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Ocean Echoes: A Novel
2017 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Finalist - General Fiction and E-Book Categories
Marine biologist Ellen Upton gives up on love to study jellyfish at a Cape Cod research facility. Her ultimate goal is to make a difference through her research, but the ocean would rather mystify than reveal its secrets. When her funding is threatened, her future will depend on the success or failure of an upcoming research cruise.
During the cruise, she discovers what could be a new species. Every discovery only leads to more questions. She is driven to learn the truth behind its existence, even as the truth continues to change. Either her dreams of recognition are within her grasp or her research is slipping into obsession.
Reverberating with mysteries of life and love, Ocean Echoes is a journey into the unknown.
Marine biologist Ellen Upton gives up on love to study jellyfish at a Cape Cod research facility. Her ultimate goal is to make a difference through her research, but the ocean would rather mystify than reveal its secrets. When her funding is threatened, her future will depend on the success or failure of an upcoming research cruise.
During the cruise, she discovers what could be a new species. Every discovery only leads to more questions. She is driven to learn the truth behind its existence, even as the truth continues to change. Either her dreams of recognition are within her grasp or her research is slipping into obsession.
Reverberating with mysteries of life and love, Ocean Echoes is a journey into the unknown.
- GenresFiction
415 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 12, 2016
2 people are currently reading
519 people want to read
About the author
Sheila Hurst
1 book22 followersI grew up in Michigan and Massachusetts, contributing to a split personality involving a love of farmlands and the ocean. Early influences include Harriet the Spy, Bozo the Clown, and the books of Judy Blume and Laura Ingalls Wilder.
I love anything that will make me look at the world in different ways. Favorite genres are science fiction, historical fiction, and contemporary novels. All-time favorite authors are Barbara Kingsolver, John Steinbeck, and Carl Sagan.
I currently edit proposals and science journal articles at an oceanographic research facility. I've also worked as a reporter and freelance writer while writing fiction on the side. Ocean Echoes is my first novel.
I love anything that will make me look at the world in different ways. Favorite genres are science fiction, historical fiction, and contemporary novels. All-time favorite authors are Barbara Kingsolver, John Steinbeck, and Carl Sagan.
I currently edit proposals and science journal articles at an oceanographic research facility. I've also worked as a reporter and freelance writer while writing fiction on the side. Ocean Echoes is my first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
October 17, 2016
A gem of a book that's both entertaining and informative. Marine biologist Ellen Upton embarks on a research cruise with her funding hanging by a thread. She knows she needs to make a notable discovery if she wants to keep her position at a Cape Cod research facility. Through beautifully descriptive writing, the reader is transported from the Atlantic ocean to the Pacific via the Panama Canal. I could feel the rolling of the waves, hear the metal locks of the Panama canal, see the colorful sea life, and smell and taste the salty water. I learned so much about the ocean and its mysteries, all while getting engrossed in Ellen's life and rooting for her to find the peace she so desperately seeks. A terrific debut novel that will appeal to a wide variety of fiction fans.
July 7, 2018
There is so much I love about this book! The writing style is almost lyrical; some of the aquatic descriptions are so good that I reread passages.
Regarding the characters, Ellen is tough on the exterior but tenderness sneaks out in certain scenes, making for quality moments later in the book. I laugh about the monkey suit!
Also wonderful is that a work of fiction can bring attention to environmental issues. Kudos to the author for the double duty purpose of entertainment and education in the one book.
Recommend 100 percent.
Regarding the characters, Ellen is tough on the exterior but tenderness sneaks out in certain scenes, making for quality moments later in the book. I laugh about the monkey suit!
Also wonderful is that a work of fiction can bring attention to environmental issues. Kudos to the author for the double duty purpose of entertainment and education in the one book.
Recommend 100 percent.
November 18, 2016
Magnificent and fragile, this is a love story about our ocean told through the eyes of a talented author. Sheila's debut novel has an important message, and she pulls it off with an effortless style that's both entertaining and educational.
Ellen is a marine biologist specializing in jellyfish, and the character portrait strikes a great balance of tough/smart and vulnerable/clumsy. She's lost in a lonely life, consumed by her work but on the brink of an important discovery—so she hopes, or she will lose her funding and her job.
