Sea of Tranquility in Reading with Style

Apr 14, 2022 Tien rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: own, for-review, by-the-month-22, speculative-fiction

I just adore this cover! The colour, the gloss, and, with my copy, texture. I enjoyed author's novel, Station Eleven, as it didn't turn out as per my expectation, and I was intrigued by the description of this book which yet again, did NOT turn out as per my expectation.

At first, the jump in time settings and characters felt disparate in plot and structure until you notice something that doesn't quite fit in each timeline. And this is basically the first half of the book so you do feel a little I just adore this cover! The colour, the gloss, and, with my copy, texture. I enjoyed author's novel, Station Eleven, as it didn't turn out as per my expectation, and I was intrigued by the description of this book which yet again, did NOT turn out as per my expectation.

At first, the jump in time settings and characters felt disparate in plot and structure until you notice something that doesn't quite fit in each timeline. And this is basically the first half of the book so you do feel a little disjointed but as soon as some explanation that actually thread these timelines together, I got really excited to dig into this mystery. And that big twist at the end was just Marvellous!

"Pandemics don't approach like wars, with the distant thud of artillery growing louder every day and flashes of bombs on the horizon. They arrive in restrospect, essentially. It's disorienting. The pandemic is far away and then it's all around you, with seemingly no intermediate step."

Aside from the main overall arc, there is something that interest me in each different part of the novel. Thoughts on colonisation, of grief & anger, of being lost, of fear & death, etc. There were many thoughts that chime with me personally but that you'd probably find other bits that chime with you. However, certainly the thoughts of pandemics and lockdowns are understood by all in our current situation. I am finding it very hard to get my thoughts together on this book - it's probably one that needs a very long simmer in my brain.

There is a very poignant feel to the book as each characters explored certain life decisions and regrets however at the end, I found a mixture of triumph and disbelief. The question is what would you have chosen in face of consequences, of exile, of death?

"..., isn't that reality? Won't most of us die in fairly unclimactic ways, our passing unremarked by almost everyone, our deaths becoming plot points in the narratives of the people around us?

My thanks to Pan Macmillan Australia for this copy of book in exchange of my honest thoughts ...more

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Feb 05, 2023 Kathleen (itpdx) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: rws-2022-winter, tob-2023

This is a mind bender. Mandel has me thinking about all sorts of things—time travel, reality, AI, big brother..She has these questions all wrapped up in an intriguing story and quite the brain exercise for me. I had to work to keep people and eras in my mind. She helps with some cookie crumbs through her writing. This is definitely a book worth rereading and recommending.

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Apr 07, 2023 Joanna rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-sci-fi, 2023-read, rws-2023-spring

I loved this. The intertwined stories, the ending, the quiet prose...a beautiful book. I think it's best not to know too much about this going in and just let it unfold. I haven't read The Glass Hotel, but perhaps I should have read that first. Still, a wonderful read even without that context.

The narrators for the audiobook made for an excellent listening experience and having different narrators helped keep the storylines distinct. ...more

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