Berkley, the Penguin Random House imprint, will release “The Jellyfish Problem,” a debut novel by Tessa Yang, in hardcover on June 2, the publisher’s publicity team said in a pitch to editors. The book follows a marine biologist who becomes a reluctant hero for a Maine island menaced by a giant jellyfish, according to the imprint.
The publisher described the novel as a blend of literary fiction and what it called science-based magical realism, with elements of mystery and sapphic romance. Berkley pitched the book to fans of both contemporary and speculative fiction, comparing it to “Remarkably Bright Creatures” and “The Midnight Library.”
According to the publicity team, Yang was inspired by her affection for “Jaws” and by Japanese folklore she grew up with, and set out to write a sea monster story in which the hero is motivated to understand the creature rather than kill it. Berkley said the book is at its heart a sea monster tale but also a meditation on grief and human connection, with commentary on environmentalism, community and belonging.
The pitch came from Danielle Keir, an assistant director of publicity at Berkley, who said a digital review copy was available to interested editors. Berkley is an imprint of Penguin Random House, which is based in Manhattan.