Off to the Atoll Islands she goes, on a research cruise that includes a fascinating jaunt across the Panama Canal. To this point, the story is engaging but tame, with the hint of romance in the making on the ship and many underwater adventures that will take your breath away. Until Ellen makes her important discovery, and wishes she hadn't.
Yep, I'm going to leave you with that teaser because I didn't know anything about the story—I just read it. Dive in and let the author lead you through this startling and whimsical journey under the sea.
Soon you will become a champion for the ocean, just like the author is. A book like this has the kind of gentle power to bring awareness to an issue so we can help change it.
(Side note for any readers that have a scuba diving fear like me. There is A LOT of it in this book, but don't get hung up on that. Sheila portrayed a world I had never known before so beautifully and vividly that it was a way for me to swim deep without fear. So, enjoy the make-believe scuba experience and learn something!)
Britt Skrabanek
http://brittskrabanek.com
Ellen is a marine biologist specializing in jellyfish, and the character portrait strikes a great balance of tough/smart and vulnerable/clumsy. She's lost in a lonely life, consumed by her work but on the brink of an important discovery—so she hopes, or she will lose her funding and her job.
Off to the Atoll Islands she goes, on a research cruise that includes a fascinating jaunt across the Panama Canal. To this point, the story is engaging but tame, with the hint of romance in the making on the ship and many underwater adventures that will take your breath away. Until Ellen makes her important discovery, and wishes she hadn't.
Yep, I'm going to leave you with that teaser because I didn't know anything about the story—I just read it. Dive in and let the author lead you through this startling and whimsical journey under the sea.
Soon you will become a champion for the ocean, just like the author is. A book like this has the kind of gentle power to bring awareness to an issue so we can help change it.
(Side note for any readers that have a scuba diving fear like me. There is A LOT of it in this book, but don't get hung up on that. Sheila portrayed a world I had never known before so beautifully and vividly that it was a way for me to swim deep without fear. So, enjoy the make-believe scuba experience and learn something!)
Britt Skrabanek
http://brittskrabanek.com
April 11, 2017
This book is about a female researcher traveling to isolated islands and discovering something unexpected about herself and the region's jellyfish. A strong subplot, involving the disappearance of a fisherman from one of the islands she visits, weaves nicely into the female researcher's narrative and helps build tension. This book is hard to categorize and definitely crosses genres. There is an underlying mystery about what exactly lurks in the ocean. There are moments it almost bordered on Sci-fi. The writing is more literary with lots of character introspection and breath-stealing descriptions of setting. At times, it felt like women's fiction with a strong environmental message--almost a love letter to the ocean.
I personally hated jellyfish when I started reading the story, but developed a healthy appreciation for what they are and their place in the ocean hierarchy. The author is very persuasive and passionate about all things ocean.
The author excels at writing setting and I felt like I traveled from Cape Cod down the East Coast, through the Panama Canal, and out to the Atoll Islands. The dives are beautifully sketched out and make me wish I could go diving. Though, now I feel like I have.
I would highly recommend this book to people with a passion for the ocean, an interest in marine environmental issues, or who wonder what ocean exploration might be like.
I personally hated jellyfish when I started reading the story, but developed a healthy appreciation for what they are and their place in the ocean hierarchy. The author is very persuasive and passionate about all things ocean.
The author excels at writing setting and I felt like I traveled from Cape Cod down the East Coast, through the Panama Canal, and out to the Atoll Islands. The dives are beautifully sketched out and make me wish I could go diving. Though, now I feel like I have.
I would highly recommend this book to people with a passion for the ocean, an interest in marine environmental issues, or who wonder what ocean exploration might be like.
June 16, 2017
Great debut novel! As an ocean lover, environmental activist, and author of pro-environment stories, this book connected with me on so many levels.
From the get-go, I rooted for Ellen, the self-conscious and endearing protagonist, as she pursues her research on the elusive jellyfish. From losing precious jellyfish samples to questioning the morality of her chosen career, Ellen is a strong, complex character who makes readers want to learn more about the ocean and its lovely inhabitants.
