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Sea of Tranquility
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
"The award-winning, best-selling author of Station Eleven and The Glass Hotel returns with a novel of art, time, love, and plague that takes the reader from an island off Vancouver in 1912 to a dark colony of the moon three hundred years later, unfurling a story of humanity across centuries and planets"--
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wen4blu
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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I read this book last year and remember feeling annoyed that I didn‘t predict the ending. I‘m giving it a reread, this time on audio, to see how it feels now that I understand where it‘s going.

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andioop
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
Pickpick

Read this in three days, it‘s addicting.

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bekakins
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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Pickpick

Really enjoyable, dreamy time travel story. This is my book club read this month and I‘m excited to discuss it! And here‘s my #bookspinbingo board for September too!

TheAromaofBooks Yay!! Looks fantastic!!! 3w
8 likes1 comment
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JillR
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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I really loved this. We follow several strands at different times in history as the story and links slowly pull together. I loved each and every character, and particularly loved the sections about author Olive Llewelyn as she copes with family life and a pandemic in the moon colonies circa 2400. In fact I‘d read a whole other book about the moon colonies. Brilliant.

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Jari-chan
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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Pickpick

After loving Station Eleven and being disappointed in The Glasshotel I was curious to find out what I would think of Mandels third book. I was worried that I would dislike it as well, but after the first few pages my worries were long gone.

I was absorbed by the story and wanted to keep on reading and reading. It wasn't as intense as with SE, but I felt at home in this book and was happy to return to it. I now need to reread The Glasshotel.

RaeLovesToRead I weirdly LOVED the glass hotel 2mo
Jari-chan @RaeLovesToRead Ok, I really, really need to do a Reread now 🤨 2mo
RaeLovesToRead I'm planning to re-read Station Eleven because I remember it being good, but my review is tepid..... I think I have to be in the right frame of mind for Mandel 2mo
Jari-chan @RaeLovesToRead I guess you're right about that. That might be the reason why I was disappointed in The Glasshotel. 2mo
36 likes4 comments
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Robotswithpersonality
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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Pickpick

Dreamy, quiet, speculative, with a dash of existential dread.
Shades of Greenwood, looking at different moments in time that are paralleled in their anxieties about the present and future, whether humanity will survive. 1/?

Robotswithpersonality As 'messing with time travel is dangerous' is a well worn trope in science fiction, I was glad to see the more compassionate response win out, as well as the nebulous premise of 'simulation hypothesis' floating about to complicate things. 2/? 4mo
Robotswithpersonality I enjoyed that we got an answer to one mystery, and it leaves us pondering many other questions.
I think the nature of this narrative - how we hop about - how we were introduced to multiple characters' lives - means that the reader is prepared for what might be considered an incomplete ending when attached to a different type of story.
Still not going to read Station Eleven. This is as close as I get to a pandemic book. 3/4
4mo
Robotswithpersonality 4/4 ⚠️ Veteran PTSD, pandemic discussion 4mo
4 likes3 comments
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Erin.Elizabeth10
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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Pickpick

This book was so different than I was expecting! It follows the stories of several different people in different time periods. With a mixture of space travel and time travel, they do end up connecting… but I won‘t give it away. In some ways, this book felt more like a series of short stories. I think I‘d have to read it twice to truly get it! 😅 But it was beautifully written.

Saknicole Totally about the short story vibe! 4mo
13 likes2 comments
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starlight97
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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Pickpick

"If we were living in a simulation, how would we know it was a simulation?"
Very smart, very neat time travel story.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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LiterRohde
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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Pickpick

At the heart of this time travel book that spans 500 years and explores bigs questions like the nature of reality, the meaning of life, and the end of the world, is an intimate portrayal of loneliness, grief, and the connection we all seek.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🖋: Leonardo Momento Zero Orange Dreams F • Fontoplumo Exclusive
🩸: Diamine Orange

