In the recap section, the H.B.B.C. member who selected the book has an opportunity to sum up the club’s reading and discussion experience in whatever way feels appropriate to them. These aren’t necessarily reviews and we encourage members to refrain from posting anything that could be considered a spoiler. (Also, the views expressed are those of the individual member and don’t necessarily reflect the opinions of others in the club, etc.)
Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy
Salt has exerted huge economic, cultural and even religious influence on human history, so perhaps it’s no surprise that Charlotte McConaghy has chosen to mine it in her latest novel. Of course, the salt she mines is not the mineral, but the family of Dominic & Claire Salt. Oh, what a family! In a story as tumultuous as the seas around the fictional island at the heart of the novel, we are transported into a future as near as the next the headline. Which is to say, we are already living it. Climate change has served as a thematic backdrop in McConaghy’s last three novels, and she expertly weaves it to great effect in each of them. Yes, Charlotte’s web is captivating, lush, poignant, and so very needed in today’s topsy-turvy world. One might be tempted to think of her work as escapism with a conscience, but in truth, her storytelling gifts transcend easy description and take us deep into the heart of what it means to be alive on such a rare and beautiful planet. I highly recommend Migrations, Once There Were Wolves & Wild Dark Shore.
