Scan barcode
A review by rzarate9696
Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel
5.0
This won't be a 5 star book for everyone, and even for myself it's not perfect; the story has messy transitions and Mandel propels her concepts and ideas forward without giving them enough room to breathe. But I still found myself absolutely compelled by the story and I did not want to put the book down.
I think what makes "Sea of Tranquility" so good is that it's written similarly to how I process learning about a new interesting concept: I immediately go to Wikipedia and learn everything I can about it, and then ponder how it could be incorporated into a good story. This book feels like a lot of fun and intriguing ideas tied securely together with characters who feel relatable in their own thoughts of life and their place in time. The sci-fi aspects are explored just enough to enthrall you, and not so much that you're exhausted trying to keep up.
You might have a good idea of where things are headed if you've read sci-fi with similar concepts, but it's the melancholy and longing in Mandel's characters that will set this one apart from the rest.
A good follow-up or movie pairing with this book is "Predestination", starring Ethan Hawke and Sarah Snook.
I think what makes "Sea of Tranquility" so good is that it's written similarly to how I process learning about a new interesting concept: I immediately go to Wikipedia and learn everything I can about it, and then ponder how it could be incorporated into a good story. This book feels like a lot of fun and intriguing ideas tied securely together with characters who feel relatable in their own thoughts of life and their place in time. The sci-fi aspects are explored just enough to enthrall you, and not so much that you're exhausted trying to keep up.
You might have a good idea of where things are headed if you've read sci-fi with similar concepts, but it's the melancholy and longing in Mandel's characters that will set this one apart from the rest.
A good follow-up or movie pairing with this book is "Predestination", starring Ethan Hawke and Sarah Snook.