Clwojick 🧡🧡🧡 6mo
Sapphire So, now I am down the pen rabbit hole :) 6mo
LiterRohde @Sapphire Always happy to ‘help‘. 🤣 6mo
See All 8 Comments
Sapphire @LiterRohde lol! $70 later 6mo
LiterRohde @Sapphire Oooo! Did you really just jump in for the first time? That was quite a first jump then! What did you get? 6mo
Sapphire @LiterRohde I do love pens but yes this was my first jumó into fontoplumo. I got Caran d'Ache 849 Rollerball Blue and a Kaweco Sport Classic bordeaux ballpoint pen. I have disposable pilot varsity fountain pens in primary colors but I am not ready for full fountain pens for journaling or letter writing. 6mo
Sapphire @LiterRohde also I am a super impulse shopper when I am up in the middle of the night due to insomnia. I try to read instead but. Lol. I am hopefuls i will get a lot of enjoyment out of these 6mo
LiterRohde @Sapphire Whenever you are ready for a fountain pen, you know where to find me. If you like the 849 and Kaweco you bought, they have great fountain pens in the same form factor. 🧡 6mo
37 likes8 comments
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Yossarian
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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I seem to have lost my motivation for online book talk, but I am still reading and doing more in person things — including now hosting a book club through Inkwood Books in Haddonfield, New Jersey! #bookclub #southjersey #philadelphia

If any of my online friends in the Philadelphia/ South Jersey friends want to join me in person, follow the link below and join me at Inkwood!

BarbaraBB That sounds good. I‘m sorry you don‘t like online book talk any longer though! You were the first person I talked to on Litsy 😃 6mo
33 likes2 comments
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Larkken
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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Pickpick

Winter #Booked2023 complete! Tagged and Round House were my favorite reads from this challenge, but I liked all of them except Frankenstein. Which is sad! I really wanted to enjoy Shelley‘s first and much copied scifi novel, not least because of the circumstances of its creation. I think it cannot be a coincidence that it was written by a new mother whose partner was dissolute and likely quite unhelpful… but alas.
Good luck all Booked challengers!

Cinfhen Yay! You‘re off to a great start 🤩don‘t forget you have until April 3 to fill out the google form 💕 Here‘s the link: https://forms.gle/DJJdqbFZydvy9ndv7 6mo
20 likes1 comment
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BarbaraBB
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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This was a close call! Before the start of our #LitsyToB 6 people voted for Sea as their favorite, 5 chose Rabbit. Now these 2 met and it is surprising that Rabbit is the winner, meeting Babel in the zombie round!

It feels like today‘s judge in the #ToB23 also had a hard time choosing between the two but her final arguments really resonate with me. Sea advances!

Please fill in the next form today: https://forms.gle/WJnU7sxgDgq6wH2a8 ‼️

jlhammar Voted! Thanks. The judge definitely had a difficult choice today. I'm a bit heartbroken to see Rabbit eliminated from the official tournament, but at least it lost to a good one. 6mo
See All 14 Comments
BarbaraBB @jlhammar I feel the same. And I am glad the judge made such a nuanced decision 6mo
Ruthiella I‘m also sad to see Rabbit go. I like SoT but will soon forget it, I think. Rabbit was for me the stronger entry and and impressive debut. 6mo
Cinfhen Just voted😁while I didn‘t love SoT it is a worthy contender for the rooster ❤️🐔 6mo
Jas16 Voted. I was happy to see SoT move on in the tournament although I liked Rabbit Hutch. For me Rabbit had bursts of brilliance and then moments that didn‘t work quite as well. I though SoT was a more consistent read. But I am frequently in the minority when it comes to TOB. 6mo
Larkken The plot (and the differences between the official tournament vs ours) grow thicker! I have to admit I'm enjoying this even more than I thought I would. Lots of good bookish thoughts and conversations here! 6mo
sarahbarnes I agree that it was a great and impossible judgment today. I love Mandel, and I am also so sad to see Rabbit lose. 6mo
Readerann So sad to see Sea (😁) go here! Like many of you, I appreciated the thoughtful judgment in the real ToB. I‘d never really thought about the criteria of judgment being so important to the process. 6mo
BarbaraBB @Larkken I am glad you‘re enjoying it! I am happy you‘ve joined us! 6mo
BkClubCare 🐇 🐰!! I am glad to see RH here (and glad that SoT wins “there.” More love for more books? DONE. Updated to say my vote is in now. (edited) 6mo
kwmg40 Voted, and looking forward to the final matchups! 6mo
Hooked_on_books Another thoughtful judgment today, which I enjoyed reading. And even though the commentary got off track with discussing short stories in the publishing world, it was super interesting. I‘m not thrilled for the upcoming rematch in the official TOB. I‘d rather see a new matchup. 6mo
53 likes14 comments
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BarbaraBB
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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We‘re in sync again with the #ToB23: both QF have Sea of Tranquility up against The Violin conspiracy. Our obvious winner is Sea, as is the official one.

