First published 2022
Sabrina Imbler, a young mixed-race science writer, explores the wonders of the sea's strangest creatures. From the self-starving mother octopus to the monstrous Bobbitt worm, each essay profiles a marine organism that defies expectations. As Imbler delves into the mysteries of these alien lives, they weave in their own coming-of-age story, drawing parallels between endangered sea creatures and marginalized human communities. This singular collection shatters preconceptions about the ocean's depths and what it means to adapt, survive, and care for one another.
Genres: nature, animals, essays, coming-of-age, memoir, 21st-century, biology, academic
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: coming-of-age, found-family, personal-journey
Setting: Ocean
Period: 21st-Century
272 pages · Hardcover · Chatto & Windus