Sea Change, by Gina Chung - Sarah
When discussing the premise of Sea Change with a friend of mine (I think my words were a woman dealing with her boyfriend moving to Mars, with the help of an octopus) her reaction was, “What!? Like the octopus that predicted the winners in the world cup?”
I therefore approached this book with intrigue into how these topics were all going to be brought together. Gina Chung manages to do so in a way that allows to reader to feel both the struggle and growth of the main character Ro.
The book jumps back and forth between the present time to key events from Ro’s childhood, with themes reflecting on adulthood traumas, validating why her life has become so stagnant. But through connection with, first the octopus, for whom she cares, then her own needs, and finally her friends, she manages to find peace with the events that so traumatised her.
I found this book to show the importance in being grounded in the environment around us, and how connection to this can guide us through even the most testing of times - an idea which is so often forgotten in a world focused on technology and innovation. This story reminds us that while we are often consumed by social media and comparing our story to those around ourselves, we can’t neglect our connection to the natural world we live in and the healing effects this has.
Sarah
