In Pontus and Electra: To the Depths of the Sea, Shanti Hershenson weaves a lyrical, aching tale of two lonely great white sharks—Pontus and Electra—who find purpose and connection in each other. Told in a poetic, vignette-like structure, the book alternates perspectives, blending environmental commentary with raw emotion and surprising tenderness. Against the backdrop of warming oceans, human threats, and grief, Pontus and Electra navigate fear, loss, companionship, and ultimately love, diving deeper into the sea and each other.

I didn’t expect to get emotional reading about sharks, but here I am, completely gutted and grateful. Hershenson writes with a dreamy style that’s both tender and brutal. Lines float like seafoam and then crash like waves. I loved the way she captures the loneliness of the ocean, of being “one-of-a-kind,” of searching the blue void for someone who understands. And when Pontus meets Electra? I held my breath. Their relationship builds slowly, clumsily, beautifully. It’s not just a romance, it’s survival, forgiveness, and healing.

There’s no traditional plot arc, and the prose leans on repetition and abstraction. But for me, it worked. It made the ocean feel mythic, the sharks feel ancient and sentient. The environmental message about pollution, overfishing, oil spills, and the cruelty of finning hits hard, but it never feels preachy. It’s heartbreaking because it’s told through creatures just trying to live. The parts about Electra losing her mother were absolutely wrenching.

Pontus and Electra is a love story, yes, but also a quiet plea to look deeper, to care more, to recognize the wild hearts beneath the waves. I’d recommend this book to readers who enjoy poetic storytelling, character-driven narratives, or marine life in fiction. Teens and adults alike could connect with it. It’s especially perfect for fans of lyrical prose and gentle speculative stories.

Pages: 139 | ASIN : B0F6VX7GDB