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Sharks in the Time of Saviors
In 1994 Kailua-Kona, Hawai’i, on a rare family vacation, seven-year-old Nainoa Flores falls off the side of a cruise ship. When a shiver of sharks appears in the water, everyone aboard fears for the worst. But Nainoa is gingerly delivered to his mother in the jaws of a shark, marking his story as the stuff of legends.
Nainoa’s family, struggling amidst the collapse of the sugar-cane industry, hails his rescue as a sign of favor from ancient Hawai'ian gods—a belief that appears validated when he exhibits puzzling new abilities. But as time passes, this supposed divine favor begins to drive the family apart: Nainoa, working now as a paramedic in gritty Oregon neighborhoods, struggles to fathom the full measure of his expanding abilities; further north, in Washington, his older brother Dean hurtles into the world of elite college athletics, obsessed with wealth and fame; while in California, risk-addicted younger sister Kaui navigates unforgiving academic and wilderness landscapes to forge her independence from the family’s legacy. When supernatural events revisit their home in Hawai’i—with tragic consequences—they're all forced to reckon with the bonds of family, the meaning of heritage, and what it takes to survive.
A depiction of working-class native life in the island paradise of the American imagination, Sharks in the Time of Saviors is an arresting meditation on family, exile, and the devastating search for salvation that examines what it means to be both of a place and a stranger within it.
Nainoa’s family, struggling amidst the collapse of the sugar-cane industry, hails his rescue as a sign of favor from ancient Hawai'ian gods—a belief that appears validated when he exhibits puzzling new abilities. But as time passes, this supposed divine favor begins to drive the family apart: Nainoa, working now as a paramedic in gritty Oregon neighborhoods, struggles to fathom the full measure of his expanding abilities; further north, in Washington, his older brother Dean hurtles into the world of elite college athletics, obsessed with wealth and fame; while in California, risk-addicted younger sister Kaui navigates unforgiving academic and wilderness landscapes to forge her independence from the family’s legacy. When supernatural events revisit their home in Hawai’i—with tragic consequences—they're all forced to reckon with the bonds of family, the meaning of heritage, and what it takes to survive.
A depiction of working-class native life in the island paradise of the American imagination, Sharks in the Time of Saviors is an arresting meditation on family, exile, and the devastating search for salvation that examines what it means to be both of a place and a stranger within it.
11 pages, Audiobook
First published March 3, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,261 reviews
July 8, 2024
How long was I stupid enough to believe we were indestructible? But that's the problem with the present, it's never the thing you're holding, only the thing you're watching, later, from a distance so great the memory might as well be a spill of stars outside a windshield at twilight
i put off reading this until shark week, only to discover that the shark content in this book is MINIMAL. however, this FAMILY, this STORY—i was as unprepared for what this book actually was as i was for how damn good it would be.
i'm not going to say too much, because every time i thought i knew where the story was headed, i was wrong, and that was one of my favorite things about it—its sheer unpredictability.
it's a fourteen-year, five-POV family saga about history and destiny and homeland and diaspora, with a chef's kiss of magic and a teeny tiny sharktease.
and it's just lovely. not 'lovely' like tidy and lavender-scented (although it is a book oddly preoccupied with scent, or rather "stink"), but "lovely" like rich and lush and vibrant and very nearly tangible. these perfectly imperfect characters burst up offa the page, and you feel more connected to them than they do to each other, as the three siblings grow up and apart under the weight of parental sacrifice and expectations, leaving their native hawai’i behind for mainland opportunities, none of which go quite as planned.
it's a stunning debut. i preferred the earthier parts to the *flighty hand gesture* bits, but that's me, loving the fighting spirit that shrugs at poverty and tragedy and early promise gone awry, feeling these characters' physical and spiritual exhaustion all through the bones of me.
the writing is so absolutely outstanding, i can't praise it enough. a book like this is a rare treat and i cannot wait for his next one.
************************************************
4.5 rounded up DESPITE very limited shark-content. review to come
one more shark week read!!!
this arrived at my house; unexpected, unrequested, so to whatever book fairy over at MCD knows who i am (and where i live), thank you and happy early shark week!
come to my blog!!
October 11, 2024
Magical realism is interwoven with the legends of Hawai’i in this haunting novel about family and destiny. When Nainoa Flores falls into the Pacific Ocean it seems as if this is the end when sharks start to appear in the water. Everyone is sure the child will meet with a tragic end until (Noa) is gently delivered back to his mother in the jaws of a shark. In Hawaiian legends Kāmohoaliʻi is the shark god associated with protection and guidance; families that relied upon the sea for a livelihood often revered and made offerings to him. But just as in Greek mythology the gifts of the gods often have a price - and that price is often paid by the whole family. Kawai Strong Washburn looks at issues facing modern Hawaiian families (often strangers in their own land) and examines this as only an insider can: tradition and individual tragedy bite deep into this contemporary tale of cursed blessings - highest recommendation.
May 16, 2021
This was an interesting work of magical realism about a Hawai'ian family set in 2007-2009. Having a friend who is from Hawai'i, I could more fully appreciate a bit more about the local culture and the poverty which lurks behind the glass and steel Honolulu financial district as well as how American culture over the past century has nearly destroyed what gods and beliefs which were there before the US invaded the islands. It is a book of hope and despair, magic and brutal realism, crime, and forgiveness. It was nearly a 5-star for me. Can't explain exactly what is holding me back, but I did enjoy it very much and I can see why it won the PEN/Hemingway for the best debut novel of 2020. The Kindle edition featured a great interview between the author and Marlon James.
The story of Noa's salvation by the sharks opens the book and we follow his mother, his brother, and his sister as they deal with his brief celebrity all in different ways. It is hard to avoid spoilers here so I'll just say that the climax of the novel creates cataclysmic changes in all of the characters in the novel. There is also a certain moral ambiguity that comes into play that might feel a bit uncomfortable at the end of the book.
As a reading experience, I preferred the first half of the book to the second half, but it was still an interesting story and kept me involved. At times it was emotionally challenging, but it never goes overboard in sentimentalism. I wonder whether Washburn will continue to write in this magical realistic style or if he will turn to realism.
One important theme in the book is the impact of unrealistic expectations on kids. After the child Noa is saved by sharks at the beginning of the novel, his family and those around them assume that he has superpowers and this creates a considerable burden on him. It becomes an economic constraint because he is expected to save the family financially by leveraging his gift. Over time, he is able to use his healing gifts, but as he is not omnipotent, the one time it fails him, his life crumbles. As someone who was identified as "gifted" as a kid, the occasional and inevitable failures in my academic and professional life were made probably more difficult to get over because of the pressure I would put on myself about this "superpower" that I was supposed to have, the Einstein I was expected to become. I think the lesson here is that self-worth should be built on achievable, observable, rational things. Perhaps the whole idea of giving labels to kids like "being gifted" is ultimately damaging to child psyches.
One quote I wrote down: "you're watching, later, from a distance so great that the memory might as well be a spill of stars outside a window at twilight."
Comparing this to other magical realist writers - Marquez, Calvino, Allende, Murakami - the tone is not as sweeping as in One Hundred Years of Solitude, not as poetic as Invisible Cities, a bit less nostalgic than The House of the Spirits, and less absurdist and quirky than The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. So, I would not quite say that it was groundbreaking in the sense that any of those previous works was. I think its primary merit is in educating us haoles about Hawai'i's mythology and dialect.
The story of Noa's salvation by the sharks opens the book and we follow his mother, his brother, and his sister as they deal with his brief celebrity all in different ways. It is hard to avoid spoilers here so I'll just say that the climax of the novel creates cataclysmic changes in all of the characters in the novel. There is also a certain moral ambiguity that comes into play that might feel a bit uncomfortable at the end of the book.
As a reading experience, I preferred the first half of the book to the second half, but it was still an interesting story and kept me involved. At times it was emotionally challenging, but it never goes overboard in sentimentalism. I wonder whether Washburn will continue to write in this magical realistic style or if he will turn to realism.
One important theme in the book is the impact of unrealistic expectations on kids. After the child Noa is saved by sharks at the beginning of the novel, his family and those around them assume that he has superpowers and this creates a considerable burden on him. It becomes an economic constraint because he is expected to save the family financially by leveraging his gift. Over time, he is able to use his healing gifts, but as he is not omnipotent, the one time it fails him, his life crumbles. As someone who was identified as "gifted" as a kid, the occasional and inevitable failures in my academic and professional life were made probably more difficult to get over because of the pressure I would put on myself about this "superpower" that I was supposed to have, the Einstein I was expected to become. I think the lesson here is that self-worth should be built on achievable, observable, rational things. Perhaps the whole idea of giving labels to kids like "being gifted" is ultimately damaging to child psyches.
