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adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting
Minor: Homophobia, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia
TOXIC RELATIONSHIP: Joan and her sister Barbara. Barbara gaslights Joan/Frances for the entire book.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book emotionally wrecked me and I want to start a reread immediately.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Vomit
Moderate: Homophobia, Sexism, Sexual content, Death of parent
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
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:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Sexism, Vomit
Minor: Child abuse, Drug abuse
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is my first book by TJR and it certainly won't be the last. I couldn't stop sobbing for several minutes after finishing it, these characters will stay in my heart for a long, long time.
Wish I was able to say more but I still have this knot in my chest. What a sublime read.
Wish I was able to say more but I still have this knot in my chest. What a sublime read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Sexism, Lesbophobia
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
What an amazing read!
1980: Joan and a handful of others have been accepted as some of the first female astronaut candidates at NASA. Joan will do anything and everything to go to space and fly among the stars she has fiercely loved ever since childhood.
1984: Joan is Mission Control, the voice known as “Houston”. As she sits in the sole communication chair to the Navigator space shuttle, her calm demeanor is tested like never before.
Joan and her fellow cast of characters were all so well written. And the story itself? It really is a beautiful love story, but also a profound look at feminism, prejudice, female friendships, and finding your true self. I loved how the story went back and forth in time, each part as gripping as the other. The plot was incredibly immersive as well. Get your tissues ready!
Hearing TJR speak in June made reading Atmosphere that much more special. She mentioned this is her favorite book she’s written so far and I can totally see why. It’s quite obvious just how much time, effort, research, and love she put into it. Wow wow wow - I think this is my favorite TJR read to date!
1980: Joan and a handful of others have been accepted as some of the first female astronaut candidates at NASA. Joan will do anything and everything to go to space and fly among the stars she has fiercely loved ever since childhood.
1984: Joan is Mission Control, the voice known as “Houston”. As she sits in the sole communication chair to the Navigator space shuttle, her calm demeanor is tested like never before.
Joan and her fellow cast of characters were all so well written. And the story itself? It really is a beautiful love story, but also a profound look at feminism, prejudice, female friendships, and finding your true self. I loved how the story went back and forth in time, each part as gripping as the other. The plot was incredibly immersive as well. Get your tissues ready!
Hearing TJR speak in June made reading Atmosphere that much more special. She mentioned this is her favorite book she’s written so far and I can totally see why. It’s quite obvious just how much time, effort, research, and love she put into it. Wow wow wow - I think this is my favorite TJR read to date!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism
Minor: Miscarriage, Vomit, Abandonment
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Abandonment
Minor: Sexism
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
4.5⭐️ I kept forgetting to write this review. It felt good to be back in the TJR world. I actually didn't read the summary for this and had no idea what it was about. Going in blind was a lot of fun! Going between past and present timelines created intriguing plot tension, especially because we know something goes seriously awry during the mission in 1984. Watching Joan and the rest of the astronauts go through training and prep for their missions was really neat! The rampant sexism and misogyny was frustrating, but also seemed so realistic. I appreciated the conversation between Donna, Lydia, and Joan about how to handle it. At the narrative present, they're stuck between fighting against it, but also just trying to even get a foot in the door. Lydia goes along with it and even finds some of the jokes funny; Joan hates it; Donna tells them to go fuck themselves. All pretty valid responses, even if I don't agree with them, especially Lydia's. Joan's realizing that even if they don't agree with how to handle the sexism, they need to acknowledge the larger goal of opening the door into the program even more for women. Do they act like one of the guys? Or do they stop the sexism as much as possible and risk being called "irrational" "overdramatic", etc.
Joan was a really great protagonist. She's intelligent as all hell, and also such a nurturing and gentle, strong BAMF. When she teaches Vanessa about the different constellations, I felt like I was learning right along with her. I've honestly never appreciated the stars enough, probably because there's so much light pollution in San Francisco, and it's hard to see the stars. I like how diplomatic she is in most situations; however, her cracking at the end with Barbara's treatment of Frances was really rewarding. I sensed there'd be a big fight between them in the book, considering how Frances talked about Barbara and her relationship to the rest of the family. Barbara was not a good mother. At the same time, I think TJR did a pretty good job of making her character somewhat sympathetic. I do think her intentions were good, but she wasn't willing to make the sacrifices to actually put Frances' well being at the forefront. I think it's interesting that we didn't actually see Daniel and Frances interact; we only hear Barbara's account. As the reader, we know Barbara does not have an accurate perception of the situations. She's very self-centered. But we don't get any on-page confirmation that Daniel is as intolerant of Frances as Barbara says he is. Honestly, it felt like she was projecting and mostly wanted to free herself from her maternal responsibilities. It didn't seem like Daniel was particularly interested in Frances' upbringing other than throwing money at the problem. Allowing her to redecorate her room, paying for an expensive boarding school... neither of those actually helped Frances, or nurtured her. Ultimately, Frances felt unwanted, which broke my heart. Her mom literally dumps Frances at boarding school and plans to gallivant off to Europe for the holidays....and not come back. Like what the fuck?! That said, I can sympathize with how hard it was for Barbara to be a single parent, but it was extremely hard to side with her when she says she's doing it all on her own with no help. She literally says that she borrows money from their parents, and completely dismisses all the help Joan gives her. By the end, yeah, I couldn't stand her. I kind of wish we had seen a resolution there where Barbara acknowledges her poor, selfish decisions, but that wasn't exactly part of the main plot of the book. I am glad for Frances that Joan takes over her care, though I am sad that it's at the cost of her own personal emotional fulfillment and happiness.
