Single Sundays: While this blog may be focused on reviewing book series as a whole, we can’t forget about the good ole’ standalone novel! On Sundays, I will review a novel that is considered to be a standalone novel. Here is this week’s offering:
Synopsis for Shark Heart (from Goodreads):
For Lewis and Wren, their first year of marriage is also their last. A few weeks after their wedding, Lewis receives a rare diagnosis: He will retain most of his consciousness, memories, and intellect, but his physical body will gradually turn into a great white shark. As Lewis develops the features and impulses of one of the most predatory creatures in the ocean, his complicated artist’s heart struggles to make peace with his unfulfilled dreams.At first, Wren internally resists her husband’s fate. Is there a way for them to be together after Lewis changes? Then, a glimpse of Lewis’s developing carnivorous nature activates long-repressed memories for Wren, whose story vacillates between her childhood living on a houseboat in Oklahoma, her time with her college ex-girlfriend, and her unusual friendship with a woman pregnant with twin birds.
Author: Emily Habeck
Genre: Adult, Magical Realism
Heat Rating: Cool
Point of View: Third Person, Multiple
Publication Date: August 2023
Source & Format: Public Library–Audiobook
Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:
This was recommended to me by a coworker after she read it for her book club. When she was explaining the premise to me, I thought the concept was very intriguing and I felt compelled to try it out for myself!
The Concept / The World:
Overall, it’s a very human story even if characters are changing into other animal forms. But when you make the allusions to memory disease and other conditions that impact people’s cognitive abilities, it’s a beautiful metaphor.
The Plot:
While Lewis is the character who is slowly turning into a shark, Wren is the primary character the narration focuses on and the impact Lewis’ transformation has on her. I liked that we had flashbacks and side stories that just create this 360 approach to the circumstances Wren finds herself in. I think most readers will have a personal connection to the situations Wren and company find themselves in so it does make this story feel real and genuine.
The Characters:
While I enjoy the varying format between traditional narration, scenes and other ways, it did cause me to disconnect from the characters a bit. I definitely expected to be a crying mess by the end of this and I surprised myself that I wasn’t. That isn’t to say the story isn’t impactful or less meaningful. It’s just that I didn’t get as invested in the characters as I wanted; though I appreciate their journeys.
The Romance:
While this isn’t a swoon-worthy erotica romance, the theme of this story is unconditional love. Most romances end with a marriage and the assumption of happily ever after but few that I read show the challenges couples may face after and how that tests their vows. The “in sickness and in health” part is what this story shows and it does so in a way that shows what it means when you truly love someone.
My Audiobook Experience:
While the audiobook production was very good, I think I might have enjoyed this more had a read the physical book instead. Because of the different approaches to the narration (like text messages, movies scenes, etc), stopping and picking up the book repeatedly did make it hard to follow. Perhaps if I had listened to it all in one shot on a road trip, my feelings would be different.
My Rating: 3/5
If you like books that can make you sad but give you hope for the future; and if you love magical realism and allusions, you’ll appreciate this story. I think some people might suffer with the various narration styles or struggle with the fantasy-esque elements that allude to real life.
Read if You Like: magical allusions, emotional stories
Avoid if You: dislike non-traditional narration styles
- Baby Proof by Emily Giffin
