Burning the Sea: A Novel

by Sarah Pemberton-Strong

In an airport in the Dominican Republic, two searchers are drawn together by a suggestive smile and a shared sense of longing. Michelle is a young American with holes in her past and a need to wander so strong that she walks in her sleep. Tollomi is a native of the West Indies, thoroughly Americanized by education and in search of his truer self. Haunted by elusive secrets of the past, they forge an intense connection that allows them to comprehend each other's secrets while remaining blind to their own. For Tollomi, the route to salvation lies in his deep involvement in Dominican politics; for Michelle, it is the rebuilding of a family home, long abandoned, which she hopes will hold the key to her lost memories. Michelle's blindly obsessive drive to complete construction and Tollomi's passionate love affair with a young Dominican man whose brother is involved in a growing revolutionary movement, pulls both into the vortex of volatile tensions between Dominicans and Americans surrounding increasing tourism and a national election, setting in motion an explosive series of events both heartbreaking and transcendent. In this remarkable debut novel, Sarah Pemberton Strong's poetically simple language enhances a story of emotional dislocation, cultural identity, and the powerful forces of memory and desire.
Marketing
National Village Voice Literary Supplement, Bookforum, Rain Taxi, Ruminator Review, The Advocate, Out, Bomb
Advance Reader Copies
Media campaign to mainstream and alternative presses
New England and Mid Atlantic author appearacnces including Boston, Amherst and New York.

344 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2002

Reviews

[Robin · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are parts of this novel that are very good, such as Tollomi's backstory. However, the attempted poetic wanderings only muster a meandering confusion, and the whole thing is melodramatic.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found this one randomly on a sale shelf and it was a lucky find! The characters felt so complex to me, and I liked how the book brought up so many issues - colonialism, memory and identity. I wish Michelle had had a bit more to her, as it confused me a little bit that Tollomi was drawn to someone so vacant. (He correctly saw it as hiding something big; I would've just found her boring.) I liked his story better, because there was more to it, and his issues were capital-i Issues of race and how personal identity connects to national identity. I wish he had grown more throughout the book, as by the end he still only has a symbolic way of returning to his roots and hasn't really figured out how to live authentically as himself.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

"It's hard to write about this book without ruining any of the plot which I sincerely wish to avoid. It is a good book that resonates"
read more: http://likeiamfeasting.blogspot.gr/20...

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most beautifully written books I've ever read... hard to find (only used on Amazon) --- definitely recommend

[Molly Greenway · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written. For her first novel I think this was amazing and touching.

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Made me want to travel. Written in a languid style, it was a great read.