Released a few years ago, I've been a bit skeptical about reading Sharks in the Time of Saviors, though it received high praise from my sister. I think there were two things slowing me down. The first is the emphasis in previewing the book about 'magical realism,' as that's been an area of fiction I tend to not enjoy as much and not be drawn to. Also, the book is based in Hawaii and the place of Hawaii is basically a full character on its own. This made me both interested and skeptical. With Hawaii being such an integral part of my youth, I often fear authors (or others) will not represent it fully and respectfully. Well, as you can see from my strong rating, I am happy I finally was able to pick this up and get through and could not be more pleased.
Quick background - the book is about a family of five living on the Big Island and their lives growing up in Hawaii and beyond. With three children, the novel weaves each person's tale through a different lens via chapters that are first person accounts from each family member. As noted above, there are some supernatural elements that play a part in the story.
On the whole, I really enjoyed this book. I found it gripping and thought the story really picked up in the final half of the novel. While my skepticism remained for much of the book that it would be overly focused on the supernatural or unreal, I was pleasantly surprised, that while a core element, it didn't have an inordinate focus. In fact, I felt it was quite the opposite. As the author described in an interview, the Hawaiian gods/goddess are a core part of daily life in the islands, and I remember learning about Pele and others growing up. And, I didn't find these religious connections to be separate from daily life and culture. Instead, I think the way the author used the supernatural fit perfectly into my memories of that while in Hawaii.
Other reasons the book is good - it's a really fascinating story and written in a very accessible way. Besides being able to easily relate to the characters (I too spent my formative years on the islands), the experience of the families children going to the mainland and experiencing how different it was from Hawaii also resonated. Of course, there was a notable difference; the characters in the book are 'local' while I'm 'haole,' which, of course, leads to very different experiences.
It's hard to find many flaws with this novel. Perhaps it was a bit slow in certain parts and the writing was overly individualized (i.e. because each character literally had a different voice, the flow sometimes was inconsistent). I suppose you could also pick nits that one of the main characters doesn't have a voice for much of the book and that gap makes the story read differently.
I strongly recommend this book, whether you are from Hawaii, have visited Hawaii, or simply heard of Hawaii. The story is an easy, modern read that has themes and conflict that should resonate with most people. Of course, there are parts that were even more special for me, and I am so appreciative I was able to read this story and this book exists.
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