag

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• 6 years ago

Write a comment... Mary Lloyd This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[My thoughts on this book is that it was okay, not great, not horrible, but a decent read. I do have thoughts/problems with the story line. I didn't think her being 7 and fending for herself was off the wall, but rather thought the story should've been set in the 1930's when children (especially poorer children) learned at a very early age...out of necessity...chores etc. in order to survive. I also found inconsistent her saying she had no shoes or clothes when she was 6, 7, 8, 9...but later in the story remembers just before her ma left she had nice shiny shoes and a new dress for Easter. Also, if she was the famed poet, why didn't she have more $$ in the bank from her poems being published. How'd she know how to get them published. Her being the famous local poet just didn't add up to me and totally was unnecessary to the story/twist. I also found it odd that not one of her sibs ever tried to write or come by...maybe if set in the 1930s, but 1960s? I don't buy it...and why the heck did she never get a phone? She put all other means of the modern world in her cabin, except a phone. Just my curiosity. The twist at the end wasn't as twist to me, as I I had already guessed she was the one who killed Chase. I did like that some of the townspeople finally came forward to "help" her...but it seemed a bit late in the game. Anyhoo, that's my take. We can't all love the same books (hide spoiler)] flag

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• 3 comments
• 6 years ago

View all 3 comments Write a comment... Anthony Murphy This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[This was my least favorite part of the book because it was so rushed and I wasn't sure if she actually did it or not. I guess Tate thought "yes", but I thought there wasn't anything really said that would prove she did it (besides the necklace). 1. She was afraid of Chase so much that she hid from him for quite a few chapters 2. Why on earth would Chase go up to the top of a dangerous tower with her after she kicked him in the balls? 3. She never left the swamp and never went to school, but she could figure out how bus schedules work, boating, hotel hours, etc 4. The boaters never really established they saw her. I actually thought Chase's mother killed him. She seemed super pissed that he was hanging out with her at the trial. Reading between the lines, she REALLY didn't approve of their relationship. I thought she was trying to frame Kya. (hide spoiler)] flag

• 11 likes · like
• 5 comments
• 6 years ago

View all 5 comments Write a comment... Zaineb I loved this book so much. And as I discovered when I finished it, the poems actually acted as clues. If you look back in the final few chapters, you can see how the poems actually reveal that Kya did do it... super interesting and so well put together by the author flag

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• 5 years ago

Write a comment... Terri This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[I think I KNEW she did it, wanted to believe she didn't, was happy she was found not guilty - but never once did I really believe she was innocent. There were so many clues that it had to be her - the most important being the necklace, but also watching the Praying Mantis, the Fireflies, the Sneaky Fucker - and her swearing she would not live her life being afraid ... honestly, I would have been disappointed with any other ending. Although in fairness, it was not a totally satisfying ending - I wanted more for the Swamp Girl I had come to love. (hide spoiler)] flag

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• 6 years ago

Write a comment... Steve I'm with you 100% especially as the entire book painted a picture of an intelligent but extremely unsophisticated person when it came to her understanding of the modern 'civilized' world. For her to suddenly employ a sophisticated counter-intelligence caper of that caliber with a through understanding and anticipation of how the criminal investigation would be conducted was silly, frankly. flag

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• 4 years ago

View all 3 comments Write a comment... MsWhiskey Although, I loved the ending concept, I just thought it was disappointingly and scantly told. I want to read it in Kya's perspective, every detail of how she'd done it. flag

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• 4 years ago

View 1 comment Write a comment... Sammie Yes I totally agree! I felt like the narration was very inconsistent throughout the entire book.The author may have included some beautiful descriptions of nature and excerpts of poems scattered throughout the novel, but the story changes pace far too many times, causing the novel to feel inauthentic and unrealistic as a whole; at times it felt like I was reading books written by 3 completely different authors! The story ended abruptly and it felt like the author ran out of ideas, shoving everything together “neatly” in the last few pages. And whilst the solution to the key murder mystery in the novel was revealed to us in a brilliant way, I agree that it didn’t seem very believable.I’m personally just glad to be onto another book!! flag

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• 4 years ago

Write a comment... Kaytness Same here. Figured Chase’s death was an accident since they left it open ended until the very end. Was surprised and unsure what to make of how it ended. But I guess it makes a sort of sense because she did have such a preoccupation with insects killing their mates. flag

