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Wild Dark Shore: A Novel
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
An ENTHRALLING new novel from the NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING author of Migrations and Once There Were Wolves
"A WILDLY TALENTED writer." ―Emily St. John Mandel
“RIVETING.” ―Booklist (starred review)
“[A] TERRIFIC thriller.” ―Kirkus (starred review)
“As lush as it is TAUT WITH TENSION.” ―Library Journal (starred review)
A family on a remote island. A mysterious woman washed ashore. A rising storm on the horizon.
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Community Reviews
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What’s it about?
Dominic Salt and his three children are caretakers on an island off the coast of Antarctica named Shearwater. The island was once full of researchers, but with the rising waters, they have all left. The Salts are now tasked with bundling up as many species of seeds stored on the island as possible before the navy picks them up. One night, there is a terrible storm and a woman washes up on the shore. The Salts carefully nurse her back to health, but what is she doing there?
What did it make me think about?
Charlotte McConaghy writes convincingly about the environment, parenting, and grief. And of course, I was wondering- what is Rowan doing washing ashore on this island? The mystery of it all keeps you reading.
Should I read it?
I highly recommend this novel. Charlotte McConaghy creates such a vivid picture of this remote island that you can’t help but get immersed in the story. I felt like I knew each character and cared about what was going to happen to them. This story is full of mystery, and much like a tangle of yarn, it is very slowly pulled apart until all is clear. The author also illustrates what climate change might bring. This is masterful storytelling!
Quote-
“What I miss most is not any of things I expected. It’s having someone to talk to about our children. The hilarious things they say and do, the insights with which they blow my mind and the ways they change frequently and without mercy. I need her to help me process and deliberate and delight in. I want to laugh with her. To be awestruck with her. I want her to look at me in wonder, acknowledging what profound creations we have made.
What I miss is having someone to look at in moments like these, someone who understands not just the talent or the cleverness of our children but the wisdom, the immensity of feeling they hold within. Instead I marvel at them alone.”
What’s it about?
Dominic Salt and his three children are caretakers on an island off the coast of Antarctica named Shearwater. The island was once full of researchers, but with the rising waters, they have all left. The Salts are now tasked with bundling up as many species of seeds stored on the island as possible before the navy picks them up. One night, there is a terrible storm and a woman washes up on the shore. The Salts carefully nurse her back to health, but what is she doing there?
What did it make me think about?
Charlotte McConaghy writes convincingly about the environment, parenting, and grief. And of course, I was wondering- what is Rowan doing washing ashore on this island? The mystery of it all keeps you reading.
Should I read it?
I highly recommend this novel. Charlotte McConaghy creates such a vivid picture of this remote island that you can’t help but get immersed in the story. I felt like I knew each character and cared about what was going to happen to them. This story is full of mystery, and much like a tangle of yarn, it is very slowly pulled apart until all is clear. The author also illustrates what climate change might bring. This is masterful storytelling!
Quote-
“What I miss most is not any of things I expected. It’s having someone to talk to about our children. The hilarious things they say and do, the insights with which they blow my mind and the ways they change frequently and without mercy. I need her to help me process and deliberate and delight in. I want to laugh with her. To be awestruck with her. I want her to look at me in wonder, acknowledging what profound creations we have made.
What I miss is having someone to look at in moments like these, someone who understands not just the talent or the cleverness of our children but the wisdom, the immensity of feeling they hold within. Instead I marvel at them alone.”
In extreme isolation, a family resides on a small island off the coast of Antarctica, overseeing a lighthouse that protects the world's largest seed bank. Dominic, a single father, and his three children are the remaining inhabitants after scientific researchers evacuated due to rising sea levels and increasingly severe storms. During one such storm, Dominic's daughter rescues a woman from the sea. The questions arise: who is she, and how did she end up on such a remote island? As they care for her, Dominic's family and the woman discover that their lives are intricately connected by deeply held secrets and emotions on both sides.
The compelling plot and intricate characters rendered this an immersive experience. Cooper Mortlock, Katherine Littrell, Saskia Maarleveld, and Steve West delivered exceptional narration, bringing this vivid and emotional story to life.
I would like to extend my gratitude to Netgalley and McMillian Audio for providing the advanced audio copy of *Wild Dark Shore*. Additionally, I commend Charlotte McConaghy for crafting an excellent story.
The compelling plot and intricate characters rendered this an immersive experience. Cooper Mortlock, Katherine Littrell, Saskia Maarleveld, and Steve West delivered exceptional narration, bringing this vivid and emotional story to life.
I would like to extend my gratitude to Netgalley and McMillian Audio for providing the advanced audio copy of *Wild Dark Shore*. Additionally, I commend Charlotte McConaghy for crafting an excellent story.
Wild Dark Shore is a unique story set in a remote Australian landscape where conservation and research meet extraordinary wildlife and a harsh climate. Alongside the vivid setting—penguins, seals, whales, and albatross—the novel explores a family’s tangled relationships (complicated grief and secrets) that slowly surface. An unusual yet memorable read that blends environment and emotion in a compelling way.
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