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We Carry the Sea in Our Hands
Told with poetic prose and an imaginative voice, this “beautifully composed [and] original” (Joyce Carol Oates, New York Times bestselling author) debut novel explores family, trauma, and belonging through one woman’s journey to reconnect with her roots.
Abby Rodier was a “drop-box baby,” a Korean orphan whose mother could not take care of her and left her as an infant. Abby’s tumultuous experience in the American foster care system has led her to live a solitary and guarded life, closed off to almost everyone except her best friend Iseul, whose parents took Abby into their home as a child.
Abby’s work studying the origins of life in sea slugs and bacteria leads her to wonder about her birth parents and question her place in this world. It's not long before Abby stumbles upon a biological discovery that will change the course of her life. Meanwhile, Iseul’s devotion to their ill brother leads to an entanglement between her work as an investigative journalist and the murky world of black market medicine.
After a tragic event, Abby’s life is thrown into a tailspin. With the rug pulled from under her feet, she spirals into a disorientation of grief, apparitions, and compulsions. With the help of those around her, Abby must embark on a journey to understand her true roots and make peace with her present.
From an exciting new voice in literary fiction, We Carry the Sea in Our Hands is a complex and layered ode to found family, perfect for fans of The Last Story of Mina Lee and Goodbye, Vitamin .
Abby Rodier was a “drop-box baby,” a Korean orphan whose mother could not take care of her and left her as an infant. Abby’s tumultuous experience in the American foster care system has led her to live a solitary and guarded life, closed off to almost everyone except her best friend Iseul, whose parents took Abby into their home as a child.
Abby’s work studying the origins of life in sea slugs and bacteria leads her to wonder about her birth parents and question her place in this world. It's not long before Abby stumbles upon a biological discovery that will change the course of her life. Meanwhile, Iseul’s devotion to their ill brother leads to an entanglement between her work as an investigative journalist and the murky world of black market medicine.
After a tragic event, Abby’s life is thrown into a tailspin. With the rug pulled from under her feet, she spirals into a disorientation of grief, apparitions, and compulsions. With the help of those around her, Abby must embark on a journey to understand her true roots and make peace with her present.
From an exciting new voice in literary fiction, We Carry the Sea in Our Hands is a complex and layered ode to found family, perfect for fans of The Last Story of Mina Lee and Goodbye, Vitamin .
336 pages, Hardcover
First published July 9, 2024
35 people are currently reading
8591 people want to read
About the author
Janie Kim
1 book42 followersJanie Kim was born and raised in San Diego, California. She studied molecular biology at Princeton University, went on a Fulbright research grant to Denmark, and is currently a biology PhD student at Stanford University. She likes ocean critters that are fun-sized, or, better yet, microscopic (funner-sized), and often writes about the latter for the microbiology blog Small Things Considered. We Carry the Sea in Our Hands is her debut novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews
September 28, 2024
In a Nutshell: A literary fiction debut that encompasses several themes and subgenres within its plot. Complex, chaotic, compelling! The first half left me befuddled, but the second half cleverly brought all the arcs together. Recommended, but it would help if you are a science nerd.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
Bookish Yays:
👌🏻 The fact that Abby was adopted twice, and each adoption was different from the other, makes the adoption angle an interesting one.
👌🏻 The way Abby established parallels between her “origins of life” research and her own life story i.e. the origin of her life, is nicely brought out.
👌🏻 Sea slugs get much focus in the narrative, thanks to Abby’s research as well as Iseul’s latest assignment using sea slugs. The facts were fascinating!
👌🏻 There is plenty of science-y stuff in the book, even beyond slug facts. The insight into lab culture, the gender discrimination in STEM fields, the importance of grants and promotions in research – all get highlighted realistically. The author is a biology PhD student at Stanford University, which is probably why it all sounds genuine. There is also a lot of technical scientific data, which non-nerds might not enjoy so much but I loved. (Nerd Alert!) I found everything related to science fabulous!
👌🏻 As Abby, her first adoptive mother, and her later adoptive parents are Korean, we get a glimpse of many Korean beliefs and rituals. There is also a fair number of Korean words in the plot, which adds to the authenticity and complexity.
👌🏻 This is a character-focussed literary work, so the pacing, though slower, gives us much to ponder over. The prose is also lyrical, but not so much as would feel over the top.
👌🏻 The author’s note, which explains in detail how much of the science in the book is fact and how much a fabrication. Mind-blowing!
Bookish Mixed Bags:
🤞🏻 Abby’s character isn’t so appealing at the start as she is a perfect specimen of her age. Many of her thoughts are self-absorbed, and it takes some time for her to stop moaning about her life and grow a spine. That said, she’s a interestingly complex character for the lead role as it is tough to understand if what she experiences is real or hallucinatory.
🤞🏻 The secondary characters are interesting, but except for Iseul, most don’t have much depth. They pop in only to the extent needed, so we get just a limited look at their personality. I would have loved a dual narrative with a second perspective coming from Iseul; she seemed fascinating. But I do understand why this wasn’t possible as the story was essentially Abby’s.
🤞🏻 The overloaded ‘kitchen sink’ of themes exists in this debut as well. I initially felt like the story was bombarding me with core themes: sea slug research, search for birth parents, Iseul’s investigative work, black market medicine, cancer treatment for one secondary character, a tiny thread of magical realism, Korean culture, parental abandonment, adoption issues, gender discrimination, racial discrimination, suicide, sex trafficking, found family, intergenerational trauma,… The plot sprung in so many distinct directions at once that I was befuddled about the exact point of the story. But to my utter surprise, the author successfully manages to unite most of the key points into a single multi-hued kaleidoscopic strand by the end of the book.
