The Luminous Sea
- Publisher
- Breakwater Books Ltd.
- Initial publish date
- Aug 2018
- Category
- Magical Realism, General, Contemporary Women
-
Paperback / softback
- ISBN
- 9781550817379
- Publish Date
- Aug 2018
- List Price
- $19.95
-
eBook
- ISBN
- 9781550817386
- Publish Date
- Aug 2018
- List Price
- $17.99
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Description
*LONGLISTED FOR THE 2020 INTERNATIONAL DUBLIN LITERARY AWARD *FINALIST - THE 2019 BMO WINTERSET AWARD *WINNER - 2019 IPPY AWARD FOR FICTION (CANADA EAST) *FINALIST - 2019 NEXT GENERATION INDIE BOOK AWARDS (BEST COVER DESIGN) *WINNER - GEORGIAN BAY READS 2019 *FINALIST - NL READS 2019 *LONGLISTED FOR THE MiRAMICHI READER'S VERY BEST BOOK AWARDS (BEST FIRST BOOK) *NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR BOOK AWARDS FICTION AWARD FINALIST
A team of researchers from a nearby university have set up a research station in a fictional outport in Newfoundland, studying the strange emergence of phosphorescent tides. And Vivienne, a young assistant, accidentally captures a creature unknown to science: a kind of fish, both sentient and distinctly female. As the project supervisor and lead researcher attempt to exploit the discovery, the creature begins to waste away, and Vivian must endanger herself to save them both.
About the author
Melissa Barbeau is a founding member of the Port Authority Writing Group. She has been anthologized in Racket: New Writing Made in Newfoundland, The Cuffer Anthology, and Paragon. She lives with her husband and gaggle of children in Torbay, Newfoundland.
Awards
- Long-listed, International Dublin Literary Award
- Short-listed, NL Reads
- Winner, Georgian Bay Reads
- Short-listed, Next Generation Indie Book Awards, Best Cover Design
- Winner, IPPY Awards, Canada-East Best Regional Fiction
- Short-listed, BMO Winterset Award
- Short-listed, Newfoundland and Labrador Book Award, Fiction Category
Editorial Reviews
"…the type of first novel that will leave you wanting to read the author's next effort. A notable first book, and I will add it to my 2019 longlist in the 'Best First Book: Fiction' category."
http://miramichireader.ca/2018/10/luminous-sea-review/
The Miramichi Reader
"Anyone who loves the sea, or feels drawn to stories of the sea, will likely feel drawn to 'The Luminous Sea'…it is splendid in every way."
https://consumedbyink.ca/2018/09/26/the-luminous-sea-by-melissa-barbeau/
Consumed By Ink
"Melissa Barbeau is an extraordinary writer, and I can't stop talking about this book."
http://picklemethis.com/2018/09/19/the-luminous-sea-by-melissa-barbeau/
Pickle Me This
The Luminous Sea by Melissa Barbeau softly melds the quiet thrill of scientific discovery while questioning its moral integrity. A stunning debut, the Newfoundland author captures the essence of the Canadian Maritimes with a novel that is smart, thoughtful, and inventive….
The Fiddlehead
"The magic realism of Melissa Barbeau's debut novel may remind readers of Michael Crummey's 'Galore,' and she belongs in such company. Her writing is alive with wit and description."
http://www.thetelegram.com/living/joan-sullivan-awash-in-the-luminous-sea-245099/
Joan Sullivan, The Telegram
User Reviews
The Luminous Sea
I totally enjoyed reading this original and quirky book. It explores the issues of compassion and integrity as the main character Vivian struggles to come to terms with the research she is hired to do, and the power struggle that emerges as the project moves forward into unexpected territory. The book begins with a feast of sensory detail as the main character explores the ocean where she is hired to do research. The relationships that develop, among the researchers and local folks, become entangled and ultimately threatening. The pace accelerates as the story moves toward its satisfying ending.Related lists
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