One quote I wrote down: "you're watching, later, from a distance so great that the memory might as well be a spill of stars outside a window at twilight."
Comparing this to other magical realist writers - Marquez, Calvino, Allende, Murakami - the tone is not as sweeping as in One Hundred Years of Solitude, not as poetic as Invisible Cities, a bit less nostalgic than The House of the Spirits, and less absurdist and quirky than The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. So, I would not quite say that it was groundbreaking in the sense that any of those previous works was. I think its primary merit is in educating us haoles about Hawai'i's mythology and dialect.
February 20, 2022
PENAmerica Hemingway Award for Debut Novel Winner!
https://pen.org/press-release/2021-pe...
Real Rating: 4.5* of five
The voices of these characters whose family, that awful itchy nest, is wrapped in a golden mist of mythological reality, are shouting their horror and pain at the void inside them, the one that Being Different opens in all of us...and who could possibly be more different than a boy saved by a shark? Author Washburn will gladly fill you in on who: The whole damned crew, that's who, every single life suddenly changed without any notion of consent. Gods don't ask, they give-take. There's never a single uncomplicated act in a god's repertoire, that is not how the Universe works. Author Washburn knows this. He has plumbed some depths in order to bring this story to us.
I have a lot more to say on my blog.
https://pen.org/press-release/2021-pe...
Real Rating: 4.5* of five
The voices of these characters whose family, that awful itchy nest, is wrapped in a golden mist of mythological reality, are shouting their horror and pain at the void inside them, the one that Being Different opens in all of us...and who could possibly be more different than a boy saved by a shark? Author Washburn will gladly fill you in on who: The whole damned crew, that's who, every single life suddenly changed without any notion of consent. Gods don't ask, they give-take. There's never a single uncomplicated act in a god's repertoire, that is not how the Universe works. Author Washburn knows this. He has plumbed some depths in order to bring this story to us.
I have a lot more to say on my blog.
June 8, 2020
A Hawaiian family is thrown into turmoil when their middle son, Nainoa, is saved from drowning by sharks. He seems to develop an ability to heal but not all gifts are gifts. The novel follows Noa and his siblings as they attempt to forge their own identities, and the parents as they try to make ends meet.
This book was selected for the Tournament of Books CampToB so I'm looking forward to more people in my circles reading it. It's a very strong debut!
I had an ARC from the publisher which I read a bit late - this came out in March.
This book was selected for the Tournament of Books CampToB so I'm looking forward to more people in my circles reading it. It's a very strong debut!
I had an ARC from the publisher which I read a bit late - this came out in March.
May 10, 2020
I got excited when I read this was a magical realism book set in Hawaii and followed a native Hawaiian family.
Noa is one of three children, the gifted one, who was rescued by sharks when he accidentally went overboard on a cruise ship. Noa's powers to communicate with animals as well as to heal become the centre of family attention, making his brother's and sister's achievements less important and causing a divide in the family.
Unfortunately the prose and the narration voice didn't click with me from the start. I struggled to distinguish between the four narrators. The prose was too descriptive and unfocused making it a slow read. At around 25% mark the story gets more interesting as we follow the lives of the three siblings in the mainland US, but my attention was lost again after the family is struck by a tragedy and the rest of the book seems to be dedicated to their grievances.
The magical realism fell flat for me, comparing this book to Marquez is very misleading in my opinion. This book is not for everyone and it wasn't for me but many people seem to have loved it.
Many thanks to the publisher for my review copy in exchange for an honest review.
Noa is one of three children, the gifted one, who was rescued by sharks when he accidentally went overboard on a cruise ship. Noa's powers to communicate with animals as well as to heal become the centre of family attention, making his brother's and sister's achievements less important and causing a divide in the family.
Unfortunately the prose and the narration voice didn't click with me from the start. I struggled to distinguish between the four narrators. The prose was too descriptive and unfocused making it a slow read. At around 25% mark the story gets more interesting as we follow the lives of the three siblings in the mainland US, but my attention was lost again after the family is struck by a tragedy and the rest of the book seems to be dedicated to their grievances.
The magical realism fell flat for me, comparing this book to Marquez is very misleading in my opinion. This book is not for everyone and it wasn't for me but many people seem to have loved it.
Many thanks to the publisher for my review copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 11, 2021
Audiobook...narrated by Jolene Kim, Kaleo Griffith, G.K.Bowen, Tui Asau
.....10 hours and 38 minutes....
‘synced’ with the ebook.
NOTE...Although I did enjoy the audiobook....(the narrators were excellent), I got much more from reading the ebook.
This was an awesome debut.....by Kawai Strong Washburn.... who dedicated this book to his Granny, who drove him 80 miles round-trip to get the next book in the series.
This magical....mystical... lyrical.... heart warming.... contemporary ‘comic/tragic’ family story....begins in Kailua-Kona.....1995. [ends in 2009]
The Flores are on a vacation. The parents are Augie, and Malia.
Nainoa (Noa), and Dean are brothers.
Kaui is the sister.
Each family member alternates in narrating. Over the course of 400 pages/ or 10+ hours from the audiobook.... our connection with each one of the characters become more intimate.
Malia begins telling the story. [thereafter...each family member switches off telling their story - sharing their feelings and perspectives]
Malia tells us there had been ‘signs’ — obvious signs of what the gods wanted from their family. The myth people said the first sign was with the sharks — but Malia knew differently. The Gods started earlier—-The kingdom of Hawaii had long been broken. The sugarcane plantation had been around since before their kids had been born. It had once been prosperous—but was now shutting down.
“The breathing rain forests and singing green reefs crushed under the haole fists of beach resorts and skyscrapers—and that is when the land had began calling. Malia knew the gods were hungry for change and that their son, Noa, was that change.
Malia knew her son, Noa ( all of seven years of age), had seen the end coming before anyone.
Family meals got small - financial struggles were on the rise.
Near the beginning....
People were gathered along the cabled rail of the slick white deck, looking into the ocean. Everyone in the family was there except, Noa. His head was bobbing like a coconut in the ocean. Things happen quickly and were confusing. The water where Noa had been was all churned.
“The shapes of the sharks were thrashing, diving, rising, something like a dance”.
The shark was holding Noa gently— as if he were made of glass— like Noa was the sharks child. Noa was saved.
Noa being saved by the shark, was when Malia started to believe— Believed the Hawaiian gods —that the native legends were real.
Life kept changing— each family member was changing - Hawaii was changing -
There was sibling rivalry- fighting - grappling with identity - supernatural events - moving - education - jobs - coming of age —-
I rarely reach for books with the magical realism feeling.....
but if you’ve been to Hawaii it ‘is’ magical....lush...and enchanting. So reading this book felt very natural to me - much in the same way I feel when I’m in Hawaii, bathed in ‘magical-beauty’.
What I love so much about this novel was not only the characters and their growth development—( but that was a big part of what I liked, too), but the atmosphere- culture- deep waters- waves - flowers - smells - sounds - birds- sand - heat - breath - trees - stars > all together becomes a wonderful kaleidoscope of magnificence.
“I am the sand that was blown to life with the breath of all the gods and I am the wet mud of the valley and I am a green that grows from within it. I am the shore the drift of the world underwater and I am the Shaner the wave throws over. I am the atmosphere that heats the thunderheads and I am the cool rain the thirsty soil reclaims”.
It’s hard to believe that this lushly woven tale was a debut.
Note..... Reading this book was a teaser....
Hoping to go to Hawaii this December....( but with the pandemic we’re on standby-wait-and-see).
.....10 hours and 38 minutes....
‘synced’ with the ebook.
NOTE...Although I did enjoy the audiobook....(the narrators were excellent), I got much more from reading the ebook.
This was an awesome debut.....by Kawai Strong Washburn.... who dedicated this book to his Granny, who drove him 80 miles round-trip to get the next book in the series.
This magical....mystical... lyrical.... heart warming.... contemporary ‘comic/tragic’ family story....begins in Kailua-Kona.....1995. [ends in 2009]
The Flores are on a vacation. The parents are Augie, and Malia.
Nainoa (Noa), and Dean are brothers.
Kaui is the sister.
Each family member alternates in narrating. Over the course of 400 pages/ or 10+ hours from the audiobook.... our connection with each one of the characters become more intimate.
