Scan barcode
A review by apobec
Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
A great little science fiction novel about a set of characters dealing with a wrinkle in time. We move quickly through several characters’ stories, each ~200 years apart, with a mysterious recurring character in each. Finally we follow that recurring character’s story to tie everything together. It’s a quick read and a fun story; a great vacation book.
The realest setting — and most enjoyable, if disorienting — is the successful fiction author’s discombobulating book tour, something we assume St John Mandel knows all too well. The other stories are fun, compelling, but a bit light and flimsy. They don’t pull you in like the author’s does. I’d have loved a bit more cutting commentary on human nature in St John Mandel’s telling of the future. Future stories traditionally reflect back critically on the present, and that’s my favorite part of the genera.
Without that, the story was fine, fun, cute. Would recommend to a friend seeking an interesting little read. Like a more fun Cloud Atlas, where the stories actually get tied together.
The realest setting — and most enjoyable, if disorienting — is the successful fiction author’s discombobulating book tour, something we assume St John Mandel knows all too well. The other stories are fun, compelling, but a bit light and flimsy. They don’t pull you in like the author’s does. I’d have loved a bit more cutting commentary on human nature in St John Mandel’s telling of the future. Future stories traditionally reflect back critically on the present, and that’s my favorite part of the genera.
Without that, the story was fine, fun, cute. Would recommend to a friend seeking an interesting little read. Like a more fun Cloud Atlas, where the stories actually get tied together.