Sea of Tranquility

by Lesley Choyce

For Sylvie, Ragged Island - and the whales who swam around it - is the only world she has ever known. It is the place where she was born and raised, where she lived with her four late husbands, and where she plans to live out her remaining years.

It is also the home to a community whose love for the island is immense. But when the Nova Scotia government decides to shut down the ferry service that is the lifeblood of Ragged Island, the residents see their world beginning to disappear.

Sea of Tranquility is the lyrical and moving story of an island struggling to survive. Lesley Choyce's seventh novel, it contains the elements for which the author is known: engaging characters, page-turning storyline, and uproarious humour. Choyce is in top form.

Genres: Literary Fiction, Book Club, Canada, Fiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Lesley Choyce is a novelist and poet living at Lawrencetown Beach, Nova Scotia. He is the author of more than 80 books for adults, teens and children. He teaches in the English Department and Transition Year Program at Dalhousie University. He is a year-round surfer and founding member of the 1990s spoken word rock band, The SurfPoets. Choyce also runs Pottersfield Press, a small literary publishing house and hosted the national TV show, Off The Page, for many years. His books have been translated into Spanish, French, German and Danish and he has been awarded the Dartmouth Book Award and the Ann Connor Brimer Award.

Lesley Choyce was born in New Jersey in 1951 and moved to Canada in 1978 and became a citizen.

His YA novels concern things like skateboarding, surfing, racism, environmental issues, organ transplants, and rock bands.

Reviews

[Kathleen]

“ We are shaped by the geography of our place and our heart. We collect raw energy and give it form and meaning. And it goes beyond the mere naming of things. Names and language always, always fall short of true meaning.”

For eighty-year-old Sylvie, Ragged Island is the only world she has ever known. It is the place where she lived with her four husbands, and where she plans to live out her remaining years.
It is also home to the whales, and to a community, whose love for the island is immense.
But when the Nova Scotia government decides to shut down the ferry service, that is a lifeblood of Ragged Island, the residents see their world beginning to disappear.
Sylvie and eight-year-old Angeline are my favourite characters in this novel.
Sea of Tranquility is the lyrical and moving story of an island struggling to survive. Leslie Choyce’s seventh novel, it contains the elements for which the author is known: engaging characters, page turning storyline, and humour.
4 stars

[Susan]

I enjoyed this book, though admit there were a couple of times when I wanted to give up and throw it out the window (YES, I get it - Sylvie is old, intuitive, does her own thing, and might be a little daft - you can stop saying that to me, in almost word-for-word similarity repeatedly, sometimes only 2 pages apart, throughout the book). Persistence and the fact that it was on my new e-book reader stopped me from that action, and I am glad of that. The book is more a series of snapshots from the present (the current times of the book) and vignettes from the past than a customary book with a flowing plot. So, the book is more character- than plot-driven, where the island, the whales, and the oceans area all also full-fledged characters in the book. I enjoyed the rich descriptions of the landscape and people, and that Choyce, through his characters, values intuition and instincts and exploring the world through all senses, including the less obvious ones.

Overall, a solid read that requires a bit of patience but is more than well-worth the effort.

[Anne Gafiuk]

I thoroughly enjoyed the story of 80-year-old Sylvie -- a resident of Ragged Island, Nova Scotia. A tale about life, loss, and the environment. The author's description of Sylvie's love for her four husbands and the loss of each of them was profoundly touching.

[Anuraag Bhavaraju]

I thoroughly enjoyed Choyce’s lyrical writing. It was refreshing to read a character-driven rather than a plot-driven story. What I loved most was how a new character enters each chapter like a missing piece of a jigsaw puzzle, only to fit perfectly into the bigger picture.

I do not want to settle with a 4 star because it was a page-turner and nowhere I experienced a slop. I'm also a little skeptical giving it a 5 star in comparison with my recent ratings but I am leaning towards it. Fine, I will still go ahead and give it a 5 star anyway :')

[Linda]

I felt I learned a lot about Maritimes life--especially the far-flung islands--and about the effects of climate change on those whose sense of place stretches back generations. I became very attached to these characters, and for the most part I really enjoyed the writing.

But those sentence fragments. Strings and strings of them. Piled one right after another. Verbless. Inert. Irritating me. Annoying me. Disrupting my pleasure.

Those I could have done without.

[Linda Frances]

Kind of an adult fairytale; not my thing at all. I feel that it was well written and anyone that likes that kind of book, with plenty of lyrical descriptions, would probably enjoy it. It just didn't work for me.

[Sue Mosher]

Loved the characters!

[António Cebola]

*LIGHT 4*

only half way through the book did I understand this was not the book I intended to read but I decided to finish it and I enjoyed it! the beginning is a little weird and I felt a little lost with all the talk about random people, whales, and the sea; however, as soon as I got to meet Sylvie, the story hooked me

[Martha Smith]

Skimmed through most of this touchy feely book. Was able to finish it that way

[Linda Thorsen]

Some beautiful writing here that touches the soul. Here is a place where people and nature are truly one - if only we could all stop and sit awhile with Sylvie.

[Abcdarian]

My favourite Lesley Choyce novel, this book has it all: humour, deep thoughts, quirky characters, wonderful writing.

[Michele]

beautiful prose and story

[Barbara Kirsch]

Loved everything about it!

[Jan]

I cannot believe I have never come across this author, especially because he is Canadian. The story and the writing are superb.