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serendipitysbooks 's review for:
Wild Dark Shore
by Charlotte McConaghy
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
As expected, another excellent read from Charlotte McConaghy. The plot is compelling, with a definite hint of mystery that slowly ramps up into serious tension territory and offers plenty of twists and turns. The cast of characters is fully fleshed out with interesting backstories that impact plot developments, and the story is told via their varied perspectives. Where McConaghy excels and where she's carved out a real niche is her depiction of setting and the exploration of environmental issues. The setting here is the fictional sub-Antarctic Shetland Island, based heavily on Macquarie Island (with the exception of the seed bank, which was based on that at Svalbard). The remote isolated location, and the flora and fauna that are special to the area, particularly Royal Penguins, seals and whales are brilliantly showcased, while climate change in the form of bush fires, increased and intensified storms, and rapidly rising sea levels are pivotal to the plot. I also really appreciated the atmosphere - moody, broody, claustrophobic, tense, and sometimes downright menacing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Mental illness, Violence, Grief, Death of parent