Wild Dark Shore – Charlotte McConaghy

READ FOR BOOKCLUB
Chosen by Rachel

Dominic Salt and his three children are caretakers of Shearwater, a tiny sub-antarctic island that is home to the world’s largest seed bank. It is being destroyed by climate change and while the Salts await rescuers, a woman washes ashore. Wild Dark Shore is an exploration of a world in crisis, both ecologically and emotionally. It’s a psychological and climate thriller with many twists, turns and surprises.

Maybe we will drown or burn or starve one day, but until then we get to choose if we’ll add to that destruction or if we will care for each other.

RACHEL
●  The multi-genre style of this book makes it very approachable. It has the twists, turns and plot dumps of a typical thriller, the character development of literary fiction, a wild gothic setting and the “what if?” climate fiction noose hangs menacingly in every scene, more realist than speculative. I forgave some of the more convenient plot drivers due to the author’s extraordinary work in creating emotional intensity in a well structured and paced format. This is the best cli fi novel I have read, as McConaghy does not get preachy or moralistic, but made me love the setting like a well-developed character. The more the raging sea dragged land into its depths, and the haunting lights tumbled in the howling winds, the more connected I felt to the Earth, a living, breathing thing begging for attention. – Rachel

JODIE
● This slow burn thriller had me fully immersed in the plot but it was the setting that is one of the most compelling elements of the novel. The rugged wind lashed the coastline and felt almost alive. The wild backdrop not only grounds the narrative but amplifies its gothic tone. The climate change theme was subtly woven into the narrative. It didn’t come across as preachy but showed us a realistic portrayal of environmental change. I found the seed bank aspect fascinating, and from Rach’s research learnt there is a world seed bank in Norway. A great novel that threw out a lot of punches towards the end.

TESSA
●  I found Wild Dark Shore immersive and easy to move through, despite its darker themes. For me, the real strength of the novel was the author’s vivid description of the setting, brought to life through the characters’ perspectives — that was the part I connected with the most. I could really feel the isolation and beauty of the place, along with its dark past. I also appreciated the strong environmental focus, which is beautifully woven into the story, and learning about seed vaults added a fascinating element. The mystery aspect, however, felt a bit forced at times, which made it harder for me to connect with the characters emotionally until later in the book. It didn’t all work for me, but it was still a satisfying read.

SALLY
● I was very excited by the synopsis on the back of this book but ultimately, I found it unconvincing. The characters were well drawn apart from one in particular, who I felt was not as villainous as we were expected to find them. My main irritation was with the multiple, seemingly endless, plot strands. I found some of the character storylines unnecessary and distracting and others failed to ring true and added nothing to the story. For me, the climate change angle and the family dynamics would have filled the book.

Until our book group discussion, I was unaware there was a whole genre of fiction classed as climate fiction. I feel happy to have been educated! The author painted a great picture of the location, the wildlife, and the history of the island and she nailed the gothic fiction elements. This book was not a stand out for me, but I happily ready right to the end, which (unlike other members of our group), I did not see coming.

BRIDGET
●  The themes I gravitated towards the most in Wild Dark Shore were those that focused on the environment, grief, and hope. The characters each carry deep personal grief. Whether it’s the death of loved ones, or the slow erosion of the world, grief saturates them. Yet I always sensed a persistent glimmer of hope and that made the characters’ journeys relatable. This juxtaposition of environmental collapse and emotional resilience reminded me that it is not foolish to hope for better, it is necessary. 

The environmental destruction in this book is not just a backdrop, it felt like a living force that was shaping the characters’ decisions and relationships. The author’s talent of depicting wild spaces, crashing wind swept coastlines, ancient forests, and open sea helped me further understand the fragility of the human spirit and Mother Earth. I didn’t think I’d enjoy climate fiction but this won me over, especially with that ending which is fast-paced and full of surprising twists that kept me on my toes.

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Published 2025
Flatiron Books
303 pages