sarahbarnes Crazy how close we are to the real tournament this year! And I‘m very happy to see Sea advance. 💙 6mo
Readerann 👍 6mo
jlhammar Farewell, Violin! I‘m okay with this decision. I really liked them both. 6mo
See All 24 Comments
Deblovestoread Sad for Violin as I loved it. Thinking I might reread Sea as I didn't enjoy it as much as her other novels. 6mo
BkClubCare Interesting factoid (interesting to me?): the only TOB books on the shelves of the airport bookstores I perused recently were Sea of Tranquility and The Violin Conspiracy. 📚✈️ 6mo
squirrelbrain Ah, I‘m sad for Violin. 😞 But Sea would be a worthy winner so I don‘t mind so much. 6mo
Hooked_on_books I‘m not really surprised, though this is not the way I voted. I really liked Sea, but LOVED Violin, which is still with me a year after reading it. So sad to see it‘s not a zombie. 😔 6mo
Jas16 I am definitely pleased with this decision 6mo
Hooked_on_books Just finished reading the judgement, and I get the impression the judge didn‘t like either book all that much. He took them both apart pretty brutally. And then the commentators didn‘t really talk about the books at all, just some movies I‘ve never seen. Kinda odd. I am getting the sense from the judging that we‘re not the only ones feeling the lackluster nature of this year‘s tourney. 6mo
merelybookish @Hooked_on_books I agreed with the decision but this was the first judgement that I found unenjoyable to read. 6mo
BarbaraBB @Hooked_on_books I was thinking the same about the judges and their comments. 6mo
cariashley The judgment itself was just ok, but I actually really enjoyed the commentary and weaving in those movies. Mostly because I felt so meh about Banshees. Very happy about Sea advancing, in any case! 6mo
Ruthiella @BkClubCare That is interesting! I would expect Tx3 and Mercury Pictures to also be in airport book stores. 🤔 6mo
Ruthiella @Hooked_on_books Definitely when the comments section strays from the books, you know people have nothing to say. 6mo
BkClubCare @Ruthiella - maybe those were sold out? 6mo
BkClubCare @cariashley - I have zero interest in the Banshee movie. Looks too depressing. (edited) 6mo
Suet624 @BkClubCare banshee movie was super depressing. I thought the ultimate message of the movie sucked too. 6mo
Suet624 I liked them both but felt such a sense of relief that Sea moved on that I realized I actually did care about one over the other 6mo
Cinfhen I too was surprised over how critical the judge was @Hooked_on_books @merelybookish it was uncomfortable 😳 I really enjoyed Violin & he took that joy away from me. I totally agree @Deblovestoread about Sea - my least favorite of the trilogy. 6mo
Cinfhen And yesssss, WI-FI in Morocco is TERRIBLE 6mo
kwmg40 No surprise. I loved both books but definitely expected Sea to advance. 6mo
BkClubCare @Suet624 - TY, I will avoid seeing it (unless… hub wants to and I will read a book and watch scenery only.) 6mo
57 likes1 stack add24 comments
review
BekaReid
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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Pickpick

This is a story of all the questions: What does it mean to truly live/be alive? Who do we serve? What is our own agency? What is real? Can there still be value in a manufactured reality? If you could time travel, would you stop yourself from interfering? What is your duty; do you have one? We see Gaspery wrestle with all these questions as he ages and contemplates the past versions of himself and who he ultimately is.

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BekaReid
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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PaperbackPirate
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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Pickpick

I read this for my book club. I was looking forward to it bc I loved the HBO show, Station 11, which was written by the same author.
This is a mystery taking place in the past & distant future. I connected to the characters dealing with pandemics, but loved the main character‘s mission to time travel. Alike Station 11 in that the author imagines a bleak future where people are able to survive by connecting with others.
We loved it!
🎻🎻🎻🎻🎻

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BarbaraBB
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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Babel might have been the most surprising read for us this year. Most participants of the #LitsyToB23 enjoyed it more than expected. @Cinfhen @RebelReader and @kwmg40 even root for it in this years tournament.
It was up against Sea of Tranquility however, a book even more popular among us. Unfortunately Babel didn‘t stand a chance. Sea of Tranquility is our winner in this match! Unexpectedly, in my humble opinion, the #ToB23 judged likewise