Watching how Joan explores her friendships with various astronauts and trainees was fun. In particular, I liked how she related to Lydia. Lydia would seriously get on my nerves, like how she irks Vanessa. But Joan's patience, while also calling Lydia out on her shit, was the best route to getting Lydia to change, even just the tiniest bit. Lydia ultimately acknowledges that there are reasons she's not picked for missions over other people. She's clearly lacking something that Antonio sees in Joan and other astronauts. She's overestimated how important all the "hard skills" are and underestimated the value of her (lack of) "soft skills". She really grows quite a bit, especially for a tertiary character.
I suspected that Joan was ace or gay. I saw someone review the book and talk about how she enters into a relationship with a woman, and I was mildly disappointed that that was spoiled for me. But, I sort of saw it coming based on how TJR developed their relationship. I really liked Vanessa! Her character and roots felt just as complex as Joan's. At the end when Joan tries to break up with her and Vanessa claps back, I was proud of both of them for really coming to terms with the reality of their situation. Joan's immediate response is to quit the relationship without talking with Vanessa about her feelings. Usually I'm in favor of when someone says they want out of a relationship, the other person/people shouldn't argue with them to stay; however, I think TJR handled this particular situation with particular care. Their relationship is so complex; the social climate and intolerance of the time has a huge effect on how they're able to pursue each other. Not being able to have an official wedding, Barbara saying nasty things to Joan about not having relationship experience because she's never had a boyfriend, Antonio cryptically telling Joan that she and Vanessa need to end their relationship because it falls under the category of "sexual deviance", which is a national security risk for blackmail (at least I think that's what he told her). Individuals are very supportive of Joan and Vanessa's relationship, like Griff and Donna, who know Joan is gay before she's even ready to acknowledge it. Honestly, while I understand coming out is a very serious process, I was still amused by Joan's denial. My overall feelings about Vanessa and Joan's relationship are pretty positive. It's obvious that TJR likes exploring what it's like to pursue a same sex relationship at times when it's unacceptable, politically and socially. However, I think their relationship would've been more impactful if Vanessa had died during the mission. Like, don't get me wrong, Joan deserved a personal win, and I'm happy for her that she got it. But, emotionally, for me, it would've packed a bigger punch. That all said, though, I know that LGBTQ folks are tired of their being only sad, depressing depictions of queer relationships in literature. Having Vanessa live is a win here.
This was a very solid book, plot-wise, pacing-wise, and character development-wise. TJR explores some complex conundrums and while I was listening to the audiobook, it really got me thinking critically about what I'd do in Joan's or the other characters' places. I have never read a book about someone becoming an astronaut before, so I was never pulled out of this story, distracted by thinking about other books. This is even pretty distinct from TJR's other books. Actually, all of her books have been really different from each other, which is a testament to TJR's skill and range as an author. This book has made me want to re-read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo even more!
Joan was a really great protagonist. She's intelligent as all hell, and also such a nurturing and gentle, strong BAMF. When she teaches Vanessa about the different constellations, I felt like I was learning right along with her. I've honestly never appreciated the stars enough, probably because there's so much light pollution in San Francisco, and it's hard to see the stars. I like how diplomatic she is in most situations; however, her cracking at the end with Barbara's treatment of Frances was really rewarding. I sensed there'd be a big fight between them in the book, considering how Frances talked about Barbara and her relationship to the rest of the family. Barbara was not a good mother. At the same time, I think TJR did a pretty good job of making her character somewhat sympathetic. I do think her intentions were good, but she wasn't willing to make the sacrifices to actually put Frances' well being at the forefront. I think it's interesting that we didn't actually see Daniel and Frances interact; we only hear Barbara's account. As the reader, we know Barbara does not have an accurate perception of the situations. She's very self-centered. But we don't get any on-page confirmation that Daniel is as intolerant of Frances as Barbara says he is. Honestly, it felt like she was projecting and mostly wanted to free herself from her maternal responsibilities. It didn't seem like Daniel was particularly interested in Frances' upbringing other than throwing money at the problem. Allowing her to redecorate her room, paying for an expensive boarding school... neither of those actually helped Frances, or nurtured her. Ultimately, Frances felt unwanted, which broke my heart. Her mom literally dumps Frances at boarding school and plans to gallivant off to Europe for the holidays....and not come back. Like what the fuck?! That said, I can sympathize with how hard it was for Barbara to be a single parent, but it was extremely hard to side with her when she says she's doing it all on her own with no help. She literally says that she borrows money from their parents, and completely dismisses all the help Joan gives her. By the end, yeah, I couldn't stand her. I kind of wish we had seen a resolution there where Barbara acknowledges her poor, selfish decisions, but that wasn't exactly part of the main plot of the book. I am glad for Frances that Joan takes over her care, though I am sad that it's at the cost of her own personal emotional fulfillment and happiness.
