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cloddaily's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
A well paced time-mystery with a noir lilt. I enjoyed being able to get glimpses into each characters worlds. Although it does tend to nudge the reminder that we are, in the scheme of the universe, quite small, the text also uplifts that those small things, small folk, small moments are sometimes those that change our lives, and the ones of those around us, the most. I devoured this book — incredibly unique and timely in a way that didn’t make me angry or disparate (like so many pieces described as “timely” nowadays so often do) but rather appreciative and enamored of the things that make my own world beautiful and worth enjoying. As an added bonus, the book is not a difficult or dense read. Extremely well done. I imagine I will continue to think about the events and musings of “Sea of Tranquility” for quite some time.
Content Warnings
Minor: Mental illness, Colonisation, War, and Classism
sandramarinis's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Wow! One of the best books I've ever read. The amount of planning it takes to make this storyline make sense is incredible. I LOVED HER WRITING STYLE. It made me reflect a lot about my own existence and fear of the world ending and of technological development.
This book intertwines timelines in a seamless way that leaves you feeling like a detective trying to understand the order of all the events. It has amazing build up and will give you shivers when the storylines connect. The author writes in such a way that makes you really understand the time and place surrounding the characters who live within them.
My favorite quotes:
1. "My personal belief is that we turn to postapocalyptic fiction not because we're drawn to disaster, per se, but because we're drawn to what we imagine might come next. We long secretly for a world with less technology in it." (page 191). This hit so hard and also felt like the author was breaking the fourth wall.
2. I think, as a species, we have a desire to believe that we're living at the climax of the story. It's a kind of narcissism. We want to believe that we're uniquely important, that we're living at the end of history, that now, after all these millennia of false alarms, now is finally the worst that it's ever been, that finally we have reached the end of the world." (page 189).
The moon colonies freaked me out. It sounded so incredibly sad to live in a technological reality instead of earth. Especially with the fake sky and fake weather within the dome.
I also found it heartbreaking that Olive kept thinking about the fact that she was supposed to die in the pandemic. The whole part where she left earth convinced that she had been warned of her upcoming death, and then her husband doubted her sanity, was SUCH GOOD WRITING. It was so exciting!!! I was like 😮😮😮!
Gaspery pretending to follow the rules from the time Institute, just to do the opposite had me like 👀😬😅 Gaspery is such a thrill seeker and clearly couldn't let his curiosity be unexplored
This book intertwines timelines in a seamless way that leaves you feeling like a detective trying to understand the order of all the events. It has amazing build up and will give you shivers when the storylines connect. The author writes in such a way that makes you really understand the time and place surrounding the characters who live within them.
My favorite quotes:
1. "My personal belief is that we turn to postapocalyptic fiction not because we're drawn to disaster, per se, but because we're drawn to what we imagine might come next. We long secretly for a world with less technology in it." (page 191). This hit so hard and also felt like the author was breaking the fourth wall.
2. I think, as a species, we have a desire to believe that we're living at the climax of the story. It's a kind of narcissism. We want to believe that we're uniquely important, that we're living at the end of history, that now, after all these millennia of false alarms, now is finally the worst that it's ever been, that finally we have reached the end of the world." (page 189).
The moon colonies freaked me out. It sounded so incredibly sad to live in a technological reality instead of earth. Especially with the fake sky and fake weather within the dome.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, and Pandemic/Epidemic
mbelle97's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
WOW what a fantastic book!! I'm glad I went in knowing nothing about it. The main theme of time travel totally snuck up on me and gradually revealed itself in such a fun way. It was a perfect mystery; some things I was able to figure out and felt very rewarded about being right, and other things caught me totally by surprise. A must read for sci fi enjoyers!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Mental illness and War
Minor: Child death, Suicide, and Death of parent
caebrown's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Suicide, and Death of parent
Minor: Colonisation
pacifickat's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
*review pending*
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Cursing, Death, and Grief
Minor: Mental illness and Alcohol
Child neglect, memory problems, hallucinations, difficulty discerning realitymaeverose's review against another edition
4.0
This took a long time - about half the book - to grow on me. Up to that point it was very ‘meh’. But then once the stronger sci-fi elements came in I didn’t want to put it down, and the first half became more interesting in hindsight.
I don’t want to say too much, I think it’s better to go into it not knowing much. If you like sci fi stories that involve a mystery but mainly focus on characters, their relationships, and mundane aspects of people’s lives, I would recommend. I found the writing style very easy to read as well, not confusing or difficult as sci-fi books can be for me sometimes, especially with my adhd brain.
The main content warning I would give for this, in the least spoilery way possible: it involves questioning reality. I didn’t personally feel like it was done in a triggering way. It doesn’t dwell on it too much. But if that’s an especially triggering topic for you then that’s something to keep in mind. The spoiler version:It’s a ‘life is a simulation’ situation. It’s never fully confirmed in the book that this is the case, but it’s strongly suggested.
I don’t want to say too much, I think it’s better to go into it not knowing much. If you like sci fi stories that involve a mystery but mainly focus on characters, their relationships, and mundane aspects of people’s lives, I would recommend. I found the writing style very easy to read as well, not confusing or difficult as sci-fi books can be for me sometimes, especially with my adhd brain.
The main content warning I would give for this, in the least spoilery way possible: it involves questioning reality. I didn’t personally feel like it was done in a triggering way. It doesn’t dwell on it too much. But if that’s an especially triggering topic for you then that’s something to keep in mind. The spoiler version:
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Xenophobia, Grief, and Colonisation
Minor: Drug use, Infidelity, Vomit, and Alcohol
Ptsd flashback involving dismembered bodies - not described in graphic detail. Questioning of reality:novella42's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Violence, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Minor: Suicide
theverycraftyvegan's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I would give this book 10/5 if I could. It’s so beautifully written that “perfect” is the best way to describe it. This is science fiction that is so deeply based on reality that it is 100% believable. This could be our future. This might *need* to be our future. It was a little confusing at the start, because we spend only a little time with each character, but by the half way point I was enthralled. I loved how all the characters tied in together and the ending was *chef’s kiss*.
I will definitely be reading more of Emily St John Mandel.
I will definitely be reading more of Emily St John Mandel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Confinement, Alcohol, Colonisation, and War
Minor: Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
livcashmere's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Mental illness, and Pandemic/Epidemic
michaelmac316's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Mental illness and War