🤞🏻 The plot isn’t linear, so Abby’s narrative also feels a bit meandering as she goes back and forth in the timeline depending on where her memories take her. These are clearly marked in the narrative, so there’s no confusion about the time frame of the events. But the frequent time hopping, especially at the start, is tedious.
Bookish Nays:
👎🏻 There’s a lot of inner monologue at the start, which makes Abby sound even whinier. This does peter out as the book progresses, but it is still present throughout.
🎧 The Audiobook Experience:
The audiobook, clocking at a little more than 8 hours, is narrated by Michelle H. Lee. I didn’t end up a big fan of her narration. Her enunciation is good, but somehow, her voice just rubbed me off the wrong way. (This, of course, might not be the case for all listeners.) As it is, the first person had a lot of inner monologues, but the narrator’s pitch made those ramblings grate on my nerves at times.
I might have appreciated this book better had I actually read it because there was just so much happening! Of course, the narrative is a single-timeline, single-perspective story, so the confusion isn’t about who is speaking or when, but about keeping track of the myriad arcs. Audio newbies, better stick to reading.
All in all, this is a very intelligent debut that takes multiple little stories surrounding one character and weaves them into a fairly cohesive narrative. The first quarter progressed so randomly that I had given up hope of this book being a good read, especially combined with Abby’s first-person waffling. Rarely has a book proven my initial rating guess so spectacularly wrong!
Recommended to literary fiction readers with a scientific bent of mind. The start will require your patience, but the ending makes the journey worthwhile.
3.75 stars.
My thanks to Dreamscape Media for providing the ALC of “We Carry the Sea in Our Hands” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the audiobook.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
Twenty-four-year old Abby has only recently found out that she is a “drop-box baby”, a Korean orphan abandoned as an infant. She has no clue about her birth parents. When her adoptive parents – American father and Korean mother – struggle with their marriage, Abby was yet again thrown into the foster care system, only to be adopted again by a Korean-origin couple, whose daughter Iseul ends up as Abby’s best friend.
Now, all these years later, Abby works with sea slugs, using them to research the origins of life. She also decides to look for her birth parents. Meanwhile, Iseul is an investigative journalist whose career path and love for her terminally sick brother leads her towards black market medicine. One event changes the trajectory of Abby’s personal and professional life.
The story comes to us in Abby’s first-person perspective.
Bookish Yays:
👌🏻 The fact that Abby was adopted twice, and each adoption was different from the other, makes the adoption angle an interesting one.
👌🏻 The way Abby established parallels between her “origins of life” research and her own life story i.e. the origin of her life, is nicely brought out.
👌🏻 Sea slugs get much focus in the narrative, thanks to Abby’s research as well as Iseul’s latest assignment using sea slugs. The facts were fascinating!
👌🏻 There is plenty of science-y stuff in the book, even beyond slug facts. The insight into lab culture, the gender discrimination in STEM fields, the importance of grants and promotions in research – all get highlighted realistically. The author is a biology PhD student at Stanford University, which is probably why it all sounds genuine. There is also a lot of technical scientific data, which non-nerds might not enjoy so much but I loved. (Nerd Alert!) I found everything related to science fabulous!
👌🏻 As Abby, her first adoptive mother, and her later adoptive parents are Korean, we get a glimpse of many Korean beliefs and rituals. There is also a fair number of Korean words in the plot, which adds to the authenticity and complexity.
👌🏻 This is a character-focussed literary work, so the pacing, though slower, gives us much to ponder over. The prose is also lyrical, but not so much as would feel over the top.
👌🏻 The author’s note, which explains in detail how much of the science in the book is fact and how much a fabrication. Mind-blowing!
Bookish Mixed Bags:
🤞🏻 Abby’s character isn’t so appealing at the start as she is a perfect specimen of her age. Many of her thoughts are self-absorbed, and it takes some time for her to stop moaning about her life and grow a spine. That said, she’s a interestingly complex character for the lead role as it is tough to understand if what she experiences is real or hallucinatory.
🤞🏻 The secondary characters are interesting, but except for Iseul, most don’t have much depth. They pop in only to the extent needed, so we get just a limited look at their personality. I would have loved a dual narrative with a second perspective coming from Iseul; she seemed fascinating. But I do understand why this wasn’t possible as the story was essentially Abby’s.
🤞🏻 The overloaded ‘kitchen sink’ of themes exists in this debut as well. I initially felt like the story was bombarding me with core themes: sea slug research, search for birth parents, Iseul’s investigative work, black market medicine, cancer treatment for one secondary character, a tiny thread of magical realism, Korean culture, parental abandonment, adoption issues, gender discrimination, racial discrimination, suicide, sex trafficking, found family, intergenerational trauma,… The plot sprung in so many distinct directions at once that I was befuddled about the exact point of the story. But to my utter surprise, the author successfully manages to unite most of the key points into a single multi-hued kaleidoscopic strand by the end of the book.
🤞🏻 The plot isn’t linear, so Abby’s narrative also feels a bit meandering as she goes back and forth in the timeline depending on where her memories take her. These are clearly marked in the narrative, so there’s no confusion about the time frame of the events. But the frequent time hopping, especially at the start, is tedious.
Bookish Nays:
👎🏻 There’s a lot of inner monologue at the start, which makes Abby sound even whinier. This does peter out as the book progresses, but it is still present throughout.
🎧 The Audiobook Experience:
The audiobook, clocking at a little more than 8 hours, is narrated by Michelle H. Lee. I didn’t end up a big fan of her narration. Her enunciation is good, but somehow, her voice just rubbed me off the wrong way. (This, of course, might not be the case for all listeners.) As it is, the first person had a lot of inner monologues, but the narrator’s pitch made those ramblings grate on my nerves at times.
