Shark Heart by Emily Habeck
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
“The surface of love was a feeling, but beyond this thin layer, there was a fathomless, winding maze of caverns offering many places to see and explore. Wren used to think romantic passion only grew more intense in the depths . But this belief was naive and impractical, a by-product of a certainty-obsessed culture that equates love with longing and views ambivalence as a fatal flaw. Wren saw now how passion was delicate and temporary, a visitor, a feeling that would come and go. Feelings fled under pressure; feelings did not light the darkness . What remained strong in the deep, the hard times, was love as an effort , a doing, a conscious act of will. Soulmates, like her and Lewis, were not theoretical and found. They were tangible, built.”
This story is unlike anything you will have ever read. In fact, it’s so unusual that I am worried many people won’t even pick it up because it’s “too weird” but it’s an absolutely beautiful book on love, family, friendship, loss, grief, and so much more.
“The Tiny Pregnant Woman’s marriage had a culture of sacrifice rather than compromise. For this reason, she was jealous of Lewis, even though she had never met.”
Even though the blurb makes it sound like it’s only about Wren and her shark-turning husband, this is actually about generations of women. Wren is at the center of it, but her mom also takes up a third of the book. It’s touching, raw, deeply sad and also deeply beautiful.
“Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Wren wants to shout. The world is a big and small place, and life, a terrifying and sublime journey.”
I really loved every moment I spent with this unusual book. I really hope more people pick it up and get to experience this beautiful book.
with gratitude to edelweiss and Simon & Schuster for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
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