Watching how Joan explores her friendships with various astronauts and trainees was fun. In particular, I liked how she related to Lydia. Lydia would seriously get on my nerves, like how she irks Vanessa. But Joan's patience, while also calling Lydia out on her shit, was the best route to getting Lydia to change, even just the tiniest bit. Lydia ultimately acknowledges that there are reasons she's not picked for missions over other people. She's clearly lacking something that Antonio sees in Joan and other astronauts. She's overestimated how important all the "hard skills" are and underestimated the value of her (lack of) "soft skills". She really grows quite a bit, especially for a tertiary character.
I suspected that Joan was ace or gay. I saw someone review the book and talk about how she enters into a relationship with a woman, and I was mildly disappointed that that was spoiled for me. But, I sort of saw it coming based on how TJR developed their relationship. I really liked Vanessa! Her character and roots felt just as complex as Joan's. At the end when Joan tries to break up with her and Vanessa claps back, I was proud of both of them for really coming to terms with the reality of their situation. Joan's immediate response is to quit the relationship without talking with Vanessa about her feelings. Usually I'm in favor of when someone says they want out of a relationship, the other person/people shouldn't argue with them to stay; however, I think TJR handled this particular situation with particular care. Their relationship is so complex; the social climate and intolerance of the time has a huge effect on how they're able to pursue each other. Not being able to have an official wedding, Barbara saying nasty things to Joan about not having relationship experience because she's never had a boyfriend, Antonio cryptically telling Joan that she and Vanessa need to end their relationship because it falls under the category of "sexual deviance", which is a national security risk for blackmail (at least I think that's what he told her). Individuals are very supportive of Joan and Vanessa's relationship, like Griff and Donna, who know Joan is gay before she's even ready to acknowledge it. Honestly, while I understand coming out is a very serious process, I was still amused by Joan's denial. My overall feelings about Vanessa and Joan's relationship are pretty positive. It's obvious that TJR likes exploring what it's like to pursue a same sex relationship at times when it's unacceptable, politically and socially. However, I think their relationship would've been more impactful if Vanessa had died during the mission. Like, don't get me wrong, Joan deserved a personal win, and I'm happy for her that she got it. But, emotionally, for me, it would've packed a bigger punch. That all said, though, I know that LGBTQ folks are tired of their being only sad, depressing depictions of queer relationships in literature. Having Vanessa live is a win here.
This was a very solid book, plot-wise, pacing-wise, and character development-wise. TJR explores some complex conundrums and while I was listening to the audiobook, it really got me thinking critically about what I'd do in Joan's or the other characters' places. I have never read a book about someone becoming an astronaut before, so I was never pulled out of this story, distracted by thinking about other books. This is even pretty distinct from TJR's other books. Actually, all of her books have been really different from each other, which is a testament to TJR's skill and range as an author. This book has made me want to re-read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo even more!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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:
Yes
LGBTQIA+, coming of age (later in life), mainly romance with a hint of space.
Even though the ending wasn't a surprise for this reader, it brought me to tears. **Awkwardly at the circulation desk, but hopefully I didn't scare any library friends away!**
Why 4 stars? I could have used less Barb. If you've read it, you'll understand.
"To look up at the nighttime sky is to become a part of a long line of people throughout human history who looked above at the same set of stars. It is to witness time unfolding."
Even though the ending wasn't a surprise for this reader, it brought me to tears. **Awkwardly at the circulation desk, but hopefully I didn't scare any library friends away!**
Why 4 stars? I could have used less Barb. If you've read it, you'll understand.
"To look up at the nighttime sky is to become a part of a long line of people throughout human history who looked above at the same set of stars. It is to witness time unfolding."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Abandonment
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
Fucking WOW.
Never in my life have I read a story more simultaneously heartbreaking AND heartwarming, but also empowering (and also funny..,ASCANS 🤣)
Perfect. 💜
(But…
How can 1984 *possibly* be *historical fiction* ?! 😭 That’s even worse than hearing Nirvana on a Classic Rock music station LOL)
Never in my life have I read a story more simultaneously heartbreaking AND heartwarming, but also empowering (and also funny..,ASCANS 🤣)
Perfect. 💜
(But…
How can 1984 *possibly* be *historical fiction* ?! 😭 That’s even worse than hearing Nirvana on a Classic Rock music station LOL)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Abandonment
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Vomit, Medical trauma, Lesbophobia
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Cheesy as hell but I loved pretty much every moment of it! Astronauts, lesbians, a historical setting, what more could a girl want?! I really enjoyed these characters and their chemistry had me giggling and kicking my feet, it was swoony and silly and fun. The NASA component was also exciting and adding that extra layer of plot to keep me hooked. The audiobook was fantastic and added a lot to the experience, the prose was definitely served well by it. While predictable and sometimes over sweet, I had a thoroughly good time and counted down the minutes until I could get back to reading it again.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Sexism