Hurst’s imagery and prose is evocative and dreamy, and there were times I was swept up in her descriptions that I forgot I was reading a book. “Scrub Island loomed low off to the side. Only a few stunted trees grew there, looking like hieroglyphics spelling out stubbornness while facing the constant ocean wind.” (page 60)
There are many beautifully written sentences that take readers from the page into the ocean or onto the research ship or into another world beyond ours. “That night the entire ocean pulsed as if it had become one living being. Ellen dove through its bloodstream, feeling the vibrations until the pulsing became her own. The ocean breathed in and out in a slow, steady rhythm.” (page 258)
This debut novel lures in anyone who loves the ocean or who wants to learn why ocean life matters. Another great thing about this book is that a percentage from the sale of each book will go toward non-profit organizations working to protect the world's oceans. What a great added incentive to buy this amazing, well-written story!! I can’t wait for Hurst’s next book!
From the get-go, I rooted for Ellen, the self-conscious and endearing protagonist, as she pursues her research on the elusive jellyfish. From losing precious jellyfish samples to questioning the morality of her chosen career, Ellen is a strong, complex character who makes readers want to learn more about the ocean and its lovely inhabitants.
Hurst’s imagery and prose is evocative and dreamy, and there were times I was swept up in her descriptions that I forgot I was reading a book. “Scrub Island loomed low off to the side. Only a few stunted trees grew there, looking like hieroglyphics spelling out stubbornness while facing the constant ocean wind.” (page 60)
There are many beautifully written sentences that take readers from the page into the ocean or onto the research ship or into another world beyond ours. “That night the entire ocean pulsed as if it had become one living being. Ellen dove through its bloodstream, feeling the vibrations until the pulsing became her own. The ocean breathed in and out in a slow, steady rhythm.” (page 258)
This debut novel lures in anyone who loves the ocean or who wants to learn why ocean life matters. Another great thing about this book is that a percentage from the sale of each book will go toward non-profit organizations working to protect the world's oceans. What a great added incentive to buy this amazing, well-written story!! I can’t wait for Hurst’s next book!
December 28, 2016
Sheila Hurst is both a reader and a writer with a love of the sea. We connected through a love of literature concerning the sea, I recommended Rachel Carson's Under the Sea Wind and she recommended The Outermost House: A Year of Life On The Great Beach of Cape Cod by naturalist writer Henry Beston to me, a writer who Rachel Carson mentions as her only other influence when she wrote Under the Sea-Wind.
Ocean Echoes follows a period in the life of a marine researcher named Ellen, who is dedicated to her work, the study of jellyfish, her main desire to discover a new species. She has become ever more focused on her work since a major betrayal that crossed both personal and professional boundaries, an experience that has made her cautious of becoming close to others and less trusting about divulging the findings of her research.
She and her young male assistant Ryan, are soon to join a group on a research cruise to a group of Pacific Island atolls, a fact finding mission that has suddenly become all the more important as their funding is under threat, the expedition will either help generate funding or could put an end to her research career.
The area they are going into is populated by islanders who have a very different relationship to their environment and the sea, they have rituals that must be respected, if they are to maintain a harmonious symbiotic relationship with the sea. Some of the researchers were resentful at having to go along with their demands, seeing them as no more than superstitions.
They saw it as the stuff of legends that had been created to explain the unknown, stories they had little use for in the information age. Ellen knew this, but some of the things she experiences in this environment she has difficulty explaining.
On their research dives, Ellen's discovers something that may be a new species, but there is something strange and menacing about it, especially when they swarm together. Not only is she looking into this strange new species, but they are discovering the little known history of the area they are in, which has it's own dark, menacing past.
Ocean Echoes begins at a gentle pace, with the sense of a story of transformation, but quickly develops into a thrilling mystery, as we enter into a marine sanctuary that is harbouring it's own dark secrets. In a world of legends, we are never sure what is real and what is imagined, however the threat is ever present and the pace quickens along with a sense of foreboding.
Ocean Echoes follows a period in the life of a marine researcher named Ellen, who is dedicated to her work, the study of jellyfish, her main desire to discover a new species. She has become ever more focused on her work since a major betrayal that crossed both personal and professional boundaries, an experience that has made her cautious of becoming close to others and less trusting about divulging the findings of her research.
