Scan barcode
lis_allenwalker's review
4.0
Incredibly interesting. It did lag a bit towards the end but overall I thought it was great.
tbr_trepidation's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
bookbrig's review
adventurous
informative
fast-paced
3.75
This was a fascinating read, and I loved the shark descriptions and wildlife portions. That said, the stretch about the human history on the islands was one of the least engaging, and the final stretch of the story was (understandably) much more focused on the humans than the creatures at the island. The epilogue also felt really abrupt for an honestly really big plot reveal. I would have liked more reflection or information about the fallout of the end of the story.
Anyway, I'm glad I read this, but it also left me wanting to read more about sharks so I'm going to look for something more recent on a similar subject.
Anyway, I'm glad I read this, but it also left me wanting to read more about sharks so I'm going to look for something more recent on a similar subject.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Blood
saraireads's review against another edition
3.0
This started off really strong. I enjoyed learning about great white sharks, the Farallon Islands, and the scientists that dedicated their lives to researching these amazing animals.
However, the second half of the book was focused on Susan's personal experiences while on the island, and it read more like very detailed diary entries of her months there which was tedious. I felt like this section dragged on and could have been cut in half. I would have much preferred to read more about the great whites, seals, birds, the island and its history, etc. I found myself zoning out through much of this section.
I also didn't get the whole "obsession and survival" bit that was promised in the subtitle. I felt like the researchers, Peter and Scott, were more obsessed with the sharks and actually went through some brutal experiences while on the island. I would have loved to get more information about them and their experiences instead.
However, the second half of the book was focused on Susan's personal experiences while on the island, and it read more like very detailed diary entries of her months there which was tedious. I felt like this section dragged on and could have been cut in half. I would have much preferred to read more about the great whites, seals, birds, the island and its history, etc. I found myself zoning out through much of this section.
I also didn't get the whole "obsession and survival" bit that was promised in the subtitle. I felt like the researchers, Peter and Scott, were more obsessed with the sharks and actually went through some brutal experiences while on the island. I would have loved to get more information about them and their experiences instead.
larissadistler's review
3.0
Great white sharks are awesome . . . and terrifying. They bite the heads off of elephant seals and then frolic in the fountain of blood.
They've also been evolving 100 times longer than we have so their bodies are perfectly suited to what they do and they are bad ass. They're like biker gangs of the ocean world except instead of tattoos they are marked with scars all over their bodies. Their prey is huge (Except for orcas, who team up and eat great white sharks for breakfast). They don't seem to really want to eat humans. They prefer bigger, blubbery-er animals.
What we know about them is pretty slim. Susan Casey describes a research team that dedicated fifteen years to studying great whites off the coast of California in the "red triangle." She describes living in near isolation, watching elephant seals get decapitated, boats escaping during huge storms, and surprisingly little about the terrifying, but awesome great white shark.
"Voices from the Ocean" about dolphins is a better book with a lot more history, science, and insight into dolphins. Granted dolphins are much easier to get close to and interact with and there are more dolphin studies going on world wide.
I hope the shark research goes on and in the future I get to read a brilliant expose on what makes a shark tick. This was not that book, but it was a start and it did pique my interest.
They've also been evolving 100 times longer than we have so their bodies are perfectly suited to what they do and they are bad ass. They're like biker gangs of the ocean world except instead of tattoos they are marked with scars all over their bodies. Their prey is huge (Except for orcas, who team up and eat great white sharks for breakfast). They don't seem to really want to eat humans. They prefer bigger, blubbery-er animals.
What we know about them is pretty slim. Susan Casey describes a research team that dedicated fifteen years to studying great whites off the coast of California in the "red triangle." She describes living in near isolation, watching elephant seals get decapitated, boats escaping during huge storms, and surprisingly little about the terrifying, but awesome great white shark.
"Voices from the Ocean" about dolphins is a better book with a lot more history, science, and insight into dolphins. Granted dolphins are much easier to get close to and interact with and there are more dolphin studies going on world wide.
I hope the shark research goes on and in the future I get to read a brilliant expose on what makes a shark tick. This was not that book, but it was a start and it did pique my interest.
trin's review
5.0
A pretty perfect example of narrative nonfiction: exciting, informative, and full of great characters, human and shark alike. Casey makes sharks weirdly lovable -- or makes you think sharks actually just are weirdly lovable. (Gulls, however, are assholes.)
The ending is shocking and tragic; Casey's exploration of obsession is not without consequences. This is a fascinating and eye-opening book.
The ending is shocking and tragic; Casey's exploration of obsession is not without consequences. This is a fascinating and eye-opening book.