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• 6 years ago

Write a comment... George Spoilers follow--but if you've read the question, you're already spoiled.I've read about half the answers and their comments here, and responded to several. I'm posting here what I've got left over.As many others have said, the trial did NOT do a good job of showing how she didn't do it, but only that it could not be certain that she did. In Scottish law there's what the rest of the UK calls "the Scots verdict", viz. "Not Proven". Which the cynical translate as "Not guilty, but don't you dare do it again." That's all that the trial led to, not proof of innocence.Readers who had any doubt that when the trial ended there was more to know about the murder are not mystery readers. Investigators in such novels commonly tell each other that there are always loose ends--but that's before their false theory is disproved and they reach the truth. And the absence of the necklace--which could only have been taken away by the killer, whether as a trophy or a penalty--was a loose end that flapped loudly in the slightest breeze.Finally, I think two difficulties solve each other. If Chase was the sort of jerk who could wear the necklace despite everything--including his marriage--then he was also the sort who could be tricked by a message to "Meet me at the top of the tower at midnight. If you love me as I do you, you will await me." flag

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• 4 years ago

View all 3 comments Write a comment... IvanOpinion I think it worked well. The sheriff and prosecutor did a great job of showing that Kya could have done it, despite her going to great lengths to hide what she did. But they completely failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that she did do it. She committed a close to perfect crime (in my view, for good reasons).I certainly thought this was a possible explanation, along with Tate and Jumpin doing it. I also had a more outlandish theory that Kya's father did it. That is, that he returned and found out what Chase did and decided he could make recompense for his past actions by protecting his daughter. flag

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• 6 years ago

View 1 comment Write a comment... Lee at ReadWriteWish I think I found it a bit disappointing in the fact that the only way a woman can deal with a [potential] rapist and physically abusive man is to kill them. Other than that, I found it all very obvious. flag

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• 6 years ago

View all 5 comments Write a comment... Caryn This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[I thought too that Jumpin might have been involved in some way because he was insistent that Kya let him know when she was leaving and when she planned to come back. (hide spoiler)] flag

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• 6 years ago

Write a comment... Danielle She had no choice? She murdered someone in cold blood. She plotted it out and killed him. And she got away with it. My issue is the author creating so much sympathy for this character and then dropping that on the reader in the final page. I feel dirty. I loved Kya, but what she did was terrible. I felt so bad for her, stuck in that awful jail for 2 months. I wanted her to get off because I thought she was innocent (still wondering about that hat until the last page though). Now, knowing that she was guilty, I feel so uncomfortable. flag

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• 4 years ago

View all 3 comments Write a comment... Karen This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[AGREE!!!!!!! I hated the fact that she did it- at least in that sneaky manor. (hide spoiler)] flag

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• 6 years ago

Write a comment... Lyn Ryan This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[This is just one of the many difficult to swallow details in this book. It seems completely unlikely that the Marsh Girl would have the knowledge and skill to pull off such a ruse. Presumably, in between the volumes of Albert Einstein, Kya must have slipped in a few crime novels and perhaps a police procedural or two. Otherwise how would she have known how to set up her alibi with the publisher; ensuring she was seen by members of the town community who could give evidence at the trial before boarding her bus, then doubling back to murder the duplicitous Chase. (hide spoiler)] flag

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• 5 years ago

Write a comment... Patricia Zube This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[I loved the book. The poetry and prose were beautifully written. The author kept me guessing, and I believed that Kya didn't murder Chase. I'm not sure about the ending. It was not believable that Kya would have kept the shell necklace, and under the floorboards. It would have been more believable that she would have tossed it in the sea to be rid of that link with Chase. What I loved about the ending was the reveal that she was the poet. Kya's own words told us what she did. We didn't need the necklace to know what happened. (hide spoiler)] flag

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• 5 years ago

View 1 comment Write a comment... Deanna G This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[I was disappointed with the ending too. I thought that Chase's wife killed him and pinned it on Kya. I loved the book so much but the ending was a hugely disappointing! (hide spoiler)] flag

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• 6 years ago

Write a comment... Hermione The most unbelievable thing for me was not what she did, it's that she didn't get caught. She was such a sheltered individual, with little knowledge of how the real world works (especially invastigations/police procedures) that it seemed far fetched that she didn't mess up with the disguise, fingertips etc or accidentally reveal herself through the process. It was as if she knew exactly how everything worked. flag

