The Rebel Bookshelf Conversation: WILD DARK SHORE
We believe books aren’t just stories — they’re rebellions in print. Each month, our resident book lover Jean-Marie, will take us on a tour through the pages of a new read.
But this isn’t your high school book report. Think of it more like pulling up a chair, pouring a glass of wine (or tea), and chatting with a friend who can’t wait to spill the good, the bad, and the unexpected about what she’s been reading.
Meet Jean-Marie
My Go-To Guide For Literary Suggestions and and when time allows, concert going, game playing, lifelong friend.
WILD DARK SHORE by Charlotte McConaghy
Wild, Dark Shore is set in the near future on Shearwater, a remote and storm-battered research island that’s slowly sinking into the sea. The island is fictional but inspired by a real one located between Australia and Antarctica, which gives the story an isolated, almost eerie feeling right from the start.
The setting, Shearwater Island, is almost like another character in the book.It has so many characteristics that were intensely visual and visceral, to me. Wind, water, raging storms, topography, all incredibly challenging conditions for humans and animals. It felt dark and gray and cold and inhospitable. If you read this in the winter be prepared to wrap up in a cozy throw with hot tea! I could almost feel the island chill in my bones..
I personally connected less with one individual character, and more with the Salt family as a whole.
As we can all relate to, family dynamics can be difficult at best, much less with the isolation of being on an island where survival is a full time job. Add to the mix only one parent , trauma, danger, and teenagers! Whew. It would be quite a feat to manage to raise children under such circumstances but they were an incredibly tight unit- and yet also delightfully interesting as individuals.
For me the most prevalent themes were family, love, grief/loss, and self sacrifice.
I am desperately hoping this book is made into a movie- I have such vivid pictures drawn in my imagination and would love to see them brought to life on a big screen!
The big question being, what swoon worthy actor would play Dom, the father?
