Dominic Salt and his three children are the remaining caretakers on tiny Shearwater Island near Antarctica. It is home to a lighthouse, a large seal population, and one of the world's largest seed banks. Unfortunately, rising tides and severe storms are eroding the island, and it is up to the Salt family to save what seeds they can in anticipation of their own evacuation.
After an especially severe storm, they find a woman, barely clinging to life, washed ashore. The woman, Rowan, is less than forthcoming about her reason for coming to the island, and Dominic and his children, wary of her, have their own secrets to keep. Trust is slow to come, and when Rowan begins exploring the former research station and questioning what happened to the researchers and who sabotaged the radios, the tension rises. Faced with a pending evacuation, Rowan and the Salt family set aside their misgivings and band together to salvage what they can from the seed bank before time and the elements destroy what remains.
This is a beautifully written novel that is about love, self-preservation, and tough choices. In the bleak island landscape, McConaghy creates a world that is both dangerous and starkly beautiful. The dilemmas facing Rowan and the Salt family members are juxtaposed with the island's impending destruction and the need to save themselves and the seeds. All lead to a tense and suspenseful story.
5/5 stars.
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