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3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Absolutely stunning. It was a slow start and I was unsure where it would go after a twist in the middle, but it ended beautifully and perfectly. Washburn really played with the traditional hero’s journey, and it worked so well. I appreciated the different narrators and their unique styles and how present Hawaiian culture and language was. An excellent exploration of family and its pressures, class struggles and anxiety, and the meaning of home.
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
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
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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:
No
dark
lighthearted
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Sharks in the Time of Saviors by Kawai Strong Washburn is a look at the folklore of Hawaii. I loved learning about the different gods, their connection to the land, and the struggles of indigenous Hawaiians. A family of 5 lives on Honoka struggles to make ends meet even though both Mom and Dad (Augie and Malia) work. The three siblings (Dean, Kaui, and Nainoa) have the usual sibling rivalries. Nainoa (Noa) has healing powers which the parents take advantage of by collecting payment from those who come to be healed. Noa’s gift is also a curse for him though. The story was just long and drawn out. It had all sorts of intricacies on the 4 other family members' lives which were irrelevant to the ultimate storyline. The mother’s story is told in the second person which was weird. The book also has odd sex scenes. It was interesting and different. Let’s just say it’s one of those families which make you think yours may not be so odd. I’m just not smart enough to appreciate the literary aspect of the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Cultural appropriation
Minor: Drug use