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!

This was absolutely, devastatingly good, Charlotte McConaghy has really come into her own with her latest novels and Wild Dark Shore is no different. I absolutely adored the characters we met, and loved the plot twists she took us through. This will be one of my favorite books this year.

The audio cast was exceptional. Richard Armitage never disappoints, but the additional narrators held their own and brought the story to life. They added to the story and brought additional depth to the characters. The emotional expression was perfect.

What an Emotional Saga!

Life on an isolated island off Antarctica is a very solitary one. Even for the Salt Family that calls Shearwater home. Caretakers of the island, and the world’s largest seed bank requires a lot, made worse by global warming, and rising sea levels which will soon flood the island.

Dominic, Raff, Fen, and Orly Salt have lost almost everything, except for each other. When Rowan, a mysterious woman washes up on shore, their lives and perspectives change. Near Death, the Salts nurse Rowan back to health, all in the midst of a global crisis. Little do they know Rowan has an agenda and hasn’t arrived on the island by chance.

Fighting for survival, and the truth, the Salts and Rowan form what seems like an impossible bond which threatens to tear them apart, that is if the climate change crisis doesn’t do it first.

Wild Dark Shore is dark, atmospheric, hauntingly beautiful, and intense, and is the story of struggle, of life, and of death. The characters, the lush, yet stark wildlife, nature, and plants kept me captivated and left me eagerly awaiting Charlotte McConaghy’s next novel.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the alc.

I was so excited to listen to this after loving Once We Were Wolves. McConaghy is back with the same beautiful writing and new intriguing characters.

This is more of a slow paced book but it had good mystery and I enjoyed it all the way through. The author’s passion for nature really came through.

On a remote island near Antarctica, Shearwater—once a thriving research base—is now home to the world’s largest seed bank. As rising sea levels threaten its future, the researchers have long since departed, leaving only the Salt family—Dom and his children, Raff, Fen, and young Orly—to pack up and prepare for their own inevitable departure. For nearly a decade, Shearwater has been their home, a place where they have endured loss, heartbreak, assault, and the isolation that comes with such a remote existence.

Amid the chaos of leaving behind their long-time refuge, a woman washes ashore. Barely alive, Rowan is nursed back to health by the Salts, but her arrival carries an unsettling energy, stirring up long-buried secrets within the family. As they confront their past wounds and the truths they’ve tried to ignore, Rowan’s presence becomes a catalyst for both reckoning and healing.

Wild Dark Shore is a mesmerizing work of literary fiction that blends multiple genres to craft a haunting, immersive story about nature, love, family, and loss. The novel is a slow burn, building toward a powerful conclusion steeped in ethereal imagery and raw human connection. Even in one of the most remote places on Earth—where nature reigns supreme—this story is a striking reminder that the greatest threat to our world, and to one another, remains humanity itself.

It took awhile to get into this book. The audiobook narrartor was a challenge to understand, I couldn’t; wait to finish this book to find out the ending. The timelines were a little all over the place. Thank you for the arc of this unique book!

[alc review]
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing an advanced audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
Wild Dark Shore releases March 4, 2025

Dominic and his three kids have been caretakers of the Shearwater Island Global Seed Vault for several years now, but due to rising sea levels, all operations have been scheduled to shut down.
With seven weeks to go until they depart the island for good, a woman named Rowan washed ashore on the cusp of a storm.
What brings the wife of the senior botanist/research team leader to such a remote setting with limited resources?

This story was painfully boring, which came as a shock to me considering how much I loved McConaghy’s previous release. In comparison, this lacked the layered writing, complexity, and depth that I know the author is capable of achieving.

I couldn’t make sense of the immediate desire and intimacy between Dom and Rowan when they both knew Rowan was still a married woman, and I would’ve rather stuck with either first or third person narration instead of muddling the two between several character pov’s.

BOOK REVIEW: WILD DARK SHORE

The Salt family lives on the remote island of Shearwater at its research center, helping to pack up seeds from the large seed bank before they move off the island due to rising sea levels. A woman washes up on shore one day and the family nurses her back to health and takes her in.

I have been seeing this one all over bookstagram so knew I’d have to pick it up! I am honestly not sure I’ve read a book quite like this one before, and I’m still processing my thoughts on it. The remote island landscape was practically a character of its own and the many descriptions of nature and animals on the island really added to this story. I thought the way that grief, trust, and family were explored throughout the story as well.

The audio for this one was great and I alternated between physical and audio as I read. Overall, I appreciated the story and writing style but can’t say I was obsessed, I think I didn’t fully connect with any of the characters which left me feeling a bit indifferent by the end.

The writing of this book was absolutely beautiful. The way the scenes were described was vivid and made me feel like I could see the places they were describing. This was a huge advantage for a book set on an isolated island with unique scenery. Plot wise, I really enjoyed knowing very early on that everyone had secrets, but spending much of the book wondering what those secrets were and why characters had chosen certain paths. I absolutely loved certain aspects of the characters, and especially Orly (because what's not to love, he was the best). I think the three children absolutely shone above all in this book. The adult relationships were more difficult to believe. It may be an unfair judgement on my part simply because I cannot imagine myself acting the way Dominic and Rowan did, but I found myself struggling quite a bit with the way their relationship unfolded. Over all, I really enjoyed reading this book and the narrators did a wonderful job (although the strong Australian accents took some getting used to).