Malia begins telling the story. [thereafter...each family member switches off telling their story - sharing their feelings and perspectives]
Malia tells us there had been ‘signs’ — obvious signs of what the gods wanted from their family. The myth people said the first sign was with the sharks — but Malia knew differently. The Gods started earlier—-The kingdom of Hawaii had long been broken. The sugarcane plantation had been around since before their kids had been born. It had once been prosperous—but was now shutting down.
“The breathing rain forests and singing green reefs crushed under the haole fists of beach resorts and skyscrapers—and that is when the land had began calling. Malia knew the gods were hungry for change and that their son, Noa, was that change.
Malia knew her son, Noa ( all of seven years of age), had seen the end coming before anyone.
Family meals got small - financial struggles were on the rise.
Near the beginning....
People were gathered along the cabled rail of the slick white deck, looking into the ocean. Everyone in the family was there except, Noa. His head was bobbing like a coconut in the ocean. Things happen quickly and were confusing. The water where Noa had been was all churned.
“The shapes of the sharks were thrashing, diving, rising, something like a dance”.
The shark was holding Noa gently— as if he were made of glass— like Noa was the sharks child. Noa was saved.
Noa being saved by the shark, was when Malia started to believe— Believed the Hawaiian gods —that the native legends were real.
Life kept changing— each family member was changing - Hawaii was changing -
There was sibling rivalry- fighting - grappling with identity - supernatural events - moving - education - jobs - coming of age —-
I rarely reach for books with the magical realism feeling.....
but if you’ve been to Hawaii it ‘is’ magical....lush...and enchanting. So reading this book felt very natural to me - much in the same way I feel when I’m in Hawaii, bathed in ‘magical-beauty’.
What I love so much about this novel was not only the characters and their growth development—( but that was a big part of what I liked, too), but the atmosphere- culture- deep waters- waves - flowers - smells - sounds - birds- sand - heat - breath - trees - stars > all together becomes a wonderful kaleidoscope of magnificence.
“I am the sand that was blown to life with the breath of all the gods and I am the wet mud of the valley and I am a green that grows from within it. I am the shore the drift of the world underwater and I am the Shaner the wave throws over. I am the atmosphere that heats the thunderheads and I am the cool rain the thirsty soil reclaims”.
It’s hard to believe that this lushly woven tale was a debut.
Note..... Reading this book was a teaser....
Hoping to go to Hawaii this December....( but with the pandemic we’re on standby-wait-and-see).
April 5, 2020
Sadly, “Sharks In the Time of Saviors” was a bit too mystical and supernatural for my liking. It’s a character driven story containing Hawaiian dialect and vernacular. I wonder if I listened to the story, I would have enjoyed it more. I felt like I was translating sentences a lot of the time. I found that listening to a dialect is easier to figure out than reading it…at least for me.
It’s a story of a Hawaiian family who believe in Hawaiian folklore and magic. They are poor and barely scrape by. When the parents decide to take a boat adventure (which was a financial splurge that they shouldn’t have done) their youngest son falls off the boat. He is saved by a shark. One shark places the child in his mouth and carefully swims the boy back to the boat. The townsfolk learn of his specialness and he becomes a legend. Of course, he’s the center of unwanted attention.
This changes the family dynamics with the other two children feeling ignored. It’s a family saga of disassociating and their journey of finding their way.
It was a slow read for me and didn’t really capture my full attention. I think I am a minority in my opinion.
It’s a story of a Hawaiian family who believe in Hawaiian folklore and magic. They are poor and barely scrape by. When the parents decide to take a boat adventure (which was a financial splurge that they shouldn’t have done) their youngest son falls off the boat. He is saved by a shark. One shark places the child in his mouth and carefully swims the boy back to the boat. The townsfolk learn of his specialness and he becomes a legend. Of course, he’s the center of unwanted attention.
This changes the family dynamics with the other two children feeling ignored. It’s a family saga of disassociating and their journey of finding their way.
It was a slow read for me and didn’t really capture my full attention. I think I am a minority in my opinion.
June 20, 2021
[4+] There is magic in this very original novel, but it is firmly grounded in the distinct perspectives of four Hawaiian family members, all struggling to find a better life. Lyrical and devastating, I was mesmerized. The audio production is wonderful.
February 14, 2021
I borrowed this audiobook towards the end of last year but I was too busy and couldn't concentrate so I returned it unread. I'm so glad I remembered to try it again, as it was such a delightful novel.
The writing was beautifully lyrical and the magical realism elements didn't overwhelm, they just added fairy dust for lack of a better metaphor.
The characters of this novel are the members of the Flores family, the matriarch, Malia, and her husband, Augie, and their three kids - two boys, Dean and Noa, and their little sister, Kaui. Malia and her kids get their points of view in alternate chapters. Through them, we get to know their personalities and views on the family, Hawai'i, their destinies and roles in the family, while they grow up and try to make their way in life, outside the constraints of the family and Hawai'i. It's a story we're all familiar with, but it was brilliantly put together by Strong Washburn. Some of the themes covered are those of family, destiny, old beliefs, socio-economic standing, ambition, the love/hate relationship that one can develop with their place of birth which sometimes can feel claustrophobic.
It's also about an old culture that's being swelled up by developers and tourism.
There's no way around it, this is an impressive novel, I absolutely loved it.
If you're into audiobooks, this was outstanding.
NB: I forgot to mention that this was on Obama's Best books of 2020.
The writing was beautifully lyrical and the magical realism elements didn't overwhelm, they just added fairy dust for lack of a better metaphor.
The characters of this novel are the members of the Flores family, the matriarch, Malia, and her husband, Augie, and their three kids - two boys, Dean and Noa, and their little sister, Kaui. Malia and her kids get their points of view in alternate chapters. Through them, we get to know their personalities and views on the family, Hawai'i, their destinies and roles in the family, while they grow up and try to make their way in life, outside the constraints of the family and Hawai'i. It's a story we're all familiar with, but it was brilliantly put together by Strong Washburn. Some of the themes covered are those of family, destiny, old beliefs, socio-economic standing, ambition, the love/hate relationship that one can develop with their place of birth which sometimes can feel claustrophobic.
It's also about an old culture that's being swelled up by developers and tourism.
There's no way around it, this is an impressive novel, I absolutely loved it.
If you're into audiobooks, this was outstanding.
NB: I forgot to mention that this was on Obama's Best books of 2020.
May 21, 2021
Epic family saga about life for native Pacific Islanders in Hawaii and on the mainland. Featuring some magical realism and folklore. Great debut. I was riveted!
4+ Stars
Listened to the audio book which was superbly performed by the cast: G. K. Bowes, Joleme Kim, Kaleo Griffith, and Tui Asau.
4+ Stars
Listened to the audio book which was superbly performed by the cast: G. K. Bowes, Joleme Kim, Kaleo Griffith, and Tui Asau.
August 24, 2023
Sharks in the Time of Saviors asks two questions:
1.) What place is there for a Chosen One in our modern world?
2.) What becomes of the siblings who aren't the Golden Child?
In his work, author Stephen King frequently characterizes our world as "rational", where we live in an age of advancing technology and diminishing spirituality - a world where most occurrences can be explained. This stands in contrast to his fantastical events, his monsters and mysteries, and to survive such things, his characters must embrace the irrational.
Kawai Strong Washburn’s Sharks in the Time of Saviors similarly presents a rational world from 1995 to 2009. This timeframe is punctuated by one supernatural event: When little Nainoa Flores accidentally falls into the Pacific Ocean, he is rescued by sharks and returned to his family unharmed.
The Flores family, native Hawaiians, come to view this incident as Noa being chosen by the Gods. He becomes their light, their Golden Son, and even becomes something of a local legend. He is raised to believe the Gods imbued him with the power to heal and save lives. As he grows up, he struggles to find a place to apply his (perhaps real, perhaps imagined) abilities in a world with no need for Chosen Ones anymore.
Left in Noa's wake are his siblings, athletic Dean and lost Kaui.
Through the interweaving siblings' narratives, sometimes including the reflections of their mother on her successes and failings in raising them, we read of a Hawaiian family grappling with poverty and limited choices on and off an archipelago often called paradise. Although all three leave Hawaii for the mainland, the call home for each is strong. For Noa, it is a call to find out why he was chosen.
For Kaui and Dean, it's a chance to finally be chose.
This is a very beautiful family story, and I enjoyed its episodic structure very much. I only wish it was longer to allow for more relationship development between the siblings, particularly in their childhoods. They spent most of the story apart, existing to each other only through phone calls. While each one's voice was distinct and strong, I liked them best when they were parrying off each other.
1.) What place is there for a Chosen One in our modern world?
2.) What becomes of the siblings who aren't the Golden Child?
