Lewis and Wren are unlikely newlyweds. Lewis--the artist, the actor, the dreamer; and Wren--the realist, the stable one, Lewis' anchor. Together, they harmonize perfectly and set their sights on a long life together. Then, out of the blue, Lewis is diagnosed with a rare but rapidly-progressing mutation that will turn him into a great white shark.
I haven't lost you, have I? Please tell me I haven't lost you.
Because over the course of 9 poignant, poetic months, Lewis' transformation from man into shark in "Shark Heart" can only be described as masterful. Set against the backdrop of Lewis and Wren's marriage, Habeck pens a story that is part novel, part play, and part poetry; a curious amalgam of metaphors and magical realism, but one that is utterly spellbinding.
The characters of Wren and Lewis (and later, Angela, but wait for Act II for her) are imbued with such a delicate, familiar humanness that it almost took my breath away, what I expected to be a weird, fantastical story of transformation turned out to be a powerful meditation on love, loss, and seasonality. I clung to every word in this and found myself transfixed by Lewis' passion, Wren's longing, and the fleeting glimpses I got of other characters throughout the novel--some afflicted by animal mutations like Lewis, some afflicted by voids the mutations left.
An unforgettable journey--and quick read, despite its 400 or so pages--that barrels straight into the heart of the human condition, "Shark Heart" is weird and wonderful and profound and so, so much more. A must-read of the year, and an astounding debut.
Rating: 5 Stars
Publication Details: Out 8/8/2023, Marysue Rucci Books (Simon Element)
*Many thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for providing me with my review copy of this title*
