Advance Review: When Oceans Rise
By Brooke Manuel, Skyline Editor
DEL RIO – When Oceans Rise by Robin Alvarez, a 2023 debut author and one of Sul Ross State University’s own staff members, takes readers on a journey through alternate universes, addresses stigmatized topics and gives a glimpse of a culture that’s not typically seen in mainstream media.
When Oceans Rise tells the story of Malaya, a seventeen-year-old girl who makes a deal with a malicious sea witch, which she may come to regret. Reminiscent of The Little Mermaid, Malaya gives the sea witch her voice and in turn, the sea witch gives Malaya a new life; a life in which only one aspect is changed, but the ripples effect everything.
The loss of Malaya’s voice is something to which many of us can relate. There are times when we feel so powerless that we lose all hope. Although the loss of Malaya’s voice was literal in the story, for many it may be a metaphor for being silenced, a common experience, especially for women and minorities.
When Oceans Rise is also relatable because of the setting.
“People in Texas might relate to this book because it’s set in Corpus Christi. I find that generally a lot of books are set in big cities like New York or Paris, or small New England towns,” Alvarez said. “I’ve had early readers who are from Texas message me about the setting, which I hadn’t realized would mean so much.”
Malaya’s family is Filipino, a severely underrepresented population in America. The graceful way that Alvarez embedded this theme into When Oceans Rise brings readers face-to-face with the harsh truth of what it’s like being a part of a minority group.
After trading her voice to the sea witch for a new life, Malaya quickly learns that all decisions are accompanied by consequences. Malaya is thrown into an alternate universe and grows bonds with people she never thought she would, but the phrase ‘all good things must come to an end’ rings true for Malaya.
In a universe so different from what she’s used to, Malaya learns the importance of family and realizes she prefers her former life.
Malaya’s story involves an abusive relationship and portrays the inner workings of mental and emotional trauma. Alvarez so accurately depicts that type of abuse that it becomes apparent why it’s so hard to exit those types of relationships. Abusers gain control over their partners and often manipulate them into questioning their own sanity or power of reason, commonly known as gaslighting.
Alvarez lists gaslighting and mental, emotional, and physical abuse as the trigger warnings for When Oceans Rise.
The rich window into Filipino culture is one of the most beautiful aspects of the story. The glue that holds Malaya’s family together is their culture of food, festive parties and karaoke. The monsters that are released into the world by the sea witch are real creatures from Filipino mythology, and positively terrifying.
Alvarez used her own cultural experience to depict the Filipino culture in When Oceans Rise.
“My experience with my Filipino culture did have a great emphasis on food uniting family. It wasn’t formal like always sitting at the dining table, we might be standing around the counter while Mom continued to cook, or sitting on the couches together, but food was more than a meal,” Alvarez said.
The festive parties that are mentioned throughout the novel are reminiscent of celebrations in Filipino culture.
“There was a lot of joy at these parties, and a sense of belonging to something that I didn’t quite understand at that age...Of course, a lot of that happiness comes from karaoke, which many of us love on a level that people outside the culture might not even know!” Alvarez said, recounting memories from her childhood.
When Oceans Rise leaves readers feeling empowered and wanting more. It is an ethereal and emotional tale of resilience, love and loss.
The book will be released May 23, 2023, during Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and is available for preorder now.
*This reviewer was granted an advance reader’s copy.