In his work, author Stephen King frequently characterizes our world as "rational", where we live in an age of advancing technology and diminishing spirituality - a world where most occurrences can be explained. This stands in contrast to his fantastical events, his monsters and mysteries, and to survive such things, his characters must embrace the irrational.
Kawai Strong Washburn’s Sharks in the Time of Saviors similarly presents a rational world from 1995 to 2009. This timeframe is punctuated by one supernatural event: When little Nainoa Flores accidentally falls into the Pacific Ocean, he is rescued by sharks and returned to his family unharmed.
The Flores family, native Hawaiians, come to view this incident as Noa being chosen by the Gods. He becomes their light, their Golden Son, and even becomes something of a local legend. He is raised to believe the Gods imbued him with the power to heal and save lives. As he grows up, he struggles to find a place to apply his (perhaps real, perhaps imagined) abilities in a world with no need for Chosen Ones anymore.
Left in Noa's wake are his siblings, athletic Dean and lost Kaui.
Through the interweaving siblings' narratives, sometimes including the reflections of their mother on her successes and failings in raising them, we read of a Hawaiian family grappling with poverty and limited choices on and off an archipelago often called paradise. Although all three leave Hawaii for the mainland, the call home for each is strong. For Noa, it is a call to find out why he was chosen.
For Kaui and Dean, it's a chance to finally be chose.
This is a very beautiful family story, and I enjoyed its episodic structure very much. I only wish it was longer to allow for more relationship development between the siblings, particularly in their childhoods. They spent most of the story apart, existing to each other only through phone calls. While each one's voice was distinct and strong, I liked them best when they were parrying off each other.
August 17, 2022
Ein starkes Debüt, das einfach alles enthält: Lebensweisheiten kombiniert mit Mythen vs. Realität, Liebe, Komik und einer Portion Magie.
Der siebenjährige Nainoa fällt während eines Bootsausflugs in den Pazifik und wird von mehreren Haien umkreist. Dann passiert etwas, womit keiner gerechnet hat: der größte Hai trägt Nainoa behutsam im offenen Maul zu seinen Eltern auf dem Boot zurück. Das Leben der armen Familie ändert sich von heute auf morgen. Die Eltern sehen in ihm eine Legende, während sein älterer Bruder Dean und seine kleinere Schwester Kaui unter der Situation stark leiden.
Der Leser taucht in einen Roman ein, dessen 448 Seiten ich verschlungen habe. Hier treffen Mythen auf neue Realitäten, Lebensweisheiten, die einfach sitzen. Die Übersetzung aus dem Amerikanischen von Cornelia Holfelder-von der Tann liest sich flüssig, leicht und modern.
Die Kapitel werden aus der Sicht eines jeweiligen Familienmitgliedes beschrieben. Das Lesen der Gedankengänge der Geschwister und Mutter war für mich pures Lesevergnügen. Der Leser begleitet die Geschwister über mehrere Jahre und erlebt ein Gefühlskarussell. Immer mit dabei die Kulisse Hawaiis und zwar das echte und nicht das weichgespülte aus den Filmen.
Ich kann absolut verstehen, dass dieser Roman Buch des Jahres 2020 von Barack Obamas Leseliste war und einen internationalen Hype ausgelöst hat. Für mich ein Lesehighlight, das ich nicht mehr so schnell vergessen werde.
Der siebenjährige Nainoa fällt während eines Bootsausflugs in den Pazifik und wird von mehreren Haien umkreist. Dann passiert etwas, womit keiner gerechnet hat: der größte Hai trägt Nainoa behutsam im offenen Maul zu seinen Eltern auf dem Boot zurück. Das Leben der armen Familie ändert sich von heute auf morgen. Die Eltern sehen in ihm eine Legende, während sein älterer Bruder Dean und seine kleinere Schwester Kaui unter der Situation stark leiden.
Der Leser taucht in einen Roman ein, dessen 448 Seiten ich verschlungen habe. Hier treffen Mythen auf neue Realitäten, Lebensweisheiten, die einfach sitzen. Die Übersetzung aus dem Amerikanischen von Cornelia Holfelder-von der Tann liest sich flüssig, leicht und modern.
Die Kapitel werden aus der Sicht eines jeweiligen Familienmitgliedes beschrieben. Das Lesen der Gedankengänge der Geschwister und Mutter war für mich pures Lesevergnügen. Der Leser begleitet die Geschwister über mehrere Jahre und erlebt ein Gefühlskarussell. Immer mit dabei die Kulisse Hawaiis und zwar das echte und nicht das weichgespülte aus den Filmen.
Ich kann absolut verstehen, dass dieser Roman Buch des Jahres 2020 von Barack Obamas Leseliste war und einen internationalen Hype ausgelöst hat. Für mich ein Lesehighlight, das ich nicht mehr so schnell vergessen werde.
February 12, 2022
What I enjoyed the most about this ambitious novel was the rawness of the characters; they feel authentically mixed up and complicated.
I ultimately felt that Washburn didn’t quite know how to straddle the line he was creating between gritty hardscrabble realism and poetic mythmaking fantasy, and that led me to feel increasingly disconnected from the depths of what he was creating.
I admire his attempt to inhabit several different voices of POV characters, but only one voice — that of Dean — really rang true for me in the sentence-to-sentence writing.
Still, I’m glad to read a story centered on a family of native Hawaiian heritage, and I hope its success increases the number of such stories. There were also plenty of vividly rendered, imaginatively rich moments that landed quite powerfully for me. I think he’s an exciting writer to watch.
I ultimately felt that Washburn didn’t quite know how to straddle the line he was creating between gritty hardscrabble realism and poetic mythmaking fantasy, and that led me to feel increasingly disconnected from the depths of what he was creating.
I admire his attempt to inhabit several different voices of POV characters, but only one voice — that of Dean — really rang true for me in the sentence-to-sentence writing.
Still, I’m glad to read a story centered on a family of native Hawaiian heritage, and I hope its success increases the number of such stories. There were also plenty of vividly rendered, imaginatively rich moments that landed quite powerfully for me. I think he’s an exciting writer to watch.
February 5, 2020
I am not a fan of magical realism but this Hawaiian family narrative is filled with the primal power of the Hula. A throbbing story that addresses head-on the issues of class, race, and poverty. You can feel the rhythm of islands chanting for recognition of its lore, fables, and legends through this family bound together by love and their undulating homeland that will not be ignored.
April 27, 2022
The heroes of "Sharks in the Days of Rescuers" are as poor as church mice. If the wealthy are better off than those divers, it is because of technological progress, thanks to which we all live better now than a century ago. They are: dad, mom, three children - native Hawaiians, no hapa-hule (half-breeds, as it was in London). Yes, now racial differences have ceased to be a problem. Moreover, intelligent and diligent Hawaiian children have the opportunity to enter the university on a scholarship. That is, social elevators seem to work.
"Somehow", because it is worth considering a lot of additional factors that do not contribute to the social advancement of children from poor families. Starting with the need to combine work with study, which wealthy children do not have to do, ending with the lack of family involvement in an educated environment. With a bunch more intermediate gradations.
One way or another, none of the gifted children of this family will receive a completed university education, although all three will have the opportunity to study. The clever Cowie will want to become an engineer, the athlete Dean will achieve a sports scholarship. Noah, and who will Noah be, who became famous in early childhood, as a child miracle worker who cures with a touch?
Yes, it started when he was very young. Every living creature behaved in a very special way in his presence. And when he fell overboard during a boat trip, and sharks appeared nearby (oh, horror!) - nothing terrible happened. the shark, like a dolphin, pushed the baby's nose to the side. How can I not believe in the patronage of the gods and that the baby kahuna (sorcerer, healer) especially when all these healings began.
Алоха Оэ
Всякий раз, когда мне нужно сделать выбор, настоящий выбор, я делаю выбор и потом всегда чувствую, что снова упустила возможность стать лучше. Вечно я упускаю возможность стать лучше. Не знаю. Но пытаться все равно нужно.
Мне было восемь или девять лет в пору первого знакомства с Джеком Лондоном, среди рассказов был этот, про дочь американского сенатора, в которую влюбляется гавайский юноша, американец с примесью туземной крови. Они расстаются, по видимому, навсегда, оркестр играет "Алоха Оэ", и в самый момент отплытия, она понимает. что тоже любит его. Девушка пытается снять с шеи венок, чтобы бросить юноше, он не снимается, цепляется за драгоценное жемчужное ожерелье, отчаянным рывком она таки сдирает венок, жемчужины сыплются в море.
