Sharks in the Time of Saviors
Kawai Strong Washburn’s debut novel is remarkable. Here’s what I shared on Twitter immediately after finishing:
I inhaled this magnificent debut by @incrediblekdub.
— emily burack (@emburack) April 14, 2020
A gorgeous story of a native Hawaiian family, telling a tale of old gods & faith & modernity & survival & the history of Hawai’i & just so much more.
Run and read. (I got my copy from @Bookshop_Org! https://t.co/NKyTyvmiBK) pic.twitter.com/p8ZHA5Ki7E
Shall I expand on that? I shall.
1) I inhaled this magnificent debut. It’s true, I read it in two sittings. And the fastness I read something is no indicator of quality (sometimes I start a book and just want to finish it, so I power through), but in this case, I was captivated by Washburn’s writing. The timeline of the book — starting in 1995, and going through the late 2008/9ish – coupled with alternating perspectives between three siblings, plus their mom, made it feel effortless.
2) Gorgeous story of a native Hawaiian family. The family at the heart of the novel is the Flores family — Dean, Noa, and Kaui are the three siblings we spend our time with. They are a working-class native Hawaiian & Filipino family, struggling to make ends meet and aspiring for greater things beyond their lives — professional basketball, an engineering job, and more. But we’ll get to that. All you should know going into it: beautifully rendered characters.
3) telling a tale of old gods & faith & modernity …
Near the start of the book, their parents (Malia & Augie) decide to move to O’ahu in search of more opportunities. Before they go, they decide to take a glass-bottom tour boat, meant for tourists. Noa, 7 years old, falls in, and sharks start circling. Instead of eating him, or harming him, one shark gently takes Noa in his mouth and brings him back to the boat. Soon, Noa is a local hero — and dealing with newfound talents, like the ability to heal injuries. Soon, his parents are shifting all attention onto him, and pinning their hopes of a greater life — and even a better Hawai’i — onto his abilities.
4) & the history of Hawai’i
What worked so well, for me, about Sharks in the Time of Saviors was how deftly Washburn interwove the history of Hawai’i, from the myths of Hawaiian gods to the history of brutal colonization and exploitation.
5) & so much more
I went into reading this not knowing much, so I don’t want to tell you much more. What I will tell you: it’s not just about the pressures of being chosen, or being gifted. It’s about those around the gifted ones, not wanting to feel like second fiddle. It’s a story, first and foremost, set in Hawai’i, and the characters are shaped by the geography and culture and history of the island.
And, it’s realistic. It’s not magical. As Washburn said, “ I was very concerned about integrating these myths and legends in a way that felt experienced by the characters. I didn’t want to reinforce stereotypes about how Hawaii is some sort of exotic land. I tried to make the ‘magical’ elements feel more realistic so that readers wonder if things are really happening or characters are just imagining them.”
I love this part of the NYT book review: “Since the day humans began telling stories, we’ve strung countless narratives on our attempts to escape the past and find peace with the present. It is our collective cargo, and Washburn knows it. This may be his debut, but he proves himself an old hand at dissecting the ways in which places — our connections to them, our disconnections from them — break us and remake us. Out in the world, the siblings tussle with the Hawai’i within them and the America around them. Their dreams fail. They wrestle with sexuality, with belonging, with whether to go forward, deeper into America, or backward, home.”
Rating: ★★★★★
