Book review: Shark Girl

Shark Girl by Kelly Bingham

Jane Arrowood is fifteen, loves cooking, and is an accomplished artist. Her life changes one day at the beach when she is attacked by a shark and loses most of her right arm. Not only does she find it incredibly difficult to come to terms with the loss of her arm, but a man at the beach caught the attack on video and it was shown on the news across the country. While hundreds of people write to say how brave she is and that they are pulling for her, Jane struggles with anger and frustration at not being able to do the things she could do before. And how can she even go out in public when everyone knows what happened to her and will be staring?

Shark girl was a captivating read. Jane was very realistic: angry at the world (and herself) for what happened, frustrated that the things she most loved to do now seem impossible, and anxious about going out in public knowing that absolutely everyone has seen the horrific footage of the attack. The reactions of the people around her - her mother, brother, relatives, friends, therapist - are all different yet realistic. All this, and the novel is entirely in verse form.

I didn't think
things could get much worse
when the doctors told me,
their voices penetrating
some faraway cloud
I'd been inhaling,
"Jane, we've had to amputate.
Your right arm, Jane.
Above the elbow."
I didn't think things could get worse.
But then I was in a coma for
the first ten days. (excerpt from page 6)

I'd never read a poetry novel before but I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to reading others in the library collection. Bingham does an excellent job.

4 stars out of 5 for Shark Girl.

Author's website.

Author interview (discussing Shark Girl).