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books_n_pickles 's review for:
Sharks in the Time of Saviors
by Kawai Strong Washburn
I had a feeling I'd like this one, and I'm so glad I did. The magical realist elements were lightly done, the language written as realistically spoken--complete with different linguistic quirks for each character--was beautiful, the Hawaiian culture made such a deep impression without catering to us haoles, and there were moments that I genuinely did not expect--a rarity for me. The end did rather abruptly introduce a potentially too-neat solution to some seriously overwhelmingly difficult situations for the Flores family in Hawaii, but at the same time I'm glad there was a little hope.
Quote Roundup:
P. 180: If a god is a thing that has absolute power over us, then in this world there are many. There are gods that we choose and gods that we can't avoid; there are gods that we pray and gods that prey on us;to there are dreams that become gods and pasts that become gods and nightmares that do, as well. As I age I learn that there are more gods than I'll ever know, and yet I have to watch for all of them, or else they can use me or I can lose them without even realizing it. Take money... Take language... Take you, my son.
P. 348: "Whenever I've made a choice in my life, a real choice... I can always feel the change, after I choose. The better versions of myself, moving just out of reach. ... I'm always losing better versions of myself. I don't know. You just have to keep trying."
Quote Roundup:
P. 180: If a god is a thing that has absolute power over us, then in this world there are many. There are gods that we choose and gods that we can't avoid; there are gods that we pray and gods that prey on us;to there are dreams that become gods and pasts that become gods and nightmares that do, as well. As I age I learn that there are more gods than I'll ever know, and yet I have to watch for all of them, or else they can use me or I can lose them without even realizing it. Take money... Take language... Take you, my son.
P. 348: "Whenever I've made a choice in my life, a real choice... I can always feel the change, after I choose. The better versions of myself, moving just out of reach. ... I'm always losing better versions of myself. I don't know. You just have to keep trying."