Addison_Reads I loved them both, and I'm sad to see Babel out. I hated that these two were paired together. 6mo
Megabooks Even though Mandel and that book have a huge place in my heart. I‘ll definitely read Kuang again though. 6mo
See All 23 Comments
jlhammar Pleased with this outcome. I have to disagree with the judge regarding the HBO Station Eleven adaptation. It‘s quite different from the book, but I absolutely loved it. Funny that someone who avoids sci-fi and fantasy gets stuck judging this match. Though I think Babel is one that many who don‘t usually read fantasy have loved and same for Sea and those who may not usually enjoy sci-fi elements. 6mo
RebelReader I‘m disappointed that Babel didn‘t move on because Sea was not my cup of tea, but on to the next matchup! 🤣 6mo
Jas16 Another match up of two of my favorites from the list and another outcome I wish had gone the other way. 6mo
kwmg40 Too bad for Babel, but I loved Sea also (just a tiny bit less) so I can live with the judgements. I do hope Babel returns as a zombie. 6mo
batsy I've not read Mandel because it does feel like I should start from the beginning which I think is Station Eleven (that I haven't read), but I think the assessment of Babel was fair. I liked it, but with the same qualifications as the judge—the heavy-handedness grew exhausting. 6mo
Deblovestoread I enjoyed both books. And although Babel got my vote I‘m not sorry to see Sea of Tranquility advance. 6mo
batsy ("I really wished Babel would branch out beyond the scone" made me laugh lol) 6mo
Cinfhen I am disappointed since this was my least favorite book by Mandel but I‘m ok with Sea moving on. I do wish these two weren‘t up against each other but that‘s life. 6mo
Readerann I, too, wish both could have moved on. But Sea was my fav of this ToB. 6mo
Suet624 I believe I voted for Sea because a) I liked it and b) there was no way I was going to tackle Babel. I sing praises on all of you ambitious readers who read it and enjoyed it. 6mo
Ruthiella I definitely preferred the deft and understated writing in Sea over the didactic tone of Babel. 6mo
BarbaraBB @batsy I agree with the judge too, it was too long and turned exhausting. Buy it deserved to make it further in the tournament. The brackets suck this year! @Addison_Reads @Megabooks @squirrelbrain @Jas16 @kwmg40 @Deblovestoread @Readerann 6mo
sarahbarnes Agreed that I liked Babel more than I expected to, but as a huge Mandel fan, I was happy to see that one advance. 6mo
Larkken This is one where I changed my mind after voting! I think Babel was hugely cerebral and grows on me despite the dragged-on tragic ending while I‘m finding the long author-in-a-pandemic subplot of SoT is sticking in my mind and not in a good way. #unpopularopinions I think! 🤪 but I‘m also with all of you thinking both books deserved to move on! So it‘s nitpicky. Should I be more annoyed that genre books were pitted against each other? (edited) 6mo
Larkken @batsy just read that! Lol 6mo
Hooked_on_books Have you read a book where you enjoyed parts of it, but the author did something that made you by the end almost hate the book? Then every time you see someone say how great it is, you hate it a little bit more? That‘s me with Babel. I was so sure we were going to pick it and I‘m so glad we didn‘t. I‘m really happy to see Sea move on in both. 6mo
BarbaraBB @Larkken I wonder too why they set up genre books against one another. Did they always do this I wonder? 6mo
BarbaraBB @Hooked_on_books Yes! I know that feeling very well. Not with Babel though. I had it recently with 6mo
Suet624 @BarbaraBB oh gosh, yes. School for mothers…grumble, grumble. Just no. 6mo
68 likes23 comments
review
CyaneFillion
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
Pickpick

I devoured this book within 24 hours! I loved it so much, it's faster paced than the Glass Hotel, but has characters from it featuring throughout. I think this is my favourite book of her so far, or at least closely tied with Station Eleven. I think Gaspery is a good character, and the book reminded me of a Sanderson's Snapshot, but with a happy ending.

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Sapphire
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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Pickpick

This book surprised me at every turn. This may end up being her masterpiece. The writing is spare and yet evocative. The tale twists and turns. The characters are so engaging. I could read a novel dedicated to each. I preferred last night in Montreal to stations eleven for its aspects of John Irving. But she finds her own voice distinctly in this work. I sit astounded as I set it down.