She and her young male assistant Ryan, are soon to join a group on a research cruise to a group of Pacific Island atolls, a fact finding mission that has suddenly become all the more important as their funding is under threat, the expedition will either help generate funding or could put an end to her research career.
The area they are going into is populated by islanders who have a very different relationship to their environment and the sea, they have rituals that must be respected, if they are to maintain a harmonious symbiotic relationship with the sea. Some of the researchers were resentful at having to go along with their demands, seeing them as no more than superstitions.
"One of our gods in Mala legend is the fierce sea monster Minawaka. He was once the guardian of the reef entrance to our island. He would change into a shark and travel through the reef, challenging others to fight. But whenever he fought as a shark, great waves would form, valleys would flood, and there would be much suffering...Until one day a giant octopus grew tired of the waves and the suffering caused from all this fighting. This octopus snuck up behind Minawaka and coiled his tentacles around him. The octopus began to squeeze. Minawaka begged for mercy and agreed never to fight again or harm anyone from the island of Mala."
They saw it as the stuff of legends that had been created to explain the unknown, stories they had little use for in the information age. Ellen knew this, but some of the things she experiences in this environment she has difficulty explaining.
"Ellen had always tried to explain the unexplainable. Now, after visiting this land of magic and legends she wasn't so sure. Maybe the opposite had been true all along and nothing could ever be fully explained."
On their research dives, Ellen's discovers something that may be a new species, but there is something strange and menacing about it, especially when they swarm together. Not only is she looking into this strange new species, but they are discovering the little known history of the area they are in, which has it's own dark, menacing past.
Ocean Echoes begins at a gentle pace, with the sense of a story of transformation, but quickly develops into a thrilling mystery, as we enter into a marine sanctuary that is harbouring it's own dark secrets. In a world of legends, we are never sure what is real and what is imagined, however the threat is ever present and the pace quickens along with a sense of foreboding.
August 14, 2017
Ocean Echoes is a work of fiction that revolves around just what the title says – the ocean. The book captivates with its wonderful descriptions of undersea life and scenery whilst at the same time drawing us into an intriguing story.
The main character, Ellen, is a marine biologist in her mid-thirties whose aim is to discover as much as possible about jellyfish populations and the role they play in the oceanic environment. Having suffered the heartache and pain of a failed romance in her days in graduate school, Ellen has since thrown herself into her research, believing that love is not for her. Her greatest ambition is to discover something that will not only bring her recognition for her work but will make a difference to man’s understandings of the oceans.
Ellen is an engaging and believable character, and it is easy to feel for her in her battles against her foibles and self-doubt. Her clumsiness causes her problems and it even puts her job at the Marine Institute at risk. Only the chance of a research cruise to the Atoll Islands in the Pacific brings Ellen hope of making a discovery that will mean her job is secure.
The cruise ship carries Ellen on a journey of self-discovery, during which she comes to terms with her emotions, strengths and weaknesses. Events occur that not only revolve around Ellen and her work, but around the characters she interacts with, including those in a fascinating sub plot. The author skilfully weaves these together, along with vital messages regarding man’s misuse of the oceanic ecosystem.
The book is beautifully and descriptively written and brings multiple emotions into play, as well as an element of romance. I found it to be an engrossing read which induces a deep respect for the oceans and the vital role they play in the wellbeing of the Earth.
The main character, Ellen, is a marine biologist in her mid-thirties whose aim is to discover as much as possible about jellyfish populations and the role they play in the oceanic environment. Having suffered the heartache and pain of a failed romance in her days in graduate school, Ellen has since thrown herself into her research, believing that love is not for her. Her greatest ambition is to discover something that will not only bring her recognition for her work but will make a difference to man’s understandings of the oceans.
Ellen is an engaging and believable character, and it is easy to feel for her in her battles against her foibles and self-doubt. Her clumsiness causes her problems and it even puts her job at the Marine Institute at risk. Only the chance of a research cruise to the Atoll Islands in the Pacific brings Ellen hope of making a discovery that will mean her job is secure.
The cruise ship carries Ellen on a journey of self-discovery, during which she comes to terms with her emotions, strengths and weaknesses. Events occur that not only revolve around Ellen and her work, but around the characters she interacts with, including those in a fascinating sub plot. The author skilfully weaves these together, along with vital messages regarding man’s misuse of the oceanic ecosystem.
