A haunting tale that blends tension, mystery, and ecological reflection.
The island is more than just a backdrop; it is a character in itself, shaping the narrative and drawing the characters deeper into a web of psychological tension. The novel balances a gripping thriller elememengs with reflections on the environment, human nature, and the consequences of our actions on the planet. Great narrators

Not what I was expecting, but an interesting read that I finished in the afternoon because I had to know what happened! Every chapter has action and the pages ALMOST turn themselves because you are so engrossed in the story! Raff washes up on the shore and Dominic and his children take care of her, originally Dominic thought that she was going to die from her injuries but she pulls through! (Our girl is a fighter!) She remains guarded with her heart and feelings while living on the island and while everyone cares for her. While the island is falling apart, Dominic is a single father and his children are his world, but they have fallen apart in the past years and he is struggling to help bring them together again. Raff slowly starts to suspect that they know what happened to her estranged husband working on the island on a job, but everyone is tight-lipped about the secrets.
This is one of those books that you have to check out the audiobook! The audiobook was thrilling and kept me on the edge of my seat! The narrators were perfect for this story as they really brought the story to life and I could visualize the atmosphere and all of the tension and the love as well! This is one of those stories that doesn't sound like it will grab your attention, but it will! You will be on the edge of your seat wondering what the next action will be! However, be warned: This story will keep you on the edge of your seat, but it will also make you angry enough to want to erase a character, and it will make you cry! Not just a few tears but big tears.
Thank you, Netgalley and Macmillan Audio, for the emotional rollercoaster listen and for allowing me to do so! I went on a wild ride and experienced so many emotions in one afternoon!

This is a book that lingers. The setting was immersive, the writing stunning, and the characters fully realized. It was a mix of thriller, family drama, dystopian, romance, and tragedy, and somehow it balanced them all beautifully.

The plot was just far-fetched enough to require some suspension of disbelief, but the author earned my trust and delivered. Some moments were so tender they genuinely brought me to tears. The ending provided exactly the closure I needed to balance the story.

That said, there were moments that felt unclear, almost like plot holes. Maybe the author intended for readers to piece things together, but at times, it felt more inconclusive than purposeful. There was also a POV I thought was not needed. Still, this book will stay with me.

The audiobook quality was exceptional, as is often the case with Macmillan Audio. The narrators did a great job adding to the realism of the characters.

Charlotte McConaghy is an auto-read for me, and this book did not disappoint! I listened to the Audio book and loved the different narrators. They really captured each character and their points of view. The book is set on a remote island near Tasmania & Antarctica. The threat of rising sea levels pushes the Salt family (father & three children) out of their home and jobs of caring for the seed bank. This content was pretty new to me, and I appreciated the subject and how it related to climate change concerns. The setting and the descriptions of their work was written so clearly and vividly, I felt completely immersed in their world as I was listening. Out of nowhere, a woman washes up on their shores, and the story takes off from there. This book has a bit of everything; romance, mystery, death, loss, grief, and family - beautifully written, deep characters, and a book that will sit with me for a long time. 4.5/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Charlotte McConaghy for an advance copy for honest review.

Unfortunately, i find myself on a desolate outlier island. With multiple shifts in narrators and timelines, I struggled to keep my head above water. The novel succeeds at being deeply introspective and highly atmospheric, but I didn’t attach to any of the characters.

Fans of climate change novels will probably enjoy this novel more than I did. I knew it was going to be a cautionary tale, but my mindset wasn’t prepared for the overall icy bleakness.

I was gifted the audiobook in exchange for my honest review. While I listen to a lot of audiobooks, this is one where I wish I had a copy of the ebook as well. Several times, I found myself confused, and if I could have pulled up a character by name or a previous scene, it would have added clarity to my reading experience.

Whoa, what did I just read?!😮
Wild Dark Shore is a total vibe. It’s moody and atmospheric. It’s dark and twisty. It’s so darn clever! This book just made my top 10 list for 2025.

Thank you to @macmillan.audio for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. 🙏🏻

#bookadoration #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #booktok #canadianbookstagram #canadianbookstagrammer #candianbookstagrammers #MBbookies🦬 #books #booklover #bookworm #bookish #bookadict #reading #booklove #bookreview #bookrecommendations #wilddarkshore #charlottemcconaghy

This book already has a ton of 5-star reviews, so there is me. I throw wrenches in. I rarely rate a book at 5 stars…is there something wrong with me? Probably, but here we are being different. This book follows a family temporarily stuck on a remote research island located between Tasmania and Antarctica. The island has been abandoned by everyone except the Salt family, who are packing up the remaining supplies before a ship arrives to take them away. The island is quickly being reclaimed by the ocean, with increasing storms and rising waters. The Salts must decide which seeds they can save to take with them.

