Emily St. John Mandel continues to prove herself as one of the most exciting writers of the 21st century.

Her prose continues to be beautiful, poetic and cinematic. I also love the way she weaves her themes into her prose. Everything comes across to the reader so effortlessly.

Having read all of her books, one of the biggest joys for me when reading any of her works is connecting it to the wider universe she is writing in. I loved all the Easter eggs to her other books.

My one and only complaint is that I wish this book had been longer so I could have enjoyed an extended stay in her world.

If you loved Station Eleven by the same author, you'll find Sea of Tranquility to be a fascinating continuation of Mandel's ability to blend the speculative with the deeply human. This novel, though it includes elements like time travel and moon colonies, is ultimately a meditation on isolation, connection, and the impact of pandemics—elements readers may find especially resonant in today's world.

What makes Sea of Tranquility particularly unique is Mandel's use of multiple timelines and character arcs that converge in surprising ways. The story is like a puzzle, and as you move between eras, you are invited to piece together the overarching narrative, all while reflecting on philosophical ideas such as whether time is a linear concept or if reality is more fluid than we think.

The writing is elegant yet accessible, filled with poetic imagery and introspective moments that evoke strong emotions. The futuristic moon colony serves as both a symbol of humanity's potential and its loneliness, while the time-traveling element gives the novel a touch of mystery and intrigue. Mandel’s deft hand ensures that the novel remains grounded in its characters despite its fantastical elements.

I had high expectations for this because of how much I loved Station Eleven, and this did not disappoint at all - I absolutely adored the differing timelines, and how they all worked with one another, and were so integral to the story.

I'm a little late reading this book but I absolutely LOVED it and I only regret I didn't start it sooner. This has become one of my favourite books and I know I will pick it up to read over and over throughout the years!

This book is so good. Like inject it into my veins I can think of nothing else good.

It’s difficult to describe the plot. There’s a man in 1912, an author living on the moon, a throwback to Vincent from The Glass Hotel. There’s secrets and violins and a pandemic, and amongst it all Gaspery-Jacques Roberts, investigating an anomaly in time.

The writing is beautiful, the chapters are short and concise, but the book is full of many worlds, many lives, so many threads of story. I’m amazed so much is packed into one not overly long book, but nothing feels rushed or cramped or cut out.

I just need everyone to read this. I need to shout about it from the rooftops. I want to read it all over again immediately, but also forget everything about it and dive in head first again.

This will a very hard book to top.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

'Time we left...'

A deft, and deceptively intricate, novel, which plots multiple, but linked, timelines. Ultimately, it appears, we are more-than-likely living in a simulation. But does it matter? How does it benefit us to know?

I'm afraid I gave up on this half way through it was just too slow and labouring it just felt like a chore to read

A mind blowing mystery with so many timelines and storylines to unpack. Full of cleverly placed Easter eggs, yet another example of why Emily St John Mandel is such a skilled writer.

A fantastic read but not one I necessarily loved.

Full review to come.

Completely on me for choosing this as my introduction to St. John Mandel, but perhaps better appreciated when you are already familiar with her work

I love the world Emily St. John Mandel has created in her books. I love stories about time travel so this follow-up to Station Eleven was the perfect read for me.

The book opens in 1012 in Canada where, one day, a young British immigrant, Edwin St John St Andrew, undergoes a paranormal experience Later, the scene shifts and we are at a concert in New York where a composer is playing an old piece of video that seems to show a version of what Edwin experienced in the forest. Cue mystery and dual, interwoven storylines. My favourite.

Sea of Tranquility is a stunning about about morality, humanity, mortality and existence. It's quietly compelling and utterly gripping. Emily St. John Mandel's storytelling is as exquisite as always.

This skilful and timely sequel to both Station Eleven and The Glass Hotel (even though the two are apparently unconnected) begs for repeat reading and to its precursors. One(s) to enjoy again and again.

Sea of Tranquility is a beautiful story about time travel with compelling characters, an intriguing plot, and a fast-paced to keep readers hooked. Emily St. John Mandel is quickly becoming a must-read author. Highly recommended!

Unfortunately I found that this one wasn't for me. Although I normally love time travel books, I found this one just a little bit too disjointed and disconnected and as a result I couldn't get into the story. The pace is also very slow. Emily St John Mandel likes to spend time with her characters, building up a backstory and gradually building on their emotions and relationships to create a bigger picture. It's subtle storytelling at its best, and very well crafted, but I just couldn't get invested.

Definitely a case of personal taste clashing, as I really can see why Emily St John Mandel is such a well loved author, but i just couldnt enjoy this.

I was apprehensive going into this as I wasn't the biggest fan of Station Eleven, but you can imagine my surprise when I found out it features time travel!
It took a little while for me to get into the story. It follows quite a few different characters in different time periods, and I struggled with the earlier POV. Once we got to the more futuristic settings, and time travel was introduced then I was completely hooked. Once everything came together, I honestly would've given the book 5 stars, but I wish that I have been so engaged right from the start.

