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joliendelandsheer's review against another edition
4.0
Review first published on my blog The Fictional Reader
I picked this up when I was in a reading slump. Usually when I’m in a slump, I resort to re-reading some of my favorite books. But I didn’t really feel like doing that either! So I decided to use a completely different tactic this time: read from genres I don’t often read. This book had been on my shelf for a while, and I used to love Tess Gerritsen’s murder mysteries. This is a mystery and thriller, but also a science fiction read. So I decided to give it a go. Man, am I happy I did!
PLOT/MYSTERY
I was hooked from the first chapter. I saw some Goodreads reviews saying that they had a hard time getting into it at first. I was the complete opposite: captivated from the first page. I felt like the pacing was great. I read it in one day I think (or maybe 2) because I couldn’t put it down. I wanted to know what would happen next. Which development would arise now? What horrible thing would happen to the astronauts now?
So this story plays out partly in space, and partly on Earth. We follow Emma and her ex-husband (Jake?). They have both been dreaming of being in space for as long as they can remember. But Jack will never be able to be an astronaut. Why? A kidneystone was discovered. While not harmful in itself, it could be more dangerous in space. So while Jack can’t fulfill the dream, Emma can. That’s a giant strain on a marriage, which is why they are getting divorced.
At the start, Emma is training for a space mission in a few months. However, an accident happens to the wife of an astronaut currently in the ISS (International Space Station). So NASA decides to get said astronaut back, and send Emma in his place. That’s where it all starts going wrong. One of the astronauts gets sick. Really, really sick. And then he dies. What do you do with a decomposing body in a space station?
I loved that we got to follow the virus from the first moment. Because you know that astronauts will start dying, you can spot the moment the danger first arrives. That’s when you think: “uh oh”. And the dread settles in your stomach. Afterwards, you follow each new development with growing dread. It was amazing. I was flipping pages like crazy!
I have to admit that I didn’t see the twist at the end coming. Well, either of the two big twists. They were both a complete surprise to me, which is great!
CHARACTERS
I grew to like so many of the characters, not just Jack and Emma. Because an astronaut is really never alone in space, you get attached to the entire crew. And the crew on the ground as well. I loved how they fought for their astronauts, for their well being and safety. There was really only one perspective I didn’t care for, but that person only got like 2 mini chapters. I understood why the chapters were necessary, but I still didn’t care for them.
Emma is such an amazing person! She’s caring, but smart as well. When the virus starts spreading, she knows what has to be done. It may not be pretty, but it’s reality. In that moment, you have to shut off the emotions and be a scientist instead. She was an amazing main character.
At first, I didn’t like Jack at all. But he really grew on me. It was obvious that he cared for Emma. And I can imagine how losing your life long dream can be devastating. Yet he fought for the astronauts as well. He’s a doctor after all, so when things start going wrong medically, he knows he needs to help.
Overall, I’d highly recommend this book! Even if you don’t often read science fiction or mysteries, this is a great place to start. I’m so glad I decided to pick it up after all!
I picked this up when I was in a reading slump. Usually when I’m in a slump, I resort to re-reading some of my favorite books. But I didn’t really feel like doing that either! So I decided to use a completely different tactic this time: read from genres I don’t often read. This book had been on my shelf for a while, and I used to love Tess Gerritsen’s murder mysteries. This is a mystery and thriller, but also a science fiction read. So I decided to give it a go. Man, am I happy I did!
PLOT/MYSTERY
I was hooked from the first chapter. I saw some Goodreads reviews saying that they had a hard time getting into it at first. I was the complete opposite: captivated from the first page. I felt like the pacing was great. I read it in one day I think (or maybe 2) because I couldn’t put it down. I wanted to know what would happen next. Which development would arise now? What horrible thing would happen to the astronauts now?
So this story plays out partly in space, and partly on Earth. We follow Emma and her ex-husband (Jake?). They have both been dreaming of being in space for as long as they can remember. But Jack will never be able to be an astronaut. Why? A kidneystone was discovered. While not harmful in itself, it could be more dangerous in space. So while Jack can’t fulfill the dream, Emma can. That’s a giant strain on a marriage, which is why they are getting divorced.
At the start, Emma is training for a space mission in a few months. However, an accident happens to the wife of an astronaut currently in the ISS (International Space Station). So NASA decides to get said astronaut back, and send Emma in his place. That’s where it all starts going wrong. One of the astronauts gets sick. Really, really sick. And then he dies. What do you do with a decomposing body in a space station?