BkClubCare Now I want to reread this. ❤️ 6mo
28 likes1 comment
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Sapphire
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel

“Is there an unease that‘s specific to the sense of an invisible bureaucracy in motion around you?”

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Jaimelire
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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Pickpick

Great book. Worth reading, especially if you are looking for something unique and beautifully written.

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Sapphire
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel

Illness frightens us because it‘s chaotic. There is an awful randomness about it.

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LisaLovesToRead
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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Mehso-so

This book was ok. It took me awhile to get into it, but I‘m glad I stuck with it, just not sure I‘d recommend it…

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Sapphire
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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If there is pleasure in action, there‘s peace in stillness.

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mjtwo
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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Pickpick

11 Feb-1 Mar 23
I enjoy Mandel‘s writing - sparse and light. This novel flits through a number of different time periods and characters, who are ultimately tied together through one man‘s time travelling. It is also a pandemic novel, clearly written through COVID.
I enjoyed it but not nearly as much as The Glass Hotel.

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merelybookish
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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Pickpick

Finished my 10th (and probably final) #tob23 book. I went in with low expectations (not sure why since I loved Station Eleven) & was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it. A time travel book about a pandemic. Clearly Mandel had some fun with this. I enjoyed how all the pieces came together even if I'm unclear on the meaning. But there's no question that Mandel can write. There's a confidence to her prose that's reassuring. Pic of Obie who 👇

merelybookish who might be one of the featured TOB pets. (A new fundraising they are running. Each day of the tournament a reading companion is going to be profiled.) I'll be so proud! 😸 7mo
LeahBergen Go, Obie!! 7mo
See All 26 Comments
Ruthiella How exciting that you have entered Obie as a contender! 😸 I like your review. I really enjoyed reading the book, even if I‘m not sure what it all meant. 7mo
sarahbarnes Yes I saw that! Rooting for Obie! And glad you liked the book - I did too. 7mo
Leftcoastzen Cool Obie! 7mo
Hooked_on_books I liked this one, too. And go Obie! 7mo
jlhammar I‘d love to see sweet Obie featured! I really liked this one as well. 7mo
Suet624 Yippee for Obie!! 7mo
Aimeesue I loved this one, and I love how Mandel has recurring characters in many of her books. I read this one and The Glass Hôtel back to back, which was neat. 7mo
BkClubCare @merelybookish - how fun!! (Do you have to come up with the cute commentary description of your pet?) 7mo
Megabooks Good luck Obie!! 🤩 7mo
BarbaraBB I‘d be definitely rooting for Obie! I was surprised I enjoyed this book as much as I did too! 7mo
batsy Rooting for Obie! 😸 I need to read Station Eleven! 7mo
Cinfhen Awww, Obie is too cute!!! This was a good book but my expectations were a bit too high. Agreed, Mandel is a clever gifted storyteller- I‘ll read whatever she writes!! 7mo
merelybookish @LeahBergen @Megabooks @Suet624 @Leftcoastzen Thanks! I will definitely share if he makes the cut! 😺 7mo
merelybookish @Ruthiella Thanks! If there was an overall message it eluded me but still enjoyed it! 🤷😅 7mo
merelybookish @sarahbarnes @Hooked_on_books @BarbaraBB Interesting that so many of us like it and yet my perception was (is?) no one is very excited about it being in the #tob. 7mo
merelybookish @Aimeesue I haven't read The Glass Hotel but am more curious about it now. Fun that she has repeating characters! 7mo
merelybookish @BkClubCare I do! My kids have been helping me. My son is convinced Obie's favourite book is Moby Dick. 😁 7mo
merelybookish @batsy I really loved it when I read but have always worried it wouldn't stand up to scrutiny which may be why I have avoided her books since then. But I feel more confident now that she is the real deal. 7mo
merelybookish @Cinfhen Well said! You can trust she knows what she's doing! 7mo
BkClubCare @merelybookish - fun! I look forward to the spotlight on Obie. 7mo
BarbaraBB @merelybookish I really liked it a lot but I read it right after it was published so that is probably why I‘m not that excited to see it in the ToB but that‘s not the book‘s fault 😉 7mo
BkClubCare OBIE!!! 6mo
merelybookish @BkClubCare ❤️❤️❤️❤️ 6mo
77 likes26 comments
review
Abailliekaras
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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Pickpick

I really enjoyed this. Mandel weaves different stories together from 1912 to a future where humans live on the moon. Her writing is so fluid & economical, in just a few lines she places you in the scene, you want to know what happens next. The characters feel real, I cared about them. A reflection on humans‘ desire for connection & a dystopic future but she has a light touch. Didn‘t love the sci fi parts (but that‘s just me).