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• 3 years ago

View 2 comments Write a comment... Joani This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[I agree. I just finished the book and really thought it was beautifully written and kept the reader engaged--this reader was engaged well past bedtime to finish! I think I would have been happy for it to end with her end and just let the reader wonder. (hide spoiler)] flag

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• 3 years ago

View 1 comment Write a comment... Julie Regan This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I have read some bad reviews in regards to the dialogue, the character Kya and that the ending was rushed. Some of the comments have been around what the police said whilst investigating the murder and why didn't Kya worry about being pregnant after reading all the biology books. I feel the dialogue of the police helped the reader feel they were a little inexperienced. They were from a small town that was clouded by gossip and the police built much of their case on subjective evidence. The fact that they would say, "should we get something to eat on the way," didn't bother me. It was included because the writer was establishing how everyone was talking about the murder wherever they go to eat and it also lead to evidence that was subjective - this was the crux of the story - a murder she got away with. I do not think the story was rushed, it would have dragged going into too much detail after she was acquitted. The only thing I agree that was missing, is the fact that Kya didn't worry about being pregnant...it certainly crossed my mind. The only doubtful character for me was the mum...leaving and forgetting she had children but then didn't speak and just painted...then years later wrote to her husband? In saying that, I still gave it 5 stars. It kept me reading and reading and guessing...couldn't put it down. That to me is a good book. (hide spoiler)] flag

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• 5 years ago

View 1 comment Write a comment... Alice I loved the book and thought it was incredibly written. I don't think it seemed unbelievable, and I liked how she kept you second guessing your judgement until the very end, I thought she had done it the whole time but I kept questioning whether I was right or not, found myself thinking "maybe it was Tate, maybe Jumpin did it for her, maybe Jumpin did it and she knew he was going to so she went back to cover up his tracks so he wouldn't be caught" I liked how it wasn't clear whether or not she had done it until the very end. flag

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• 5 years ago

Write a comment... Michael Bustamante This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[Does anyone think it's possible that she in fact didn't kill Chase? I realize it's very unlikely, but I still like to entertain the idea. So many things had to align perfectly for her to make it back and forth (the currents, the bus schedule, not being seen by the person at the hotel or the bus drivers). Tate and Jumpin wouldn't put Kya through this, so I don't think it's them. What if it actually was an accident? (hide spoiler)] flag

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• 5 years ago

View all 3 comments Write a comment... Wilkensbane This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[My thought throughout the trial was: Why this obsession with the bus? Surely the bus is not the only way to get between two points? She didn’t drive herself (as far as we know, although we also didn’t know she was secretly a poet...), but an accomplice like Jumpin’ or Jodie or Tate might have helped her out. Just a bit surprising that the court never even took that into account. (hide spoiler)] flag

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• 5 years ago

Write a comment... Vicki Tate gave her his hat after she had been hit by Chase, right? So, Tate might have been mad enough to go after him but the hat fibers had to be left between that time and the death. flag

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• 6 years ago

Write a comment... Mauri Baumann This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[I thought it might be Tate...so I was surprised at the end....but I didn't quite get why Chase and not Tate.....she was more in love with Tate than Chase...and obviously had lots more in common with Tate (hide spoiler)] flag

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• 6 years ago

View 1 comment Write a comment... Karen It was so ironic that the sheriff and prosecutor actually figured out who did it and how she did it. But it seemed implausible, because the timing was tight and why didn't the hotel clerk see her come and go? But I kept wondering about that red cap that was given to her by Tate not long before Chase's death. The author left lots of hints when talking about insects like the firefly. And, of course, the missing shell necklace. Taking that was one mistake Kya made, since it shifted interest towards her. But for me, Amanda Hamilton's identity was the bigger surprise. Kya may have committed a crime, but, in her mind, it was self-defense. After what she witnessed with her father's abuse, it's understandable. flag

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• 2 years ago

Write a comment... Pam Rasmussen She says, "Insects know how to deal with their lovers." flag

