An intimate coming‑of‑age novel perfect for readers who appreciate artful, poetic fiction with the highest stakes.
At twenty, most of us don’t have it all figured out yet. That is certainly true for Lena Landon, a young woman who is passionate about everything she does and feels. For now, Lena is having trouble channeling that passion, so she takes a solo trip to San Balanque, her estranged mother’s homeland. She hopes to learn more about her heritage and find something that might give her life an anchor. Lena wants to take pictures, mingle with locals, delve into local history, and dip her toe into local journalism. But what she definitely does not want to do while in San Balanque is visit her mother, who is now married to the country’s vice president. Lena gets reacquainted with a colleague and begins chasing headlines with him. And the biggest story? Political unrest. The Aguileros are a band of freedom fighters looking to topple the current government. Anyone sensible might take only a passive interest in the rebels’ activities. After all, her mother is married to the enemy. But Lena hasn’t spoken to her mother in a decade and wants nothing to do with her now. She never backs down from a challenge, no matter how risky, so she keeps quiet about her lineage and gets close to the Aguileros, particularly the handsome brother Raoul. It might be dangerous, but for the first time in her life, Lena knows exactly what and who she wants.
Set in the early 1970s, This Sea Within is less historical fiction and more a story about all the ways history tends to repeat itself. Lena’s fight is against an oppressive regime in a fictional country, but the fight for justice never changes. The struggles with corruption, unfair practices, and brutality were present then and now, almost indistinguishably. From the novel’s earliest moments, Lena is an incredibly relatable main character. She loves surfing, political protests, history, poetry, and anything that lets her chase meaning. And no wonder! As a little girl, she was abandoned by her own mother, a trauma that would leave anyone searching for solid ground. Lena’s desire for connection helps justify her ardent and immediate fall for the rebel leader, and also explains her reckless choices. It’s a flaw and a strength, one that Deborah J. Brasket writes with empathy and understanding. Besides meticulous character work, the worldbuilding is a reward in itself. There is a minor scene where Lena is standing on her balcony, taking in the sights, when a man appears across the courtyard, naked and unashamed. This small touch subtly reminds readers how far from home Lena really is and how different the world can be when we take a look around. A bold story about passionate people fighting for what they believe in, This Sea Within is an intimate coming‑of‑age novel perfect for readers who appreciate artful, poetic fiction with the highest stakes.