During one of the violent storms, a shipwreck occurs, and the daughter, Finn, discovers the body of a badly storm-battered woman who has made her way to the island. As we explore life on the island, we learn that not everyone is honest.

This story serves as both a commentary on the evolving world and an exploration of humanity in isolation. We delve into the perspectives of the five characters on the island, which is being overtaken by the ocean. They must not only choose which seeds to save but also consider the animals they have bonded with and the life they are reluctant to leave behind. While Rowan is only briefly on the island compared to the Salts' eight-year stay, she too begins to feel the weight of isolation.

The narrative shifts among all these characters, presenting different viewpoints on similar events while also revealing Rowan's backstory. At times, this can feel overwhelming and slow down the pacing. However, the ending delivers a fast-paced ride that is quite sad in many ways.

The story is interesting overall, and I appreciated the afterward where the author shares her inspiration from real-life places, including the island and the seed vault that the characters are emptying. There is an underlying mystery that we try to solve throughout the book, but the reasoning behind the madness is never clearly explained—it feels more like a "just because" situation.

The narration is excellent, featuring four narrators and five points of view, with each perspective feeling unique and distinct. They all contribute a great tone to the story and embody their respective characters well. Overall, the story is engaging and different, with enough mystery to keep the reader guessing, but the numerous perspectives and variable pacing sometimes hindered my engagement.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 Absolutely incredible. That last quarter had my heart racing! While the novel is rich in character development, it’s also packed with intricate plot layers that kept me hooked. The writing is stunning, the setting feels vivid and alive, and I was emotionally invested from the very first page. This is undoubtedly a future bestseller and a story that will stay with me for a long time. Now, I finally need to pick up Once There Were Wolves, which has been sitting on my shelf for far too long! Thank you so much to the publisher for gifting me this advanced copy.

Riveting and powerful story. This book has mystery, romance, exploration of grief and lots of interesting animal factoids that my ever-curious 5-year-old would appreciate.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

((I listened to ALC via NetGalley.))

I fell in love with each character through the eyes of other characters — their vulnerabilities and their kindness and strength. While falling in love, I was also on get edge of my seat to learn more about the mysterious events. I even fell for a CLASSIC red herring because I was so immersed in the story.

I think this book perfectly captures the complicated emotions of human existence. To love is to eventually lose. Fire destroys as a way of cleansing and preparing the area for a fresh start.

The only thing I have mixed feelings about is the ending. It felt abrupt, but maybe that’s the point? I would love to discuss / analyze the logic behind the ending before I decide whether I appreciated it.

𝗜𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗲: 𝗔 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗼𝗳 𝙒𝙞𝙡𝙙 𝘿𝙖𝙧𝙠 𝙎𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙚

𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘨𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘭, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨.
- Thorton Wilder, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘢𝘯 𝘓𝘶𝘪𝘴 𝘙𝘦𝘺

Charlotte McConaghy, known for her previous works 𝘔𝘪𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 and 𝘖𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘞𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘞𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴, continues to explore the intricate relationships between humans and the environment in her new novel, 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘚𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘦.

The remote setting of the novel is Shearwater Island, a wild, untamed place near Antarctica. It is a rugged, windswept landscape where the natural world dominates. Towering cliffs rise above crashing waves, and vast black beaches are home to colonies of Royal and King penguins. The island is surrounded by frigid, unpredictable waters, making reaching it treacherous.

The land is swathed in dense, wind-bent grasses and hardy vegetation shaped by the harsh weather. The nights are long and cold, filled with the eerie sounds of seabirds and howling wind. The island’s isolation makes it both a sanctuary and a place of danger, where survival depends on understanding and respecting the forces of nature.

Shearwater houses a lighthouse and the world’s largest seed bank. Once bustling with researchers, the island is now nearly deserted due to rising sea levels.

Dominic Salt and his three children—Raff, Fen, and Orly—are the island’s caretakers and final inhabitants. Penguins, seals, Snowy albatrosses, seagulls and giant petrels inhabit the sub-Antarctic island. Whales sound the freezing depths offshore.

A woman named Rowan washes ashore during a severe storm. As the family nurses her back to health, bonds emerge, as do secrets that challenge their trust in one another.

The environment plays a vital role in the novel, shaping the lives and struggles of the Salt family as they navigate the challenges of their remote existence. Through her evocative descriptions, McConaghy brings Shearwater Island to life, making the natural world an integral character.

McConaghy’s compelling pacing and consistent tension dovetail with the range of emotions and nuances she provides for the characters and storylines. The novel is structured around the five characters’ points of view, narrated by Cooper Mortlock, Katherine Littrell, Saskia Maarleveld, and Steve West. All four narrators’ performances are equally adept.

