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Read and Cook with Robbie Cheadle – Jaws by Peter Benchley and Fish Paella #fiction #readingcommunity #cooking

Posted: August 13, 2025 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized |57 Comments

My review of Jaws

Picture caption: cover of Jaws by Peter Benchley featuring a shark heading for a swimming woman.

I watched the Stephen Spielberg movie when I was twelve years old and I never forgot it. Like most of my generation, Jaws, the movie, terrified me and I never swim at night or in murky water. I didn’t know about the book until I rewatched the movie recently. I was curious to read the book that underpinned the movie, which although dated, is still terrific. The book did not disappoint me. In fact, the book is better than the movie as it explores human relationships and elements outside of the main shark storyline thereby increasing the reader’s investment in the main characters. I loved the Chief of Police, Martin Brody, and rooted for him to succeed in his quest to save his hometown. from the shark. I disliked Hooper, the shark expert and one of the wealthy ‘summer’ people, and Brody’s wife who didn’t know what she wanted from life. It always fascinates me how American author’s depict political figures such as the major as being corrupt and unreliable. Jaws was no different and had its unethical character who unintentionally becomes an ally to the shark. 

The writing is enticing, and I enjoyed the depictions of the great ‘fish’ in its natural environment and role as a super predator. The shark’s behaviour, although more deliberate and considered than average for a shark, did not cross lines and become unbelievable. The author kept the storyline within the realms of the possible which I liked. 
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As mentioned earlier, the book refers to the wealthy summer visitors and the poorer all year round ‘winter’ folk who are dependent on summer trade to see them through the winter. It gently explores the differences between the two sets of people and highlights the lack of social cohesion between the groups and the resultant resentment of the winter people who feel inferior. 

The book also explores regret and a lack of gratitude for the non-material blessings in life. Hooper represents the spirit of the summer people and is shallow, arrogant, and selfish in many ways. He is also conflicted and uncertain of his role in society and life in general despite having all the privileges wealth brings. Brody represents the winter people who are solid, salt of the earth types with strong values and family ties. 

This is a book with a few fascinating layers making it more than the movie, however thrilling and chilling the movie was.

You can purchase Jaws here: https://www.amazon.com/Jaws-Novel-Peter-Benchley/dp/0345544145

A few quotes from Jaws

“There’s nothing in the sea this fish would fear. Other fish run from bigger things. That’s their instinct. But this fish doesn’t run from anything. He doesn’t fear.”

“Sharks have everything a scientist dreams of. They’re beautiful―God, how beautiful they are! They’re like an impossibly perfect piece of machinery. They’re as graceful as any bird. They’re as mysterious as any animal on earth. No one knows for sure how long they live or what impulses―except for hunger―they respond to. There are more than two hundred and fifty species of shark, and everyone is different from every other one.”

“The boy’s last—only—thought was that he had been punched in the stomach. The breath was driven from him in a sudden rush. He had no time to cry out, nor, had he had the time, would he have known what to cry, for he could not see the fish. The fish’s head drove the raft out of the water. The jaws smashed together, engulfing head, arms, shoulders, trunk, pelvis, and most of the raft. Nearly half the fish had come clear of the water, and it slid forward and down in a belly-flopping motion, grinding the mass of flesh and bone and rubber. The boy’s legs were severed at the hips, and they sank, spinning slowly, to the bottom.”

Fish Paella

Ingredients

olive oil to cook

1 large red bell pepper, diced

2 x red onions, diced

15 ml garlic flakes

1 litre chicken stock (you can use fish stock)

500 grams white fish. I used hake

500 grams Norwegian salmon

2 cups (500 ml) medium grain rice

3 tomatoes diced

pinch turmeric

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 cup fresh or frozen peas

milk for cooking

Method

Lay the fish in a large pan or wok and cover with milk. Once the milk starts boiling, cook for 10 minutes. Remove the skin once cooked and break into chunks.

In a large pot on the stove, fry the onion in the olive oil. Add the red pepper, garlic, turmeric, paprika, and tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes until the tomatoes start to soften. Add the rice and then the chicken stock. Bring to the boil and then turn down to a simmer. Simmer until most of the liquid is gone and the rice is plump. Add the peas and the fish. Simmer for another 5 minutes until the peas are cooked. Serve.

