The Sea of Tranquility: A Novel

Honestly, I don't know how to review "The Sea of Tranquility" by Katja Millay.This book was so much more than I expected it to be. I had many people recomment it to me and yet, for the longest time I hesitated starting it - thinking to myself I don't want another romance with broken and misunderstood characters and the depth of a puddle.I couldn't have been more wrong. This book is extraordinary. It's deep and profound and rips out your heart in a very subtle way. At least that's what it did with mine.I was drawn in from the first few sentences and it kept me captivated throughout the whole book.Part of this was the writing that was extremely beautiful.Another part were some of the most likeable characters.There was Nastya, our heroine, whom I adored. She had issues, a lot of them, but despite the darkness she tried to project, her goodness, her inner beauty was shining through. I loved seeing the changes between her tough-as-nails persona, as well as her vulnerable and sweet side.I adore strong female characters and she was strong. Not because she didn't feel, or didn't despair or wasn't in pain. No, she was strong, because she also dared to be weak. She dared to be human and no matter what was thrown in her way, she was still standing. Was it tought? Yes. Did she want to give up? Sure. But she didn't. She kept going forward and honestly, after what she was through - that was the equivalent of giving fate the middlefinger and kicking it in the butt.And Josh - wow. Just wow. Finally, a male character who had his life fall to pieces and wasn't the typical broken, misunderstood jerk. He might've been broken in places, chipped and imperfect, but he wasn't a douchebag. He was guarded and maybe brooding and distant, but he was caring, polite and extremely likable. He didn't use his past as an excuse. In fact, he hated that others did. I loved his quiet nature, his maturity and his sweetness and vulnerability. His past made him older than his years, but it didn't manage to make him bitter or cynical.And as if that isn't enough character awesomeness, there is Drew. I loved Drew. I actually had a book boyfriend crush on Drew. He was a pig and a jerk at times, but with so much charme and cheekiness I couldn't help but like him. So I totally get why Nastya connected with him from the start.I'm not going to give much away about the story because it's something every reader should experience for themselves. But it's touching, at times unexpected and it's the low-key kind of story that worms its way into your heart and will live there forever.6 there-was-nothing-tranquil-about-my-emotions stars.

Review as seen on goodreads.Let me start by telling you that this is a love story. But it's not your typical love story because it's about a girl. A girl in love with a book......Now onto the review of a book that deserves all the stars in the sky.When god blesses someone with a gift as he did Ms. Katja Millay, you don't ignore it, you pay homage to it. This novel is a stunning form of artistry. It spoke to every part of my being, and between my heart, my head and my soul, nothing was left untouched. I wanted to finish it while at the very same time, I didn't want it to end. I was absolutely lost in this novel and would have been glad to stay there if I hadn't been so anxious to see how it would all turn out. I mean some of the descriptions were heartbreaking but so beautifully written.Example (excerpt from the book):"That's the irony of Josh and me, and it shames me every time I think about it. He has no family. No one to love him. I'm surrounded by love and I don't want any of it. I piss all over what he would thank God for, and if I needed more proof that I have no soul, then there it is."Now after reading that, I ask you, did I lie or can this woman put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and throw down some amazing writing? How the characters felt about themselves and each other, it was sad and at times so hopeful. The characters had so much depth to them and were so multifaceted, that for me, it was a truly beautiful read. Each time we stripped off a layer, there was another one underneath breathing life into the very essence of these characters. To say that I loved Nastya/Emilia and Josh is an absolute understatement but the problem is that I can't seem to find a word that properly expresses my adoration for them, so love will have to do. I loved their development, I loved their story, I loved this book. The end.

