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jhbandcats 's review for:
Wild Dark Shore
by Charlotte McConaghy
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The book starts a little slow as we gradually get to know the characters and their circumstances. I liked the way the chapters were short - the reading goes faster - and each focused on a single character’s point of view. Any given incident was thus portrayed in more than one way.
I loved learning about the flora and fauna of Rowan’s home as well as the fictional Shearwater Island. Wombats and square poop??? The little boy Orly’s unbounded enthusiasm for plants, and his brother Raff’s love for whales, and their sister Fen’s passion for seals was all so vibrant. The ever-present screaming wind was practically a character, too.
Grief and ghosts were a big part of living on the island. All the adults (and near-adults) were suffering from trauma, either past or current. Their ways of dealing with it differed - rage coupled with controlled violence, silence and withdrawal, choosing to live with animals than with family. None of that helped, though.
I loved this book and am going to tell everyone about it. That said, I am *really* tired of characters hiding the truth or lying, thinking that will improve the situation. So much anguish could have been avoided had people just been open. Of course, then there wouldn’t have been much of a story….
I loved learning about the flora and fauna of Rowan’s home as well as the fictional Shearwater Island. Wombats and square poop??? The little boy Orly’s unbounded enthusiasm for plants, and his brother Raff’s love for whales, and their sister Fen’s passion for seals was all so vibrant. The ever-present screaming wind was practically a character, too.
Grief and ghosts were a big part of living on the island. All the adults (and near-adults) were suffering from trauma, either past or current. Their ways of dealing with it differed - rage coupled with controlled violence, silence and withdrawal, choosing to live with animals than with family. None of that helped, though.
I loved this book and am going to tell everyone about it. That said, I am *really* tired of characters hiding the truth or lying, thinking that will improve the situation. So much anguish could have been avoided had people just been open. Of course, then there wouldn’t have been much of a story….
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Child death, Confinement, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail