Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel
Science Fiction | 259 Pages | Published: 2022
Use the following questions to jumpstart your discussion about Sea of Tranquility:
1. Time travel is central to the plot but handled subtly. How did Mandel use time travel differently than in typical sci-fi stories? Did it feel more like a plot device, or a metaphor?
2. Several characters live through pandemics, including the COVID-19 era. How did Mandel’s portrayal of pandemics across time reflect on our present reality? Did it feel too close to home or comforting in its familiarity?
3. The simulation theory plays a subtle role in the novel. What are your thoughts on the suggestion that reality might not be real? How seriously does the book want us to take this idea?