I might have appreciated this book better had I actually read it because there was just so much happening! Of course, the narrative is a single-timeline, single-perspective story, so the confusion isn’t about who is speaking or when, but about keeping track of the myriad arcs. Audio newbies, better stick to reading.
All in all, this is a very intelligent debut that takes multiple little stories surrounding one character and weaves them into a fairly cohesive narrative. The first quarter progressed so randomly that I had given up hope of this book being a good read, especially combined with Abby’s first-person waffling. Rarely has a book proven my initial rating guess so spectacularly wrong!
Recommended to literary fiction readers with a scientific bent of mind. The start will require your patience, but the ending makes the journey worthwhile.
3.75 stars.
My thanks to Dreamscape Media for providing the ALC of “We Carry the Sea in Our Hands” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the audiobook.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
April 5, 2024
꒰ 𖦹 ⊹˚. pre-read.
⤿ 04 / 04 / 2024.
oh how i love stories about family and cultural rep. thank you for the arc (one of my most anticipated)!
꒰ 𖦹 ⊹˚. finished.
⤿ 🐋 05 / 04 / 2024.
that was excruciatingly painful! do it again
⤿ 04 / 04 / 2024.
oh how i love stories about family and cultural rep. thank you for the arc (one of my most anticipated)!
꒰ 𖦹 ⊹˚. finished.
⤿ 🐋 05 / 04 / 2024.
that was excruciatingly painful! do it again
July 10, 2024
We Carry The Sea in Our Hands is beautiful written and thought provoking novel.
When Abby learned, that as an infant, she was abandoned in the “ drop-box” of an orphanage in Korea, she felt a deep loss. This loss was perpetuated when she ended up in America only to be adopted, abandoned again and placed in foster care. Being alone much of the time led her to find solace in the local library where she read books that sparked her interest in science. This interest catapults her into a life of living and breathing science.
I was immediately drawn into the story by Janie Kim’s writing. Each scene was purposeful and flowed into the next. It kept me yearning to find out what would happen and how it would change Abby’s life. I really liked that because I had recently read a few books with ( in my point of view) too much needless writing. Whether it was an off subject side story or a pages of inner monologue, I found myself just wanting to get to the end.
Abby’s bond with her dear friend Iseul was all enduring and their bond made it easier for Abby to push through the hardships of life. I was awed at Abby’s ability to keep forging ahead in the field of science where she was seen as a “ lowly” female and a minority who was used to do “filler”tasks.
I was excited when she got her time to shine and her brilliant intelligence could no longer be ignored.
I love that Abby’s research about life origins “ accidentally” reveals a secret in her life! The thing she loved to do ( science) would be the catalyst to peace in her life.
I don’t want to give away spoilers so I’ll only say that I was worried about not being able to understand the science in the book but Kim does a wonderful job at explaining things. Although some parts were fiction much of the scientific explanations were facts. I learned so much! It’s amazing what lives in the sea!
If you like books about strong women, perseverance during hardship and overcoming trauma, you will most likely enjoy this book! The narrator, Michelle H. Lee did an amazing job! Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Dreamscape Media and Janie Kim for the arc via NetGalley!!
When Abby learned, that as an infant, she was abandoned in the “ drop-box” of an orphanage in Korea, she felt a deep loss. This loss was perpetuated when she ended up in America only to be adopted, abandoned again and placed in foster care. Being alone much of the time led her to find solace in the local library where she read books that sparked her interest in science. This interest catapults her into a life of living and breathing science.
I was immediately drawn into the story by Janie Kim’s writing. Each scene was purposeful and flowed into the next. It kept me yearning to find out what would happen and how it would change Abby’s life. I really liked that because I had recently read a few books with ( in my point of view) too much needless writing. Whether it was an off subject side story or a pages of inner monologue, I found myself just wanting to get to the end.
Abby’s bond with her dear friend Iseul was all enduring and their bond made it easier for Abby to push through the hardships of life. I was awed at Abby’s ability to keep forging ahead in the field of science where she was seen as a “ lowly” female and a minority who was used to do “filler”tasks.
I was excited when she got her time to shine and her brilliant intelligence could no longer be ignored.
I love that Abby’s research about life origins “ accidentally” reveals a secret in her life! The thing she loved to do ( science) would be the catalyst to peace in her life.
I don’t want to give away spoilers so I’ll only say that I was worried about not being able to understand the science in the book but Kim does a wonderful job at explaining things. Although some parts were fiction much of the scientific explanations were facts. I learned so much! It’s amazing what lives in the sea!
If you like books about strong women, perseverance during hardship and overcoming trauma, you will most likely enjoy this book! The narrator, Michelle H. Lee did an amazing job! Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Dreamscape Media and Janie Kim for the arc via NetGalley!!
July 13, 2024
I'll honestly admit that I'm still not sure what I just read.
I listened to the audio version which was adequately read by Michelle H Lee although she did have a tendency to get a bit dramatic and breathy at times which I'm not a fan of. Otherwise she has a good clear voice and the characters were clearly defined except for the scientist who came from Manchester but had a pronounced Scottish accent for some reason.
The story, on the other hand, seemed neither one thing nor the other. Was it a fictionalised scientific book about finding one's parents or a groundbreaking new part of women's bodies (fiction obviously). Or was it a book about a woman who felt marginalised and lonely trying to come to terms with being abandoned by two sets of parents and a tragic death?
Either way I simply couldn't find anything to like in the protagonist, Abby Rodier. She managed to make every tragic occurrence about herself and fumbled about making ridiculous decisions that made her feel more excluded than she actually was. I'm afraid she really got on my nerves hence the very low score.