"Дура какая-то", - я тогда подумала, - потому что в том же томике "Рассказов южных морей" было про то, как бедные ныряльщики добывают эти самые жемчужины, рискуя смертью от тысячи разных причин: утонуть, быть ужаленным ядовитым подводным растением или животным, подвергнуться нападению акулы. Как потом их грабят перекупщики, платя, хорошо если сотую часть стоимости добытого жемчуга. "Лучше бы бедным отдала," - я еще подумала тогда, явив образец эмоционально-тупого практицизма.
Герои "Акул во дни спасателей" бедны как церковные мыши. Если и обеспеченные лучше тех ныряльщиков, то по причине технического прогресса, благодаря которому все мы живем сейчас лучше, чем столетие назад. Они: папа, мама, трое детей - коренные гавайцы, никакого хапа-хуле (полукровки, как это было у Лондона). Да теперь расовые различия и проблемой быть перестали. Больше того, умные и прилежные гавайские дети имеют возможность поступления в университет на стипендию. То есть, социальные лифты как-бы работают.
"Как-бы", потому что стоит учитывать массу дополнительных- факторов,которые не способствуют социальному продвижению детей из бедных семей. Начиная с необходимости совмещать работу с учебой, чего не приходится делать обеспеченным детям, заканчивая отсутствием семейной вовлеченности в образованную среду. С кучей еще промежуточных градаций.
Так или иначе, ни один из одаренных детей этой семьи не получит законченного университетского образования, хотя возможность учиться появится у всех троих. Умница Кауи захочет стать инженером, спортсмен Дин добьется спортивной стипендии. Ноа, а кем будет Ноа, ставший известным в раннем детстве, как ребенок-чудотворец, излечивающий прикосновением?
Да, это началось, когда он был совсем малышом. Всякая живность совершенно по-особому вела себя в его присутствии. А когда упал за борт во время морской прогулки, и рядом появились акулы (о ужас!) - ничего страшного не случилось. акула, как дельфин, подтолкнула малыша носом к борту. Как тут не поверить в покровительство богов и в то, что малыш кахуна (чародей, знахарь) особенно когда начались все эти исцеления.
И семья получила возможность поправить материальное положение за счет взносов врачующихся. Недолгую, потому что Ноа вскоре перестал это делать. и все равно, сестра с братом всегда ощущали разницу в отношении к нему и к каждому из них. Стремясь доказать отцу и маме, что достойны их любви и восхищения не меньше звездного мальчика брата. И все время оставаясь на шаг, два, три позади него в родительском сердце.
Каваи Стронг Уошберн написал по-настоящему хорошую книгу. Предполагающую множество различных трактовок. Кто-то увидит в ней семейный роман, кто-то социальную прозу, кто-то мистическую историю о мальчике-волшебнике, а кто-то - эзотерическую, о мучительном поиске своего пути и о том, что одному человеку не под силу вылечить мир. Но это можно сделать, объединив усилия многих порядочных людей (и людей, которых расхожая мораль порядочными не числит, но сердца у них золотые).
О любви к своей униженной родине. любви подлинной и глубокой, основанной не на лозунгах ура-патриотизма.
"Somehow", because it is worth considering a lot of additional factors that do not contribute to the social advancement of children from poor families. Starting with the need to combine work with study, which wealthy children do not have to do, ending with the lack of family involvement in an educated environment. With a bunch more intermediate gradations.
One way or another, none of the gifted children of this family will receive a completed university education, although all three will have the opportunity to study. The clever Cowie will want to become an engineer, the athlete Dean will achieve a sports scholarship. Noah, and who will Noah be, who became famous in early childhood, as a child miracle worker who cures with a touch?
Yes, it started when he was very young. Every living creature behaved in a very special way in his presence. And when he fell overboard during a boat trip, and sharks appeared nearby (oh, horror!) - nothing terrible happened. the shark, like a dolphin, pushed the baby's nose to the side. How can I not believe in the patronage of the gods and that the baby kahuna (sorcerer, healer) especially when all these healings began.
Алоха Оэ
Всякий раз, когда мне нужно сделать выбор, настоящий выбор, я делаю выбор и потом всегда чувствую, что снова упустила возможность стать лучше. Вечно я упускаю возможность стать лучше. Не знаю. Но пытаться все равно нужно.
Мне было восемь или девять лет в пору первого знакомства с Джеком Лондоном, среди рассказов был этот, про дочь американского сенатора, в которую влюбляется гавайский юноша, американец с примесью туземной крови. Они расстаются, по видимому, навсегда, оркестр играет "Алоха Оэ", и в самый момент отплытия, она понимает. что тоже любит его. Девушка пытается снять с шеи венок, чтобы бросить юноше, он не снимается, цепляется за драгоценное жемчужное ожерелье, отчаянным рывком она таки сдирает венок, жемчужины сыплются в море.
"Дура какая-то", - я тогда подумала, - потому что в том же томике "Рассказов южных морей" было про то, как бедные ныряльщики добывают эти самые жемчужины, рискуя смертью от тысячи разных причин: утонуть, быть ужаленным ядовитым подводным растением или животным, подвергнуться нападению акулы. Как потом их грабят перекупщики, платя, хорошо если сотую часть стоимости добытого жемчуга. "Лучше бы бедным отдала," - я еще подумала тогда, явив образец эмоционально-тупого практицизма.
Герои "Акул во дни спасателей" бедны как церковные мыши. Если и обеспеченные лучше тех ныряльщиков, то по причине технического прогресса, благодаря которому все мы живем сейчас лучше, чем столетие назад. Они: папа, мама, трое детей - коренные гавайцы, никакого хапа-хуле (полукровки, как это было у Лондона). Да теперь расовые различия и проблемой быть перестали. Больше того, умные и прилежные гавайские дети имеют возможность поступления в университет на стипендию. То есть, социальные лифты как-бы работают.
"Как-бы", потому что стоит учитывать массу дополнительных- факторов,которые не способствуют социальному продвижению детей из бедных семей. Начиная с необходимости совмещать работу с учебой, чего не приходится делать обеспеченным детям, заканчивая отсутствием семейной вовлеченности в образованную среду. С кучей еще промежуточных градаций.
Так или иначе, ни один из одаренных детей этой семьи не получит законченного университетского образования, хотя возможность учиться появится у всех троих. Умница Кауи захочет стать инженером, спортсмен Дин добьется спортивной стипендии. Ноа, а кем будет Ноа, ставший известным в раннем детстве, как ребенок-чудотворец, излечивающий прикосновением?
Да, это началось, когда он был совсем малышом. Всякая живность совершенно по-особому вела себя в его присутствии. А когда упал за борт во время морской прогулки, и рядом появились акулы (о ужас!) - ничего страшного не случилось. акула, как дельфин, подтолкнула малыша носом к борту. Как тут не поверить в покровительство богов и в то, что малыш кахуна (чародей, знахарь) особенно когда начались все эти исцеления.
И семья получила возможность поправить материальное положение за счет взносов врачующихся. Недолгую, потому что Ноа вскоре перестал это делать. и все равно, сестра с братом всегда ощущали разницу в отношении к нему и к каждому из них. Стремясь доказать отцу и маме, что достойны их любви и восхищения не меньше звездного мальчика брата. И все время оставаясь на шаг, два, три позади него в родительском сердце.
Каваи Стронг Уошберн написал по-настоящему хорошую книгу. Предполагающую множество различных трактовок. Кто-то увидит в ней семейный роман, кто-то социальную прозу, кто-то мистическую историю о мальчике-волшебнике, а кто-то - эзотерическую, о мучительном поиске своего пути и о том, что одному человеку не под силу вылечить мир. Но это можно сделать, объединив усилия многих порядочных людей (и людей, которых расхожая мораль порядочными не числит, но сердца у них золотые).
О любви к своей униженной родине. любви подлинной и глубокой, основанной не на лозунгах ура-патриотизма.
Read
July 8, 2020Reading this novel felt like I was holding sand in my hands. It took a lot of effort for me personally to hold the sense of story together as I read. The story kept wanting to sift away from me. I was rewarded by the soaring musicality of some passages, but as the novel progressed the story gradually lost coherence for me and I wasn't sure any longer what it was about. When this happens to me it usually means I've misunderstood the author intent at the beginning, and that the novel deserves a re-read. But another challenge for me here is that the novel adopts the storytelling structure of a rotating series of first-person voices, and most of these first-person voices are coming from a point of view that's young, vernacular, and informal. While I can enjoy this style of writing as live performance or monologue, it's not my sweet spot as a reader when it comes in the shape of a novel. I got fatigued by the fairly accurate representation here of how teens think and speak. I'm genuinely sorry I wasn't up to loving this novel more than I did.