37 likes1 stack add
blurb
Sharpeipup
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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Reading a few pages while it‘s still quiet in the office.
#celebritybc

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks How is this one? 8mo
Sharpeipup @alwaysbeenaloverofbooks interesting so far 8mo
38 likes2 stack adds2 comments
review
DocBrown
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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Pickpick

This book has no cover photo in the Litsy database, but the thread has some amazing shots! Here are a few of the ones I enjoyed the most. As for the book itself, it‘s a pleasantly forgettable tale reminiscent of at least a half dozen other time travel / futuristic stories I‘m familiar with. Barely a pick for me. Photo credits below ⭐️⭐️⭐️-1/2

See All 11 Comments
britt_brooke 🤩 Thanks, Martin! 8mo
FelinesAndFelonies 😂😂 thank you!! 8mo
AmyG I love all these photos! 8mo
DocBrown You‘re welcome @britt_brooke and @FelinesAndFelonies! Glad you enjoyed @AmyG! 8mo
Vanessa Thank you for including me! 7mo
56 likes11 comments
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Saknicole
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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I had a wonderful start to the year with my reading. My favorite was the first- Sea of Tranquility. In between all this I‘ve been working in A Tale of Two Cities and Great Expectations for my freshman honors class.

#teachersoflitsy #january

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LouiseWalters
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
Mehso-so

Read this book for Book Club and I have to admit I‘m not a fan of futuristic dystopian books. Nothing in this book changed my mind. It was a light read but I found holes in the believability of some details.

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OwenB
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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Mehso-so

I picked up this book after reading positive reviews. and was my first read of this author. It took me a little while to get into the book and while it was wrapped up well at the end, I personally didn't appreciate it as much as most readers. It focuses on one man and his experience with time travel.

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Ruthiella
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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Pickpick

I still like The Glass Hotel best, but this was a very smooth and satisfying experience, with some crossover to TGH. This book is about time travel, compassion, and humanity. Why humans are even here and where is “here”? It‘s all a bit trippy and circular. Also fun is the portrayal of author Olive Llewellen, certainly a stand in for Mandel.

I also like the thought expressed here, “A life lived in a simulation is still a life”.

#ToB2023

batsy I wanted to read this but then felt like I should read her previous ones first to get a better sense of it. I've yet to read any of her novels. 8mo
Hooked_on_books I liked this one, too! 8mo
Cinfhen This was good but didn‘t emotionally satisfy like Glass House or 8mo
See All 23 Comments
RaeLovesToRead @batsy Definitely read Glass Hotel first 😊 And maybe Station Eleven as well 8mo
batsy @RaeLovesToRead Yes, I will! Especially Station Eleven; it sounds like my kind of thing 🙂 8mo
BarbaraBB I liked this one the best of the three! 8mo
RebelReader I enjoyed Station Eleven, haven‘t read TGH and bailed on this one, so perhaps Mandel and I just aren‘t gonna vibe! 8mo
Suet624 I really liked that line you quoted too. It jolted me at first but then calmed me in a weird way. 8mo
kwmg40 I really liked this one too, though not as much as Station Eleven, which is one of my favourite reads from the past 5 years. I've not read TGH yet. 8mo
Aimeesue Loved this one! I read Station Eleven before this one, and TGH afterward. I don't think it makes a huge difference which order you read them in - they still resonate. 8mo
MicheleinPhilly I loved both Station Eleven and Glass Hotel but this one just didn‘t “hit” for me. I may try it again someday. 8mo
sarahbarnes Yes! Great review. I read this and Glass Hotel back to back and it was fun to see the crossover. I did also like Glass Hotel better, but liked this one as well. 8mo
Ruthiella @batsy I think you could easily jump in right here with this one if you wanted. It is short and reads fast. 8mo
Ruthiella @Hooked_on_books I think I will eventually go back and read her earlier stuff. See how it stacks up. 🤔 8mo
Ruthiella @Cinfhen I agree, it didn‘t go quite as deep emotionally as the other two. 8mo
Ruthiella @BarbaraBB Interesting! Was it maybe the puzzle-like aspect that made it work better than the previous two, I wonder? 8mo
Ruthiella @RebelReader That‘s a possibility. She definitely has a sort of cool, distanced style that won‘t appeal to other readers. 8mo
Ruthiella @Suet624 I know, right? I found it to be very affirming. 8mo
Ruthiella @kwmg40 I think you will like TGH if you liked this one and Station Eleven. 👍 8mo
Ruthiella @Aimeesue I agree, they could work in any order. The Easter Eggs are still there. 8mo
Ruthiella @MicheleinPhilly I can see that. As @Cinfhen noted, the emotional level isn‘t quite as deep perhaps in this case, compared to the previous two novels. 8mo
Ruthiella @sarahbarnes That is neat you read them back to back! I was worried I wouldn‘t remember enough from TGH. But she gives plenty of background I think to help the reader. 8mo
BarbaraBB I am not sure. I didn‘t like Station Eleven, but I can‘t remember why not. I enjoyed TGH a lot but in the end I was a bit disappointed. So my expectations weren‘t too high for this one and I unexpectedly loved it. 8mo
87 likes23 comments
review
FelinesAndFelonies
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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Pickpick

