4 stars

It takes a lot of mussels

Usually there is disappointment seeing a movie after having read the very good, New York Times best selling novel from which it came. Not this time! A girl is systematically abandoned by her family in the marshes of North Carolina, predicated on the abusive, alcoholic father of the family. Her first challenge is figuring out how to be fed; she begins by harvesting shellfish. Kya begins to manage in a tough environment despite literal trials and tribulations. She is helped by her knowledge of the wildlife in the wetlands. Will she prevail? Is her life going to be a solitary existence, or will she find fulfillment as well as her partner? Very good. In theaters now. 2022.