Reviews tagging 'Car accident'

Sharks in the Time of Saviors by Kawai Strong Washburn

10 reviews

thecriticalreader's review against another edition

sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.75

 

Review:

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

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Medical trauma, Bullying, Colonisation, Dementia, Death, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Car accident, Racism, Lesbophobia, Sexual assault, and Police brutality

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Vomit

Additional Graphic Content Warnings: Poverty, incarceration

allyem_reads's review against another edition

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. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Car accident, Death, and Drug use

Moderate: Medical trauma, Child abuse, Cultural appropriation, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Violence, Homophobia, Grief, and Suicidal thoughts

surprisebear's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Grief, Alcohol, Blood, Dementia, and Ableism

Moderate: Car accident, Addiction, and Colonisation

dianna_reads's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death

Moderate: Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Cultural appropriation, and Car accident

Also detailed look at poverty and generational trauma of always living paycheck to paycheck without financial security

danajoy's review against another edition

emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Alcohol, Blood, and Lesbophobia

Moderate: Car accident, Animal death, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Police brutality and Pregnancy

andrewhatesham's review against another edition

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Death, Grief, Medical content, Gore, and Sexual content

Moderate: Excrement, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Car accident, Drug use, Cursing, Blood, Child death, Suicidal thoughts, and Self harm

Minor: Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Racial slurs, and Sexual assault

_kathill's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Blood, Car accident, Drug use, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Rape and Suicidal thoughts

mitone_winona's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

First thing about this book, it does a beautiful example of combining magical realism with the realities of being in the modern times as well as combining the culture of Hawaii into a twist that I understand deeply as someone who is indigenous in America. Not only does the book deal with magical realism and how it affects the family, but its understandable in a way that is very modern and I believe relatable even if the book wasn't about the current things going on with Noa, who is a pseudo centerpiece that is surrounded and switched out by his family member's perspective of how they view Noa and the affect of their parents on the 3 children as well as Noa's existence being exceptionally amazing, he is still a young man who grew up overly praised rather than seen as a boy and a human.

This book is so natural and real with how it goes over being siblings in a challenging dynamic, being successful in a way that matters so much to you and your parents, and the consequences of reality on those goals and aspirations. Each sibling is very unique in both struggles and goals they all wish to achieve.

This book is so natural and realistic in a way that makes you cheer on even if the moment is tense. You want these characters to thrive and continue on. I highly suggest you read this book if you like magical realism combined with TRUE reality that intertwines both amazingly.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Car accident, Death, Drug abuse, and Grief

Moderate: Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Violence

usedtotheweather's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Colonisation

Minor: Alcohol, Car accident, Death, Dementia, Drug use, Grief, Lesbophobia, Medical content, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

bobbijopmh's review against another edition

adventurous challenging mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

“The kingdom of Hawai‘i had long been broken—the breathing rain forests and singing green reefs crushed under the haole fists of beach resorts and skyscrapers—and that was when the land had begun calling.”

This novel artfully blends harsh realities and magic, on a story encompassing all members of a single family and spanning decades of their lives. 

As someone who doesn't read a lot of magical realism, I wasn't really sure what to expect going into this. It's worth noting, though, that a lot of the ‘magic’ in this novel comes from Hawaiian traditional beliefs and lore.

The storyline had me gripped. With plenty of compelling twists and turns, which makes it hard to say much about the plot other than it's about finding a place where you truly belong, the relationships between family members, and the burdens that come with enormous expectations. 

Kawai Strong Washburn switches voice for the different perspectives presented perfectly; creating a deeper understanding and connection with each character through their voice and mannerism. Malia with her lyrical, poetic and emotional descriptions; Dean with his strong pidgin-Hawaiian accent; Kaui with her insecure “okay?” and “right”. It is very skillfully written. The descriptions of places, and feelings, are atmospheric and almost a sensory experience themselves. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, it was unlike anything I've personally read before, and I can't wait to see what Kawai Strong Washburnwrites next!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Medical content, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Death

Moderate: Blood, Drug use, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Animal death