Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ALC of the audiobook of Wild Dark Shore.

I need to spend a little time thinking and reflecting to be able to properly put my review of this book into words.

I will say now thought that the audio was wonderfully done with the cast of narrators.

WILD DARK SHORE is a gripping, thought provoking, and mysterious novel — my first Charlotte McConaghy novel, but certainly not my last.

The setting of the novel is Shearwater, a tiny island not far from Antartica. It was once bustling with researchers, working on the island’s seed vault and other wildlife experiments, but is now home to only the Salt family: widowed father Dominic and his three children. The Salt family will only be there for a few more weeks, as they will soon need to evacuate due to rising tides. During a sudden storm, a young woman washes ashore. The family is astounded: how did she make it to them alive in the rough seas? Was she intending to come to Shearwater - and if so, why? Can she be trusted?

There is a lot that works brilliantly in WILD DARK SHORE. McConaghy’s nature writing is superb: I felt transported to Shearwater, felt the harsh salt air whipping against my skin and heard the cacophony of seal calls. The tension also builds brilliantly: in the family’s race against the clock to accomplish what they need before they must leave, in the descriptions of climate and climate change, and in the mysterious appearance of the young woman and her connection to the island.

But I also experienced frustration while reading. Though McConaghy’s characters are complex and fascinating, they are not reflective or, at times, particularly deep. This irked me as a reader - and I will be clear here that this is largely because of who I am as a reader - because though I was invested in the story from a mystery/tension standpoint, I struggled to feel emotionally invested in their journeys and relationships. This did not inhibit my appreciation for the story, but means that the novel doesn’t land on an all-time favorites list either.

This was an enthralling, suspenseful story. The plot is very well paced, and the characters are very interesting. The story begins with Rowan washing upon the shore of an isolated island that houses a science center. We are introduced to the family of caretakers as Rowan is, and slowly learn more about the situation she has entered on the island. I appreciated the bits of science and environment of this world, especially through Orly's chapters about different plant species. I strongly recommend the audiobook for this story. The cast of narrators do an excellent job of bringing the different character perspectives to life.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for providing an ALC in return for my honest thoughts.

Hot Diggity Dang! Charlotte McConaghy Works Her Magic Again

Once again, Charlotte McConaghy delivers more than I ever expected with Wild Dark Shore, leaving me in awe of her breathtaking writing and her ability to craft emotions so raw and real that you feel them deep in your bones. She’s a true Word Witch, wielding her magical pen with her rare, hypnotic grace.

Audiobook vs Ebook

I received the audiobook from the publisher, but I waited until I could get the eBook on Libby too. I wanted to fully immerse myself, pairing listening with reading. Now, the full cast of narrators? Fantastic. Something about different voices breathing life into characters makes a story feel even more alive. But for this one, I knew I needed to see the magic—the poetic beauty, the lyrical prose, the raw emotional depth. And wow, did it deliver.

A Story That Sinks Its Hooks Into You

Dominic Salt and his three children are the caretakers of Shearwater, a tiny island not far from Antarctica. Once a hub for researchers and home to the world’s largest seed bank. Climate change has cast a shadow on Shearwater’s ecosystem. Now it’s just them. Isolated, surrounded by the relentless sea, living with their own ghosts.

Then, amidst a violent storm, a woman washes ashore—Rowan. As the Salts nurse her back to life, their suspicion morphs into something else—trust, tenderness, maybe even something like family. But islands keep their own secrets, and so do the people who live on them, and on an island where survival depends on each other, secrets can drive them apart.

A Haunting, Beautiful Tale of Survival and Love

I love the sea and here is like a living, breathing haunting entity in this story, just as unpredictable and untamed as the human heart. McConaghy paints Shearwater Island as more than just a setting—it’s a force, an experience, a wild and breathtaking landscape that seeps into the very marrow of the story.

Complex Characters, Tangled Fates: A Tale of Trust and Resilience

The narrative delves deep into the complexities of human relationships, exploring themes of love, loss, survival, trust, transformation, and resilience. It examines humanity’s relationship with the planet while exploring the bonds between family. Each character is meticulously crafted, with their own fears, desires, and secrets that intertwine seamlessly.