February 20, 2020
The author of Sharks in the Time of Saviours, was born and raised on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi. This grounding has put the author in good stead to produce an authentic novel set in Hawaiʻi. Kawai Strong Washburn presents a contextual family drama, that encompasses themes of class, poverty, economics, opportunity, culture, old world faith, belief systems, magical realism and survival.
Opening in the year 1994, Sharks in the Time of Saviours simultaneously reveals the cultural fabric of this nation, as well as its secrets, while relaying the astonishing rescue of child. When seven year old Nainia Flores is saved from possible drowning by a school of sharks, his financially strapped family sees this miracle act as the ultimate sign from the gods. Their child, Nainia, is the chosen one, and his rescue heralds a great gift from the ancient gods of the land. What follows this incident and the Flores clan, is a true test of the human spirit.
Sharks in the Time of Saviours is a moving debut, punctuated by drifting and poetic prose, with heartbreaking, as well as melancholic undertones. This book is unquestionably an original and powerful ode, of mystical proportions, to the tropical idyll of Hawaiʻi.
*I wish to thank Better Reading Preview/Penguin Books Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book.
Opening in the year 1994, Sharks in the Time of Saviours simultaneously reveals the cultural fabric of this nation, as well as its secrets, while relaying the astonishing rescue of child. When seven year old Nainia Flores is saved from possible drowning by a school of sharks, his financially strapped family sees this miracle act as the ultimate sign from the gods. Their child, Nainia, is the chosen one, and his rescue heralds a great gift from the ancient gods of the land. What follows this incident and the Flores clan, is a true test of the human spirit.
Sharks in the Time of Saviours is a moving debut, punctuated by drifting and poetic prose, with heartbreaking, as well as melancholic undertones. This book is unquestionably an original and powerful ode, of mystical proportions, to the tropical idyll of Hawaiʻi.
*I wish to thank Better Reading Preview/Penguin Books Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book.
June 9, 2020
Sometimes literary fiction is hard to digest, even if the writing is clearly strong.
At first glance this seems like a story about a young boy with a mystical connection to nature. When he falls overboard on a ship, a circle of sharks do not devour him but gently delivers him to his mother.
This is the moment that will divide and test the family for the rest of their lives. As Nainoa is “special” his needs and wants are placed above that of his siblings, driving a seemingly insurmountable wedge between everyone in the family.
Each chapter is narrated by alternatively the mother and her 3 children. Each grapple with their identity throughout the years, trying to understand themselves and the Hawaiian land that tugs at their soul.
There is a lot to be admired in this debut. There was a very distinct feeling of time and place with many references to Hawaiian culture, folklore and beliefs. It showed how the bonds that bind you to your family can become a prison, but also how those same bonds can become elastic and stretch across oceans providing a safe haven when you need it most.
There was also a lot that made this a hard read. Difficult Hawaiian words that are left unexplained, the overlapping tragedies, symbolism and unfamiliar beliefs that muddled the story.
Although I can see from an intellectual level that this was a good book, I felt drained reading it.
At first glance this seems like a story about a young boy with a mystical connection to nature. When he falls overboard on a ship, a circle of sharks do not devour him but gently delivers him to his mother.
This is the moment that will divide and test the family for the rest of their lives. As Nainoa is “special” his needs and wants are placed above that of his siblings, driving a seemingly insurmountable wedge between everyone in the family.
Each chapter is narrated by alternatively the mother and her 3 children. Each grapple with their identity throughout the years, trying to understand themselves and the Hawaiian land that tugs at their soul.
There is a lot to be admired in this debut. There was a very distinct feeling of time and place with many references to Hawaiian culture, folklore and beliefs. It showed how the bonds that bind you to your family can become a prison, but also how those same bonds can become elastic and stretch across oceans providing a safe haven when you need it most.
There was also a lot that made this a hard read. Difficult Hawaiian words that are left unexplained, the overlapping tragedies, symbolism and unfamiliar beliefs that muddled the story.
Although I can see from an intellectual level that this was a good book, I felt drained reading it.
March 23, 2021
The Great Hawaiian Novel mixes forgotten gods with real, forgotten lives.
The plot taking audacious turns is but one of the many splendors inside of "Sharks." The last third of the novel is a devastating portrait; the first sections invigorate with the unwinding of three individual fates of the siblings, the Hawaiian youth--how different they are & yet how they fit within the family unit, are indispensable, in fact, without one another--is why betting on Washburn's future permanence in the canon is a sure thing.
The plot taking audacious turns is but one of the many splendors inside of "Sharks." The last third of the novel is a devastating portrait; the first sections invigorate with the unwinding of three individual fates of the siblings, the Hawaiian youth--how different they are & yet how they fit within the family unit, are indispensable, in fact, without one another--is why betting on Washburn's future permanence in the canon is a sure thing.
June 16, 2020
I had no idea what to expect from this novel, and even as I began, the story seemed to morph in focus as I read, keeping me from settling into complacency. It takes Hawaiian folk lore, mixes it with magical realism, and stirs in family dynamics creating layers of struggle--to understand others and ourselves, to find our place and survive.
There are several alternating points of view that create the narrative, that of the three kids and their mother through most of the book. At times the language is pretty straightforward and other times it gets more mystical and abstract. There are also Hawaiian phrases, words and concepts embedded, which can either add authenticity or distract, depending on the reader. I enjoyed them. The setting descriptions are as lush as my experience of Hawaii, and knowing some of the places mentioned added to my enjoyment of the novel.
Some of the chapters and their focus were less than gripping. But what resonated most deeply for me was Noa's gifted burden, and his loneliness in carrying it. By chance, or divine intervention, he had the bar of expectation raised and he struggled valiantly to meet it. He struggled valiantly to understand it. As I read, I thought of so many others, in ordinary life, who dedicate themselves to being of service to others. Nurses, teachers, social workers, police officers, counselors, doctors, parents...all trying to "heal" others in their own ways. All trying to use their personal "gifts" in a way to improve the world around them, one by one. All having the expectation bar dictate day to day life. And I thought of how depleted they can become when the steady stream of needs runs them dry.
By the end of the story, as family members find an intangible, sustaining force to tap into, I felt myself tapping into it also...that undercurrent of strength that we all need to feel in order to endure the challenges, the bad. Because, hey...in magical realism, we get to make up our own realities, right? In my reality, I'd sit on a high bluff, overlooking the ocean, sharing a meal and conversation with Nainoa every day of the week.
There are several alternating points of view that create the narrative, that of the three kids and their mother through most of the book. At times the language is pretty straightforward and other times it gets more mystical and abstract. There are also Hawaiian phrases, words and concepts embedded, which can either add authenticity or distract, depending on the reader. I enjoyed them. The setting descriptions are as lush as my experience of Hawaii, and knowing some of the places mentioned added to my enjoyment of the novel.
Some of the chapters and their focus were less than gripping. But what resonated most deeply for me was Noa's gifted burden, and his loneliness in carrying it. By chance, or divine intervention, he had the bar of expectation raised and he struggled valiantly to meet it. He struggled valiantly to understand it. As I read, I thought of so many others, in ordinary life, who dedicate themselves to being of service to others. Nurses, teachers, social workers, police officers, counselors, doctors, parents...all trying to "heal" others in their own ways. All trying to use their personal "gifts" in a way to improve the world around them, one by one. All having the expectation bar dictate day to day life. And I thought of how depleted they can become when the steady stream of needs runs them dry.
By the end of the story, as family members find an intangible, sustaining force to tap into, I felt myself tapping into it also...that undercurrent of strength that we all need to feel in order to endure the challenges, the bad. Because, hey...in magical realism, we get to make up our own realities, right? In my reality, I'd sit on a high bluff, overlooking the ocean, sharing a meal and conversation with Nainoa every day of the week.
July 18, 2022
A very personal love letter to Hawai'i and its people. The struggle here is similar to other indigenous folks' throughout North America, with the loss of culture and land ties due to imperialism. As with others like this, I feel that a part of the conversation is over my head, so I can see that something is happening, but not quite grasp the significance.
CONTENT WARNING:
Things that were intriguing:
- The magic. This was a really interesting way to portray connection to a home land, and I thought it was beautiful.
-The loneliness of being different. I really liked that we had a "chosen one" story where not everyone is falling over themselves to support them. The struggles felt very real.
-The cycles of generational trauma. We see various forms this takes, and they're all both not surprising and very tragic.
