Thanks to @aaknopf for sending me Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel. I really loved this one. Mandel is so skilled at world-building in a way that feels authentic with just the right amount of detail. I felt this way about Station Eleven when I read it many years ago too.

Like Station Eleven, this novel contains a pandemic. Sea of Tranquility has some sci-fi elements, whereas Station Eleven felt more like a straight up post-apocalyptic novel. I loved Station Eleven for the feelings it evoked in me, and Sea of Tranquility managed to do much of the same. This one felt melancholy a lot of the time, and I love when a book manages to make me feel that way.

I don’t want to say too much about the plot of this one - I think it would be best enjoyed without the risk of any spoilers at all. This book does contain multiple timelines, so I would recommend it if you’re into that. It reminded me of Cloud Cuckoo Land in that way. I was genuinely interested in every character in this book. The sci-fi components are also not too out-there. Although this book does have those elements, I feel like it reads more literary and less like genre fiction.

My only complaint about this book is that I wanted it to be longer! I wanted more! I wanted more details and to see more of the inner lives of the characters. I think this book would make a brilliant TV show because of this.

If you’ve read and loved Station Eleven, I would definitely recommend this one. It’s a new fave of mine for sure.