Wren and Lewis are newly married when their world is rocked by a secret: Lewis has developed a rare medical diagnosis, causing him to mutate into a great white shark. As Lewis’s body and brain begin this transformation, Wren supports him, keeping her own grief and fear tight-lipped while navigating what this change means for her future. But Lewis’s transformation also resurfaces memories for Wren, whose mother, Angela, went through a difficult mutation of her own when Wren was a child. Over three distinct sections, SHARK HEART examines the ways chronic and terminal illnesses impact families, how we handle grief and loss, and the ways we show love to one another when it matters most. 

 

This was a fantastic selection for book club because there was so much to discuss. SHARK HEART is heartbreaking, beautiful, strange, odd, confusing and grounding all at once. There are some truly beautiful lines sprinkled throughout that ruminate on what it means to live and love in a world where the unexpected lurks around every corner. 

 

SHARK HEART is not solely about Lewis and Wren’s relationship. The book really orbits around Wren’s story as a whole. At first, the way the story was told was jarring; it jumps around with non-chronological vignettes and uses alternative prose and script chapters. However, as you go on, it’s easier to understand why the story unfolds the way it does—adding more meaning and depth to Wren’s character with each page. 

 

I read this on ebook and want to get a physical copy to annotate and examine some of those alternative chapters more closely. When do script scenes show up, and what is their purpose? How does the use of white space on the page impact the words used? These things felt very intentional and worthy of a second look. 

 

The parallels Habeck draws to terminal illness with the mutations were also extremely interesting and layered. Without pinpointing one particular ailment, Habeck says a lot about what it means to be diagnosed with, and to support someone diagnosed with, scary, debilitating illnesses. 

 

I can absolutely see myself returning to this book again. I cried a lot, but I also was warmed by the ending. It was overall quite lovely.