I loved the remote setting and the slow burn of this thriller! I highly recommend the audiobook - can't beat a full cast recording.

Fen (17) dives into the remote island’s turbulent waters to drag an unconscious, mysterious woman onto the inhospitable stretch of coast. Rowan searches for her missing husband, Hank (47), the botanist and team leader of the Shearwater’s research base. With a background in biodiversity research, he oversees the seed bank vaults. But during his time on the island, Hank’s communication verges towards incoherency; on a random occasion, he sends distressed emails to Rowan, begging for her help. As such, she finds herself on Shearwater. When she arrives on island, however, only Dominic and his kids—Raff (18), Fen, and Orly (9)—reside there, and she catches the family in the middle of their relocation back to the mainland. Rowan juggles recovery from the shipwreck, getting acquainted with the family, joining their work in caretaking the buildings, developing romantic feelings for Dom, and uncovering the unsolved mystery of her husband’s location.

McConaghy captures nature’s violent elements. She effectively stresses the importance of biodiversity and climate control through her portrayal of wildlife. I also appreciated the kids’ wealth of knowledge about biology from their homeschooled classical education of sorts.

I didn’t so much enjoy the calculated tropes. I don’t like using this comparison because I don’t think there’s anything wrong with YA book—I probably have more of an issue with more recent available publications—but <i>Wild Dark Shore</i> felt “YA wanting to be adult.” There’s a measured, deliberate, over-awareness that YA authors can bring into non-YA books that doesn’t sit enjoyably. Sorry, I don’t know if that makes sense; that’s the best way I can presently describe it. For example, about three-fourths through, Rowan and Dom get together, and readers feel morally iffy about it: Rowan’s married to Hank, and Dom loves Cindy, his wife who died giving birth to Orly, and he talks to her apparition. McConaghy pacifies readers as she later reveals that Hank is a “narcissist.” And I know we don’t believe women, but for the sake of my point, go with me on this. If he clinically has this personality disorder, the story has not provided enough information. Ro and Dom fall in love in the lighthouse because the lonely light-keeping single dad needs this strong woman who can build houses by his side. From this point in the story, it was harder to stay engaged. In the end, we find out Hank slept with under-aged Fen, and it felt unbelievably drama-y for me.

My thanks to Macmillan and NetGalley for the copy. This review was shared on GoodReads on March 11, 2025 (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7384441232).

All the stars. Every single one of them. Such a masterpiece. The narrators, the storylines, the descriptions, the setting m, everything was perfection. No notes. Everyone should read this!

"But, here is the nature of life. That we must love things with our whole selves, knowing they will die.

This book lived up to its expectations. Although, Once there were Wolves, is still my favorite by this author. Wild Dark Shore, is a book that will stay with me for a long time, haunting.

I feel in love with each character, and they broke my heart at some point in the book.

This is more of a slow burn, but the twists are AMAZING.

Learning that the island is based on a real island- WOW!

MUST READ

Thank you so much for this ARC! Charlotte McConaghy is my absolutely favorite author. I have read both of her previous books and was eagerly awaiting the new title. I was lucky enough to receive this audiobook and finished within a day! The narrator is excellent but the story is INCREDIBLE!! The characters were so well done that I have been thinking of them ever since. McConaghy has a special talent for storytelling with a purpose. This story takes place on an isolated island and goes into great detail about The Seed Vault and our planets problem with global warming. It's told in beautiful prose and keeps you engaged without becoming tedious or boring. This is the best book I've read/heard in a very long time. The mysterious setting and story is FANTASTIC! The way a thriller/mystery/love/environmental novel is all wrapped into one made by book nerd heart happy.
I can not recommend this book enough!! Get it!!

Thank you to the publisher and to netgalley!! This book was so atmospheric and engaging! This is my third book by the author and I was so surprised that it turned out to my favorite. The audio and narration was incredible experience and I can’t recommend this enough! The setting of the isolated island and the cast of characters in nature really made this unforgettable.

