An Ocean of Minutes: A Novel

During a national flu pandemic that is sweeping across the United States in 1981, Polly Nader must make a significant sacrifice to save the life of her fiancé, Frank, who has been diagnosed with the disease. In exchange for the rare and expensive medical treatment, Polly agrees to take part in TimeRaiser’s time-travelling program, which sends people to the future to reduce contagion and to help restore the devastated country. With the hope that Frank will be cured of the virus, he and Polly make specific plans to meet in 1993, the year Polly is scheduled to arrive. But when Polly is unexpectedly redirected to 1998, she discovers that finding Frank will not be easy. Polly can do nothing except work off her debt to TimeRaiser; however, she suffers a number of setbacks that prolong her entrapment in the dystopian America.

Thea Lim’s genre-bending debut novel offers a stunning look at love, particularly how it evolves with time. Written from Polly’s perspective and moving between past and present, Lim stunningly captures the intensity of yearning, regret, and hope. Devastatingly relevant, An Ocean of Minutes tackles political issues most notably immigration, but also sexual assault and poverty. With smart and emotional writing, Lim has certainly delivered a solid debut that is deserving of every reader’s attention.