The Sea of Tranquility: A Novel
Aspiring concert pianist Nastya’s left hand has been so badly damaged, she will never play the piano again. What caused the injury has left the 17-year-old traumatized; in fact, she has chosen to become mute and hasn’t spoken a word in more than a year. Meanwhile, Josh, also 17, has lost his entire family to death, leaving him bereft and very much alone in the world. The two troubled teens meet and begin a cautious friendship that will blossom into something deeper. But will it be enough to save the two from themselves? Author Millay writes her first novel from the respective points of view of the preternaturally introspective teens, whose relentless self-loathing—especially Nastya’s—will test some readers’ patience, as will the book’s length and often deliberate pace. That said, fans of character-driven fiction will find much to admire in this deeply felt novel that is an excellent example of crossover fiction, which has equal appeal to older teens and the twentysomethings who are now being called New Adults. --Michael Cart