the mountain in the sea - ray nayler

Recommended by molly

i am re-re-recing this. i have now actually read it per lauren’s rec and i must declare it one of my favorite books ive ever read. i was prepared for dense and sciencey but it was story driven and i found it quite digestible. the world building was fucking fantastic. i have never called anything a must read but i declare this a must read. going to put together a better review on pagebound (ty rec league) later but for now, god bless u @lauren o

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History

lauren o4mo ago

A gorgeously philosophical eco-thriller (what if David Mitchell mashed up JURASSIC PARK, EX MACHINA, and ARRIVAL?) on how the oceans might feel about what we've chosen to do to them, what makes up a mind (both literally and figuratively), AI, how to make yourself understood, and oof, so much more. Nayler makes a compelling case for redefining responsibility and thoughtfulness in a way that sits really lightly on his truly ripping yarn - it feels exhilarating rather than preachy. A truly original...

4 months ago

Comments

molly

@anywherewithyouJun 4, 2026

who knows u might find me re-recing this a third time tmrw i am dead serious.

Rec League

@recleagueJun 30, 2026

wow!!

Lida Richardson

@lidarichardsonJun 4, 2026

Ok hang on I’m in

lauren o

@laurenoJun 4, 2026

You get it, you get it! I'm so thrilled! I think I texted my sister a dozen times while reading just to say IT GOT EVEN BETTER NOW YOU DEFINITELY *DEFINITELY* NEED TO READ IT ASAP

Claire

@planetaclaireJun 4, 2026

Just got it from Libby! Woot! 🐙

Rec League

@recleagueJun 30, 2026

I remember seeing you mention this and I have it saved! How awesome. Can't wait to read it!

jmd

@jmduncanJun 30, 2026

My biggest Rec League problem* [*not actually a problem] right now is that I now have like 20 books I definitely want to read RIGHT NOW (including this one), and I'm stuck choosing just one at a time instead of being able to inhale all of them at once like No-Face in Spirited Away.

Across Rec League

The Mountain in the Sea

Mo Chinn

“If you like post apocalyptic/ dystopian sci-fi - this is the book for you. I’ve been thinking a lot about consciousness lately and this book created some wonderful food for thought.”

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lauren o

“A gorgeously philosophical eco-thriller (what if David Mitchell mashed up JURASSIC PARK, EX MACHINA, and ARRIVAL?) on how the oceans might feel about what we've chosen to do to them, what makes up a mind (both literally and figuratively), AI, how to make yourself understood, and oof, so much more. Nayler makes a compelling case for redefining responsibility and thoughtfulness in a way that sits re”

Kaylan

“Imaginative and captivating story exploring interspecies communication here on earth. Though fiction, includes abundant facts about the octopus; I had to divert from the book and frequently deep dive further!”