3.5 stars rounded up.

I can tell this is a well written book. I was intrigued by the setting but ultimately I wasn’t drawn into the story like I hoped. I think this is more of me trying a genre I don’t often read and I just couldn’t bring myself to care about the characters.

DNF @ 60%
It was just too bleak for me. When the writing is described as lyrical, that is usually a no for me. Way too descriptive and I felt the story was moving way too slow. I was not looking forward to picking it up so it was time to cut ties.

This was a beautifully written book. It really pulled at my heartstrings! The setting and characters were so well developed. Each character adding so much to the story. There was a bit of everything in this book- mystery, romance, suspense, and historical fiction. I found the ending surprising! I didn’t see it coming!

I absolutely loved my trip to Tasmania years ago! So anytime I hear anything about it, I get all nostalgic! I loved all of the references to the different animals, especially the wombats! Everything about the different animals mentioned was fascinating.

I really can’t put into words how moving and thought provoking I found this audiobook! Just listen to it! I don’t think you’ll be disappointed! The narration is fantastic and really brings the story to life!

TLDR: 4.5 stars, I am still staring at the wall

Though I've heard of some of McConaghy's previous works (Migrations, Once There Were Wolves), this is my first book of hers that I've read and there is a lot to unpack.

First, although the blurb concretely references the speculative and climate-conscious nature of the work, Wild Dark Shore is not concretely labeled as climate/speculative fiction. This book is many things, and covers many genres- mystery/suspense, literary, family fiction, horror all fit the bill here- however, climate fiction is the overwhelming leader among them. All climate fiction I've read previously (i.e. Adrift, The Light Pirate, Private Rites) is depressing beyond my expectations, and Wild Dark Shore is no exception. This is a dark, tragic, emotional story. Reader beware!

McConaghy opens the story onto a drowning island that is failing all of its inhabitants. The reader is meant to be suspicious of many of the main characters and their tangled connections with each other. For me, that initial suspicion made it hard to trust the characters at all points in the book. McConaghy uses foreshadowing throughout the novel, so most of the plot developments were not walloping surprises to the reader, but this did not lessen the emotional impact for me. Most (75%, give or take) of the story is shrouded in suspense and may feel slow in pace to some readers. The end, as in many suspense novels, is jarringly fast in comparison and I was gripping the edge of my seat listening to it. My coworkers actually checked in on me because I was visibly shaken. if that isn't a ringing endorsement of this book, I don't know what is!

I absolutely recommend this book to readers of any of the genres mentioned above, though I would encourage anyone to check content warnings if needed for this as some of the content is very heavy and dark. Thank you x a million to MacMillan Audio for the ALC of Wild Dark Shore, which is available now.

I’ll start by saying I have mixed feelings about this one. While I admire the beautiful writing, the depth of McConaghy’s characters, and the thought-provoking themes on climate change, something about it felt incomplete—though I can’t quite pinpoint what.

While I was captivated by the novel’s rich atmosphere and McConaghy’s talent for crafting such a vivid, immersive setting, I found myself lacking an emotional connection, leaving me somewhat indifferent in the end.

Many have praised this book for being deeply moving, so I encourage you to check it out—I seem to be in the minority.


3.5 stars rounded to 4 for Goodreads

Thank you for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I wanted to love this, but the audiobook fell a little flat for me, I feel like I would’ve liked this better if I would have read it by ebook.

After loving Once There Were Wolves, I was so excited to receive an ARC of Wild Dark Shore, and it didn’t disappoint. In true Charlotte McConaghy style, the book is deeply character-driven, pulling you into the hearts and minds of its complex, flawed protagonists. I also adored the completely original setting and storyline … it felt like nothing I’ve read before.

On a remote island near Antarctica, Dominic Salt and his three children are the last caretakers of Shearwater, home to the world’s largest seed bank. When a woman named Rowan washes ashore during a violent storm, she seems like a lifeline for the isolated family - but both Rowan and Dominic are hiding dangerous secrets. As the storms intensify and survival becomes uncertain, they must decide whether they can trust each other enough to protect the island’s precious seeds, and build a future from the wreckage of their past.

While I didn’t love the ending (no spoilers, I promise!), the journey was powerful, emotional, and beautifully written. I’m giving this one ⭐⭐⭐⭐ and I’d absolutely recommend it to anyone who loves richly layered characters and haunting, atmospheric fiction.

I listened to this book about a month ago and needed to let it sit for a bit before trying to write a review. First, the narrators were great. I loved them all.

The story was a bit hard to follow if you listen to the audio faster than 1.5. BUT, when you wait a moment and let it all sink in, the story was so good and thought provoking. I would never want to be stuck on an island, let alone with my kids. Love them to pieces, but momma needs her space! The actions of all who are mentioned in the story, really made me sit back and think about what I would have done in that situation. I haven't read a book recently that has made me sit and think so much in a while and I love it! Everyone should read or listen to this book.

Thank you for the copy, this is my honest opinion. Please be aware of any trigger warnings, as your mental health is most important.