The book is beautifully and descriptively written and brings multiple emotions into play, as well as an element of romance. I found it to be an engrossing read which induces a deep respect for the oceans and the vital role they play in the wellbeing of the Earth.
April 9, 2018
Wow! This is one of the most thought-provoking novels I have read in a very long time.
Ellen Upton is a marine biologist who studies jellyfish. Her deepest desire in her research is to someday make a difference in the world through her work, but not to become famous. She is more comfortable in her own lab than being in the spotlight.
To Ellen, the ocean and its lifeforms are a vast mystery. When she finds a mysterious mass in the ocean while on a research cruise, the quest to discover what it is breathes new life into her very existence.
When she shares her thoughts about what she thinks this mass could be, everyone laughs at her, but her thoughtful theories begin to pervade the others' thinking, and some begin to hope she is right.
As she gets to know Ryan, the younger man who is her research assistant, she feels a push and pull between a possible new love and the deeper love for the ocean and all of the answers she hopes to discover in her lifetime.
Sheila Hurst weaves a wonderful scientific mystery that not only educates the intellectual mind but touches the depths of the human heart.
Once I began this book, I had a hard time putting it down when I needed to. Today I put aside the whole morning to finish it! Sheila is a wonderful story-teller.
Ellen Upton is a marine biologist who studies jellyfish. Her deepest desire in her research is to someday make a difference in the world through her work, but not to become famous. She is more comfortable in her own lab than being in the spotlight.
To Ellen, the ocean and its lifeforms are a vast mystery. When she finds a mysterious mass in the ocean while on a research cruise, the quest to discover what it is breathes new life into her very existence.
When she shares her thoughts about what she thinks this mass could be, everyone laughs at her, but her thoughtful theories begin to pervade the others' thinking, and some begin to hope she is right.
As she gets to know Ryan, the younger man who is her research assistant, she feels a push and pull between a possible new love and the deeper love for the ocean and all of the answers she hopes to discover in her lifetime.
Sheila Hurst weaves a wonderful scientific mystery that not only educates the intellectual mind but touches the depths of the human heart.
Once I began this book, I had a hard time putting it down when I needed to. Today I put aside the whole morning to finish it! Sheila is a wonderful story-teller.
October 23, 2016
I loved this book because it opened up a whole new world while it also entertained me with a wonderful story. To me, it's always a huge plus if I learn something new when I'm reading for pleasure. In Ocean Echoes, the author, Sheila Hurst, does a great job in this regard. Hurst presents us with a fascinating novel that balances the pragmatic world of scientific research with the natural beauty of the mysterious, fragile world beneath the sea. She also shows us a poets soul when writing about the environment that she obviously loves.
In Ocean Echoes, Hurst introduces us to Ellen Upton, a marine biologist, who is about to embark on a research cruise halfway across the world. The cruise becomes the focus of the novel as Ellen tries to satisfy her passion for discovery and overcome personal self doubt. Before long she makes an intriguing discovery that challenges her beliefs and sparks interest among her colleagues. I often found myself thinking about the characters and wondering what they were doing when I wasn't 'with them', reading into their lives. This is the sign of an excellent book. I totally recommend Ocean Echoes to anyone who enjoys enriching their knowledge while being entertained by a good story.
In Ocean Echoes, Hurst introduces us to Ellen Upton, a marine biologist, who is about to embark on a research cruise halfway across the world. The cruise becomes the focus of the novel as Ellen tries to satisfy her passion for discovery and overcome personal self doubt. Before long she makes an intriguing discovery that challenges her beliefs and sparks interest among her colleagues. I often found myself thinking about the characters and wondering what they were doing when I wasn't 'with them', reading into their lives. This is the sign of an excellent book. I totally recommend Ocean Echoes to anyone who enjoys enriching their knowledge while being entertained by a good story.
