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grigtod's review
adventurous
funny
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
hjb_128's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
tense
fast-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Excrement and Drug use
josiewrites's review
adventurous
hopeful
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? It's complicated
3.0
amberj40's review
4.0
Not my usual subject matter. I skimmed a bit, the technical jargon. But I enjoyed the voice of the author tremendously. For being a book about Mars, I liked it.
morgob's review
5.0
I loved this book! It made me laugh so much. The format was interesting and so was the subject and the main characters. What really shocked me was how funny it was, and at the same time, a story of a world coming together to save the life of one man. It's scary to think about colonizing space, and even scarier to imagine yourself trapped all alone on a planet we know little about surviving on. Mark Watney's journey and trials of survival had me on an emotional roller coaster for the two or three days it took me to read it. Seriously, as soon as things calmed down, something bad happened. I was hanging on the edge of my seat for about three hundred pages.
Also, Mark's sense of humor reminded me of my boyfriend often, which just made me imagine him in Mark's place, which seemed funnier. I could totally picture him saying and doing a lot of those things. His character was just perfect for the story. I almost wish we could have had the whole thing in his point of view. Speaking of point of view, I really appreciate how it switched perspectives. Half the story was told from his logs, the other part was through the eyes of people working on Earth to try to save him. Additionally, there were some parts about his crew, following them and their journey, which were needed more for the end of the story.
The only complaint I have is that in some places, it switches to yet another point of view, a sort of omniscient narrator who can see what Watney is doing and is telling this story of "the traveler" and what is happening to him and what will happen. I didn't like those parts much. I thought it was too much and didn't really fit with the rest of the story and its tone. Besides that, I thought it was very good. And I learned a lot, which is always nice! I was on a space kick, I guess, after The Left Hand of Darkness. Through this book, I was able to expand my knowledge of biology and also some engineering, various science-y things, and just space in general and space travel and living. That was a lot, I know. But there actually wasn't too much jargon to understand. I got a very clear picture.
Overall, I loved this story. The writing was not as sophisticated as other things I've been reading, but that hardly matters when you bring a terrific story to the table that plays on one's emotions and leaves them hanging on the edge of their seat until the final page. A literal good read!
Also, Mark's sense of humor reminded me of my boyfriend often, which just made me imagine him in Mark's place, which seemed funnier. I could totally picture him saying and doing a lot of those things. His character was just perfect for the story. I almost wish we could have had the whole thing in his point of view. Speaking of point of view, I really appreciate how it switched perspectives. Half the story was told from his logs, the other part was through the eyes of people working on Earth to try to save him. Additionally, there were some parts about his crew, following them and their journey, which were needed more for the end of the story.
The only complaint I have is that in some places, it switches to yet another point of view, a sort of omniscient narrator who can see what Watney is doing and is telling this story of "the traveler" and what is happening to him and what will happen. I didn't like those parts much. I thought it was too much and didn't really fit with the rest of the story and its tone. Besides that, I thought it was very good. And I learned a lot, which is always nice! I was on a space kick, I guess, after The Left Hand of Darkness. Through this book, I was able to expand my knowledge of biology and also some engineering, various science-y things, and just space in general and space travel and living. That was a lot, I know. But there actually wasn't too much jargon to understand. I got a very clear picture.
Overall, I loved this story. The writing was not as sophisticated as other things I've been reading, but that hardly matters when you bring a terrific story to the table that plays on one's emotions and leaves them hanging on the edge of their seat until the final page. A literal good read!
katarinaluisa's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
ibisette's review
2.0
The idea of the book/story is great. But after a wile I got tired of all the technical solutions and improbabilities that I already know he will survive. So yes I skipped sections cause it sucked. I was so happy when I saw the book was not only having logbook entries but that he would eventually be contacted by Nasa and be saved. But even then. Damn this was a long and painful read. 2* cause the idea was good... And I chuckled like twice.