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artemisiaday's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
popthebutterfly's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Disclaimer: I received this book from my library. Support your local library! All opinions are my own.
Book: Shark Dialogues
Author: Kiana Davenport
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Diversity: Hawaiian MC and characters
Recommended For...: historical fiction, magical realism
Publication Date: August 1, 1995
Genre: Historical Fiction
Age Relevance: 17+ (sexual content slight, DNFed read)
Explanation of Above: There is some slight sexual content in this book. I also had to DNF this read so not all content and relevance items are here.
Publisher: Plume
Pages: 512
Synopsis: Beginning with the fateful meeting of a nineteenth-century Yankee sailor and the runaway daughter of a Tahitian chief, and sweeping over a century and a half of passionate, turbulent Hawaiian history, Shark Dialogues takes its place as the first novel to do justice to the rich heritage and cruel conflicts of the beautiful and beleaguered islands and their people. Surreal, provocative, erotic, magical, meaningful, and supremely wise, it is a tale of islanders and invaders, of victors and victims, of queens and whores, of lepers and healers. And at its center are Pono, the magnificent pure-blooded matriarch and seer, and her four mixed-blood granddaughters seeking to come to terms with the contradictions of their ancestries and the hungers of their hearts. Their loves, their hates, the bonds joining them, and the furies possessing them are interwoven with ancient legends and lore of the islands whose past offers their salvation and whose future is their fate. Kiana Davenport has written a major contribution to the literature of the Pacific Rim—a great reading experience both brilliantly contemporary in its form and timeless in its illumination.
Review: I had to DNF this read at about 15% into it. I couldn’t get into it as much as I wanted to. The world building was amazing and the details were so beautiful, but a bit hard for me to understand. There was a lot going on in the book and it was just a little overwhelming for me.
Verdict: I couldn’t get into this one and it wasn’t for me, but maybe it’ll be for you!
Book: Shark Dialogues
Author: Kiana Davenport
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Diversity: Hawaiian MC and characters
Recommended For...: historical fiction, magical realism
Publication Date: August 1, 1995
Genre: Historical Fiction
Age Relevance: 17+ (sexual content slight, DNFed read)
Explanation of Above: There is some slight sexual content in this book. I also had to DNF this read so not all content and relevance items are here.
Publisher: Plume
Pages: 512
Synopsis: Beginning with the fateful meeting of a nineteenth-century Yankee sailor and the runaway daughter of a Tahitian chief, and sweeping over a century and a half of passionate, turbulent Hawaiian history, Shark Dialogues takes its place as the first novel to do justice to the rich heritage and cruel conflicts of the beautiful and beleaguered islands and their people. Surreal, provocative, erotic, magical, meaningful, and supremely wise, it is a tale of islanders and invaders, of victors and victims, of queens and whores, of lepers and healers. And at its center are Pono, the magnificent pure-blooded matriarch and seer, and her four mixed-blood granddaughters seeking to come to terms with the contradictions of their ancestries and the hungers of their hearts. Their loves, their hates, the bonds joining them, and the furies possessing them are interwoven with ancient legends and lore of the islands whose past offers their salvation and whose future is their fate. Kiana Davenport has written a major contribution to the literature of the Pacific Rim—a great reading experience both brilliantly contemporary in its form and timeless in its illumination.
Review: I had to DNF this read at about 15% into it. I couldn’t get into it as much as I wanted to. The world building was amazing and the details were so beautiful, but a bit hard for me to understand. There was a lot going on in the book and it was just a little overwhelming for me.
Verdict: I couldn’t get into this one and it wasn’t for me, but maybe it’ll be for you!
hiltzmoore's review against another edition
2.0
I love a good epic historical fiction, and I thought this book did a good job of covering the US usurping of the Hawaiian Monarchy. The author also did a great job of covering the leper colony of Molokai and the treatment of its patients. She just completely lost me with the grandaughter/cousin storylines, and for the love of all that is holy, she needs to stop with the run on sentences! I know it was done with artistic intent, but it wasn't well done and it was an overused tactic so that whenever I came across these paragraphs with no punctuation, I skimmed right over. I do like this author and will continue to try her works, but this was disappointing.
dkai's review against another edition
4.0
Generally in 2 sections, the first half of the book is a wild intergenerational tale interspersed with aspects of Hawaiian history that are often glossed over. The latter half tells of the four daughters and has important tales, but ultimately needs major editing for brevity (a brevity like that which was used so brilliantly in the first half).
courto875's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
mobcob's review against another edition
5.0
This book reads like both a legend and modern book. It explores what it means to be human from a Hawaiian background. The beginning of the book and its quick history of colonialism in Hawaii reminded me a lot of James Michener, but the examination of the human implications of this history were what made the book stand out.
ellajohn's review
dark
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
zarrazine's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.25
tigermuffin's review against another edition
This was just recommended by a featured GoodReads author, how exciting! I read it in 1997(?) and loved it.