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I love Emily St. John Mandel. Her books are always such beautiful sci-fi. There's something so familiar about her settings, even when they are in a bleak future. This book starts with Edwin St. Andrew exiled to Canada in 1912, moves to Miriella viewing an art showing in 2020, then Olive on a book tour in 2203, & then brother & sister scientists exploring the possibility that all life is a simulation. A stunning read.

DocBrown Lovely photo! I‘m still not sure what I‘m looking at 🤔 8mo
62 likes1 comment
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Vanessa
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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Pickpick

There is so much to love here - time travel! moon colonies! - and yet those elements fade into the background of stories about characters who are all lost for various reasons, missing a place or a person they cannot yet return to, if ever.
(continued in comments)

Vanessa I loved the writing and liked the book overall, but there was just something missing for me. I felt like I didn‘t “know” any of the many characters as much as I would have liked. Still, I was invested in the story and would read another by St. John Mandel. 8mo
DocBrown Dazzling photo! 8mo
7 likes2 comments
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Emilymdxn
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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Pickpick

I really liked this! I loved the fragmentary fluid mindfuckery. This author does that SO well. It had a couple of things that I frequently dislike - I struggle with pandemic novels and also serious toned books where writers write about writers writing about writing. I think this book did both of those really well compared to others I‘ve read but they‘re still not my faves overall. The style and inventiveness absolutely carried me through tho

Megabooks So glad it was a pick!! I thought the narration and audiobook production was done well too. 👍🏻👍🏻 8mo
56 likes2 comments
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britt_brooke
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️ After not loving St John Mandel‘s previous two books, I planned to skip this, but received it as a gift, and with all the dazzling reviews, decided to give it a go. This time travel story spans centuries planting intriguing thoughts and questions bit by bit, though some things seemed much too convenient. The writing is lovely, but the brief page count didn‘t do Gaspery or anyone else justice. I needed it to be more epic, more sprawling.

rockpools I completely agree. Which is weird - I rarely need things to be more sprawling. But I definitely wanted more something 🤷🏻‍♀️ 8mo
Rissreads You have nailed how I felt about the book perfectly! 8mo
See All 7 Comments
britt_brooke @Rissreads Thank you! 8mo
Suet624 Hi there ... a bit off topic, but I'm sitting here watching Welcome to Wrexham and smiling and tearing up and wondering if you folks have been watching it. It's on Hulu. 8mo
britt_brooke @Suet624 No, but it looks really good - thanks for the rec! 8mo
81 likes7 comments
review
HOTPock3tt
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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Pickpick

#auldlangspine @mcipher @monalyisha

I literally have to pick my jaw up off of the FLOOR 😱this book was AMAZING. Intricate plot, interesting characters… I can‘t say anything about the plot because I don‘t want to spoil it, lots of twists and turns. This is one of the best books I‘ve read in a long time. It has every element I could wish for in a book.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️/5

