“”In the Beginning Was the Sea” by Tomás González is a haunting and evocative novel set in the turbulent 1970s of Colombia. It tells the story of J. and Elena, a young urban couple who abandon their comfortable city life in Medellín to pursue an idealistic dream of living off the land on a remote Caribbean island. They purchase a rundown farm with plans to create a self-sustaining paradise, but soon find themselves confronted by the harsh realities of rural life, isolation, and the unforgiving natural environment.
As their utopian vision unravels, tensions rise, and their relationship deteriorates under the strain. The novel explores themes of disillusionment, the clash between idealism and reality, and the destructive consequences of human ambition. González’s lyrical prose vividly captures the lush yet perilous landscape, drawing readers into a deeply atmospheric and morally complex tale. “In the Beginning Was the Sea” is a profound meditation on human nature, the fragility of dreams, and the inexorable force of nature.”
The characters are an interesting piece of this novel. We can understand why things don’t go as planned for them as they leave the city to live off the land. A lot of their feelings are left up to interpretation for the reader to understand. We can make assumptions about why they feel this way: Elena leaving behind everything she ever knew makes her miserable, and then J., having to be around a miserable person, finds his life becoming a mess. Again, we can only assume all of this.
If you were a fan of the atmosphere in ‘Mustique Island,’ then you will be a fan of this Colombian island. The atmosphere was lush, and the imagery along with its metaphors hit the spot! There was also an ominous and mysterious feeling in the first quarter of the novel that made the story gripping.
The writing was atmospheric, which I loved. It was filled with imagery and metaphors, making it fast-paced and easy to devour.
The plot is a hidden gem in my eyes. We have our straightforward plot: two city people leave the city to live off the land on a tropical island, and things don’t go as planned. However, the hidden theme is about leaving capitalism and modern society behind and whether you can truly do it. It’s about leaving this society behind and living the way humans were intended to. It’s a lot to think about. Again, these were just my observations, and it could simply be about picking apart the impact such a move can have on a relationship. I was gripped throughout the story, and the plot moved in a logical manner.
The characters are an interesting piece of this novel.We can make assumptions about why they feel this way: Elena leaving behind everything she ever knew makes her miserable, and then J., having to be around a miserable person, finds his life becoming a mess. If you were a fan of the atmosphere in ‘Mustique Island,’ then you will be a fan of this Colombian island.There was also an ominous and mysterious feeling in the first quarter of the novel that made the story gripping.The writing was atmospheric, which I loved. It was filled with imagery and metaphors, making it fast-paced and easy to devour. The plot is a hidden gem in my eyes. I was gripped throughout the story, and the plot moved in a logical manner. This was a good book and I would recommend picking it up if you are interested to do so.
3.25 out of 5 stars.
Izzy Reads 