Charlotte McConaghy's audiobooks are crucial listening if you enjoy beautifully written, emotionally charged stories. 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘚𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘦 has been my stand-out audiobook of the year so far.

I didn't like the other two books by those author, so it's my fault for thinking that I would like this one. This was boring and I didn't care about the characters. This is the last time I'll be reading a book by this author, they're just not for me.

First, I want to thank Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this audiobook. Since August of 2024, I have read Migrations, Once There Were Wolves, and now Wild Dark Shore - all by Charlotte McConaghy. It's been a true blessing (and an educational experience) to have enjoyed these three novels within such a brief span of time. McConaghy's novels keep the environment - NATURE, endangered flora/fauna, and our ever-worsening climate issues - front and center (as characters in and of themselves). It is obvious that the author has tremendous passion for these subjects as well as lived and researched experience.. The newest novel is no exception.

Wild Dark Shore is set in the fictional Shearwater Island (logistically between Antarctica and Australia) and this location is based upon the real-life Macquarie Island Research Center (which McConaghy had visited with her family over the course of writing this novel). I've placed a link to the real research center at the end of this FIVE STAR review (as it was a fascinating place to learn about as well).

The novel takes place in a time period when the most devastating climate events (fires, floods, famine, etc.) have now irreversibly destroyed our planet and Shearwater Island is home to the world's most important (and perhaps only) "seed bank." This preservation of seeds has been meticulously maintained and catalogued and includes a sampling needed to potentially regenerate our planet. Hopefully I'm getting the gist of that part correct -- though the real movement within the story takes place between the five characters residing on the island for the duration of the novel.

The island is extremely remote and though it was once more actively staffed, it seems that the worsening conditions and storms (a gigantic one kicks off the novel) have reduced the population to the Salt family (the island's caretakers). Dominick Salt is the father of three children -- Raff, Fen, and Orly --and is the sole parent and "adult" on the island until a mysterious woman named Rowan washes ashore during the critical storm that starts the book.

What develops from there (told very effectively in multi-POV, across time and place) is absolutely BRILLIANT. The author leaves no "t uncrossed" and it's just incredibly interwoven storytelling - sexy, heartbreaking, and funny. I wholeheartedly recommend this novel (and McConaghy's prior books as well).

This audiobook is expertly narrated by Cooper Mortlock, Katherine Littrell, Saskia Maarleveld, and Steve West and remains engaging from start to finish..

I have been truly fortunate to receive this in advance and thank everyone for the experience!

Macquarie Island Research Center 🐧
https://www.antarctica.gov.au/antarctic-operations/stations/macquarie-island/

This was an absolutely gripping book that is sure to be one of my top reads for 2025. This was engaging throughout the whole entire book and the storyline, along with the characters, were so unique and I couldn't wait to get back to it chapter after chapter. This was incredible to say the least. I knew this would be 5 stars after even just after 15%.

Even though this could be classified as atmospheric, this was also so character driven. The entire book just compassed such brevity in humanity and nature as well as our approach to climate change without being preached to. There was something about reading (or listening, in my case) about the remote island, about each of the Salt family members, and about Rowan that drew me in so much that I didn't want the book to end. I wanted to know more beyond the last few pages. The author impacted so well with how much she laid out the storyline and kept my attention to the fullest. Such an amazing novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for an audio copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

For a book as a whole, this deserves a Goodreads 5.

This book is deeply moving and I can't stop thinking about it. The themes of the relationship we have with our planet and how no matter where we go we see the effects the corruption of mankind are so though-provoking and poignant to our current world.

I felt such a connection to all of the characters and even the setting, which is unique to the beautiful story writing this author evokes. Each character's relationship with nature and love of humanity despite its flaws deeply resonated with me.

I actually read the audiobook version of this and the story was even more engaging for me because of it so I strongly suggest that format.

The ONLY reason why it's a 4.5 and not a solid 5 for me is because Dom annoyed me at times and the ending hurt my feelings. But that's absolutely a personal take and not a reason to not read this book.

Easily one of the better books I've read in some time.

What a seriously atmospheric read that unwound a chapter at a time. Beautifully written and paced just right, it was a tale perfect for winter days. I enjoyed every word and as usual. McConaghy did not disappoint...

This will be a top read of 2025 for me! I was 100% captivated and could not stop listening until the mystery/plot reached its conclusion.

Wild Dark Shore is my first novel by McConaghy, and my first thoughts were about how enriched and alluring the descriptions were of the physical location. The isolated, remote island setting near Antarctica, with its volatile weather and diverse animal/plant seeds, felt like an additional character. Dominic Salt lives here with his three children as the keeper of a critical underground seed bank during a not-so-distant future where accelerated climate change ravages the planet. When an unknown woman washes up onto the shore, the Salt family is torn between wanting to welcome her against their fears she will uncover secrets they have worked to hide.

