Reading: Sea of Tranquility

I just finished my second book by Emily St. John Mandel, Sea of Tranquility, and I must admit I’m fascinated by the author’s ability to create thrilling stories that are essentially slow-paced. This is the second book in my recent memory (Station Eleven being the other one) where seemingly easy passages provoked surprising adrenaline spikes in my body. I don’t think I remember feeling so impacted by a book in this way.The setting is quite unexpected and starts at the beginning of the 20th century, only to jump through the 21st, 23rd and 25th centuries. The themes of the pandemic are very much in play but approached in a very different and interesting way compared to Station Eleven. This time some of the characters live through it, working and raising families during lockdowns. Having fresh memories of COVID-19 made some of the feelings the characters were going through very relatable, and I wonder if that is what made my emotions connect so much. The final questions about the fabric…