The content warnings for As Boundless as the Sea are listed below. Be aware that the book takes place in an analogue for the 1800s and contains many of the same living conditions and social conventions as Regency London. This list contains light spoilers, although characters are not named. It is important to me to be transparent with you on these topics before you read the book. Your mental health matters.
Strong and coarse profanity that keeps in line with the parlance of the early 1800s.
Explicit sexual and romantic content, always between consenting adults.
Descriptions of medical procedures, using historically-accurate methodology and outcomes. This will sometimes include descriptions of blood, viscera, and actions such as suturing or making incisions. A live birth occurs on page. All medical content in this story has been thoroughly researched and vetted by subject matter experts.
Lovecraftian horror and existential dread.
Tobacco, alcohol, and drug use. A character has a substance use disorder.
Depictions of crimes being committed. This includes street gang activities and rivalry.
Animals in peril. Several scenes involve an injured or deceased animal that is cared for or brought back to life. There are discussions about animal rights. No harm to animals is ever depicted on page.
Children in peril. Several scenes describe children and families living in squalid conditions. A primary character experiences the loss of their children off-page. A scene depicts a newborn believed to be stillborn who is successfully resuscitated.
Violence and gore, including depictions of live combat.
Frank discussions of classism, with characters experiencing poverty, food scarcity, unfair taxation, salary cuts, and debt.
Frank discussions around familial and spousal loss.
Reproductive health and maternal-child outcomes in line with the 1800s.
Frank discussions of political upheaval and the displacement and migration of people due to war, propaganda campaigns, the banning of books, theocracy, oligarchy, staged coups, the oppression of people based on creed, and imperialism.
Environmental injustice due to industrialization, war, resource competition, and natural disaster.
Occult-like imagery and themes. This includes depiction of magic rituals, the meddling of supernatural beings in characters' lives, and mention of religious cults.
Frank discussions of spirituality, including a character's recovery from evangelicalism.
Depictions of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Misogyny in the workplace that aligns with the real-life history of midwives in the 1800s.
Differing opinions and internal bias based on fantasy species' differences. This is addressed and resolved on page.
Negative and sometimes tense encounters with authorities including customs officers, constables, and the military. A character has a violent confrontation with a constable.