I started it a bit hesitantly after reading some negative comments here. But the book is amazing! It truly deserves its reputation and became so well-known. Yes, the author describes scenes in the marsh in detail, but the marsh is not just a setting; it is one of the two protagonists of the book, and that is the beauty of the book.
It is a book with a central theme of coming of age and the prejudices of small communities. As you read it, you will grow up along with little Kya in the Marsh.

The story is good and interesting. However, the narration, especially at the beginning, became very tiring. Many descriptions of routine matters that did not help the plot in any way, as if the author was trying to come up with material in order to make it into a book.

Well, it's a good book overall.
I just noticed some negatives, first of all, the author tends to ramble a lot and creates pointless scenes like, for example, cooking with cornmeal or describing the setting, which gets quite tiring at some points; it would have been better if it were 50-60 pages shorter.
The story, as a story, is good, but on the other hand, its plot is very simplistic; anyone could come up with the basic idea of the plot (whether they can articulate it is another matter).
A good book with its flaws; it’s not a masterpiece, but it’s enjoyable to read and gives you food for thought.

Without spoilers, the ending, in my personal opinion, is unnecessarily drawn out; it could have concluded more beautifully, and the final discovery could have been made in a different way

The plot kept my interest throughout the reading. At first it was a bit difficult, but then it hooked me! Much better than the movie!

The first 60 pages are a bit difficult but then it becomes an amazing book with a nice plot, made me start reading again.

I read it this summer. The truth is that at first it didn't hold my interest due to the excessive description of the environment, however, from a certain point onwards, I read it effortlessly. The ending is mind-blowing, unlike the movie I watched after finishing the book, which was terrible.

I bought this book with extremely high expectations, after all the hype that had been created around it. It started off with some interest, but it soon became incredibly tedious, to the point where I felt the urge to skip pages.

The descriptions of the setting were long-winded to the extent that they became exhausting and resembled more of a documentary than a book with a plot. The protagonist constantly being mistreated, abused, and abandoned brings about endless depression.

I won't go into further details so as not to spoil the plot, but I truly found it disappointing and extremely tiresome. If the endless descriptions were more concise and if the protagonist had more dynamism, perhaps I would have liked it more.

An excellent book that from the very first pages deeply moves you with the abandonment of the protagonist (Kaia) by everyone she loves and the strength of her soul as she tries to survive all alone. The revelations at the end are mind-blowing!

Good book to pass your time pleasantly, but a little excessive all this noise that is happening around it. Easy to read and interesting. Just that.

Nice story, original, keeps the reader's interest intact. Very enjoyable for summer at the beach

The book is good but it could have been two-thirds of its size. Personally, I got excessively tired from the second half onwards to the point where I wanted to give up on it.

The book that made me love reading again. Touching, sweet but also raw at the same time.

This book took me on a journey and kept my interest until the very last (mind-blowing) page. The author's poetry is exceptional and captivating.

Oh! It's been a while since the last enjoyable read. I devoured it like water. I highly recommend it without reservation.

Nice story, original, different from the usual but incredibly long and detailed descriptions of the environment. It tired me out in several points.

A romance reminiscent of "Blue Lake" with a disappointing ending. Very tiring descriptions of landscapes, animals, etc. by the author-zoologist.
Also, before reading it, take a look at the distant 1995/6 and Zambia, as there her husband was accused of murder through a show they were hosting for the ABC channel from Africa, where they had moved to.

Favorite! I read it and days later I was still thinking about this book, even though I had started a new one...

The book of my last summer. It is read without interruption and includes many different genres: detective, coming-of-age novel, and so many others. It keeps the interest unchanged, but be prepared for great annoyance on page 466!

Although the book was intended as a gift, I don't have a complete opinion. However, I took a look at it and found it smart, original, and easy to read. Just what you need for relaxation.

I read it in 3 days. It felt like watching a TV series. A bit melodramatic (at some points), but good.