3.5/5

Charlotte McConaghy's writing always strikes at something untamed and yearning within me. Her latest novel, Wild Dark Shore, is no exception. I was immediately swept up into the remote, rugged beauty of Shearwater Island and the complex family that inhabits it. As mysteries, secrets, and tensions start to build, the lives of Rowan and the Salt family are irrevocably changed, and I was simply pulled along for the crazy ride.

I will say this book is likely my least favourite of the 3 books I've read from McConaghy. I don't think the thriller aspect worked as well here as it did in Once There Were Wolves, and I think the character work is tighter in Migrations. That being said, I am simply so entranced by the author's stunning prose that I am willing to overlook these comparisons. I would recommend this book if you've read and enjoyed McConaghy's other works, or if you are in the market for an atmospheric thriller with dashes of romance and environmental/climate fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Wild Dark Shore is a dark and occasionally wild novel that immerses readers in a tense and emotional survival story. Dominic and his children serve as caretakers of Shearwater, a remote island near Antarctica that houses the world’s largest seed bank. As sea levels rise and the island sinks, they are among the last remaining caretakers, racing to pack up the seeds before an approaching ship arrives to take them to safety. Having already endured profound loss, the family is on edge as they prepare to leave.

Their situation takes an unexpected turn when a brutal storm washes a woman named Rowan onto the shore. Weakened and wounded, she is taken in by the family, who are initially wary of the mysterious newcomer. However, as they nurse Rowan back to health, trust and connection slowly develop. Rowan carries her own painful past, one that led her to Shearwater, but before long, another massive storm strikes the island, forcing everyone to make impossible choices about what truly matters and what they are willing to risk.

The novel is saturated with anger, grief, and heartache. Many of the characters make frustrating decisions—some of which are difficult to forgive. I found myself infuriated at times, particularly by how willing certain characters were to overlook deeply troubling actions. This is not a book for those looking for an easy, comforting read; it is emotionally heavy and at times deeply unpleasant. However, if you are willing to sit with the discomfort, Wild Dark Shore offers a gripping, thought-provoking experience that lingers long after the final page.

I was excited to receive this as an ALC! I went in blind and was pleasantly surprised. The isolation was reminiscent of The Great Alone.

This book feels like a love letter to a harsh landscape: "profoundly remote yet bursting with life". It is a love story and a story of the love of family.

As I mentioned before, this book constantly reminds you of the isolating setting. All the characters were mysterious, feeling each other out and hiding truths. While reading, I kept writing down questions. Thankfully, all my questions got answered, in surprising ways.

We get to see multiple POVs, and that ending--wow! I don't know how to feel.

This review will be posted on my booksta, toomanyfivestarreads, soon.

The full cast audio was phenomenal. At times the scientific element was too much for me to follow, but the character development brought me right back in. What a wild ride. Thanks NetGalley!

This book was amazing! I loved the writing and the storytelling by this author. Such a creative story on something so unique!

I went into this book knowing nothing about it and I dare say, that lack of knowledge made for an even more enjoyable read. I requested this book at the advice of a bookstagrammer and when he says it's going to be on everyone top ten lists, I listen and get my hands on it. And I agree with him. It tells the story of the Salt family, basically marooned on a remote island near Antarctica, with secrets to hide and tragedy to grieve. Then Rowan washes ashore, nearly dead from a boat wreck. And the secrets are difficult to keep hidden but the grieving process is eased by her presence. Love, love, loved it and I am excited to see how it fares with books released later in the year.

ah, i love a full cast narration audiobook. if you're interested, i think the audiobook is highly worth your time for that reason. dom's narration was especially good, capturing the growly, grizzled voice of a man who has Been Through It.

so here we are with dom's family on an island near antarctica. his three kids are raff, fen, and orly, each grappling with different things. for raff, it's heartbreak. for fen, she's seventeen and has a secret that could tear everything apart, and orly just loves the world and its wonders and wants to learn more as it appears to be dying all around him.

