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A review by missbreathing
Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I just finished Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel a couple of days ago, and it has got to be one of my favorite 2022 reads! 5⭐️
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I don’t know how to describe the plot of this book without spoiling it, so I won’t try. But I will say that I’m a little bit in awe of the writing. There are so many complex themes and ideas streamlined into a story set in various times and featuring many different characters, and somehow it all works. To think this all came from the brain of just one person is pretty awesome.
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The themes and ideas in this novel would resonate with most readers, I think. Personally, I’ve spent the last two years actively avoiding fiction that even hints at pandemics or any of the chaos of the current times. But this one snuck up on me! I am glad I read it, though, because I think Sea of Tranquility is the perfect book for the times. The characters in the novel are struck by pandemics, forced to wonder if the world is ending, and grappling with the very concept of reality. It all comes about organically and in ways that will strike the reader as eerily familiar.
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My favorite thing about this book is the humanity at the heart of it. It’s a high-concept sci-if book, but the human experience is always at the center of it. And, ultimately, it’s more about posing questions than it is about plot or even characters (though we do get a good bit of both).
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Honestly, I have so much to say about this book. Just know that I’d recommend this to anyone.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I don’t know how to describe the plot of this book without spoiling it, so I won’t try. But I will say that I’m a little bit in awe of the writing. There are so many complex themes and ideas streamlined into a story set in various times and featuring many different characters, and somehow it all works. To think this all came from the brain of just one person is pretty awesome.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
The themes and ideas in this novel would resonate with most readers, I think. Personally, I’ve spent the last two years actively avoiding fiction that even hints at pandemics or any of the chaos of the current times. But this one snuck up on me! I am glad I read it, though, because I think Sea of Tranquility is the perfect book for the times. The characters in the novel are struck by pandemics, forced to wonder if the world is ending, and grappling with the very concept of reality. It all comes about organically and in ways that will strike the reader as eerily familiar.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
My favorite thing about this book is the humanity at the heart of it. It’s a high-concept sci-if book, but the human experience is always at the center of it. And, ultimately, it’s more about posing questions than it is about plot or even characters (though we do get a good bit of both).
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Honestly, I have so much to say about this book. Just know that I’d recommend this to anyone.