By Charlotte McConaghy
SPOILER-FREE
A family on a remote island. A mysterious woman washed ashore. A rising storm on the horizon.
Dominic Salt and his three children are caretakers of Shearwater, a tiny island not far from Antarctica. Home to the world’s largest seed bank, Shearwater was once full of researchers. But with sea levels rising, the Salts are now its final inhabitants, packing up the seeds before they are transported to safer ground. Despite the wild beauty, isolation has taken its toll on the Salts. Raff, eighteen and suffering his first heartbreak, can only find relief at his punching bag; Fen, seventeen, has started spending her nights on the beach among the seals; nine-year-old Orly, obsessed with botany, fears the loss of his beloved natural world; and Dominic can’t stop turning back toward the past, and the loss that drove the family to Shearwater in the first place.
Then, during the worst storm the island has ever seen, a woman washes up on shore. As the Salts nurse the woman, Rowan, back to life, their suspicion gives way to affection, and they finally begin to feel like a family again. Rowan, long accustomed to protecting her heart, begins to fall for the Salts, too. But Rowan isn’t telling the whole truth about why she set out for Shearwater. And when she discovers the sabotaged radios and a freshly dug grave, she realizes Dominic is keeping his own dark secrets. As the storms on Shearwater gather force, can they trust each other enough to protect one another—and the precious seeds in their care? And can they finally put the tragedies of the past behind them to create something new, together?
REVIEW
THEMES: EMOTIONAL, TENSE, MYSTERIOUS, MEDIUM-PACED.
Shearwater Island used to be full of researchers, studying the natural land. Now, there is only a father and his 3 children. They are left to protect the seeds that were left behind. Until, a woman washes ashore, battered and clinging to life.
After recovering to her health, Rowan grows suspicious of the family. And the family suspicious of her. With the radio broken, severing connection to land, they all must learn to live with each other.
As the storms begin to rage, threatening to endanger everything they have been protecting, will they be able to save themselves or will they drown with the land?
I have not seen one bad review about this book.
I can see why. I think the premise of the book is really interesting. The best way to describe it is; a mystery/thriller with substance. The plot revolves around secrets and deception but does not rely on it to captivate the audience. Personally, I found the ordinary parts of the book the most interesting.
I like how the author interweaves her passions into the book. Without researching I can tell she is interested in climate change and Australian flora and fauna. Including little passages of information, in relation to these subjects, was delightful.
The characters are individual and authentic. I found their relationship dynamics realistic, especially between the children. I could have done without the tough-nut act from Dominic, it felt a little cliché, but I understand it within the context.
There was one element of the book I found silly and I wasn’t a big fan of the ending, as it felt unnecessary.
Overall, an enjoyable read that feels like a lot more than 300 pages (in a good way).
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