LindaJ^'s Reviews > Sea of Tranquility

WOW. I loved this book. My favorite of 2022 to date.

Part I of the book is set in 1912. Part 2 is set in 2020. Part 3 is set in 2203. Part 4 is set in 2401 and this is key to putting the pieces together, at least for me. Part 5 is set in 2203. Part 6, not labeled with a date, is set in more than one year, the important ones being 1994 and 2007. Part 7 takes place in 1918, 1990, and 2008 - it is a short part. Part 8, well Part 8 is the real key to the story, covering the period of 2172-2195.

Our key character is Gaspery-Jacques Roberts. He's in every part.

OK, so if Gaspery is in every part, this must be a time-travel novel. Well, yes it is, but it is much more.

It's also about pandemics - yes, pandemics across the years. But the most mentioned one is small pox. Covid 19 gets a mention in Part 2 and a couple of times after. 1918 gets as many mentions. And there's one in 2203, one that will remind you of Covid 19.

But it's not really about pandemics. It's really about simulation and life. And that brought to mind the 2021 movie - The Matrix Resurrection (and the original Matrix) and the The Peripheral by William Gibson.

Also, it reminded me a bit of David Mitchell's books, as we have characters from The Glass Hotel.

I was mesmorized by this book and barely put it down after starting it. Wonderful, wonderful.