Shark Heart : A Love Story by Emily Habeck

A bizarrely beautiful tale of love, transformation, and the fear of losing those we hold dear…

This was another novel I read this year that I needed to sit with for a while. The concept is undeniably strange—something so out of the ordinary, so implausible—but it left me feeling profoundly moved. Not in a bad way, but in a way that made me reflect on the fear of losing the ones I love, and how devastating it can feel when someone you care about changes in ways you can’t control.

The premise is unusual: Lewis is ill, and his disease is slowly turning him into a shark. Yes, it sounds bizarre, even absurd, but the emotional truth of the story is what hits hardest. Watching Wren struggle to come to terms with this, and seeing Lewis face the terrifying process of being physically dehumanized, was heartbreaking and raw. I found myself in tears more than once.

Beyond the central premise, the novel explores complex relationships—particularly motherhood, transformation, and the pain of letting go of those we love while they are still alive. On a personal note, having watched a loved one slowly deteriorate from Alzheimer’s, this story resonated deeply, bringing those feelings to the surface and allowing me to sit with them in a new way.

If you’re not afraid of a little magical realism and want a story that is both emotionally intense and beautifully strange, Shark Heart: A Love Story is one to pick up immediately.

RATING: 4.5/5