The book started off great with six-year-old Kya surviving a solitary life in the marshland. Her plight and the little things she experiences will leave you with a sharp pang in the gut. Delia Owen's perspective of a 6-year-old living alone is believable and beautiful. The older Kya got, the paler the story got me, yet it carried elements that hit the right note- Her relationship with Jumpin' and Mable, her learning process, her inner turmoil, and her raw honesty towards the world that abandoned her.

I had also never read a story set in southern marshland. It was a grand experience to read a book that showcased it in this manner.

This was a 3.5-star book but 4 stars because it taught me interesting things I didn't know.