Magic

This is going to be a long review, so prepare yourself now, but I need to express the amazingness of this book.If I could give this book infinite stars, I would. Heart-wrenching and beautifully written, Sea of Tranquility will completely blow you away, and bring tears to your eyes. This novel was one of the best books I have ever read, and plan to re-read over and over again. From the very first page, you know that you will be taken on an emotional journey that will be thought-provoking and resonate with any reader.I will say, this book does start off a little slow, and by a little, I mean you have to read a good 100 or so pages before you start realizing how utterly amazing this book is. You start to appreciate the subtlety and quiet way this book sneaks up on you, and before you know it, you are so invested in this book that you need to read it nonstop to see how it ends. This novel is so beautifully written that it's difficult to even put in words. There were times where I was on the verge of tears because I felt so connected to these characters, and my heart just broke for them.This book follows Nastya and Josh, both with their own share of tragedy that no teenager should ever face in life. Nastya is a character shrouded in mystery, and you need to keep reading to find out what exactly happened to her that made her the way she is today. And you know what, once you find out what happened, you can't blame her for picking up her life and starting over with a new personality and a new identity. Throughout the novel, Ms. Millay gives the reader little clues here and there about what happened, and you can guess, but I you won't have the whole story figured out. The thing I loved about Nastya was her resilience and tough-as-nails attitude to everyone else, but the reader knows her true fragile nature. Don't get me wrong, she is not frail in anyway, but she is broken in the ways that count. This makes her an easy character to relate and connect to. But she's also hilarious, sarcastic, and witty, and I just adored her character. Throughout the story, she develops relationships with 3 boys, Drew, Clay, and Josh. Each was perfect for her in their own way, and I loved what each guy brought out in her. Each guy helped bring back Nastya, whether she realized it or not. However, Josh was the ultimate person that helped her.Josh was a quiet, kinda-sorta loner that is caring and will fight to the end for the people he loves. He's protective and what every girl wants. However, the thing I loved the most about him was his treatment of Nastya. He allowed her to be her true self, not the person that she portrays at school. He respects her boundaries, and gives her a security that she hasn't felt in a long time. However, there was one point where I just hated him because of what he did after a certain thing happened between him and Nastya. I just wanted to scream and shake him because he acted just like his best friend, Drew. Nevertheless, I forgave him because technically he didn't do anything wrong, and I just loved him even more at the end.In my opinion, the relatable nature of the characters was one of the best things about this novel. Even if you never experienced something terrible in your life (and really, who hasn't), it's a good bet that you know someone who has. Ms. Millay has managed to capture every raw emotion and every thought that a person who has been dealt a hardship in life feels. I felt that I knew these characters as if they were close friends. While not every person (and not even most people) are faced with the same situations that both Nastya and Josh faced, many people can relate to Nastya because who hasn't wanted to pick up, and start over someplace else...with a new identity, and no one to recognize you. Similar with Josh, who hasn't thought that they are cursed in some way because of a certain event that happened, and in some ways you no longer think you are capable of love or being loved.The end of this novel was absolutely heart breaking, and I almost cried at every single page. However, it was also beautiful. The last two words will echo in your mind long after you close the book. I actually went back and re-read the last couple of pages because I just wanted to read the wonderful words one more time before I moved onto my next book. And let me tell you, just when your tears have finally dried, they come back as soon as you read those two words because of the meaning they have. Please don't spoil yourself and read the end for two reasons; one being the obvious, you'll spoil it for yourself and two, you won't actually understand the true meaning behind those words unless you read the full story.I'm going to warn you, this is a slow building story, and it is long, but the story has to be that way. Nothing is rushed, and it gives the story a true feeling to it, from the way Josh and Nastya's relationship develops to just the overall plot in general. Another thing that I want to mention is that this is in no way a tragedy; in fact, it's the opposite. It's about finding yourself and finding love. It's not hardcore romance, but it has romance in it. The author has an amazing writing style, and it is not to be missed. She is gifted, there is no doubt about that, and I am eager to read whatever else she writes. This book is truly unforgettable, and you need to pick it up right away!Just a side note...2 songs were on constant repeat in my head while I was reading this novel, "Demons" and "Every Night" by Imagine Dragons. Both of these songs fit perfectly with the storyline and the characters.

Looking The Sea of Tranquility up on Goodreads after finishing it, I can see that it's gotten quite a bit of hype, but somehow, I had managed to miss all of that. And that's a good thing - I had absolutely no expectations going in, which means that I was pleasantly surprised to love it this much!The Sea of Tranquility is a very emotional read: both Nastya and Josh have been through some terrible, terrible things. They are very compelling characters, and even though I didn't always agree with or liked them, I did always feel for them. To be honest, I liked Josh's story a little bit more than Nastya's, so I was a little disappointed by how much of the novel focused on Nastya. Nevertheless, both stories are heartbreakingly honest portrayals of the pain they've been through, and I really enjoyed them (even if "enjoy" doesn't really seem like the right word here). Even though I loed Nastya and Josh, my favorite character would have to be Drew: he seemed like the typical scumbag, but he really surprised me and turned out to be so much more.With stories like these, I usually enjoy the characters' individual stories, but I often have issues with the romance. Luckily, though, I did like the romance in The Sea of Tranquility! It started out a little too predictable, with the standard randomly-running-into-each-other-everywhere type of scenes, but it got better once they're already friends. I really appreciated the slow development of their relationship, as well as the fact that the novel also focused on family and friendship instead of idealizing the romance as the only thing that matters. The only thing that bothered me about Nastya and Josh is how he keeps calling her Sunshine because blegh. No.I can't really talk about my issues with this novel without spoiling the story, so.. SPOILER WARNING FOR THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPH. There were a couple of scenes that bothered me in The Sea of Tranquility. The worst one was probably the scene in which Nastya talks to her attacker and finds out his motivations. I understand how this might add to the story, by showing that every person is multi-dimensional and more than meets the eye and whatnot, but I still wish we had never found out. Hearing the attacker's sob story seems like it's trying to evoke sympathy for him, which comes dangerously close to victim blaming. Yes, it sucks that his brother killed himself, but that still in no way justifies what he did to Nastya. An attack like that is not something that just happens because we're all hurting; it is still a deliberate act of violence, and portraying it as anything else is deeply problematic.STILL SPOILERS IN THIS PARAGRAPH. Another scene that bothered me was almost-rape at a party. I really didn't see the point of this attack in the story. What really frustrated me, though, is how it's never really addressed. Nastya says that she's seen worse, and yes, I guess you could say that her first attack was "worse," but that doesn't mean that what Kevin did was okay, and that it should go unpunished. In the same way, it bothered me how much Nastya idealizes her virginity, saying that this is the only thing that her attacker hasn't "ruined." I understand that this is a self-blaming type of thing, and since it's coming from Nastya, it's sort of okay, but I still didn't like the message it sent within the novel. The dismissal of Kevin's attack and the way that Nastya portrays loss of virginity as something that "ruins" a person transmit a very problematic message about rape and sexual assault. END SPOILERDespite my problems with the message and the portrayal of violence and sexual assault, I really did enjoy this story. With unique characters and evocative writing, The Sea of Tranquility is a novel that will make you cry and laugh, and I loved it. Just please don't let the problematic depictions of sexual assault and perpetrator/victim dynamics go unnoticed.