There’s so much more I could explore—the intricate dynamics between climate change and the characters, the way they shape and mirror each other—but I’ll leave it at this. If you love books that seep into your soul and linger long after the final page, Wild Dark Shore is for you. Lush, haunting, and utterly immersive, this is a story that will pull you under. Let Charlotte McConaghy cast her spell—you won’t regret it.

Climate change has had disastrous consequences. Dom and his 3 children are living on an island when a woman, Rowan, is washed on shore. The family and Rowan both have secrets, but they need to work together to survive and save the animals and seeds on the island.

This book started off slow for me, but I'm glad I stuck with it because it paid off in the end. I liked that this book jumped right in and did more showing than telling. The writing was incredible and the book was so atmospheric.

The full cast of narrators were fantastic. I highly recommend the audio.

This one has been everywhere lately but here’s my review.
The Hook:The Salt Family live on a remote island off the coast of Australia as caretakers of the facilities housing the global seed bank and the scientists who work there. The children have grown up in this isolation, learning to love the natural world and respect its power through the history of the island and the dangerous elements that encroach on it. One morning, a woman washes ashore, the children immediately clinging to her as a substitute for the mother they have long missed. But this mysterious woman and her purposes on the island threaten to uncover the family’s own secrets and destroy the very tenuous balance both with nature and each other.

Things I loved: the setting and descriptions of nature, the seeds, the seals and puffins on the island.
The last 100 pages that move so swiftly as the conflicts reach a fever pitch. I could not stop once the action hit.
The full cast narration of the audiobook.

Things I didn’t love: the relationships (I won’t give specifics) moved faster and with more intensity than seemed realistic. I almost DNF’d at one point and then the plot took a twist that sucked me in and I had to see what happened next. By the end, I understood the characters’ motivations better to justify some of their decisions earlier that seemed initially unrealistic.

I enjoyed the writing style and plot overall. If you’ve read this one, what did you think?

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ARC of the audiobook.

🌱🌱🌱🌱/5

I’ve been seeing “Wild Dark Shore” by Charlotte McConaghy everywhere on here since it’s publication on March 4, 2025.

Is it overrated or worth the hype?

I haven’t read “Migrations”, but I’ve read her other work “Once There Were Wolves” and although I enjoyed the experience, I didn’t love it as much as everyone else did. So, I was hesitant going into this ALC I received from @macmillan.audio and @netgalley

This book, especially in audio format, felt like a fever dream … its haunting prose completely swept me away to a remote island. The sense of place was vividly immersive, making the setting feel almost alive. The mystery was gripping, full of unexpected twists, while at its core, the novel served as a poignant ode to our planet, infused with themes of grief, mother/ parenthood.

This book is definitely worth the hype 👍

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

I wanted to love this one but i think I am just not the right reader for it. A beautiful story and wonderful narrator on audio, but just not for me.

I'm 33% in & I feel like nothing is happening/has happened. This one has great reviews, so I think it's a me problem. It's very atmospheric/setting-driven but I'm just not feeling compelled to pick it back up.

Wild Dark Shore kept me on my toes and the edge of my seat. It was a heavy, dark and twisty read with and I really enjoyed how it kept me guessing. I am loving this author’s books and she’s quickly becoming an autobuy author for me. My only complaint is that the audio was difficult to follow at the beginning - the male’s voice took me a minute to get comfortable with and understand. I did love the multiple voices for characters, though!

& if you haven’t read Once There Were Wolves, you must - it’s great too!

!!!! Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC.

Such a gem. I immediately purchased a hard copy for my personal library.

McConaghy is QUEEN of genre bending; weaving the nature component into literature and mystery so seamlessly is truly a gift. I even learned about the flora and wildlife of the setting. This is plot driven, character driven and a love letter to nature as a whole. That ending.... *hand to my heart*

The audio was amazing, but at times it was a wee bit difficult to follow due to all the action happening at once. And the narrator of Dominic... drool.