I really recommend this one - especially if you're a big fan of the time travel trope like I am!

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Emily St. John Mandel takes time travel, a pandemic, a moon colony, a violin played in an airship terminal, and throws in the question, if reality is what it seems.
All of that combines to form a stunning pladoyer for humanity's will to live.

Starting from 1912 Canada and reaching to the new moon colonies this story of connected lives stretches through a pandemic. However, there is one constant, a seemingly out of place stranger. Who is this person that arrives and disappears just as quickly and why is he asking about a strange episode of music and sound?

I loved the jumps in time and the descriptions of each time period; the way the characters were linked slowly revealing itself was gripping and as the end of the novel explained all the questions I had and I was not disappointed. With the pandemic fear running through timelines although the novel was at times alien it also felt very familiar. 5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review

https://lynns-books.com/2022/05/30/sea-of-tranquility-by-emily-st-john-mandel/
5 of 5 stars
My Five Word TL:DR Review: This book equals mind blown

Words actually fail me right now – which isn’t the best start to a review is it? I am in complete awe of this author and can’t even begin to outline how impressive this book is. On the face of it this is a standalone story that fundamentally connects the lives of four people who share an experience through a strange anomaly, a glitch in the system if you will, that in the future will be scrutinised and investigated by a time travel agency. Dig a little deeper and this novel actually brings together elements from the author’s previous works (definitely The Glass Hotel and also I think Station Eleven) in the most eye popping feat. If that wasn’t enough, one of the characters is an author herself, of a post apocalyptic book that has become a bestseller. There are so many little twists and turns in this book all finished off with a mouth dropping conclusion that is simply brilliant.

If that doesn’t intrigue you enough to delve into this author’s work then consider also that her writing is absolutely beautiful and I could easily have had a whole stack of quotes at this point but for the fact that I’m so lazy at keeping notes, especially when I’m deep in the throes of a book I’m loving.

So, I know I’m going to make a complete muddle of trying to describe the plot but here goes. We basically meet four individuals from different times and places. A young man who in 1912 finds himself exiled from his family who travels to Canada to start a new life. A teenage girl from the year 1994 who is walking through a forest taking a video, a short film that picks up a strange anomaly. Her film will be used 26 years later to accompany a musical score that her brother composes. In the year 2203 we follow an author on an extended book tour, separated from her husband and young child and missing home. Jump forward again to 2401 where an employee of the Time Institute is given a case to investigate – a case that will tie all these threads together.

Firstly, time travel books can be very hit or miss for me but when they work well, as is the case here, I find them thought provoking in the extreme. With this particular story it feels like the potential to become tangled (did you read my synopsis of the plot?) is highly possible. However, the author’s writing chops prevents that from becoming the case. Each narrative seems to flow without either beginning or end. I know that sounds crazy but it’s one of the thoughts I distinctly remember having whilst I was reading. It’s magical, one minute you’re reading a person’s narrative and thoughts and then you’ve moved to another player and there’s no confusion or muddy waters, just a really elegant transition that is so smooth that each player seems to simply blend into the background or come back into focus as the story dictates, like a camera panning round and zooming in or out to capture a person or moment. And the story doesn’t necessarily flow in chronological order but jumps backwards and forwards in time, but, again, I would stress that I never experienced any confusion.

Secondly, the author has written of a fictional author who has published a successful post apocalyptic novel that becomes even more poignant when the time in which she lives falls victim to a vicious pandemic. Layers within layers within layers.

The settings jump about. We travel not only on earth but on planets that have been colonised, some more successfully than others. Planets where huge domes provide faux skies, clouds and rain and others where the technology has failed and the skies are permanently dark.

I don’t think I can add too much more. I liked the characters. I loved the inclusion of little elements taken from previous stories. I thought the plot was skillfully managed and the threads all came together in an extremely satisfying way. I think the only thing I can say further at this point is I feel like a reread is in order.

I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending this book, Station Eleven or The Glass Hotel although I would stress that each novel can be read as a standalone.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

Emily St. John Mandel is one of my favourite authors, and this story doesn't disappoint.

This is a mystery story, a story of interplanetary travel, time travel, a story of an anomaly in time; all so well written, with beautifully described scenery and atmosphere.

There are many intriguing characters, male and female, all with their own airs of mystery as they try to reconcile themselves with a changing and dangerous universe, and how they can survive within it.

Highly recommended.

Liked this a lot more than Station Eleven. Different time lines and different characters, very well interwoven.

A quick read, but one that you read slowly to savour.

One of my most anticipated releases for 2022 did not quite live up to expectations. Mandel's effortless prose is not enough to sustain a very ambitious project.
The sci-fi element is not remotely consistent or convincing and the auto-fiction element comes across as self-indulgent and unnecessary. Still somewhat enjoyable but disappointing nonetheless.