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oceanxbluess's review
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Dementia, Suicide attempt, and Mental illness
ella__carroll's review
5.0
Greenland sharks are my absolute favorite animal in the entire world. That combined with such a poignant story and such beautiful writing made this one of my favorite books ever. I am also currently reading "The Deathless Girls" by the same author, and wow... Kiran must be one of the most versatile authors I have ever read, such different stories that are both so incredibly well written and enjoyable.
kristinvdt's review
4.0
Important subjects and amazing illustrations. Possibly a bit bleak for my 10-year-old.
gilliandarlington's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
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
5.0
laurnir's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
jacki_f's review
4.0
I first came across Kiran Millwood Hargrave when I read The Mercies, one of my favourite books last year. It was her first book for adults but she had previously written several children’s books and this is another. It’s illustrated by her husband, Tom de Freston and it’s absolutely stunning.
The story is about a girl who travels with her parents to a remote Shetland island where her mother is desperate to track down a Greenland Shark. These amazing creatures live for 400 years and swim incredibly slowly. Julia’s mother has mental health issues and the book is about how that affects Julia.
It’s a lovely, heart warming story.
The story is about a girl who travels with her parents to a remote Shetland island where her mother is desperate to track down a Greenland Shark. These amazing creatures live for 400 years and swim incredibly slowly. Julia’s mother has mental health issues and the book is about how that affects Julia.
It’s a lovely, heart warming story.
alongreader's review
5.0
I'm so glad my copy of this had the illustrations. It wouldn't be anything like as good without it.
Julia and her parents (and Noodle the cat) travel to a lighthouse so far north the sun barely goes down. Her father is there to automate the light, and her mother is searching for the elusive Greenland Shark. Julia's not sure about the whole thing, but she makes a friend and spends her days roaming the island and trying not to notice her mother's strange behaviour. But the Shark is omnipresent, sinking into every part of their lives until it threatens to drown them all.
This is a beautiful, thoughtful book. If you're looking for a fast paced read, this isn't it, but it is so amazing and wonderful I don't have enough words for it. The illustrations weave through and under and around the words, adding a completely new dimension to the story.
Being outside the story, it was easy for me to see what was wrong with Julia's mother before she did, and watching it happen was painful. This book is going to do so well with fans of Wonder or The Last Bear (both of which I highly recommend if you haven't read them.)
I absolutely adored this book, I can't wait to be able to sell it in store. Not every reader will like it, but those who do will absolutely love it. Like I do.
Julia and her parents (and Noodle the cat) travel to a lighthouse so far north the sun barely goes down. Her father is there to automate the light, and her mother is searching for the elusive Greenland Shark. Julia's not sure about the whole thing, but she makes a friend and spends her days roaming the island and trying not to notice her mother's strange behaviour. But the Shark is omnipresent, sinking into every part of their lives until it threatens to drown them all.
This is a beautiful, thoughtful book. If you're looking for a fast paced read, this isn't it, but it is so amazing and wonderful I don't have enough words for it. The illustrations weave through and under and around the words, adding a completely new dimension to the story.
Being outside the story, it was easy for me to see what was wrong with Julia's mother before she did, and watching it happen was painful. This book is going to do so well with fans of Wonder or The Last Bear (both of which I highly recommend if you haven't read them.)
I absolutely adored this book, I can't wait to be able to sell it in store. Not every reader will like it, but those who do will absolutely love it. Like I do.
maxine_december's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
5.0
carolineroche's review
5.0
This book is a beautiful collaboration between Kiran Millwood Hargrave and her illustrator husband Tom de Freston. It is a story about Julia, whose two scientist parents take her to one of the Shetland islands for the summer to do scientific work. Her mother, in particular, wants to find and study a very rare type of shark only found in those waters. But things start to go wrong, slowly, and a shadow as big as the shark, looms over Julia. A beautifully told story about mental health, and wonder, and childhood. Don't miss it!
ievastrazdina's review
5.0
Šoreiz sākšu tieši ar grāmatas vizuālo noformējumu – cik skaista, pārdomāta un pārsteidzoša ir grāmata katrā sīkākajā detaļā un niansē!! Grāmata ir ne vien brīnišķīgi ilustrēta, bet tajā iekļautas vairākas pārsteidzošas lappuses no atšķirīga papīra, kas tik brīnišķīgi papildina un izceļ stāstu. Izcili!
Un arī pats stāsts ir aizraujošs un saistoši uzrakstīts – es lasīju ar lielu interesi un ticu, ka tas aizraus arī savu īsto mērķauditoriju – jaunāko klašu skolas vecuma bērnus. Stāsts ir ar piedzīvojuma garšu, tomēr organiski un neuzbāzīgi runā par patiešām daudzām svarīgām tēmām – dabas aizsardzību, bulingu jauniešu starpā un vecāku mentālās veselības problēmas un bērna plašās fantāzijas pasauli.
Izklausās pēc tematiskas biezputras? Izlasi un pārliecinies, cik meistarīgi tās savijas stāstā un perfekti iegulstas savā vietā.
Džūlijai ir desmit gadi, kad viņas vecāki uz dažiem mēnešiem nolemj pārcelties uz Kornvalas un ziemeļu salām, kur, tētim veicams darbs ar bākas modernizāciju, savukārt mamma vēlas uzmeklēt haizivi, kas dzīvo vairākus simtus gadu. Mammai vairs neviens netic, nedz tētis, nedz pētniecības finansējuma devēji, tomēr Džūlija no visas sirds tic, ka mammai izdosies atrast haizivi – viņa zina, ka tas ir svarīgi, citādi mamma ieslīgs tumsā, no kuras tik grūti tikt laukā.
Ļoti iesaku šo grāmatu – vizuāls un saturisks skaistums!
Un arī pats stāsts ir aizraujošs un saistoši uzrakstīts – es lasīju ar lielu interesi un ticu, ka tas aizraus arī savu īsto mērķauditoriju – jaunāko klašu skolas vecuma bērnus. Stāsts ir ar piedzīvojuma garšu, tomēr organiski un neuzbāzīgi runā par patiešām daudzām svarīgām tēmām – dabas aizsardzību, bulingu jauniešu starpā un vecāku mentālās veselības problēmas un bērna plašās fantāzijas pasauli.
Izklausās pēc tematiskas biezputras? Izlasi un pārliecinies, cik meistarīgi tās savijas stāstā un perfekti iegulstas savā vietā.
Džūlijai ir desmit gadi, kad viņas vecāki uz dažiem mēnešiem nolemj pārcelties uz Kornvalas un ziemeļu salām, kur, tētim veicams darbs ar bākas modernizāciju, savukārt mamma vēlas uzmeklēt haizivi, kas dzīvo vairākus simtus gadu. Mammai vairs neviens netic, nedz tētis, nedz pētniecības finansējuma devēji, tomēr Džūlija no visas sirds tic, ka mammai izdosies atrast haizivi – viņa zina, ka tas ir svarīgi, citādi mamma ieslīgs tumsā, no kuras tik grūti tikt laukā.
Ļoti iesaku šo grāmatu – vizuāls un saturisks skaistums!