I also admit to being utterly baffled by the actual science, the pseudoscience and the fictional science that is the mainstay of this novel. I still haven't one clue what I was supposed to get from it or what difference it was supposed to have made apart from being great for the few women who had this genetic predisposition.
Not for me.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the audio advance review copy.
I listened to the audio version which was adequately read by Michelle H Lee although she did have a tendency to get a bit dramatic and breathy at times which I'm not a fan of. Otherwise she has a good clear voice and the characters were clearly defined except for the scientist who came from Manchester but had a pronounced Scottish accent for some reason.
The story, on the other hand, seemed neither one thing nor the other. Was it a fictionalised scientific book about finding one's parents or a groundbreaking new part of women's bodies (fiction obviously). Or was it a book about a woman who felt marginalised and lonely trying to come to terms with being abandoned by two sets of parents and a tragic death?
Either way I simply couldn't find anything to like in the protagonist, Abby Rodier. She managed to make every tragic occurrence about herself and fumbled about making ridiculous decisions that made her feel more excluded than she actually was. I'm afraid she really got on my nerves hence the very low score.
I also admit to being utterly baffled by the actual science, the pseudoscience and the fictional science that is the mainstay of this novel. I still haven't one clue what I was supposed to get from it or what difference it was supposed to have made apart from being great for the few women who had this genetic predisposition.
Not for me.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the audio advance review copy.
June 23, 2024
"I have two lab notebooks. The regular one is for observing life as a biological phenomenon. The second one is for observing life as a personal experiment. This is the second one."
A marine-biologist researching the origins of life at the ocean floor inadvertently discovers the origins of her own life along the way in this wonderfully crafted debut.
The Story:
Our story opens with Abby, a former Korean “drop-box-baby”, who’s now works as a microbiologist researching the origins of life through her studies of endosymbionts (bacteria living inside the cells of) in sea-slugs. An unexpected discovery at the lab leads her to the start of another origin-story entirely; her own… When she accidentally discovers an anomaly inside one of her own cells, one that might be passed on genetically and could help her retrace her maternal line, she embarks on a scientific quest for her own roots. When tragedy strikes her adoptive family, Abby journey of discovery turns to a complicated one of grief, trauma, belonging and the home we carry within us…
What I loved:
As someone with a soft spot for family-sagas, especially when they deal with trauma and grief, ánd ocean-based motifs ánd speculative/sci-fi with biology elements, you can see how this books premise was catnip to me. I’m so excited to say that that premise held up, and Janie Kim manages to execute it to near perfection.
Don’t let the mention of “speculative science/sci-fi” deter you if that’s a genre you aren’t comfortable with. The speculative elements are more of a side-note in an otherwise grounded literary story. They’re also very well rooted in true science (not a surprise as the author has a PhD in the subject), so they never feel outlandish. In fact, to me, it balanced the elements perfectly: they’re there as wonderfully consistent motifs for readers (like myself!) who love them, but can also be almost ignored by people who’re just here for the family-story.
Speaking of which: the character tale at the heart is where this novel clearly shines. It interweaves a wide range of complex themes like family, adoption, grief and guilt over a family-members death, memory and inheritance, into a tight and intimate story. The prose is stunning and lyrical, and due to fantastic editing, not a single word feels “too much”. Everything about this book feels deliberate and balanced: from its quotable lines, to the emotional punches that hit home without ever becoming melodramatic. The magnitude of the story the author manages to tell in only just over 300 pages would be impressive for anyone, but considering this is a debut… My mind is blown!
Overall: Janie Kim is an author to watch out for in the future, but only after you go ahead and savour this debut-gem. With stunning prose and a beautiful story, she managed to strike an emotional chord with me that will linger for quite some time.
Many thanks to Alcove Press and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A marine-biologist researching the origins of life at the ocean floor inadvertently discovers the origins of her own life along the way in this wonderfully crafted debut.
The Story:
Our story opens with Abby, a former Korean “drop-box-baby”, who’s now works as a microbiologist researching the origins of life through her studies of endosymbionts (bacteria living inside the cells of) in sea-slugs. An unexpected discovery at the lab leads her to the start of another origin-story entirely; her own… When she accidentally discovers an anomaly inside one of her own cells, one that might be passed on genetically and could help her retrace her maternal line, she embarks on a scientific quest for her own roots. When tragedy strikes her adoptive family, Abby journey of discovery turns to a complicated one of grief, trauma, belonging and the home we carry within us…
What I loved:
As someone with a soft spot for family-sagas, especially when they deal with trauma and grief, ánd ocean-based motifs ánd speculative/sci-fi with biology elements, you can see how this books premise was catnip to me. I’m so excited to say that that premise held up, and Janie Kim manages to execute it to near perfection.
Don’t let the mention of “speculative science/sci-fi” deter you if that’s a genre you aren’t comfortable with. The speculative elements are more of a side-note in an otherwise grounded literary story. They’re also very well rooted in true science (not a surprise as the author has a PhD in the subject), so they never feel outlandish. In fact, to me, it balanced the elements perfectly: they’re there as wonderfully consistent motifs for readers (like myself!) who love them, but can also be almost ignored by people who’re just here for the family-story.
Speaking of which: the character tale at the heart is where this novel clearly shines. It interweaves a wide range of complex themes like family, adoption, grief and guilt over a family-members death, memory and inheritance, into a tight and intimate story. The prose is stunning and lyrical, and due to fantastic editing, not a single word feels “too much”. Everything about this book feels deliberate and balanced: from its quotable lines, to the emotional punches that hit home without ever becoming melodramatic. The magnitude of the story the author manages to tell in only just over 300 pages would be impressive for anyone, but considering this is a debut… My mind is blown!
