by Anthony Conty (Parkville, MD): People have accused me of loving every book, but I appreciate it when a 5-star novel reveals the true capability of thought-provoking fiction, like “Wild Dark Shore” by Charlotte McConaghy. The author sets the mystery in motion almost immediately, as a stranger washes up on a remote island that serves as a seed bank. We have a lot to learn after that basic premise.
This is the kind of story that would work well with a book club, as there are many details despite few characters, and people would pick up on different things. One friend even told me I missed out on the audiobook experience, since the multiple-narrator format made for a rich, engaging listen to those who tried.
The fact that Goodreads labels this as a thriller means that stuff is going to hit the fan in ways that you do not see coming near the halfway point. As with every genre, nonetheless, once you care about the characters, almost nothing else matters, even when you receive a foreshadowing hint that one of the characters is about to go bad.
The best novels do not hit you over the head with their lessons and messages but rather make you think about them. Relationships and loss carry much weight. You will learn a lot about life and familial love, and understand the hardest decisions you can make for your family’s well-being, even if you are alone on an island.
To get the full effect, I highly recommend reading the author’s note and acknowledgments to find the inspiration for some of the events. McConaghy is a family woman, and that seeps through in her writing. “Slow burn,” as a genre, will turn off some readers, but I promise a very big payoff. More happens in Shearwater than you would think.