yes, there are rising seas and burning forests. their little island is a repository for seeds, a place that they all may be preserved for a future world, a better world, a world after the destruction of climate change. they each have their chores and duties, a monotonous, day-to-day tedium of packing up the seeds before moving off the island before it's overcome by the sea. nothing much changes until it does. nothing much changes until they pull a half-dead woman out of the sea.

her name is rowan and she's come to the island to find her husband, who radioed for help. rowan can't let dom know the true reasons for arrival, suspicious that he may have had something to do with it.

this is ultimately a book about grief - grief for the world and nature, of the people that we lose, the pre-eminent grief of seeing things that we love gradually fading away, grief of those we thought we knew. we see this through rowan's telling of her home which went up in flames, of dom's vision of his dead wife who was lost to childbirth, of fen's loss of innocence, of raff's loss of love, and orly's loss of the future. but the main takeaway for me from this is that death happens and it's unavoidable, but life happens too. and i thought that was really beautiful.

TW: animal death, statutory rape of a minor, death, not super graphic violence against minors.

I may come to edit this review with time, but….

I just finished and I have so many feelings. I have questions, while also not caring because I feel like it took forever to pick up. But then while it took forever to pick up, once it did it was actually good.

I didn’t like the characters, but then did. I didn’t see things coming, didn’t like some scenes and thought the dad was insane.

But in the end. I’m so so torn. & does that make
It a great book ? I am giving this 3.5 stars for now. I want a 3, but think it should be a 4 phew.

This was such an atmospheric read! The story captivated me. It was such a unique storyline. Even though the nature writing was so new to me and taught me so much, I did not feel that it took away from the rest of the plot, at all. This was a very character driven story, which I usually stay away from, but this one was so well done, that it was actually one of my favorite aspects. I still can’t get over the ending. Oh my word. Read this one for sure!!!!!!

Lyrical and atmospheric, Wild Dark Shore drew me in and captivated me for its duration. I felt deeply for the characters, especially the siblings of this story, and was transported to Shearwater by the prose. It was as though I could feel and smell and hear the island all around me. Perhaps fittingly, given the walls that each character had up — with good reason — I had a feeling of them staying at arm’s length, even from me as a reader; even while reading narration from each of their respective points of view. This was the one piece that didn’t completely connect for me, though I still loved the book. I found the themes thought-provoking, and the plot and pacing consistently engaging — I just didn’t fall completely in love.

This haunting, character-driven novel didn’t seem initially like it would interest me, but I’d seen some early hype for it and was curious. I’m glad I didn’t pass on it. Desperately emotional and reflective, I kept finding myself drawn back to these characters, their struggles, and the mystery surrounding it all. The vividly described setting is dark and wild and a character of its own.

I listened to the audiobook of this novel, and I’m pretty picky about audiobooks. This is beautifully written and beautifully narrated by a wonderful cast.

This book is out now and is a captivating look at human nature and what it takes to relate to one another.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGALLEY and Flatiron Books for an advanced copy of " Wild Dark Shore" . Charlotte McConaghy is one of my favorite authors and I love how each of her novels is a love letter not only to nature and how humans are the reason our planet is suffering, in addition to focusing on the deep bond between parents and their children. This novel focuses on a father and his three children who are on an isolated island helping with scientific research. When an unconscious woman washes ashore barely alive, they are confused not only how she got there, but how she survived. We soon find out that not everything and everyone on this island are as innocent as they appear to be. Her last novel, " Once there Were Wolves" is one of my favorite books of all time, and in my opinion nothing can compare, but this novel was a close second. Her prose is so beautiful, and she reminds the reader to love not only one another, but our planet as well.

Another Charlotte McConaghy book that I devoured. This book has incredible descriptive nature writing, it was very character driven but also the plot kept moving. I was emotionally invested in this one. Tears were shed. Overall a beautiful book. I like the combination of danger and thrills, with all sort of environmental biology weaved throughout. Deep relationship building and a bit of history in the mix. I really enjoy her storytelling. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

I can’t believe how perfectly the audiobook narrators were paired with their characters. The narrators were superb. The story was exceptional. An easy five stars.