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An issue I had with the book - since Kya was a White woman was it easy for the people to assume that she didn’t possibly kill someone? Had she been a Black woman would that make her capable of murder in the eyes of the people?

If you look at it from that angle there is a hint of racism on the author’s part. Towards the end of the book, the author makes it seem that Kya being abandoned from a young age absolves her of all blame.

I gave the book 4 stars. The poetry and the part I mentioned above were a couple of issues I had with the book.

Please go on with your opinions on the book. I’ll post the next book club pick in an hour’s time.

Originally posted by: Anam...

As for the murder mystery, don’t you girls think it was handled very similarly to To Kill A Mockingbird? Only here, the accused is white whereas the one accused there was Black.

I liked the investigative part of the story, the pages really flew by while reading that bit.

I liked both the parts. But I like to stick to one genre at a time. Just when I was getting into romance, it turned to detective, and when I wanted to know more about the investigation, it turned to romance. I guess that was the author's motive, but sometimes I really wanted to cheat and see what's going to happen next.

So sorry I am late.

I have mixed feelings about the book. I already said that it reminded me of the movie Blue lagoon in which two kids get stranded in a lagoon and navigate their life from childhood to adult age living alone there. I am not sure if anyone has seen that movie. So it wasn't like something new to me. Also kya was too young, 5 to put so much thought into everything. Her character development was amazing though. She becoming a woman who finds her passion though always guarding her heart in the process. She is not our typical girl given the circumstances she grows up. How her family abandones her is heartbreaking and unrealistic at the same time. Nobody had a heart I guess.

I loved the character of jumpin and her wife. They going out of her way to make sure she was food to eat and clothes to wear. They are my favorite characters.

Ah the writing! I don't like it. Too many difficult words in a single page. I personally don't like to Google every word while reading. Also the dialogues of her father were bit eerie to understand.

Ain't is not even a word.... Kya says this in the beginning.. She learnt from her mother. Yet she uses it later. I dont know it was intentional or not by the author.

The murder trial was cool.. But towards the end it was becoming clear that she was the culprit herself. But the part where it is revealed she was the poetess was wow for me. She said Somewhere that if she ever becomes a poet she would make her message clear. So I quite liked it.

Franky I picked this book last yr but could go beyond few chapters. I am glad I finished it, liking it or not is a different thing.

I will give kya and her story 3🌟

Originally posted by: Mayashika

Am I the only one who absolutely adored this story? My rating is 5/5. Long descriptions of nature and day to day life of the protagonist can be uninteresting but imo, it was much needed for this book. I really could understand the level of love Kya held for her home and Biology.

As we are discussing spoilers now, I really wanted Amanda Hamilton to be her mother. Her mother's books and Kya developing a relationship with those books were shown plenty of times that A.H turning out to be herself was a bit of a disappointment. I can totally see why the poet being Kya is relevant to the story but really? It didn't have much of an impact on me. I would have rather preferred Kya's mother. It would have been a nice touch where throughout her teenage years when she felt abandoned the most, her mother's poems were always with her. Poems are very personal so in a way, she could have known her mother. I don't care for poetry either but the constant mention of A.H did make it obvious that this part was important so I did read through.

It did cross my mind several times while reading the poems that it was as if it were written by Kya herself. Otherwise, it's difficult to be ready with a poem for every situation, and a poem written by the same poet, no less. So, the revelation didn't have an impact on me either.

Now that you say, I think it would have been nice if it were Kya's mother, but it would be difficult to fit it all with the plot, what with her mental situation and eventual death. She couldn't have written poems under those circumstances. And since she was shown as a victim who had to leave her kids and couldn't return, it would have (imo) impacted her character negatively if she were shown to be not only writing poems but publishing them as well, since that shows a better mental state than was shown in the story.

Originally posted by: Anam...

An issue I had with the book - since Kya was a White woman was it easy for the people to assume that she didn’t possibly kill someone? Had she been a Black woman would that make her capable of murder in the eyes of the people?

If you look at it from that angle there is a hint of racism on the author’s part. Towards the end of the book, the author makes it seem that Kya being abandoned from a young age absolves her of all blame.

I gave the book 4 stars. The poetry and the part I mentioned above were a couple of issues I had with the book.

I think it was important to show a bit of racism in the story because of the time and place it was set in. It wouldn't really portray the right setting if there was no racism shown in the characters' attitude. It's the same thing with women not being allowed to go to certain places. These things are hard to digest in today's time and I don't like it when it happens in a story but I have to admit it was necessary in this case.

I'm happy the author showed the changes regarding both these situations at the end of the book.

Originally posted by: 23Diya

It did cross my mind several times while reading the poems that it was as if it were written by Kya herself. Otherwise, it's difficult to be ready with a poem for every situation, and a poem written by the same poet, no less. So, the revelation didn't have an impact on me either.

Now that you say, I think it would have been nice if it were Kya's mother, but it would be difficult to fit it all with the plot, what with her mental situation and eventual death. She couldn't have written poems under those circumstances. And since she was shown as a victim who had to leave her kids and couldn't return, it would have (imo) impacted her character negatively if she were shown to be not only writing poems but publishing them as well, since that shows a better mental state than was shown in the story.

I agree with you. It would have shown the mother in a negative light but I meant, what if her mother actually wrote the poems while living in the Marsh and it was slowly published afterwards? She could have submitted the poems when she was leaving the town. I know, a bit too far off. 😆 I understand how Kya being the poet is relevant to the plot but the theme of abandonment was mentioned so many times, I wanted Kya to be happy about something from her childhood.

Originally posted by: Mayashika

I agree with you. It would have shown the mother in a negative light but I meant, what if her mother actually wrote the poems while living in the Marsh and it was slowly published afterwards? She could have submitted the poems when she was leaving the town. I know, a bit too far off. 😆 I understand how Kya being the poet is relevant to the plot but the theme of abandonment was mentioned so many times, I wanted Kya to be happy about something from her childhood.

I wonder how Kya would have reacted if that really happened and she got to know that her mother hadn't bothered to say goodbye or even look back at her while leaving but went to a publisher in the town and got her poems published. Knowing what I do about Kya, she probably would have thrown a fit and took her little boat into the sea currents again. 😆 That seemed to be her way to express anger.

Originally posted by: 23Diya

I wonder how Kya would have reacted iff that really happened and she got to know that her mother hadn't bothered to say goodbye or even look back at her while leaving but went to a publisher in the town and got her poems published. Knowing what I do about Kya, she probably would have thrown a fit and took her little boat into the sea currents again. 😆 That seemed to be her way to express anger.

Yes, yes! 😆 I am willing to imagine anything. That ending wasn't effective at all when it was clear that the author wanted it to have an impact.

I hope none of you have read next month’s pick.