Sea of Tranquility
Ratings626
Average rating4
Well-written and easy-to-read story involving time travel and some light philosophy on the simulation hypothesis, but the plot seemed to have a lot of holes. For example (spoilers):
1. Why would the Time Institute send people to be in jail back in time if they are worried about them messing with the timeline? Even in jail, you can easily have influence on the world, and these people have no incentive not to interfere at that point.
2. How would the Time Institute even know it had been tampered with? To take an extreme example, if someone goes back in time and destroys the creator of the time machine itself, then no one in the future would be left to do anything about it. (A better handling of a similar setup is in Asimov's The End of Eternity).
3. It doesn't really make sense to me that a simulation would have trouble simulation the same person in two places. Presumably a simulation is done at the level of individual molecules/atoms, and not each human separately, but even if it is, there's no issue in computers with copying some particular program and running it simultaneously. For a better treatment of this idea, see Permutation City by Greg Egan.
4. Not exactly a plot hole, but the motivation for the main character to break the rule and save someone's life was not very clear. He just does it basically immediately, 5 min after swearing he won't. It would have made more sense for this to be better developed. Similarly, why did the main character go through with learning violin and fulfilling his fate? Based on his previous actions it seems like he might have wanted to resist it just to see what happens.
Overall, the book was easy and pleasant to read because of Mandel's fantastic writing style, but it didn't do well as a sci-fi novel, compared to others that tackle similar issues. I can see how it would be more appealing to a read that didn't have as much experience with science fiction.
Very interesting themes and ideas brought up though and okay time travel plot.
I picked this up, brand new and in its shining jacket, from a little free library months and months ago. I read Station Eleven and thought it was pretty good (I did not love the TV series). I quite enjoyed this, probably more than I did Station Eleven, even. Despite that, I have few thoughts.
I've seen it described as “quiet” science fiction. Fitting. The story is quiet, not exactly contemplative but patient. That is not to say slow: I found it paced very well. In fact, despite a rotating setting and cast of characters, each character feels separate and well formed. That is impressive. This helps the pacing a lot, I think, because we never get bored of anyone.
I don't think it tries to hide anything or obscure itself. It is very pleasant to read and when the action comes it is not the world ending whatever of other books, it feels more personal. I like that.
“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 ti's ever been, that finally we have reached the end of the world.”
i love this little book. i'd say it's a big expansion on her short time travel story mr. thursday (fun one to read ahead of this! it introduces a bit of the world and there's a cute little reference to it in the novel) and a small extension of the glass hotel, in the sense that it feels like this one is working through some things that maybe didn't fit into that novel. this book is like... one counterlife frame away from that world.
it's all very emily, which is to say that i think it's lovely.
I was a little surprised how much I liked this. Fast-moving, twisting and turning, and even though I saw the ending coming miles away it was no less enjoyable getting there! The 1700s-ish section was the least interesting (I say as someone with a distaste for historical fiction) but it got its point across fast enough and I was sold by then!
Holy, this definitely needs a reread.
The last section of the book reminds me of the movie Predestination which is based on [b:All You Zombies|13030110|All You Zombies|Robert A. Heinlein|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1338513108l/13030110._SX50_.jpg|18193411]. SO GOOD.
I'm impressed how Mandel injects so much themes and different explorations of humanity in only 250 pages. It's beautiful written and reflective.
The science fiction part is weak, but that isn't the point of this book in my opinion.
i didn't know this book was about time travel so i spent the first part being very confused
Initial reaction:
I enjoyed it more than Station Eleven but overall I'd say it was fine. I may try another St. John Mandel joint in the future but I suspect I'll never get out of her work what other people seem to get.
Additional thoughts:
I think as I've sat with this story, I've started to like it a little more. Though I have my quibbles with the way the story is constructed, I think it's an effective reflection of the experience of dislocation and isolation that we all underwent during 2020.
I'm not saying that this is a sequel, but this book came off as an unofficial companion piece to [b:Station Eleven 20170404 Station Eleven Emily St. John Mandel https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1680459872l/20170404.SX50.jpg 28098716]. We have a deadly virus, space travel, and even the author inserting herself into the book clearly to remark on criticism of the book. Whereas Station Eleven was more of a closed narrative, this book is better described as a sublime dreamscape. The prose is beautiful, and the journey was great, but there isn't too much going on. Everything just sort of exists for its own sake. Definitely recommended for those who have already read Station Eleven.
I chose the book very randomly, not knowing what to expect, and it was a pleasant surprise. The story is told to us from different points of view and the further the reader gets into the story, the more they start to realise the connections.
“Isn't that why we're here? To leave a mark on wilderness?”
Gaspery searched for the anomaly until time itself led him to it. Even though he knew where his path led, he still followed the trail of events. Events that he knew were inevitable anyway.
“The traveler's presence itself is a distruption.”
The reader wonders at one point, if we were in his shoes, would we have done anything differently? But by the time we see that the anomaly is already repeating itself, we would have to realize that it's too late to do anything differently anyway.
“I'd do it again, I wouldn't even hesitate”
Contains spoilers
This is the first of Emily St. John Mandel’s works I have read and I’m sure it won’t be the last either. She is an absolute treasure of a writer. Her prose is eloquent but not overly so which made it simple to finish the book quickly despite its somewhat sci-fi themes.
What I ended up not enjoying was that there were many unfleshed out interested ideas and at least a major unresolved question at the end. The answer to one of which was essentially ‘it doesnt matter, a life lived is a life lived’, but it does matter to me, the reader.
2.5 stars. majority of it had pacing issues, with the book getting interesting only in the last third. didn't help either that all the characters had zero personality. but surprisingly, i still would like to pick up an emily st. john mandel in the future because of this novel's scientific intrigue!
Rounding up from 4.5. I honestly would view this, Station Eleven, and The Glass Hotel as a triptych of stories. Recommend reading in order. They share a common structure of weaving stories away and then together again. Characters float from one book to the next – the same but different. The three together are lovely. Also, I want to go to Vancouver Island.
This book truly captivated me. Its intricate storyline and the way the author crafted it left me in awe, pondering how such a complex narrative came to be. Right from the start, it held my attention effortlessly. My edition was flawlessly written, devoid of any errors or grammatical slip-ups. The characters felt genuine, and the suspense surrounding the events kept me deeply engaged. Witnessing how all the elements seamlessly converged astounded me.
It's a remarkable narrative that delves into life's essence, time travel intricacies, pivotal life choices, and the impact of a pandemic. I never foresaw experiencing a global pandemic earlier in life, making the novel's backdrop incredibly relatable. Overall, it's an exceptional story with an array of surprising twists and turns that thoroughly delighted me.
The Matrix meets Ready Player One meets Quantum Leap (more a 3.5 than a 3)
Not sure what I was expecting from this book (I read nothing about it ahead of time), but this wasn't it. Although unexpected, it was a good read. I enjoyed the characters and build-up. The end seemed a bit “hurry up and shut the door”. I don't know how she could have wrapped it up better though. It just felt a little bit rushed.
Overall though, I enjoyed the book.
Damn good ending. A slow build until then but still a well woven story that keeps you interested, even if not on the edge of your seat. And that's what I've come to expect from ESMJ... in a soothing way. Her writing really is quietly beautiful.
Al principio es bastante flojo, mejora un poco en su segunda mitad. Para haber sido el ganador a mejor libro en Goodreads de ciencia ficción en 2022 es bastante regular.