Overall: Janie Kim is an author to watch out for in the future, but only after you go ahead and savour this debut-gem. With stunning prose and a beautiful story, she managed to strike an emotional chord with me that will linger for quite some time.
Many thanks to Alcove Press and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 25, 2024
Such a beautiful story. the book is amazing with its beautiful prose and I actually loved all the sciency stuff the book had to offer.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves mutlcutural fiction reads.
The narrator was just ok for me and I bought a hardcover to read instead.
thank you dreamscape media
4 stars
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves mutlcutural fiction reads.
The narrator was just ok for me and I bought a hardcover to read instead.
thank you dreamscape media
4 stars
July 19, 2024
Janie Kim’s debut is a wonderfully written, soul-wrenching (happy and sad) novel about family both lost and found, and one young woman’s search for her truth. I enjoyed it very much.
July 8, 2024
This was an unexpected delight of a debut featuring a Korean born 'drop-box baby' who gets adopted by a Korean American immigrant couple and grows up to be a sea slug scientist. Obsessed with tracking down her birth parents and concerned for her journalist friend who gets caught up in an undercover smuggling scheme, this story was singularly moving and told in such poetic prose. Great on audio too with a GORGEOUS cover! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review. Janie Kim is definitely a writer to watch!
Read
June 3, 2025Intricate and moving, Kim's debut effortlessly blends folklore and science (both real and speculative) as it explores identity, familial relationships, grief, academia, and nature itself. In a word: wonderful.
Read
October 6, 2025A book I borrowed from the library to try before I buy (tired buying hundreds books and hating half)
I do not rate these “tested”
books. This is really for me.
I read first ch or more -first 10-100
pages skim around at times. This is what I did and didn’t like:
Love cover and small size
Not a highly read book (400)- my GR friends (2) say it has too much science, too much going on and ch are blah.
Ok I’m a nurse/ science nerd and this is too much. I read a little and am bored. I love when science is mixed in but this seems to be the main point. Idk 🤷♀️ not for me.
I do not rate these “tested”
books. This is really for me.
I read first ch or more -first 10-100
pages skim around at times. This is what I did and didn’t like:
Love cover and small size
Not a highly read book (400)- my GR friends (2) say it has too much science, too much going on and ch are blah.
Ok I’m a nurse/ science nerd and this is too much. I read a little and am bored. I love when science is mixed in but this seems to be the main point. Idk 🤷♀️ not for me.
July 11, 2024
Abby is a Korean Orphan. Her American dad leaves Korea and her mother feels the only thing she can do is give the baby up. Abby goes through the foster system in the US. As an adult she becomes a scientist studying sea slugs and makes a great discovery.
This book has a lot of biological science in it. It was pretty heavy at times and hard for me to follow at times as well. I did enjoy leaning about the sea slugs. I also liked watching Abby come terms with her life and the need to connect with her biological mother.
I think this is a great book if you like found family and really enjoy and want to dive into science.
I want to thank NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for a copy of the audiobook.
This book has a lot of biological science in it. It was pretty heavy at times and hard for me to follow at times as well. I did enjoy leaning about the sea slugs. I also liked watching Abby come terms with her life and the need to connect with her biological mother.
I think this is a great book if you like found family and really enjoy and want to dive into science.
I want to thank NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for a copy of the audiobook.
July 12, 2024
Abby has recently learned she was a drop box baby. She always knew she was adopted, the science didn't match her features to her adoptive parents', but the recent revelation of her birth mother discarding her in a church drop box, leads her to start to search for where she came from.
It's very rare that I am moved to tears by a book, but I will say that this book had me crying. We Carry the Sea in Our Hands is such a beautifully written novel. Abby is such a real and raw character, examining the world (and later grief and trauma) through a scientific lens. I loved the way this book was written and my heart broke continually for Abby, The more doors she tried to open, the more doors got slammed in her face. But through it all, she never loses hope and persists even in the face of impossible odds.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ALC. Michelle H. Lee was a fantastic narrator. She perfectly encapsulates everything that Abby is. I cannot recommend this book enough. It's such a poignant and powerful piece that everyone should read.
It's very rare that I am moved to tears by a book, but I will say that this book had me crying. We Carry the Sea in Our Hands is such a beautifully written novel. Abby is such a real and raw character, examining the world (and later grief and trauma) through a scientific lens. I loved the way this book was written and my heart broke continually for Abby, The more doors she tried to open, the more doors got slammed in her face. But through it all, she never loses hope and persists even in the face of impossible odds.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ALC. Michelle H. Lee was a fantastic narrator. She perfectly encapsulates everything that Abby is. I cannot recommend this book enough. It's such a poignant and powerful piece that everyone should read.
July 3, 2024
"I have two lab notebooks. The regular one is for observing life as a biological phenomenon. The second one is for observing life as a personal experiment. This is the second one."
This was a beautiful but sad book about the meaning of family and sense of self. Abby, a former "drop box baby" was abandoned at birth but she's now seeking answers about her past. There's a lot of loss and grief in this book, but it's woven into a complex story about adoption, abandonment, and guilt. I loved the ocean themes and the speculative fiction elements to the story. I didn't realize this book was a debut when I was reading it and honestly I would never have realized if I hadn't seen it written somewhere - this absolutely doesn't read like a debut. Highly recommend this one if you like stories about characters finding out who they are and speculative fiction novels. This was wonderful to read on audio, the narrator did a great job infusing the emotion into their words.
4.5 stars, rounded up for GR
A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
June 30, 2024
WE CARRY THE SEA IN OUR HANDS by Janie Kim
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to listen to this ARC audiobook. The narration by Michelle H. Lee was well done.