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• 3 years ago

Write a comment... Susan This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[Kya is also the poet, Amanda Hamilton. Amanda Hamilton is her alter ego, whom she keeps hidden from everyone, not evil per se but more knowing and grounded in the realities of the natural world. It is through this part of herself that Kya planned and committed the murder and was motivated to keep the necklace as a trophy. As readers, we're like the townspeople who only see what they want to of Kya. It's easy to get caught up in her shyness and gentleness, but she is extremely complex and the effects of abandonment distorted her in some ways. (hide spoiler)] flag

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• 3 years ago

Write a comment... Esther Clark remember the red hat. that was the giveaway. flag

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• 4 years ago

Write a comment... Minty This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[I thought it was obvious that she had killed him because of all the female insect behaviours depicted, her reaction to the mention of the necklace - and because no other plausible explanation was offered at all - but was still sad when it was confirmed that she was a murderer. (hide spoiler)] flag

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• 5 years ago

View 1 comment Write a comment... Kim Yes, it seems Kya was disguised as the guy on the bus. At first, I didn't think it was believable that she would kill Chase, but then I thought of her father, she had more in common with him than she thought. flag

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• 6 years ago

Write a comment... Omar AbdelFattah This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[How could Kya killed Chase? I mean, the trial showed that she had almost no time to make it to the tower and return on time to catch the bus. How on earth she managed to get Chase meet her on the tower on that particular night? (hide spoiler)] flag

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• 3 years ago

Write a comment... Alexander This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[Spoilers! As many have pointed out, I too found it a bit sad that Kya seem to be the murderer. It def make her character less likeable. But, reading between the lines I wonder if it wasnt Jumpin who commited the crime. He knew when she wud have a "bullet-proof" alibi (out of town) and he knew she had been beaten by Chase. I think Kya was ready to go down, while protecting Jumpin, the only person (besides Mabel) who had been there for her in thick and thin.I think Jumpin did it and gave the necklace to Kya as proof that Chase wudnt bother her anymore.The author def had some "blanks" that were not explained to the reader. Deliberately or not. (hide spoiler)] flag

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• 4 years ago

Write a comment... Nico This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[I don't think the ending necessarily has to mean that Kya actually did murder Chase--it just means that Kya ultimately had the necklace. Kya lived in nature and let nature happen. Who's to say that Kya didn't come upon Chase's body and take back what was hers to begin with? An appropriate alternate theory to Kya having killed Chase is that Kya recovered the shell--a symbol of her "nature" that she gave to him--because it never belonged to Chase in the first place, and that she hid the shell because she knew it would implicate her. (hide spoiler)] flag

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• 4 years ago

View 1 comment Write a comment... Kathy P Yes, she was the disguised person on the bus, likely wearing clothing provided by Jumpin. The timeline is a bit hard to swallow, but I can get past that. (The whole time, I was expecting the killer to be her father). flag

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• 4 years ago

View 1 comment Write a comment... Gayle I think the book tried to make two things very clear during the court case:1. Kya's lawyer was simply very skilled and better than Chase's lawyer, end of story.2. Kya COULD have done it--explanations are found for every step of her plan--but in a case as serious as a first degree murder, the mere possibility isn't enough. There had to be evidence and Kya left none. flag

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• 4 years ago

Write a comment... Siya Vartak This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[The whole point was to show that even though she was a marsh girl, with no actual schooling at all, no guidance, and no help, she managed to pull it off on her own. I personally found it a little predictable, so the end was a bit disappointing, but the way it was taken, was amazing. The bond between Tate and Kya was also taken beautifully, especially when Tate decides to burn the evidence, even though he was stated to be a man of honesty. (hide spoiler)] flag

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• 4 years ago

Write a comment... Isabelle This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[I was initially disappointed by the ending (I'd hoped it was Alwayswearspearls who killed him)... after giving it a little time I felt like her getting off was just, even though technically justice was not served for the murder. It was the community that put her in the position where the only way she felt she could protect and defend herself was to murder Chase. Duping the community when she'd actually been the murderer felt like a balancing of power. (hide spoiler)] flag

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• 4 years ago

Write a comment... Harlow A lot of it was unrealistic. I always suspected she did it because she never outright denied it, at least not that I can remember. flag

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• 5 years ago

Write a comment... Donna Would you say the book is worth reading about the south? flag

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• 5 comments
• 6 years ago

View all 5 comments Write a comment... Martha Authors questions on the book flag

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• 6 years ago

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