A review by littlefreeinterrobang
The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler

adventurous dark reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

The Mountain and the Sea offers up some intriguing near-future sci-fi that explores the nature of consciousness, personhood, and self-determination. The idea of octopuses as “aliens among us” isn’t new, but I love that this book extrapolates on that notion and envisions an evolutionary direction where they develop their own language and culture. The associated plot line reminds me a lot of Arrival— language is grounded in the communicators’ unique umwelt, and deciphering alien expression requires an expanded form of empathy that reaches beyond our own human form and experience. I also love this “aliens on earth” concept because it underscores just how rich and mysterious our own world is, and encourages one to imagine how much more it could continue to offer if we weren’t relentlessly destroying it.

All that said, I do wish more time was spent with the characters learning about these fantastical octopuses; there was perhaps just one plot line too many here, and some streamlining could have refined the book’s focus. So, not perfect by any means, but I found the ideas captivating and certainly got 5 stars’ worth of enjoyment out of it.