Picture caption: Fish paella in the pot prior to serving

Picture caption: Serving of fish paella with roasted cauliflower

About Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Picture caption: Robbie Cheadle author photograph 2025

Roberta Eaton Cheadle, is a South African writer and poet specialising in historical, paranormal, and horror novels and short stories. She is an avid reader in these genres and her writing has been influenced by famous authors including Bram Stoker, Edgar Allan Poe, Amor Towles, Stephen Crane, Enrich Maria Remarque, George Orwell, Stephen King, and Colleen McCullough.

Roberta has two published novels and a collection of short stories and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories included in several anthologies. She is also a contributor to the Ask the Authors 2022 (WordCrafter Writing Reference series).

Roberta is also the author and illustrator of seventeen children’s books, illustrator to a further three children’s books, and the author and illustrator of four poetry books published under the name of Robbie Cheadle, and has poems and short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.

Roberta’s blog features discussions about classic books, book reviews, poetry, and photography. https://roberta-writes.com/.

Find Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Blog: https://wordpress.com/view/robertawrites235681907.wordpress.com

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/robbiecheadle.bsky.social

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robertawrites

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Roberta-Eaton-Cheadle/e/B08RSNJQZ5

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This segment of “Read and Cook with Robbie Cheadle” is sponsored by the Midnight Anthology Series and WordCrafter Press.

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57 Comments on “Read and Cook with Robbie Cheadle – Jaws by Peter Benchley and Fish Paella #fiction #readingcommunity #cooking”

  1. Darlene's avatar Darlene says:
    August 13, 2025 at 12:44 am

    A great review of Jaws the book. I attended a paella party on the weekend with a huge seafood paella and a huge meat paella. So good. I love that you can put whatever you want in a paella.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  2. Read and Cook with Robbie Cheadle – Jaws by Peter Benchley and Fish Paella #fiction #readingcommunity #cooking – Robbie's inspiration says:
    August 13, 2025 at 12:44 am

    […] Read and Cook with Robbie Cheadle – Jaws by Peter Benchley and Fish Paella #fiction #readingcommun… […]

    Liked by 1 person

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  3. willowdot21's avatar willowdot21 says:
    August 13, 2025 at 1:26 am

    Hi Robbie this was a great review of a classic book! I always find the original books are better than the films! They are always more detailed and you can come to grips with the characters and circumstances.

    I had to laugh you reviewed Jaws then give us a wonderful recipe for fish paella 💜💜💜

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  4. Unknown's avatar Read and Cook with Robbie Cheadle – Jaws by Peter Benchley and Fish Paella #fiction #readingcommunity #cooking – Patty's Worlds says:
    August 13, 2025 at 2:56 am

    […] https://writingtoberead.com/2025/08/13/read-and-cook-with-robbie-cheadle-jaws-by-peter-benchley-and-… […]

    Liked by 1 person

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  5. Dave Astor's avatar Dave Astor says:
    August 13, 2025 at 3:00 am

    Excellent review, Robbie! It’s been a long time since I’ve read the “Jaws” novel, but I remember it being quite good — as you found as well.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  6. Ephemeral Encounters's avatar Ephemeral Encounters says:
    August 13, 2025 at 3:09 am

    The book sounds better than the film Robbie, and the paella looks yummy.
    Thanks for sharing.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  7. martintayler's avatar martintayler says:
    August 13, 2025 at 4:12 am

    Very good to be reminded about the book in your very good review – I read it and enjoyed it before seeing the film

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  8. Annette Rochelle Aben's avatar Annette Rochelle Aben says:
    August 13, 2025 at 6:02 am

    I have yet to taste or attempt to make paella… I have seen Jaws. Once. That was all I needed. The movie was remarkable and it is a timeless film that need never be rebooted.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  9. beetleypete's avatar beetleypete says:
    August 13, 2025 at 6:44 am

    You are right about the book being better than the film. I read the book before going to see the film, (I was 23 at the time) and though I enjoyed the tension elements of the film, I thought the ‘shark reveal’ was actually funny. It looked too fake and rubbery to scare me. Best left to our imaginations, I think.

