Reviews with content warning for Injury/Injury detail - Sharks in the Time of Saviors

I’m not sure if the problem is me or the book, but I could not get into Sharks in the Time of Saviors by Kawai Strong Washburn. Actually, the problem is probably me, because the book is objectively well-crafted. The prose is unique (although I found it tiresome at times), the narrative is heartbreaking, and the characters are complex. Unfortunately, I could not bring myself to care about or connect to the characters because, unlike their stories, their voices are not distinct. They’re all unobservant and lack the insight to spot the obvious problems with their mindsets and behaviors. I can enjoy characters who don’t have self-awareness, but it has to be written in a way that shows me how they justify their misguided actions or thought patterns. Since Sharks in the Time of Saviors is such a character-driven novel, my inability to care about the characters hindered my enjoyment.

Apparently the author is not native Hawaiian (although he was born and raised there), so that might play a role in why the book feels hollow to me, especially in how it engages with native Hawaiian culture. Of course, I'm not in a position to speak authoritatively about what counts as "good" representation in this area or not, but over the years I've developed a better sense of when an author is writing from personal identity and experience and when they are not. When the cultural elements of the book fell flat to me I brushed it off as a "me" problem, but now I wonder if it had anything to do with the author's lack of cultural and ethnic connection to his characters and their myths.

After dragging on for what seemed like forever, the book ended with an underwhelming conclusion. The overall message the book tries to send is super obvious, and the main characters don’t really grow as people. Again, I don’t think Sharks in the Time of Saviors is a bad book, but it failed to connect with me.

The Run-Down:

You will probably like Sharks in the Time of Saviors if . . .

You like stories about dysfunctional, but well-meaning, families
You are interested in a book that looks at the real ramifications of white imperialism/tourism in Hawaii
You like lyrical prose and hard-hitting truths

You might not like Sharks in the Time of Saviors if . . .

You want to read a book about native Hawaiian people, myths, and cultures, by someone who is native Hawaiian
You find it hard to root for or sympathize with characters who do horrible things
You want mythology and magic to play a large role in the plot

A Similar Book:

Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo. Similarities include . . .

Themes of migration from home and return in search of financial security and belonging
A dysfunctional but loving family
Main characters with supernatural abilities/magical realism
Deeply flawed protagonists
Celebrations of resiliency in the face of hardship, social commentary

Content Warnings

allyem_reads's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

Strong character development? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

5.57 CAWPILE

This is not at all what I was expecting when I picked this book up. Whether that is a good or bad thing, I can't tell you. What I can say is that the ending was really unsatisfying? I feel like we didn't get any closure. But I did like how the author portrayed grief and depression. This whole book was really a study of grief, and it was well done.

Content Warnings