Kimberlone 100% agreed! 8mo
Ruthiella This is next up for me!🤞 8mo
monalyisha Ah! I need to just read this. I think I‘ve been putting it off because I loved Station Eleven so much. Bumping it back up the list! 8mo
mcipher Yay!! I love her books so much and I‘m glad you enjoyed it! 8mo
HOTPock3tt @Kimberlone 🥰 @Ruthiella I hope you love it as much as I did!!!☺️ @monalyisha I personally like it a lot better than station eleven! @mcipher I loved it SO much! Looking forward to the next reads from your auldlangspine list! 8mo
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Emilymdxn
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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I‘m struggling a little more than I hoped to find time to read physical copies of books this January - work and masters both very busy! I really wanted to get started on #alspine though so I got the tagged book on audio! I loved station eleven so much and I‘m so excited this one is fragmentary and odd as well. Excited to read more @Megabooks @monalyisha

Megabooks I read this on audio too and thought it was really well done! I hope you enjoy it. I don‘t get as much time to read in print as I do with audio either. (edited) 8mo
57 likes2 stack adds1 comment
blurb
Kimberlone
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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My top 22 reads in 2022! Although my overall average rating was only 3.7, I still read a lot of amazing books this year.

Not only was Sea of Tranquility my favorite book I read in 2022, but I also think it was one of the best new releases of 2022. Other worthy 2022 fiction releases include: Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, Lessons in Chemistry, The Candy House, Trust, and The Diamond Eye.

#top22of22

ChaoticMissAdventures Sea of Tranquility was my top read of 2022 also! Just so gorgeous and I love how she intertwines the storylines. 9mo
Kimberlone @ChaoticMissAdventures me too! It also made me appreciate The Glass Hotel more. I wonder if she is going to keep writing in this interconnected universe or if she‘s moving away from that? I feel like Sea of Tranquility wrapped things up perfectly though… 9mo
BkClubCare Wow! I have read and enjoyed most of these. But I don‘t think I know Diamond Eye - off to look 👀 for it. 9mo
See All 8 Comments
Suet624 Love your choices. I‘ve read about half of them and totally agree with you. 9mo
Megabooks Agree re: the glass hotel. Great choices!! 9mo
Kimberlone @BkClubCare definitely recommend all of Kate Quinn‘s historical fiction! My favorite is 9mo
Kimberlone @Suet624 @Megabooks thanks although there were so many I didn‘t get to this year! 9mo
Saknicole 😍😍😍 9mo
54 likes8 comments
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britt_brooke
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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Coincidentally, I just heard it‘s National Bubble Bath Day. 🛁 How perfect!

DocBrown Your own little sea of tranquility! 9mo
mom_of_4 Knowing my luck I would drop the book lol. 9mo
britt_brooke @DocBrown Yes! ☺️ 9mo
britt_brooke @mom_of_4 I was a little worried myself! 😅 9mo
114 likes4 comments
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CrowCAH
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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I started this #ebook. Finally became available on #Libby. Got through the first section and still trying to get into the writing style with the many section breaks.

52 likes1 stack add
review
mollyrotondo
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really loved the latest from Mandel. I read this along with a reread of Station Eleven and Glass Hotel. It helped me understand her whole point about time. This one I think is written very beautifully.

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CleverGirl
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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Pickpick

How did the author fit so much story into such a slim little book! I want to read it again.

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britt_brooke
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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“Illness frightens us because it‘s chaotic. There‘s an awful randomness about it.”

Singout Yes, THIS. 9mo
71 likes1 comment
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staci.reads
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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#12Booksof2022 This was September's best and one of my top 5 of the year. @Andrew65

Andrew65 This book has got a lot of recommendations. 9mo
57 likes1 stack add1 comment
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RebelReader
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel | Emily St. John Mandel
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Bailedbailed

This rates right up there with 2am in Little America and I‘m not suffering through another one because it made some list. I know I‘m going against popular opinion on this one and I thought I would like it because I did like Station Eleven. First book of 2023 is a bail. 😫😫

#ipraythisisntmybookspin
#bookspin
#ToB23

Cinfhen Oh no!!! Too bad it‘s a bail but good for you to know when to stop!! I thought this was ok but it didn‘t WOW me like it did for others🤷🏼‍♀️ 9mo
BarbaraBB I loved this one but I can surely understand that you don‘t! 9mo
Suet624 I appreciate your ability to bail. 9mo
squirrelbrain Fantastic, bailing on your first book of the year; I want to be like you when I grow up! 😁 9mo
Hooked_on_books I think bailing is a great choice if you‘re not enjoying something. I should have done that with Babel, most likely. 9mo
48 likes5 comments