This book is written with multiple POVs and I loved that the audiobook including full cast narration given the range of character ages and accents. The narrators also did a fantastic job communicating the tension, distrust, and impending sense of doom. With excellent characterization and growth, I felt intimately connected to the Salt family. There are shattered communication systems, freshly dug graves, and a rapid deterioration of the seed bank which creates mystery and urgency. Rowan’s division between wanting answers and falling for the Salt family and the happiness she finds was such a realistic pull!

Readers who enjoy climate fiction with thrills, gorgeous prose, and moral ambiguity will absolutely love this new release!
Thank you to MacMillan audio for my complementary audiobook!

I listened to this audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Having read two previous books by this author, I knew that no matter what, this would be a well written book that included an abundance of nature and research in relation to the topic -which in this case was a remote island off Australia, that included arctic animals and the protection of endangered plant seeds. The character development was great, and the story itself was compelling and moving,,with the themes of family, loss, and love in unexpected places. The narrators were excellent and I highly recommend the audiobook. However, I did enjoy her two previous books better on paper and I wonder if I would have felt the same this time. The mystery and tension built a little bit too slowly for me. All in all, I would recommend this book and would read another book by this author.

A few years ago I was in a phase of absolutely inhaling books for a minute there. Most of what I read then is now a blur, but one book among them stands out. I still think of it often: Migrations, by Charlotte McConaghy. When I saw she has a new release, I jumped at the chance to read it early, and I'm so grateful to have received an early copy through the publisher and netgalley. If there is one thing I know to be true about her works, it's that you can count on her for an interesting, intelligent work that includes fascinating scientific facts that are woven into the story so well they become unforgettable. Oh yeah, and the stories are compelling as hell, too.

In Wild Dark Shore the body of a woman washes up on a tiny island called Shearwater far off the southern coast of Australia - closest to Antartica. There she is rescued by the only living souls on the island: a father and his three children. The only other occupants of the island are an abandoned research facility, and a seed bank the rising seas are threatening to drown.

This novel is shrouded in secrecy. The family has secrets, the woman has secrets, and the eerie island itself has secrets. As the woman, Rowan, gets to know the family, the lines of secrecy start to blur, and everything she thought she knew, even the deepest truths of her own character, turn out to be malleable.

I think the closest description I can come up with to describe the genre of this book is a literary thriller. It is moody and dark and mysterious and there is always a sense of impending doom. The island itself is out to get them in a way, between the freezing temperatures, the violent seas, the frequent storms, and the rocky terrain, anything at all could happen. And it has. The island is known for its ghosts, and Rowan is there to find one of them.

The characterization of this novel is wonderful. Each of them is interesting in their own right, and whatever it is that makes them most unique adds something to the story. Things happen the way they do because of the personalities on the island. I like that we have a middle-aged woman who's been tossed around by the world a little bit, alone, but strong, as the focus of the narrative. It's an important perspective and I feel like I don't see it enough.

The writing, too, is gorgeous. Bleak and beautiful. It was something that stood out to me about Migrations as well, her style is very world-weary, but there is always that little spark of hope to keep you going.

The version I read was the audiobook, and the voice actors did a wonderful job. There were multiple voices for the multiple POVs, and each of them seemed to match the characters very well.

Like Migrations, I think Wild Dark Shore is a book that is going to stick with me for a long time. It is haunting and lovely and sometimes disturbing but ultimately about survival and the lengths we'll go to accomplish it for ourselves and the ones we love.

An enthralling, engaging story. Very reminiscent of Once There Were Wolves. I was drawn into this story of survival, grief and family on a remote island near Antarctica. This isolated setting was beautifully written. I loved all of the perspectives and the narrators were fantastic at bringing these characters to life.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for a copy of this audiobook!

Incredible! I have loved McConaghy’s reading from the first book of hers I read. This story is truly compelling! With strong and memorable characters and atmospheric writing this is a story that’s impossible to forget.
•
When Rowan washes up on shore brutally injured after nearly drowning, she is saved by a family. Living in a remote island, that is being used as a research base and preservation Rowan finds herself in unique circumstances. Having almost died, she’s at this families mercy, but can she trust them?
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I was captivated from the start and truly could not stop listening to my audiobook. The narrator(s) were fantastic! I especially loved that we got multiple POVs this time. I loved that it was part mystery, but family drama and a bit Sci fi. McConaghy always does a beautiful job of tying in many different elements.

I loved it! Can’t recommend enough and will absolutely be purchasing a hard copy for myself.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan audio for an early copy.