The Sea Elephants is the kind of book that’ll nestle into your heart and stay there for years to come. The story opens with two deaths, providing a brief glimpse of the seriousness of the novel. Set in an unnamed coastal city (which I later confirmed with the author that it was indeed Visakhapatnam), our protagonist describes the loss of his sisters; Mud and Milk, identical twins who were nothing like each other. This narrator, all of sixteen years of age carries an anger that radiates off of him like the sun emits heat. He’s angry to have watched his sisters die helplessly but he’s even more enraged that his father has come home six months after their deaths.

The Sea Elephants is a brilliant book that focuses on Shagun, a coming-of-age queer boy, struggling to find a family and space that accepts him for who he is. Shastri Akella creates a wonderful bunch of characters who fulfill the roles of excellent supporting characters to the protagonist. This book is more than just a fictional tale as it draws themes from mythology and stories to build the foundation of the story. Set in the early 90s, Akella describes the tough lives led by the queer community. The fact that nothing much has changed decades later really saddens me. Shagun is the perfect hero to lead the story. He has many facets to him and Akella peels them off like layers of an onion. He has a hard past, one that’s filled with guilt and abuse and as he navigates through life as a travelling theatre artist, this shadow follows him wherever he goes.

But what’s best is to see Shagun find love. Amidst all the chaos and violence, love blooms like a rare flower and I enjoyed watching it happen as a reader. This beautiful book brims with emotions, right from anger to disgust to affection, it has it all. I had immense fun in reading chapters that involved stories about Shagun’s mother and sisters, each of them taking little pieces of my heart. Shagun himself was far from perfect and I think this is why it’s impossible not to like him. His choices and actions come from a place that holds the most vulnerable aspects of his past which is why I wanted to hold him in an embrace many a time.

This book truly has a lot to offer and in no way did it feel like the work of a debut author. Concepts like unconditional love, friendships in which nothing is ever demanded, families that one gets to choose and the act of forgiveness; all of which were wonderfully executed in the story. I hope this book receives all the love that it deserves and I can’t wait to read more by Shastri Akella.