Things that didn't jive with me:
-The "realness." I'm not sure what it is, but when an author is like "no, I want to write REAL life" it always comes to excrement and bodily fluids. And while, yes, these are "real" I don't think many of us use the toilet and think full paragraphs about what we're doing there. Just once it'd be nice if it was allergies and sore foot arches or something.
-The message. I kinda get it, but I don't get Noah's story arc and what it's meant to say to us, except that maybe we can't wait for a hero?
It was interesting and quick, but I was hoping for more content, I think, and somehow this just felt lacking. Beautiful in many ways, and an important viewpoint, but from an enjoyment in fiction perspective, I'm not sure this resonated with me.
CONTENT WARNING:
Things that were intriguing:
- The magic. This was a really interesting way to portray connection to a home land, and I thought it was beautiful.
-The loneliness of being different. I really liked that we had a "chosen one" story where not everyone is falling over themselves to support them. The struggles felt very real.
-The cycles of generational trauma. We see various forms this takes, and they're all both not surprising and very tragic.
Things that didn't jive with me:
-The "realness." I'm not sure what it is, but when an author is like "no, I want to write REAL life" it always comes to excrement and bodily fluids. And while, yes, these are "real" I don't think many of us use the toilet and think full paragraphs about what we're doing there. Just once it'd be nice if it was allergies and sore foot arches or something.
-The message. I kinda get it, but I don't get Noah's story arc and what it's meant to say to us, except that maybe we can't wait for a hero?
It was interesting and quick, but I was hoping for more content, I think, and somehow this just felt lacking. Beautiful in many ways, and an important viewpoint, but from an enjoyment in fiction perspective, I'm not sure this resonated with me.
January 4, 2021
In the Acknowledgements to Sharks in the Time of Saviors, Washburn credits "those who came first...the artists of the islands who preserve and amplify the truth of our land." Our land, he writes. A claim of possession, of identity. Except...Washburn is not native Hawaiian. Rather, his parents (one white, one Black) settled in Hawaii after college. The author's claims of ownership to the Hawaiian islands are born out of heritage as a child of settlers. He says the land belongs to him, but does it truly?
This is particularly important because Sharks is a book that is about being Hawaiian. It isn't a story merely set in the islands, nor is it a story that features native Hawaiian characters but focuses on other things as the main thrust of its narrative focus. No. This book is about the unique experience of being a native Hawaiian, about the specific culture and mythology of Hawaiians. And I think it is the height of arrogance that Washburn thought he, simply because of his status as a Hawaii resident, felt entitled to speak about the lived experiences of indigenous Hawaiians. It's cultural appropriation.
And I think that perhaps Washburn knows he has done something problematic, because I read in his interviews how slickly he slides away from acknowledging that he is not Hawaiian. He proudly proclaims that he was "born and raised" on the Big Island, but he gets squirrelly when asked to admit his racial background (half African American, half "European American," he says—another person would likely just say "white").
As Jeanne, a biracial Tongan and respected media critic says:
No matter how much Washburn loves Hawaii and its culture, no matter how much research and respect he brings to the field, I still do not believe it is his place to appropriate the voice of native Hawaiians and attempt to write about their unique experiences—even in fiction.
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This is particularly important because Sharks is a book that is about being Hawaiian. It isn't a story merely set in the islands, nor is it a story that features native Hawaiian characters but focuses on other things as the main thrust of its narrative focus. No. This book is about the unique experience of being a native Hawaiian, about the specific culture and mythology of Hawaiians. And I think it is the height of arrogance that Washburn thought he, simply because of his status as a Hawaii resident, felt entitled to speak about the lived experiences of indigenous Hawaiians. It's cultural appropriation.
And I think that perhaps Washburn knows he has done something problematic, because I read in his interviews how slickly he slides away from acknowledging that he is not Hawaiian. He proudly proclaims that he was "born and raised" on the Big Island, but he gets squirrelly when asked to admit his racial background (half African American, half "European American," he says—another person would likely just say "white").
As Jeanne, a biracial Tongan and respected media critic says:
"It’s hilarious to me how people just assume a non-Native POC has some kind of insider knowledge on Hawaiian culture just because they lived or even was born there.
It like assuming I’m an expert on the history and culture of the Duamish people because I live in Seattle.
No matter how much Washburn loves Hawaii and its culture, no matter how much research and respect he brings to the field, I still do not believe it is his place to appropriate the voice of native Hawaiians and attempt to write about their unique experiences—even in fiction.
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April 1, 2020
I actually Finished Kawai Strong Washburn’s Sharks in the Time of Saviors on it’s publication day, which was yesterday, but I needed a whole night to sleep on it, because, wow. About a family who builds their identity around one child rescued by sharks and seemingly carrying sacred abilities within his body, this book details how those expectations dull some, harm others, and divide a family and the power that would otherwise be held within that unit. About sibling rivalry, about the grinding poverty that Native Hawaiians are forced to endure in their home that is a playground to the white and wealthy, about growing up and finding yourself, about surviving loss, and about connecting to the ancestors and all of creation, this book was singular. The writing was entirely it’s own, the characters became people I loved fiercely, and the power of the text blew me out of the water again and again and again. I was voracious for this book, and I wish I could start it fresh with new eyes so I could experience it all over again. Thank you @mcclellandstewart for this review copy, I couldn’t have possibly loved this book more.
February 7, 2020
Sharks in the Time of Saviours is the first novel by Hawaiian-born author, Kawai Strong Washburn. Conceived on a night when the gods roam the Big Island, Nainao Flores is different from the start, and it eventually becomes more apparent how special he is. Gifted (or plagued) with premonitory visions, saved by sharks, able to heal, a boy so singular is bound to be treated differently. So young, yet believing himself charged with the salvation of the islands.
But this (perhaps) messiah is not an only child. Nor do his parents know quite how to nurture the gift. From them comes favour and protection and support; from his siblings, in addition to the usual love and rivalry, there’s also jealousy and resentment. And from the island dwellers, the entreaties (or sometimes, demands) to heal. And none of it alters the fact that there’s no living to be made in the islands.
Dean heads to Spokane on a basketball scholarship to make it big; Nainoa finds himself a paramedic in Portland, using his gift to save the dying, while Kaui determines to quash her invisibility by becoming an engineer. But away from home, nothing goes completely right for any of them…
What a powerful, moving tale Washburn gives the reader! His characters are complex and believable, with flaws and redeeming qualities both. Washburn has a talent for conveying feelings and emotions, of which his characters exhibit anxiety, grief, love, wonder, envy, heartbreak and much more besides.
Sometimes they are deeply spiritual, at other times, forced to be practical, but ultimately the connection to the land and to all life forms, to the past and the present overrides all. There are touches of the paranormal, of magical realism in this outstanding debut novel. Washburn is an author to watch
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by Better Reading Preview and Penguin Hamish Hamilton
But this (perhaps) messiah is not an only child. Nor do his parents know quite how to nurture the gift. From them comes favour and protection and support; from his siblings, in addition to the usual love and rivalry, there’s also jealousy and resentment. And from the island dwellers, the entreaties (or sometimes, demands) to heal. And none of it alters the fact that there’s no living to be made in the islands.
Dean heads to Spokane on a basketball scholarship to make it big; Nainoa finds himself a paramedic in Portland, using his gift to save the dying, while Kaui determines to quash her invisibility by becoming an engineer. But away from home, nothing goes completely right for any of them…
What a powerful, moving tale Washburn gives the reader! His characters are complex and believable, with flaws and redeeming qualities both. Washburn has a talent for conveying feelings and emotions, of which his characters exhibit anxiety, grief, love, wonder, envy, heartbreak and much more besides.
Sometimes they are deeply spiritual, at other times, forced to be practical, but ultimately the connection to the land and to all life forms, to the past and the present overrides all. There are touches of the paranormal, of magical realism in this outstanding debut novel. Washburn is an author to watch
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by Better Reading Preview and Penguin Hamish Hamilton
January 28, 2021
3.5 with a first-novel round up.
A promising premise, and a truly fascinating glimpse of life in the non-tourist native culture of Hawai'i that the brochures don't show you. I liked the blend of gritty details of working class life with flashes of magic, and there is some very lyrical writing. The novel’s early chapters are among the best and most original writing I have read in a long time. The problem is that the book has long flabby parts, and never recovers the enchantment of the beginning.
