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4.17 AVERAGE
4.17 AVERAGE
Ahoy there mateys! This is the second companion novel to the wonderful sci-fi novel planetfall which continues to linger in me thoughts as being a super pleasurable previous read. As a companion novel, the books can be read in any order even though personally I am glad I read them in publishing order. Planetfall showed the story of a human colony on a remote alien planet far far from Earth. Book two, after atlas, is a sci-fi murder mystery novel set on Earth forty years after Atlas has left the planet.
This third installment involves Anna Kubrick, a geologist by trade and artist by hobby. She has been sent to Mars by her employers primarily because of her art. Her billionaire boss, who owns all rights to Mars, wants her to be the first person to paint the scenery of Mars while there so that it can sell to the highest bidder back home. When Anna gets to Mars, she finds surprising hostility from some of the crew members. Matters are further confused when she finds a note of warning in her room that appears to be written in her own hand! Is she going crazy or is there something more sinister going on?
Anna is a conflicted figure who cannot decide if she wants to be on Mars or back home with her family. She feels both fake and smothered from society's expectations. Her background makes her fear that she might be headed towards mental breakdown. And she is suffering from post-natal syndrome. Reading about her troubles as an overlay on top of the mysterious situation from Mars was hard at times. Anna is a very sympathetic character and also a very strong one.
Mental health is a hard issue and from outside it seems a bit easy to see some of the problems on Mars. The reader could guess at some of the problems and their corresponding solutions. But Anna's genuine confusion and self-doubt is real. Did she make the right choices? Is her life a lie? Is she a useless mother? Why isn't she like everyone else?
Like the other two books, this is a very character-driven story. As I had guessed a lot of the mystery, I found the ending to be less than exciting even though I didn't know any of the finer details. But the story is compelling, the characterization is fantastic, and the world-building as great as ever.
I believe there is going to be another story set in this world in 2019. While waiting, do pick up any of the Planetfall books and treat yerself to a delightful story.
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
This third installment involves Anna Kubrick, a geologist by trade and artist by hobby. She has been sent to Mars by her employers primarily because of her art. Her billionaire boss, who owns all rights to Mars, wants her to be the first person to paint the scenery of Mars while there so that it can sell to the highest bidder back home. When Anna gets to Mars, she finds surprising hostility from some of the crew members. Matters are further confused when she finds a note of warning in her room that appears to be written in her own hand! Is she going crazy or is there something more sinister going on?
Anna is a conflicted figure who cannot decide if she wants to be on Mars or back home with her family. She feels both fake and smothered from society's expectations. Her background makes her fear that she might be headed towards mental breakdown. And she is suffering from post-natal syndrome. Reading about her troubles as an overlay on top of the mysterious situation from Mars was hard at times. Anna is a very sympathetic character and also a very strong one.
Mental health is a hard issue and from outside it seems a bit easy to see some of the problems on Mars. The reader could guess at some of the problems and their corresponding solutions. But Anna's genuine confusion and self-doubt is real. Did she make the right choices? Is her life a lie? Is she a useless mother? Why isn't she like everyone else?
Like the other two books, this is a very character-driven story. As I had guessed a lot of the mystery, I found the ending to be less than exciting even though I didn't know any of the finer details. But the story is compelling, the characterization is fantastic, and the world-building as great as ever.
I believe there is going to be another story set in this world in 2019. While waiting, do pick up any of the Planetfall books and treat yerself to a delightful story.
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
read this whole book today, it was just that captivating. just like atlas, a big plot point was a mystery that draws the reader in. this time it’s on mars! i love the mini connections to the world building and characters in the previous books, with this one also being a great standalone. super intriguing and fun plot twists
Another Powerful novel from Emma Newman.
It’s claustrophobic and tense and I blooming well loved it.
It’s claustrophobic and tense and I blooming well loved it.