A beautifully written debut novel exploring family, adoption, belonging, memories, death, and grieving. The author takes on what it is like to be a female in the field of science and what they endure is exposed in this story. Some speculative science, as well as, real science is woven throughout this remarkable story. Hard to believe this is a debut and I can’t wait to see what she does next.
Abby Rodier was a “drop-box baby,” a Korean orphan whose mother could not take care of her and left her as an infant. Abby became a microbiologist researching origins of life in sea-slugs; a discovery was made while working in the lab that changes her course in life. After a tragic event, Abby’s world is turned upside down and throws her into a world of grief, apparitions, and compulsive behavior. Abby must try to find her true roots and make peace with her life.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to listen to this ARC audiobook. The narration by Michelle H. Lee was well done.
A beautifully written debut novel exploring family, adoption, belonging, memories, death, and grieving. The author takes on what it is like to be a female in the field of science and what they endure is exposed in this story. Some speculative science, as well as, real science is woven throughout this remarkable story. Hard to believe this is a debut and I can’t wait to see what she does next.
Abby Rodier was a “drop-box baby,” a Korean orphan whose mother could not take care of her and left her as an infant. Abby became a microbiologist researching origins of life in sea-slugs; a discovery was made while working in the lab that changes her course in life. After a tragic event, Abby’s world is turned upside down and throws her into a world of grief, apparitions, and compulsive behavior. Abby must try to find her true roots and make peace with her life.
July 19, 2024
[alc review]
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for providing an alc in exchange for an honest review.
We Carry the Sea in Our Hands releases July 9, 2024
At its core, this debut novel is about origin stories. We see this through not only the scientific research of sea slugs, but the main character’s search for her birth parents after learning that she was an adopted drop-box baby.
This ended up being more scientific than I was expecting, but the themes surrounding family and grief were conveyed really well.
I loved the original elements that Janie Kim brought to the story through endosymbiosis, and I’m eager to see what she writes next!
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for providing an alc in exchange for an honest review.
We Carry the Sea in Our Hands releases July 9, 2024
At its core, this debut novel is about origin stories. We see this through not only the scientific research of sea slugs, but the main character’s search for her birth parents after learning that she was an adopted drop-box baby.
This ended up being more scientific than I was expecting, but the themes surrounding family and grief were conveyed really well.
I loved the original elements that Janie Kim brought to the story through endosymbiosis, and I’m eager to see what she writes next!
July 5, 2024
Novel Concept: 5/5
Execution of Novel Concept: 4/5
Title: 5/5
Characterization: 5/5
Dialogue: 5/5
Plot: 4/5
Atmosphere: 5/5
Theme: 5/5
Prose: 5/5
Does this pass the Bechdel Test: Yes
Title
This title works in the literal sense of the main character carrying the sea in her hands at the end of the novel--but there is a more thematic purpose to this title. It is the way that the sea has caused a change in humanity, and how in our connection to the sea we are destined to evolve. That is to say, it is metaphorically in our hands. I think what makes this title work best is the indivisibility from the work itself. This title cannot really belong to another book--it's specific. It's what initially drew me in.
Characterization
Everyone acts like fully realized people with interesting flaws and quirks. There's a thematic discussion about agency and the difference of acting on your own will verses letting things happen to you. Abby is as complicated as any person would be--and that's what I like about her. She is a maelstrom of mixed emotions, navigating the impossible landscape of what it means to belong and where that belonging is.
The clever thing about her character is how the way she sees faces in banal things--clouds, static, paint--naturally develops into the more speculative elements of this book. It begins as a thoughtless part of her grieving process and evolves into the tool used to help her find closure in her broken familial life.
Dialogue
The dialogue is natural sounding. There is a matter-of-fact tone to the novel's voice which makes sense given the scientific aspects the novel wishes to explore. Intermixed within that is also the stories of Korean Folk Tales. It's a weave of mind and magic--and both are taken seriously.
Communication is a theme in this novel, so the literal language barrier that Abby sometimes faces helps characterize that communication theme.
Plot
The plot is good. I appreciate that things are consistently happening and it never feels like we're stalling out for any dramatic literary purpose--which is always my fear and hesitancy with literary fiction. I remain a little confused at how we got to the water that kicks of the plot and I also felt odd it came in so late in the novel. But really that's my only hitch. It definitely felt like the author hand was moving so the plot could continue but it is, if anything, a minor complaint.
Atmosphere
This novel is very well researched and the notes at the end of the novel of what is scientifically accurate and what was made up for the novel is well appreciated. It allows the reader to come off of this novel feeling like they've actually learned something. The world is believable and full of life and character. Thematically, we cannot escape the thematic atmosphere. The overwhelming sense of loss and grief that permeates every word of the story.
Theme
This is a novel about disconnection and communication. Various characters are in all states of disconnection from their loved ones and peers and the lack of communication intensifies this. Abby is a drop box baby, abandoned by her adopted parents, taken in by another. Iseul often goes radio silent for her journalist projects--and so on and so forth.
And in this being about disconnection, this novel strives to get the characters to connect. To get people to be freely open with each other and understand each other. To strengthen the bonds they already have and form new ones.
Prose
The writing is very beautiful. We're never stalled in a corner and the novel never feels like it overextends its stay. The pacing and tension is fairly spot on. The audiobook narration is beautiful. I think the dips into scientific explanation were natural and unobtrusive and the addition of Korean Folk Tales was fun.