The archetypes are set up early - salt of the earth parents, the "chosen one" son, the sassy smart younger sister, and the older athletic screw-up brother. The latter two are frozen in resentment of their brother, and of their parents' hopes for their brother, and let their own considerable talents (and connection to the ancestral magic) wither as a result. Most of the character development and growth comes at the end. In the middle come long chapters where the plot advances in lurches - we keep waiting for the dramatic impulse of the book's opening to return, but it never does. Washburn's voice is strong, but can't quite hold you through the emotional sameness of the long middle chapters.
Very minor demerits for anachronisms in slang and pop culture.
Washburn has increased the number of novels I've read about Hawaiian culture from 0 to 1, and for that I'm grateful. He conveys the unique beauty of an ancient culture and its very specific modern incarnation that is very different from anything I've read about before - even in the stories of indigenous people from the mainland. I look forward to reading more of what Washburn writes - with some restraint making his work tighter, it could be truly extraordinary.
A promising premise, and a truly fascinating glimpse of life in the non-tourist native culture of Hawai'i that the brochures don't show you. I liked the blend of gritty details of working class life with flashes of magic, and there is some very lyrical writing. The novel’s early chapters are among the best and most original writing I have read in a long time. The problem is that the book has long flabby parts, and never recovers the enchantment of the beginning.
The archetypes are set up early - salt of the earth parents, the "chosen one" son, the sassy smart younger sister, and the older athletic screw-up brother. The latter two are frozen in resentment of their brother, and of their parents' hopes for their brother, and let their own considerable talents (and connection to the ancestral magic) wither as a result. Most of the character development and growth comes at the end. In the middle come long chapters where the plot advances in lurches - we keep waiting for the dramatic impulse of the book's opening to return, but it never does. Washburn's voice is strong, but can't quite hold you through the emotional sameness of the long middle chapters.
Very minor demerits for anachronisms in slang and pop culture.
Washburn has increased the number of novels I've read about Hawaiian culture from 0 to 1, and for that I'm grateful. He conveys the unique beauty of an ancient culture and its very specific modern incarnation that is very different from anything I've read about before - even in the stories of indigenous people from the mainland. I look forward to reading more of what Washburn writes - with some restraint making his work tighter, it could be truly extraordinary.
August 10, 2024
Strong 4 stars.
It was a little bit of a slow starter for me and it took me a minute to figure out who the characters were and also when they were- but once I got that straight in my head it was quite an engrossing read.
Mom & Dad: Malia and Augie
The kids: Dean, Naninoa and Kaui
Malia & Augie - high school sweethearts whose love is still strong are living hand to mouth on The Big Island of Hawaii in the late 1990’s with their 3 kids. The sugar cane plantation shuts down and Augie loses his job. They try to make ends meet as long as they can but soon realize they need to reach out to family for help and move to Kalihi on O’ahu. Before they leave, Augie gets the family tickets for a glass bottomed boat tour. The events that take place on this boat change their lives forever.
Middle son, Naninoa (Noa) falls overboard and a group of sharks save him, carefully placing him back on the boat unharmed.
The family moves to O’ahu and realizes their young son now has some very special healing “powers”.
Dean & Kaui essentially become glass children, even though they have some incredible talents of their own and the author takes us through each character’s life with alternating point of view chapters.
It was heart wrenching to read but I was definitely sucked into each family member’s story. Hawaiian traditions, beliefs and lore play a big role in the family’s story of love and grief.
Amazing debut novel.
It was a little bit of a slow starter for me and it took me a minute to figure out who the characters were and also when they were- but once I got that straight in my head it was quite an engrossing read.
Mom & Dad: Malia and Augie
The kids: Dean, Naninoa and Kaui
Malia & Augie - high school sweethearts whose love is still strong are living hand to mouth on The Big Island of Hawaii in the late 1990’s with their 3 kids. The sugar cane plantation shuts down and Augie loses his job. They try to make ends meet as long as they can but soon realize they need to reach out to family for help and move to Kalihi on O’ahu. Before they leave, Augie gets the family tickets for a glass bottomed boat tour. The events that take place on this boat change their lives forever.
Middle son, Naninoa (Noa) falls overboard and a group of sharks save him, carefully placing him back on the boat unharmed.
The family moves to O’ahu and realizes their young son now has some very special healing “powers”.
Dean & Kaui essentially become glass children, even though they have some incredible talents of their own and the author takes us through each character’s life with alternating point of view chapters.
It was heart wrenching to read but I was definitely sucked into each family member’s story. Hawaiian traditions, beliefs and lore play a big role in the family’s story of love and grief.
Amazing debut novel.
March 15, 2021
7 year old Nainoa Flores is gently carried back to the boat he has fallen from in the teeth of a shark. The shark holding him as if made from glass, like he was its child, head up out of the water like a dog. Later Noa will heal a boy's hand torn apart from a firework mishap.
There is magic at work here, the old gods of the island working through this golden boy. But Washburn can't let the story tumble along without dropping ominous portents, foreshadowing some grim future. Meanwhile Noa's two siblings, who interchange chapters tell their story. Of being eclipsed by their brother, or worse being plied for information about how he's doing. How it feels like they are being muscled out of the spotlight of their parents affections and how it sits like a heavy weight with them both. It's this dark cloud rumbling ever present in the distance and it hangs heavy over the story. And then it really starts to pour.
I'm embarrassed to admit how long it took me to realize I was reading an indigenous story, of the generational trauma of the colonized. How it breaks them and calls them home all the same. But man, just out of the teeth of winter and this was such a grey tale that just sat hard and heavy on the heart.
There is magic at work here, the old gods of the island working through this golden boy. But Washburn can't let the story tumble along without dropping ominous portents, foreshadowing some grim future. Meanwhile Noa's two siblings, who interchange chapters tell their story. Of being eclipsed by their brother, or worse being plied for information about how he's doing. How it feels like they are being muscled out of the spotlight of their parents affections and how it sits like a heavy weight with them both. It's this dark cloud rumbling ever present in the distance and it hangs heavy over the story. And then it really starts to pour.
I'm embarrassed to admit how long it took me to realize I was reading an indigenous story, of the generational trauma of the colonized. How it breaks them and calls them home all the same. But man, just out of the teeth of winter and this was such a grey tale that just sat hard and heavy on the heart.
May 11, 2020
Not what I expected, but it turned out to be really good nonetheless.
I found out about this book very recently from a 'new releases you should check out' article (maybe from Tor). The title grabbed me immediately since it has sharks in it. And the cover! As a marine enthusiast, my heart leaped with joy due to the opportunity to read a fantasy book with sharks in it.
I was wrong. The novel barely had sharks in it. It's more literary fiction, imbued with magical realism you could find in Isabel Allende or Gabriel Garcia Marquez's novels. It is a family story that started in Hawai'i about a mother, a father, three children, one of which experienced a possibly divine intervention. Or did he? The magical elements were so few I think some might even be in the characters' own heads. How about the plot? Oh it is so subtle people might find it hard to find. Nevertheless, if you enjoy explorations on identities, way of being, and all that jazz, you will enjoy this.
Boy, was it immersive. The Hawaiian culture (myth included) not only in the background but served as an integral part of the characters' narratives. The writing flows really well too. I learned a new word that described the style: vernacular (thanks, Gabi!) Sure I got a bit impatient at times but there was not any torpor in the narration. The characters - the book is told from multiple POVs - felt real. Human. You just almost experienced the struggle, sweat, blood, tears, aches.
It could have a stronger ending but this is already a strong debut novel. I'll be looking forward to what the author has to offer next.
Thank you Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the review copy.
I found out about this book very recently from a 'new releases you should check out' article (maybe from Tor). The title grabbed me immediately since it has sharks in it. And the cover! As a marine enthusiast, my heart leaped with joy due to the opportunity to read a fantasy book with sharks in it.
I was wrong. The novel barely had sharks in it. It's more literary fiction, imbued with magical realism you could find in Isabel Allende or Gabriel Garcia Marquez's novels. It is a family story that started in Hawai'i about a mother, a father, three children, one of which experienced a possibly divine intervention. Or did he? The magical elements were so few I think some might even be in the characters' own heads. How about the plot? Oh it is so subtle people might find it hard to find. Nevertheless, if you enjoy explorations on identities, way of being, and all that jazz, you will enjoy this.
Boy, was it immersive. The Hawaiian culture (myth included) not only in the background but served as an integral part of the characters' narratives. The writing flows really well too. I learned a new word that described the style: vernacular (thanks, Gabi!) Sure I got a bit impatient at times but there was not any torpor in the narration. The characters - the book is told from multiple POVs - felt real. Human. You just almost experienced the struggle, sweat, blood, tears, aches.
It could have a stronger ending but this is already a strong debut novel. I'll be looking forward to what the author has to offer next.
Thank you Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the review copy.
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