How Does 'Where the Crawdads Sing' End? All About the Book and Movie Endings
We—just like the rest of the world—did a little dance when it was announced that Where the Crawdads Sing was becoming a movie. The Delia Owens novel flew to the top of everyone's reading list the minute it came out. And when we found out it was Reese Witherspoon who was producing the film adaptation, we knew we were in for a treat. Add the haunting trailer and Taylor Swift's original song for the film to the mix, and we were totally sold!
With the film's premiere on July 15, many fans may be wondering how closely the adaptation will follow the beloved novel. Here's everything we know about that, plus a refresher on what happens in the book, including that shocking ending.
Attention: This is your warning to stop reading if you don't want any spoilers!
Who is the main character in Where the Crawdads Sing?
The book follows Catherine Danielle Clark, also known as Kya, a little girl growing up in the North Carolina marshes during the 1950s. Kya's mother leaves her when she is just 6 years old, with her siblings following suit shortly after. Kya's father, an alcoholic and abusive World War II veteran, is the only family she's got left. He teaches her the ways of the marsh, including how to fish and basic survival skills. But he eventually flees town as well, leaving his daughter to fend for herself at just 10 years old.
Kya must use the skills her father taught her if she wants to survive—and she does. She earns money by selling the fish she catches and learns how to trade for basic needs. She befriends a kind-hearted couple, Jumpin' and Mabel, who support her emotionally and sometimes financially as she grows up. Kya is forced to attend school but after her peers taunt her and label her the "Marsh Girl", she never sets foot in the building again. She returns to the marsh, where she becomes educated in her own way.
Who are Kya's love interests in Where the Crawdads Sing?
This is where the story truly picks up. At some point, Kya meets and befriends a local boy named Tate Walker, who teaches her how to read and write. They quickly form a tight bond which transforms into a short-lived romance. Things end when Tate goes to college, leaving Kya alone and distraught.
But her love story isn't over yet. A couple years later, Kya meets Chase Andrews, the town's golden boy and high school quarterback. At first she's swept off her feet, but things soon take a tragic turn and set off a ripple effect that leads to Kya being accused of murder.
How is Kya accused of murder?
After Chase turns up dead, Kya quickly becomes the main suspect in his murder, despite the fact that she was out of town at the time he was killed. With news of the case spreading, a stranger offers to be Kya's lawyer. Things take a turn for the better when he uncovers enough evidence to convince a jury that Kya is not guilty. The exhausting trial is over, and Kya ultimately reunites with Tate and begins a life with him back at the marsh. They grow old together, with Kya dying in her sixties from a heart attack.
Who killed Chase?
If you haven't already read the book, prepare for your mouth to drop. Just when you think things are wrapping up in the last few pages, you're presented with the twist of all twists.
Tate stumbles upon something under Kya's floorboards. What he finds: Chase's missing necklace, accompanied by a poem (written by Kya) explaining Chase's death in detail. (!!!) This is where we find out that Kya was indeed Chase's killer all along.
Does the movie have the same ending as the book?
By now you're probably wondering if the movie will share the book's shocking ending.
If you're a fan of the book, you'll probably be relieved to hear that director Olivia Newman has said that it was "absolutely vital" for her to stay true to Delia Owens's original ending. "That was the only way to stay true to the entire story," Newman said in a recent interview with Shondaland. "The ending of the book has the full story, and so you have to understand the ending to understand the story that Delia is telling. It’s an ending that you want to talk about and debate, and argue about, and have conversations about with your friends. It's not an easy, clean ending. What left me haunted by the book and left me thinking about it is the ending."
Where the Crawdads Sing is in theaters now—so prepare to be wowed by a truly haunting story and ending.