Execution of Novel Concept: 4/5
Title: 5/5
Characterization: 5/5
Dialogue: 5/5
Plot: 4/5
Atmosphere: 5/5
Theme: 5/5
Prose: 5/5
Does this pass the Bechdel Test: Yes
Title
This title works in the literal sense of the main character carrying the sea in her hands at the end of the novel--but there is a more thematic purpose to this title. It is the way that the sea has caused a change in humanity, and how in our connection to the sea we are destined to evolve. That is to say, it is metaphorically in our hands. I think what makes this title work best is the indivisibility from the work itself. This title cannot really belong to another book--it's specific. It's what initially drew me in.
Characterization
Everyone acts like fully realized people with interesting flaws and quirks. There's a thematic discussion about agency and the difference of acting on your own will verses letting things happen to you. Abby is as complicated as any person would be--and that's what I like about her. She is a maelstrom of mixed emotions, navigating the impossible landscape of what it means to belong and where that belonging is.
The clever thing about her character is how the way she sees faces in banal things--clouds, static, paint--naturally develops into the more speculative elements of this book. It begins as a thoughtless part of her grieving process and evolves into the tool used to help her find closure in her broken familial life.
Dialogue
The dialogue is natural sounding. There is a matter-of-fact tone to the novel's voice which makes sense given the scientific aspects the novel wishes to explore. Intermixed within that is also the stories of Korean Folk Tales. It's a weave of mind and magic--and both are taken seriously.
Communication is a theme in this novel, so the literal language barrier that Abby sometimes faces helps characterize that communication theme.
Plot
The plot is good. I appreciate that things are consistently happening and it never feels like we're stalling out for any dramatic literary purpose--which is always my fear and hesitancy with literary fiction. I remain a little confused at how we got to the water that kicks of the plot and I also felt odd it came in so late in the novel. But really that's my only hitch. It definitely felt like the author hand was moving so the plot could continue but it is, if anything, a minor complaint.
Atmosphere
This novel is very well researched and the notes at the end of the novel of what is scientifically accurate and what was made up for the novel is well appreciated. It allows the reader to come off of this novel feeling like they've actually learned something. The world is believable and full of life and character. Thematically, we cannot escape the thematic atmosphere. The overwhelming sense of loss and grief that permeates every word of the story.
Theme
This is a novel about disconnection and communication. Various characters are in all states of disconnection from their loved ones and peers and the lack of communication intensifies this. Abby is a drop box baby, abandoned by her adopted parents, taken in by another. Iseul often goes radio silent for her journalist projects--and so on and so forth.
And in this being about disconnection, this novel strives to get the characters to connect. To get people to be freely open with each other and understand each other. To strengthen the bonds they already have and form new ones.
Prose
The writing is very beautiful. We're never stalled in a corner and the novel never feels like it overextends its stay. The pacing and tension is fairly spot on. The audiobook narration is beautiful. I think the dips into scientific explanation were natural and unobtrusive and the addition of Korean Folk Tales was fun.
July 29, 2024
heartfelt relationships & super immersive journey searching for origins. At times playful and at others painfully resonant metaphors connecting science & personal life ❤️❤️
July 21, 2024
what a discovery !
this book is definitely in my favorite-of-all-time books now
the facts about science throughout the story is everything to me (as a person who seeks facts about everything on anything).
the main character is deeply fleshed out
just read it !
thank you to net galley for the copy
this book is definitely in my favorite-of-all-time books now
the facts about science throughout the story is everything to me (as a person who seeks facts about everything on anything).
the main character is deeply fleshed out
just read it !
thank you to net galley for the copy
July 11, 2024
The main character in We Carry the Sea in Our Hands had been orphaned twice, once by her birth mother as an infant and then additionally by adoptive parents. This was well balanced with the main characters research with sea slugs and her adoptive sisters investigative journaling.
I could sense that young women might find an interest in science as a result of reading We Carry the Sea in Our Hands.
This was a very well written book and author Janie Kim did a fabulous job with her debut novel! Please! Keep writing! I was especially curious about the science (especially since the author is a biology PhD student at Stanford!) and was so glad that she addressed it at the end of the book.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for approving my request to listen to the "advance copy" of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review. Very well done by narrator Michelle H. Lee! Publication date is Jul 9, 2024. Approx 8 hours.
I could sense that young women might find an interest in science as a result of reading We Carry the Sea in Our Hands.
This was a very well written book and author Janie Kim did a fabulous job with her debut novel! Please! Keep writing! I was especially curious about the science (especially since the author is a biology PhD student at Stanford!) and was so glad that she addressed it at the end of the book.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for approving my request to listen to the "advance copy" of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review. Very well done by narrator Michelle H. Lee! Publication date is Jul 9, 2024. Approx 8 hours.
July 15, 2024
Gorgeous book about identity using the vehicle of microbiology. Highly recommend. Suitable for h.s. library.
July 11, 2024
This novel is an interesting mix of science and fiction. For me, though, it weighed too heavily on the science side. The author makes a valiant attempt to explain the science in layman's terms, but it was just too technical for someone who's not in the field. After a while, I found myself tuning out the scientific parts. I was glad to be listening to the audiobook because it saved me from having to sift through all of it. Overall, I thought this was strong for a debut, and I'd be curious to read the author's next book.
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for allowing me early access to the ARC audiobook edition of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for allowing me early access to the ARC audiobook edition of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
June 30, 2024
One thing I LOVE in books is a lot of science. I’d say this was more LitFic with a teeny dose of scifi. Heartfelt in the exploration of familial roots/ what that tie us together, grief and trauma.
Abby is a scientist working with sea slugs and her work often has her questioning her place in the world and where she came from. She is considered a “drop box baby” and her experiences in the foster system has left her with a hard time connecting with people and limited relationships. She is hoping finding her birth mother will help her understand herself.