October 27, 2016
This debut novel sucked me into its oceanic depths and took me for a watery ride where I learned more about jellyfish and the mysteries of the ocean. It wasn’t a fast-paced, action-packed story, but it stirred me and held my attention just as easily as one of those types of stories does. The main character is Ellen, and she is a marine scientist studying jellyfish. On a research trip to the Atoll islands, she hopes to discover something new or interesting enough to attract future funding. If she doesn’t, her career may be over before it’s really begun. It was a well-written story with layered characters who are struggling to understand not only the ocean, but themselves as well. There were twists and turns that kept me turning the pages late at night to finish and discover the truth—if it could be discovered. Really liked this one.
November 6, 2016
I always love to read a book that not only entertains me, but that I can also learn from-this book did both! A great story with an important global message about our environment! I learned a lot about our beautiful oceans & the scientific processes that go into studying how our actions impact our natural resources, plants and animals- this awesome author takes us on a journey as a researcher delves into ocean exploration and learns a lot about not only her research subject(jellyfish), but a lot about life, as a romantic relationship is sparked during her time at sea! Brilliant writing!
June 26, 2018
This clever novel uses some of the conventions of the horror genre but is not horror. It combines the often frustrating process of doing science with pressing issues of concern to thinking human beings and the question of what is real. The plot follows the main character, jellyfish researcher Ellen Upton, as she prepares for and participates in a research cruise to the South Seas. Worries about funding, scheduling, resource allocation, and being able to produce publishable results are shown in detail that some readers may find slow and others eye-opening. The ocean voyage itself is fascinating – heat, humidity, and the engineering phenomenon that is the Panama Canal. A highlight of the book is several dives carried out to observe and collect samples of jellyfish. The descriptions of the underwater experience and the main character's connection to the ocean environment are gorgeous. Other highlights are discussions among the scientists about their areas of interest and their ideas about climate change. Interpersonal relationships, family situations, and Ellen's hopes, self-doubts, and fears are interwoven with the other elements, to present the scientist as a vulnerable and likeable human being.
A couple of things didn't quite work for me. First, the main character, Ellen, is described early on as chronically clumsy. This characteristic leads to an accident in the lab that puts her research funding in jeopardy and brings on self-doubt. The problem is, that's pretty much the only time in the entire novel that she displays klutziness. Even when Ellen works with DNA analysis that sounds like it would need considerable dexterity, even though she's often exhausted, there are no more accidents. Second, there is a thread of unexplained occurrences woven into the plot right from the start. It introduces a wonderful sense of foreboding and tension that contrast with the humdrum details of the cruise. Eventually, Ellen herself experiences strange things and entertains ideas that seem the opposite of scientific. While I recognize that scientists can be as irrational as anyone else, I would have expected her to analyze and resist, rather than embrace, these ideas.
Despite these reservations, I found Ocean Echoes a fascinating and thought-provoking novel.
A couple of things didn't quite work for me. First, the main character, Ellen, is described early on as chronically clumsy. This characteristic leads to an accident in the lab that puts her research funding in jeopardy and brings on self-doubt. The problem is, that's pretty much the only time in the entire novel that she displays klutziness. Even when Ellen works with DNA analysis that sounds like it would need considerable dexterity, even though she's often exhausted, there are no more accidents. Second, there is a thread of unexplained occurrences woven into the plot right from the start. It introduces a wonderful sense of foreboding and tension that contrast with the humdrum details of the cruise. Eventually, Ellen herself experiences strange things and entertains ideas that seem the opposite of scientific. While I recognize that scientists can be as irrational as anyone else, I would have expected her to analyze and resist, rather than embrace, these ideas.
Despite these reservations, I found Ocean Echoes a fascinating and thought-provoking novel.
March 20, 2019
This book has a lyrical style that lends beautifully to a story about the ocean and it's influence on a passionate individual. The story is both entertaining and enlightening. I would definitely suggest reading.
April 17, 2025
I enjoyed reading this. The writing flows very well. Topics/people/themes are introduced early and then later woven into the story. It's a great warning about how we are damaging the world we live in/on.
January 31, 2019
Posed interesting ideas about climate change but done somewhat awkwardly.
March 23, 2017
Dive into the depths of an exploration that yields way more than expected. Highly interesting read that kept me riveted.
January 29, 2020
As an ocean lover, I had high expectations for this book. I was dissapointed to find many inaccuracies not only in the science but also in the descriptions of the scientific community and of what research cruises are like.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews