Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.17 AVERAGE
4.17 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The third of the Planetfall books is probably the least self-contained of the three, but builds on the themes of mental health and abuse along with underlying social problems in this plausible dystopic future.
Anna Kubrin is a geologist and artist who's come to Mars partly for science, but mostly to make unique paintings using Martian materials that will make her sponsor a lot of money. She also has a husband and a young daughter that she's left on Earth, both of whom she has difficult relationships with. But when she arrives on Mars there's a bit of a mystery going on because she finds a painted note warning her not to trust the base psychologist, and it looks like the note was painted by Anna herself. And there's the actual psychologist who Anna has a natural antipathy and the rest of the Mars inhabitants who have their own issues.
The story uses the mystery and instability of Anna's present to help process her feelings towards the husband that she doesn't really love and the daughter she neither wanted or has managed to develop "traditional" maternal feelings towards, as well as the issues of her own childhood as an abuse survivor.
Anna Kubrin is a geologist and artist who's come to Mars partly for science, but mostly to make unique paintings using Martian materials that will make her sponsor a lot of money. She also has a husband and a young daughter that she's left on Earth, both of whom she has difficult relationships with. But when she arrives on Mars there's a bit of a mystery going on because she finds a painted note warning her not to trust the base psychologist, and it looks like the note was painted by Anna herself. And there's the actual psychologist who Anna has a natural antipathy and the rest of the Mars inhabitants who have their own issues.
The story uses the mystery and instability of Anna's present to help process her feelings towards the husband that she doesn't really love and the daughter she neither wanted or has managed to develop "traditional" maternal feelings towards, as well as the issues of her own childhood as an abuse survivor.
Newman, Emma. Before Mars. Planetfall No. 3. Ace-Kindle, 2018.
Despite a title that makes it seem like a prequel, this is a sequel. It is not a close sequel, though. Like the first two novels in the series, it can be read on its own. The book has had generally good reviews, but I was disappointed in it. First, it does not really move the plotline of the series forward much at all. Second, it is a character-driven mystery, but the characters are not as engaging as they might be. They are humorless and filled with angst I find hard to connect with. Finally, while Before Mars is often compared to Andy Weir’s The Martian because it has characters stranded on Mars, Newman is not much interested in the scientific problem of how to stay alive on Mars with limited resources. Instead, it is a closed room mystery of the sort I have recently seen done much better in Six Wakes by Mur Lafferty.
Despite a title that makes it seem like a prequel, this is a sequel. It is not a close sequel, though. Like the first two novels in the series, it can be read on its own. The book has had generally good reviews, but I was disappointed in it. First, it does not really move the plotline of the series forward much at all. Second, it is a character-driven mystery, but the characters are not as engaging as they might be. They are humorless and filled with angst I find hard to connect with. Finally, while Before Mars is often compared to Andy Weir’s The Martian because it has characters stranded on Mars, Newman is not much interested in the scientific problem of how to stay alive on Mars with limited resources. Instead, it is a closed room mystery of the sort I have recently seen done much better in Six Wakes by Mur Lafferty.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This is the third book in a series but stood alone reasonably well. Ann has gone on a major mission, and she's not in top condition. They must have missed that part, this woman is in agony from postpartum depression that she's questioning everything. I do mean everything, her husband, her mission, her entire life. She has dual missions on Mars, as both a geologist and an artist. She's trying to get out of her own issue and mesh more with the crew, but she's getting crazy messages in her own writing and now she's not sure if she has snapped, or been set up, or what is happening. I liked the mystery and the suspense, the setting and the "world" were just fine. What I wasn't thrilled about was the ending. Everything else worked pretty well.
My copy came from Net Galley. My thoughts and opinions are my own. This review is left of my own free volition.
My copy came from Net Galley. My thoughts and opinions are my own. This review is left of my own free volition.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4.0 out of 5 stars
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Upon landing on Mars, geologist/artist Anna Kubrin is immediately suspicious of her surroundings after spotting a series of ominous clues scattered in and around her Martian research facility. She’s unable to ascertain whether she is actually in danger or if it is all a paranoid delusion. Either way, she’s at risk, but nothing will keep her from uncovering the truth.
This was a wonderfully captivating read that I really enjoyed. Author Emma Newman has a masterful way of imbuing her protagonists with vulnerability and emotional depth. It is clear, based on her dedication and acknowledgements, that Newman’s own personal experiences greatly shaped and informed how she painted Anna in this novel, which adds a refreshing layer of authenticity to the narrative. The first half of the novel focuses heavily on Anna and the life she left behind on Earth. At times, the story is bogged down by her internal monologue and crippling self-doubt, but this serves to establish the character and makes way for a strong second half filled with the story beats and action that I knew was waiting to be unveiled.
Although less haunting than Planetfall (2015) and featuring a less complex crime story than After Atlas (2016), Before Mars is a compelling mystery box novel and a worthy addition to the Planetfall universe. With three books released and another on the way, Newman is crafting a superb series of interconnected works, with each subsequent book sprouting a new narrative thread while building upon the stories of the previous books. These books have been excellent and each new one I devour further solidifies their must-read status for me. I hope the story continues well beyond the next installment that is due next year.
See this review and others at The Speculative Shelf.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Upon landing on Mars, geologist/artist Anna Kubrin is immediately suspicious of her surroundings after spotting a series of ominous clues scattered in and around her Martian research facility. She’s unable to ascertain whether she is actually in danger or if it is all a paranoid delusion. Either way, she’s at risk, but nothing will keep her from uncovering the truth.
This was a wonderfully captivating read that I really enjoyed. Author Emma Newman has a masterful way of imbuing her protagonists with vulnerability and emotional depth. It is clear, based on her dedication and acknowledgements, that Newman’s own personal experiences greatly shaped and informed how she painted Anna in this novel, which adds a refreshing layer of authenticity to the narrative. The first half of the novel focuses heavily on Anna and the life she left behind on Earth. At times, the story is bogged down by her internal monologue and crippling self-doubt, but this serves to establish the character and makes way for a strong second half filled with the story beats and action that I knew was waiting to be unveiled.
Although less haunting than Planetfall (2015) and featuring a less complex crime story than After Atlas (2016), Before Mars is a compelling mystery box novel and a worthy addition to the Planetfall universe. With three books released and another on the way, Newman is crafting a superb series of interconnected works, with each subsequent book sprouting a new narrative thread while building upon the stories of the previous books. These books have been excellent and each new one I devour further solidifies their must-read status for me. I hope the story continues well beyond the next installment that is due next year.
See this review and others at The Speculative Shelf.
I really liked this. Every time I thought I knew where it was going, I was surprised. The mental health angle was again brilliant. The story was captivating, but not to the same level as planetfall.