This is my second read from McConaghy. I want to reread Once There Were Wolves and Migrations is on my TBR!

Shearwater Island is home to many things- secrets included. When the biggest storm approaches life on the island is threatened from the rising global climate change. Will Dominic and his three children survive?

Another incredible novel by Charlott McConaghy. A unique blend of mystery and slightly alternative universe storytelling.

Rowan washes ashore on Shearwater island close to Antartica, where Dominic Salt and his family have been living in isolation. Dominic has three children, Raff, Fen and Orly, who have only ever known the island as their home. They are being evacuated shortly, as the island is sinking. While they nurse Rowan back to health, they realize they have been missing the warmth and companionship that Rowan brings. However, Rowan hasn’t been honest about why she came to Shearwater, and the Salts have been hiding their own secrets as well.

McConaghy is one of my favourite authors. She always comes up with these magnificent settings with these really flawed but likeable characters. They are always so human. I loved Rowan and Dominic and all of the kids. I felt like I could picture them perfectly. I could barely put this book down. I loved the different POVs and how they connected you to all the different characters. Thank you to @macmillan.audio and @netgalley for this amazing audiobook.

Beautiful, Dark, Lyrical -- Devastating.

I don't know why I do this to myself. Charlotte McConaghy has broken my heart before, I knew what I was walking into and I did it anyway. This book is stunning. My characters are real and raw and the setting is as much as character as any of the humans. The story of Dom and his three exception children is hopeful and heartbreaking at every turn. And Rowan... oh Rowan, the female lead is just incredible. McConaghy writes some of the most astounding characters I've read. Then, there's Shearwater Island itself. I would swear I could feel and smell the cold salt air and hear the seals and penguins on the beach. The isolation of such a place would be awe-inspiring and terrifying in equal parts.

The mystery at the heart of the story unfolds in unexpected ways and I'd advise against thinking you can get ahead of where McConaghy is so skillfully taking you. The audiobook is presented through multi-narration and every single one is done to perfection. Some standout performances for me were the voices of Dom and Rowan, especially Dom's voice. It gave so much added depth to his character. I am also always a huge fan of Saskia Maarleveld.

Please do check trigger warnings for this book as it contains some very, very heavy themes.

*Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an ALC in exchange for my honest review*

As always, Charlotte McConaghy delivers on environmentally themed mysteries. A remote island off the coast of Antarctica is shaken to its core when a woman washes up on shore. But of course, this island always had secrets. I loved the accents of the narrators and how much feeling they were able to impart in such short bits of dialogue.

Be warned - this book is heaaaaavy. And I can't put my finger on why exactly I didn't resonate with this book, but I think just the pile of heavy themes on top of a heavy plot really just did me in. But that being said, I think it's a book that would be better on a reread with my eyes.

It PAINS me to DNF this but I just can’t do it. I’m not connecting with the story or characters at all and was bored to tears reading this. I tried an ebook copy and audio and none were doing it for me. This is a shame because Migrations is one of my favorite books and I was highly anticipating this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio Influencer 2025 program for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed her previous book more than I did this one, I was really lost in the story and couldn't follow it.

Charlotte McConaghy writes in such a beautiful way! I normally listen to fiction books at at 1.75x.... But I knew I was going to want to savor this book so I listened at 1x and I am so glad I did. I absolutely loved this book and have recommended it to everyone.

Another absolutely stunning, gut wrenching novel from McConaghy that tackles themes of love and our changing climate. Dom and his three children reside on Shearwater island - an incredibly lonely, but necessary existence - they are the caretakers of the largest seedbank in a rapidly declining world - where natural disasters are happening at a rapid fire pace. When Rowan washes ashore Shearwater island, nearly dead, Dom is wary - where did she come from and what harm will she bring to his family.

Told in alternating points of view, this is an astounding and heartbreaking story - an ode to the beauty of our world and the love of family. I know now that I will always pick up a book written by McConaghy. The narration is top notch as well - with multiple narrators taking on the different POVs.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a digital ARC of this title!