I loved that we got to follow the virus from the first moment. Because you know that astronauts will start dying, you can spot the moment the danger first arrives. That’s when you think: “uh oh”. And the dread settles in your stomach. Afterwards, you follow each new development with growing dread. It was amazing. I was flipping pages like crazy!
I have to admit that I didn’t see the twist at the end coming. Well, either of the two big twists. They were both a complete surprise to me, which is great!
CHARACTERS
I grew to like so many of the characters, not just Jack and Emma. Because an astronaut is really never alone in space, you get attached to the entire crew. And the crew on the ground as well. I loved how they fought for their astronauts, for their well being and safety. There was really only one perspective I didn’t care for, but that person only got like 2 mini chapters. I understood why the chapters were necessary, but I still didn’t care for them.
Emma is such an amazing person! She’s caring, but smart as well. When the virus starts spreading, she knows what has to be done. It may not be pretty, but it’s reality. In that moment, you have to shut off the emotions and be a scientist instead. She was an amazing main character.
At first, I didn’t like Jack at all. But he really grew on me. It was obvious that he cared for Emma. And I can imagine how losing your life long dream can be devastating. Yet he fought for the astronauts as well. He’s a doctor after all, so when things start going wrong medically, he knows he needs to help.
Overall, I’d highly recommend this book! Even if you don’t often read science fiction or mysteries, this is a great place to start. I’m so glad I decided to pick it up after all!
andrew_russell's review against another edition
3.0
Pros: Great concept, very well written, brilliant characters and a well researched book
Cons: Lost some credibility towards the end (won't spoil it for other readers) and therefore became a bit more like a Hollywood movie than a credible novel.
Overall: Well worth a read. Kept me on the edge of my seat until the conclusion. Very graphically detailed scenes of death throughout the book which I felt added to the realism but may put other readers off.
Cons: Lost some credibility towards the end (won't spoil it for other readers) and therefore became a bit more like a Hollywood movie than a credible novel.
Overall: Well worth a read. Kept me on the edge of my seat until the conclusion. Very graphically detailed scenes of death throughout the book which I felt added to the realism but may put other readers off.
slmnak48's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. Some parts were kind of irritating because you think people would learn from their mistakes, but reality shows us that isn't always the truth. Overall I truly enjoyed the novel and its imagination.
vi_petrikaite's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
npaice's review
5.0
This book was amazing! So many questions about space I hadn’t thought about before.
limeta's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
lantheaume's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Animal death, Suicide attempt, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Gore
Moderate: Vomit, Chronic illness, and Confinement
Minor: Cancer and Sexual content
foreverbeautifulbooks's review against another edition
5.0
Okay. I know I said that I wasn't going to be writing reviews because I just didn't have time. But whoa! I HAD to write something about this mind-bender of a book. I have to say that EVERYTHING about this book was a feast for the brain! When Stephen King said that she was better than Crichton he wasn't kidding. First off, Gerritsen is more readable than Crichton. I find he had a very clinical way of writing that made you disconnect with characters in the book. With this book you are instantly thrust into POV with the characters and you are connected. Then you have a about a thousand WTF moments before your somehow think you have it all figured out, then your crying because you don't want bad things to happen to these characters you don't particularly like but you don't want them to DIE! Then Gerritsen kicks you right in the rump and you are like OH MY GOD!
I know this review is full of gush but it is really hard to write a review on this book, and try to not give it away because you can't give away anything. That is the point of the story, the build, the climb to the top and then the level out which leaves you emotionally drained and ready for her next book.
But honestly, I'm so book hung over I don't know what to read next. What is going to top this? I am going to have to read another one of this author's books to appease myself. Never in a million years did I think that a medical suspense novel that takes place in space was going to do it for me as a read. Well, I was just proven wrong. What a fantastic journey I was taken on. And I got to go on the ISS! This book was so well written I felt like I was in space, I even felt dizzy at times with the characters in the book.
Highly Recommend!
I know this review is full of gush but it is really hard to write a review on this book, and try to not give it away because you can't give away anything. That is the point of the story, the build, the climb to the top and then the level out which leaves you emotionally drained and ready for her next book.
But honestly, I'm so book hung over I don't know what to read next. What is going to top this? I am going to have to read another one of this author's books to appease myself. Never in a million years did I think that a medical suspense novel that takes place in space was going to do it for me as a read. Well, I was just proven wrong. What a fantastic journey I was taken on. And I got to go on the ISS! This book was so well written I felt like I was in space, I even felt dizzy at times with the characters in the book.
Highly Recommend!
john_bizzell's review against another edition
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0