    Best wishes, Pete.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  10. beth's avatar beth says:
    August 13, 2025 at 7:00 am

    I love the mix of the book with the big fish and the recipe of cooking a fish )

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  11. kayelynnebooth's avatar kayelynnebooth says:
    August 13, 2025 at 7:36 am

    Robbie, this is a great review of a classic. I read Jaws many years ago, after I saw the movie. I like to read books which movies are based upon to see how the stories differ from the original. I found the movie stuck to the book’s storyline fairly well, although the movie emphasized the shark more than Body’s personal life.

    I’ve never had fish paella, but it looks scrumptious. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • robbiesinspiration's avatar robbiesinspiration says:
      August 13, 2025 at 11:22 am

      Hi Kaye, I also thought the movie stuck to the main shark storyline well. It wouldn’t have worked as well as a horror movie if the human drama element had been brought in. Both book and movie are great in their different ways. Spielberg was certainly a production genius.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  12. Author Jan Sikes's avatar Author Jan Sikes says:
    August 13, 2025 at 10:59 am

    Like you, Robbie, the movie terrified me! I’m not sure I’d tackle reading the book, but enjoyed your take on it!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  13. Liz Gauffreau's avatar Liz Gauffreau says:
    August 13, 2025 at 6:48 pm

    I agree with your assessment of the book compared with the movie. Just out of curiosity, I looked up what town the setting in the book is based on. Edgartown, Massachusetts, where I lived for a few years as a child! And no, we did not like the summer people.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  14. memadtwo's avatar memadtwo says:
    August 13, 2025 at 6:53 pm

    Another delicious looking recipe Robbie.

    I have neither read the book nor seen the movie, but your review made the book come alive. (K)

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  15. Dawn Pisturino's avatar Dawn Pisturino says:
    August 14, 2025 at 2:11 pm

    When my daughter was visiting, we enjoyed a “Jaws” marathon, which brought back a lot of memories. The sequels are so cheezy! And I read the book. It horrified me that the story is based on true events.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    • robbiesinspiration's avatar robbiesinspiration says:
      August 15, 2025 at 5:26 am

      There have been shark attacks on swimmers and sailors in the water. It’s natural they would view humans as food and that’s what I liked about the book. It portrayed the shark as a predator doing what it always did and not as a monster.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  16. Lauren Scott, Author's avatar Lauren Scott, Author says:
    August 14, 2025 at 5:59 pm

    Excellent review of the book, Robbie, and I’ve never read it. I’ve seen all the movies, but the book sounds really good with it’s various layers in the story. Now you’ve enticed me! 🙂 The recipe looks delicious too. Thanks for sharing both. 💕

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  17. Teri Polen's avatar Teri Polen says:
    August 15, 2025 at 3:55 pm

    I still remember seeing Jaws in the theater. My dad had the book, and I read it at the age of 11 or 12. Hubby and I still watch the movie regularly when it’s on TV. It’s the closest to horror he’ll watch, lol.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  18. Sue Dreamwalker's avatar Sue Dreamwalker says:
    August 17, 2025 at 6:52 am

    Great review Robbie… and as your quote says, the Sharks are graceful and God’s creatures, serving a purpose.. I didn’t realise there were so many different kinds of them as that.. I knew there were many species, but not that many.. 🙂 Lovely looking Paella Dish and recipe too Robbie… Thank you.. I hope you have a peaceful weekend xx ❤ Though its nearly over here 🙂 xx ❤

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  19. acflory's avatar acflory says:
    August 19, 2025 at 12:16 am

    I remember Jaws frightening the heck out of me when I saw it at the movies. I think Aussie beaches suffered a major setback after that movie as sharks, including Great Whites, are a natural part of our ocean environment!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  20. Carla's avatar Carla says:
    August 28, 2025 at 7:48 pm

    I have also seen the movie, but not read the book, Robbie. I find that books are often able to deal with the subtleties of relationships where movies can not. I have eaten paella, but never made it. It seems easy enough to do though.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

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