Reviews with content warning for Misogyny - Proyecto Hail Mary

I tried so hard. I kept coming back to it over the span of a few months. I borrowed it from the library multiple times. I tried the audiobook...it's just so boring. Andy clearly only knows how to write one character archetype and the rest is just stereotypes, infodumps and very badly written female characters. I'd rather read a physics book. Life 3.0 by Max Tegmark is a great one - the same amount of math, better plot and a far more interesting read.

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breadwitchery's review against another edition

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adventurous medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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kellyurban's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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divine529's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging informative mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

For those of you who know me, you know that I struggle reading sci-fi (I tend to prefer experiencing sci-fi in visual format), but I had very little trouble reading this. A lot of the time, it felt like I was watching or living it, and I think that makes a difference for me.

This is a fairly well-known book, written by a fairly well-known author, but I'll briefly tell you what it's about anyway. This follows our main protagonist Ryland Grace who wakes up on a space ship in another star system with no memory of who he is or what he's doing. The book is told in two timelines, the current one aboard the Hail Mary, and a past timeline of the events leading up to how he got aboard the Hail Mary and why - it all has to do with saving the sun and in turn the planet. And all kinds of interesting things happen along the way.

As with most books I read, there were parts I really enjoyed and parts I enjoyed less.

The writing, while engaging and immersive, and generally well paced, irritated me at times, for no other reason than the words he chose and at times the dialogue.

The setting/world was well done and seemed well researched. I loved learning about the different planets and species that were being discovered.

The plot was interesting and was the fuel for the story, but it wasn't the main focus the majority of the time. Yes, saving the planet was important and all of their findings and actions directly related to saving the planets, but at it's core it was more about the characters.

Which brings me to the characters. Ryland was an interesting character and I found him relatable and fun to read about. I adored Rocky, who I'm not going to tell you much about, but he's the best and I lived and breathed for his and Ryland's interactions. Stratt was irritating. I liked her at first, but she got old really fast because she felt like she had one personality trait. The other characters were also interesting, the short time we spent with them, but nothing too special overall.

All in all, an enjoyable and fun read. This was my first Weir book, but I don't think it'll be my last.

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chloethonus's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny hopeful lighthearted tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This is my first Andy Weir book and I absolutely loved it. I could not put this book down. The concept of an astronaut with amnesia having to save the world is already interesting, but the way the memories come back to him are what push the plot forward and what develop his character. I really enjoyed this style of writing and want to pick up more of his books. Would recommend this book to any sci-fi enjoyer or scientifically minded person. Even the outlandish aspects are explained scientifically and grounded in a bit of reality, which is part of why I didn't mind more fantastical elements.

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skudiklier's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

This book made me feel things I haven't felt in years—not since I first read An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green. I was so excited reading it, and despite how long it is I couldn't put it down, and finished it the day after starting it. I would really, really recommend this to anyone who likes sci-fi, and especially anyone who enjoyed The Martian. Major spoiler:

I just really like non-hostile first contact stories I think. When Grace first waved at the alien and then it waved back, I actually teared up a little. (Just saying "the alien" to have as few spoilers as possible.)

Some of the big eureka moments made me want to screenshot them and send them to friends—like, as if they were real and we could all get excited about this huge discovery together. It's definitely a good book for a book club or to read with friends.

Compared to The Martian, this felt like it had more suspense/higher stakes, because The Martian basically had a sad ending or a happy ending (and I always assumed it would be happy). Project Hail Mary has a lot more room for complexity in terms of what a "happy" ending looks like, so I definitely felt unsure about how certain parts would end.

I'm also glad I didn't really read the description of the book before reading it; all I knew was it was by Andy Weir (and that Hank Green liked it). It allowed me to truly learn everything along with Grace, and to be surprised by even basic functions of the plot in a really rare and enjoyable way.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

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