Sharks aren't just predators in Hawaii. They're family. When you pick up Sharks in the Time of Saviors by Kawai Strong Washburn, you aren't just reading a debut novel that won a PEN/Hemingway Award; you're stepping into a specific kind of spiritual reality that defines the islands. Honestly, most people from the mainland see a shark and think Jaws. They think teeth. They think terror. But in the context of this book and the actual culture it stems from, the shark—the mano—is an ‘aumakua. It’s a guardian.
The story kicks off in 1995 when a young boy named Nainoa Flores falls off a cruise ship. Instead of being torn apart, he’s cradled in the jaws of sharks and delivered back to his mother. It’s a miracle. It’s also a curse.
Washburn doesn't write this like a fairy tale. He writes it like a heavy, salt-crusted weight. The Flores family is struggling. They are "local" but squeezed by the economic machinery of tourism and the historical trauma of a kingdom lost. When the sharks intervene, they aren't just saving a boy; they are marking a family for a destiny that none of them are actually prepared to handle.
Why the sharks in the time of saviors matter so much
You’ve got to understand the concept of the ‘aumakua to get why this book works. In Hawaiian mythology, an ‘aumakua is an ancestral spirit that takes a physical form—often a shark, an owl (pueo), or a lizard (mo‘o). This isn't some metaphor. For many families, it’s a literal connection to their lineage.
When the sharks appear in the opening pages, Washburn is signaling a return of the old gods to a world that has tried to pave them over with luxury resorts and sugar cane debt. Nainoa becomes a vessel for this ancient power. He can heal people. He can see things others can't. But the tragedy of the novel is how this "savior" status creates a rift. His siblings, Kaui and Dean, are left in the shadow of this supernatural favoritism.
It’s messy.
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Kaui flees to the mainland to punish her body through rock climbing and engineering, trying to find a different kind of strength that doesn't rely on gods. Dean tries to find his worth through basketball, chasing a professional dream that feels like the only way out of poverty. They are all running. Some run toward the past, some run as far away from the islands as they can get.
The weight of the savior narrative
We love a chosen one story. Usually, the hero gets the powers, saves the day, and everyone claps. Washburn flips that. He shows the "saviors" as people who are fundamentally broken by the expectations placed upon them. Nainoa’s gift feels less like a superpower and more like a terminal illness. He’s tired. The sharks didn't just give him life; they gave him a responsibility that eats him from the inside out.
I think about the way the landscape is described. It’s visceral. You can smell the rotting guava and the volcanic dust. This isn't the Hawaii of postcards. This is the Hawaii of the people who actually live there, working multiple jobs and watching their culture get packaged and sold back to them. The sharks represent a power that cannot be bought or sold. That's why they're dangerous.
Real-world influences behind the fiction
Washburn, who grew up on the Hamakua Coast of the Big Island, pulled from real geography and real tensions. The collapse of the sugar industry in the 90s isn't just a backdrop; it’s the reason the Flores family is desperate. When the Hāmākua Sugar Company closed in 1994, it left a massive hole in the local economy.
That desperation makes the "miracle" of the sharks even more complicated. The family wonders if Nainoa can be their financial savior too. It’s a heartbreaking intersection of ancient spirituality and modern capitalism.
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- The Big Island Context: The ruggedness of the terrain reflects the internal lives of the characters.
- The Diaspora: Thousands of Hawaiians move to the mainland (specifically places like Washington or California) for work, just like the characters in the book.
- Mythology vs. Reality: The struggle to maintain indigenous identity in a globalized world.
The book basically asks: what do you do when the gods choose you, but the world doesn't have a place for you?
What readers get wrong about the ending
I won't spoil the literal beats, but a lot of people find the ending of Sharks in the Time of Saviors confusing or jarring. They expect a neat resolution where the family reunites and everything is fine. But that's not how myths work.
Myths are cyclical. They require sacrifice.
The story moves from the Big Island to Washington state and back again. It’s a journey of "returning." In Hawaiian culture, the concept of kuleana (responsibility/privilege) is central. Nainoa’s kuleana is tied to the land and the sea. When he tries to live a "normal" life on the mainland, he withers. The ending is a brutal, beautiful reclamation of that identity. It’s about the fact that you can’t outrun your ancestors. They’ll find you. Even if they have to swim across an ocean to do it.
How to engage with these themes in real life
If you’re moved by the story and want to understand the actual culture and ecology that inspired it, don't just go on a snorkeling tour. Look deeper.
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First, acknowledge that Hawaii is a occupied territory with a complex political history. Reading authors like Washburn or Kristiana Kahakauwila provides a much-needed counter-narrative to the "paradise" trope.
Second, look at the actual conservation efforts for sharks in Hawaii. In 2022, Hawaii became the first state in the U.S. to ban shark fishing in state waters. This isn't just about the environment; it’s about respect for a creature that holds a sacred place in the local heart. The mano is a keystone species—if the sharks die, the entire reef ecosystem collapses. It’s a perfect mirror for the book’s theme: when we lose our connection to the ancient, the modern world falls apart.
Practical steps for readers and travelers
- Read Native Hawaiian Authors: Beyond Washburn, look for works by Haunani-Kay Trask or Maualaivao Albert Wendt to understand the broader Pacific context.
- Support Local Land Trusts: Organizations like the Hawai‘i Land Trust work to protect the types of sacred spaces described in the novel.
- Learn the Language: Even understanding a few words like ‘aina (land) or pono (righteousness/balance) changes how you perceive the dialogue in the book.
- Visit Responsibly: If you travel to the islands, avoid the "savior" complex. Be a guest. Respect the kapu (taboo) signs.
Sharks in the Time of Saviors is a heavy read, but it's essential. It strips away the plastic leis and the ukulele covers to show the bone and gristle of what it means to belong to a place that the rest of the world views as a playground. It’s about the teeth of the past catching up to the present. And honestly? It’s one of the most honest things ever written about the islands.
To truly wrap your head around the impact of this story, you should look into the history of the Overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1893. Understanding that the "saviors" in the book are operating in a landscape that was stolen helps explain the underlying grief that haunts every page. The sharks aren't just saving a boy; they're trying to save a soul that’s been under siege for over a century.