Lyn's Reviews > Sea of Tranquility

Time travel, but this is not just a time travel book, it’s so much more.

First of all, the real hero here is Emily St. John Mandel’s writing which is warm and melodic and thought provoking, like observing a watercolor painting while listening to a string quartet.

This also reminded me of something David Mitchell would write, though Mandel’s prose is more inviting and accessible. This also made me think, obliquely, of Elizabeth Moon’s fiction.

We are conducted along a capricious storyline, with vignettes from disparate centuries, to unravel a mystery, but also the reader enjoys the tour, and we can relish the erudition and eloquence of our guide.

Science Fiction? Yes, but like the writing of Ursula K. LeGuin, Mandel’s fantasy is one drawn on pastel and her gentle hints and clues open for us a dazzling world of discovery and introspective speculation. Mandel asks some interesting questions and offers us the opportunity to consider different ideas.

I very much enjoyed her 2014 novel Station Eleven and now I’m hooked and am on to my next Mandel work.