Darwin said it isn't the strongest or even the most intelligent who survive, but those best able to adapt to changing circumstances.

This is a novel about survival, and Kya, the protagonist, is adept at survival in the face of enormous odds. Abandoned by her mother, her siblings and, finally, her father, she is left alone to adapt and survive on North Carolina's Outer Banks in the period from the 1950s to the 1970s.

Learning from nature and experience, Kya thrives despite the prejudice of the townspeople who view her as a freak and denigrate her as the "marsh girl." Her only human friends are Jumpin and his wife Mabel, a black couple who are also victims of prejudice because of racism.

As she enters her teens, another human comes into her life: Tate, a town boy who is kind and offers to teach her how to read. This expands her knowledge and, in their closeness, love blooms between Kya and Tate. Thanks to Tate's gift, Kya begins a career as a nature writer, which assures her economic security. Yet, even Tate abandons her and once more she is left alone.

In this state of vulnerability, Kya succumbs to the charms of Chase, another town boy with less admirable aims.

When Chase is found dead under suspicious circumstances, Kya becomes the obvious suspect. The final section of the novel deals with a courtroom battle in which her lawyer presents evidence to defend her against the charge of murder.

This is a debut novel by a scientist known for her nature writing. Her prose is poetic and beautiful and the insights into the workings of nature are informative and moving. The plot had me hooked from the start.

I'll admit, I found it difficult to believe a 6-year-old could survive under these circumstances. Yet, this is fiction, so I accepted it for the sake of the story, which I enjoyed for the most part. My main disappointment was in the denouement, which I found out of character for the Kya I'd come to know.

Still, I'll be interested in seeing what comes next from Delia Owens.