Sea State

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A stunning and brutally honest memoir that explores the clash between female desire and a culture of masculinity in crisis. In her mid-thirties and free from a toxic relationship, Tabitha Lasley leaves her London magazine job, moves to Aberdeen, Scotland, and invests in a six-month lease to pursue a long-held idea for a book about oil rigs and the men who work there. Intrigued by what men are like without women around, she immerses herself in the roughneck subculture, characterized by brawls, hard labor, competition, and deep friendships. As she becomes more involved, her presence begins to destabilize both the men and herself. The narrative portrays an overlooked industry, highlighting how "offshore" life serves as a metaphor for issues like class, masculinity, desire, and the precariousness of seeking security. It also chronicles a journalist whose professional detachment fades as she finds herself in Aberdeen, where she embraces her youth through wild nights and a growing attraction to Caden, a married rig worker. Their reckless and explosive relationship ultimately reveals their vulnerabilities.