The Seas

In this story, we follow a girl and her relationship with a man in her small, ocean side town known for nothing other than having the highest concentration of alcoholics in the world. Her life is quite simple, almost impoverished, much like most of the residents of the town. The only thing that occupies her thoughts and her time is Jude, an Iraqi war veteran who is deeply scarred from the war. Also, the girl thinks she's a mermaid, which, according to legend, means she has no soul; she is destined to either marry a mortal that she loves, or kill him to gain a soul. Which leads to her emotionally complex relationship with Jude, who is about 15 years her senior.

This is probably the most romantic book that I have ever read, and it's not even a romance. Hunt's ability to convey longing and the deep, deep complexities of love is simply breathtaking. I'd never thought I could read about a relationship that was as intriguing as this. Don't get me wrong, this is a sad book. Quite depressing as we move through the sad world of a seemingly mentally unwell protagonist. And the love story is no reprieve, filled with jealousy, pining, and grief. But all of this came together in a truly beautiful story.

The Seas is a coming of age novel that has a dream like quality to it. Sometimes it feels like we are experiencing the text in a manner quite like the narrator experiences life. We cannot tell what is real and what is fantasy, each blurring seamlessly into the other.

The tone throughout the book was one of tragedy and loss in a small seaside town where alcoholism is a hobby and there seems to be no future readily available. The narrator is a young girl of nineteen who believes she is a mermaid. She is in love with an older man who is a war veteran and she believes she will bring about his death.

I read this novel not expecting it to be so fantastical. I almost gave up on it because while it was beautifully written, it was a difficult read and it took a while for me to get through the first part. I am glad however that I stuck with it, because near the middle it suddenly clicked with me and I finished the rest in one sitting.