I really enjoyed this as a nerd I love a lab setting and descriptions of research and findings. The sea is a theme in this and it felt like the writing flowed like the seas too with big crashes and slow flowing bits it made for interesting pacing.
Excellent debut and I am excited to see what the author does next.
Thanks to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for an alc.
Abby is a scientist working with sea slugs and her work often has her questioning her place in the world and where she came from. She is considered a “drop box baby” and her experiences in the foster system has left her with a hard time connecting with people and limited relationships. She is hoping finding her birth mother will help her understand herself.
I really enjoyed this as a nerd I love a lab setting and descriptions of research and findings. The sea is a theme in this and it felt like the writing flowed like the seas too with big crashes and slow flowing bits it made for interesting pacing.
Excellent debut and I am excited to see what the author does next.
Thanks to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for an alc.
May 22, 2024
Received an arc from NetGalley in exchange for honest opinion, thanks!
Iseul is going back to the sea.
Janie Kim crafted something really beautiful – a complicated yet hopeful story about family ties (those known and unknown), loss, science and sea slugs. Abby starts her career with bacteria, unconciously hoping this study will lead her to her biological parents. She does not expect, however, what kind of ground-breaking discovery she will make – and what will it cost her. Because science does not like to be mingled with emotions, yet those seem to never truly leave Abby.
I have this problem with family sagas and minisagas that I love the beginning, but grow rather numb with time. This is not the case. Janie Kim surprised me; when I thought I knew the direction, she spinned the bingo known as plot and dealt the new cards. Abby's story is comforting in its heartbreaking ways, interestingly developed and steeped in real emotions. Although it took me some time to get through, and the pacing is rather slow, I do not regret any page. It was a beautiful story, and I am sure it will stay with me for some time.
Iseul is going back to the sea.
Janie Kim crafted something really beautiful – a complicated yet hopeful story about family ties (those known and unknown), loss, science and sea slugs. Abby starts her career with bacteria, unconciously hoping this study will lead her to her biological parents. She does not expect, however, what kind of ground-breaking discovery she will make – and what will it cost her. Because science does not like to be mingled with emotions, yet those seem to never truly leave Abby.
I have this problem with family sagas and minisagas that I love the beginning, but grow rather numb with time. This is not the case. Janie Kim surprised me; when I thought I knew the direction, she spinned the bingo known as plot and dealt the new cards. Abby's story is comforting in its heartbreaking ways, interestingly developed and steeped in real emotions. Although it took me some time to get through, and the pacing is rather slow, I do not regret any page. It was a beautiful story, and I am sure it will stay with me for some time.
December 6, 2024
Beautifully written story and fantastic audiobook narration!
October 10, 2024
After finding out that she was a drop box baby - Abby becomes preoccupied with finding her birth parents and learning her true origin story. Her first adoptive parents had a tumultuous and unstable relationship and never told her that she adopted. Even though she now has loving adoptive parents through her childhood friend, her realization that she has been abandoned not just once, but twice, in her childhood, inevitably makes her question her own self-worth.
This debut novel is impressively written, with a fascinating plot line and insightful prose. I love reading about Asian American women of science. Her descriptions of her laboratory and her experimental work invoked a strong sense of familiarity for me. I had no idea which direction the story would take at any point, but I loved following along Abby's unexpected journey, in both her scientific discoveries and her origin story.
This debut novel is impressively written, with a fascinating plot line and insightful prose. I love reading about Asian American women of science. Her descriptions of her laboratory and her experimental work invoked a strong sense of familiarity for me. I had no idea which direction the story would take at any point, but I loved following along Abby's unexpected journey, in both her scientific discoveries and her origin story.
July 13, 2024
A young Korean woman, Abby Rodger, who was a drop box baby ( abandoned by her mother in Korea) , and initially raised by parents who ultimately abandoned her once more, eventually finds her home with the family of her best friend Iseul. When life takes a tragic turn , Abby begins to think about her birth mom and how it might be possible to connect with her. Sounds like a good plot ? But there’s more. So much more. Abby is a marine biologist working with sea slugs and bacteria. Anything and everything I never wanted to know about these creatures is slowly and painstakingly detailed word upon word, paragraph upon paragraph, page upon page. Sea slugs permeate everything in great academic detail. I felt like I was drowning in a sea of scientific information interspersed with Abby’s trials and tribulations. I was unable to connect with anything and am still wondering what this was about and why so many other readers raved about this book.
I listened to the audio version which was gifted to me by NetGalley and Dreamscape Mefia in exchange for my review.
I listened to the audio version which was gifted to me by NetGalley and Dreamscape Mefia in exchange for my review.
October 9, 2024
4 stars
This was a beautifully written book. I love to read books about women in STEM. There is a lot of science in this book but it is done well and is very understandable. This book was so heart touching and heart breaking! I loved every minute of it.
Thank you to Dreamscape Media and Net Galley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.
This was a beautifully written book. I love to read books about women in STEM. There is a lot of science in this book but it is done well and is very understandable. This book was so heart touching and heart breaking! I loved every minute of it.
Thank you to Dreamscape Media and Net Galley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.
July 11, 2024
I fear that I am not the target audience for this book.
While the DNA aspect, Abby's adoption, and seeking out her birth mother was all interesting, I felt that the addition of all of the sea slug content to be quite boring and unfortunately found myself nodding off more than once. I wanted to like this more than I did.
While the DNA aspect, Abby's adoption, and seeking out her birth mother was all interesting, I felt that the addition of all of the sea slug content to be quite boring and unfortunately found myself nodding off more than once. I wanted to like this more than I did.
July 15, 2024
Very scientific.
August 23, 2024
The beginning was good, the rest of the book was so boring and slow. Too much science talk for me. It had so much potential but it dragged on for way too long.
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