Absolutely loved this. Am now starting the full series and am so excited to have found Emma Newman. This is a breath of fresh air in Sci Fi with a believable female protagonist, nonbinary representation, tense and nuanced psychological drama, and a bittersweet conclusion that toys with typical Sci Fi tropes without relying on them at all. Can this be a movie please? Not necessary cuz the book is enough, but Hollywood is sleeping on this.
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
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:
Yes
Finally! We have a complete, non-abrupt ending ;alkdjf;alskdjf.
Plot was just as interesting as the others in this series, though, I did figure it out much quicker than the prior two. I think it's bc this is more of a common plot, like I've read stories with these same plot lines before. This is also the first one in this series where.... I'm not itching for more really. Like I feel satisfied with what we got.
God every time I learn more about this fucking dystopian ass world I just get more depressed bc tell me why it's saying democracy dies in the '30s and this is the reality that we are currently living in 😩😩😩.
As for characters, Anna was a struggle but mostly bc of the internalized shame she has, like she had so much fucking shame. And I apparently am shameless bc I was just like "so what if you didn't love your baby immediately upon birth? that's literally not a big deal 🙄🙄🙄." (side note: I decided long ago that I would never be a mother so 🤷🤷🤷). As always, the characters were incredibly complex, the dive into mental health and illness was real. The effects of trauma and how that impacts someone throughout their life. Particularly the nuance in understanding that someone harmed you bc of their mental illness, but still being fucking angry and not forgiving them, and that's valid. Also back to motherhood, honestly love Anna's feelings on that, it's representation that we desparately need.
Ah I love scifi.
Plot was just as interesting as the others in this series, though, I did figure it out much quicker than the prior two. I think it's bc this is more of a common plot, like I've read stories with these same plot lines before. This is also the first one in this series where.... I'm not itching for more really. Like I feel satisfied with what we got.
God every time I learn more about this fucking dystopian ass world I just get more depressed bc tell me why it's saying democracy dies in the '30s and this is the reality that we are currently living in 😩😩😩.
As for characters, Anna was a struggle but mostly bc of the internalized shame she has, like she had so much fucking shame. And I apparently am shameless bc I was just like "so what if you didn't love your baby immediately upon birth? that's literally not a big deal 🙄🙄🙄." (side note: I decided long ago that I would never be a mother so 🤷🤷🤷). As always, the characters were incredibly complex, the dive into mental health and illness was real. The effects of trauma and how that impacts someone throughout their life. Particularly the nuance in understanding that someone harmed you bc of their mental illness, but still being fucking angry and not forgiving them, and that's valid. Also back to motherhood, honestly love Anna's feelings on that, it's representation that we desparately need.
Ah I love scifi.
The individual books are all excellent, but what makes them stand out is how beautifully they work as a series. And wow, I am simultaneously impressed and horrified by how incredibly well Emma Newman describes the terror of feeling absolutely alone even (especially?) in the midst of other people - an ongoing theme of the series.
Another very enjoyable Planetfall follow-up. I like how the books are in the same world but different places and times. And again, I totally sympathized with the main character except for a thing or two (you'll have to figure it out, too lazy to mark the spoilers) and really enjoyed this story. I would definitely read more, I hope there will be more!
У Ньюман очень круто получается сочетать хай-тэк фантастику с чем-то жизненным. В третей книге снова новая героиня, в этот раз художница, прилетевшая на Марс рисовать инопланетные пейзажи. Но для нее это прежде всего побег от семейной жизни. Как пишет сама Ньюман в послесловии, она хотела показать, что для некоторых женщин желание быть матерью - не является чем-то естественным.
Сюжет снова кажется не связанным с предыдущими книгами ровно до последних глав. Мне на самом деле очень нравится такой формат. Ньюман строит большой, интересный мир, но при этом каждая книга - сама по себе. Уже даже жаль, что их всего четыре. Надеюсь будет больше!
Сюжет снова кажется не связанным с предыдущими книгами ровно до последних глав. Мне на самом деле очень нравится такой формат. Ньюман строит большой, интересный мир, но при этом каждая книга - сама по себе. Уже даже жаль, что их всего четыре. Надеюсь будет больше!