I agree with other reviewers in that Banville used beautiful language when writing The Sea. His descriptions of characters and setting were strong, however, the story did not keep me the least bit engaged. I didn't feel as though I knew his characters, and didn't really care where his story would lead me. This book was a completle bore until the end when a few surprises are revealed. In my opinion, a story about his days growing up near the sea would have been much more interesting.