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daegeseage65's review against another edition
inspiring
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? No
3.75
stiqyphrog's review
hopeful
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
jenhurst's review against another edition
4.0
I saw on the cover the comparison to Hidden Figures and I think it’s apt. Our protagonist was a WASP during WW2 and has a PhD, obviously unusual for the time. She fought to allow women to be involved in the space program. I liked reading about rapid climate change as a result of an asteroid and rapidly trying to send men to space. It’s fun reading about a strong protagonist that’s still very feminine.
blogthatbook's review against another edition
2.0
I have to admit I struggled with keeping up my interest while reading this. It's a good book, and nicely written, but for me, it just divided my attention too much. I love the idea of the main premise, I thought it held so much potential, but the further I read the more it felt like that main story took a back seat. An overpowering amount of social commentary gradually overshadows the driving events. There's nothing wrong with anything in this book, it just feels like it should have been two separate novels. To my mind, the end of the world should have held more importance, but that initial storyline becomes more of a back story to sexism and male versus female hierarchies. Of course, those are important issues in their own right and should command main focus, which just baffles me even more as to why the author would confuse readers with just what this book is supposed to be about.
A story about Armageddon surely should be fast-paced and terrifying, while a story about women's struggles against a male-chauvinist world should be meandering and thought-provoking. Trying to do both of those things at the same time is never going to work, at least in my opinion.
A story about Armageddon surely should be fast-paced and terrifying, while a story about women's struggles against a male-chauvinist world should be meandering and thought-provoking. Trying to do both of those things at the same time is never going to work, at least in my opinion.
larkken's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
buddenbrooks_97's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
gigglepud's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.25
clarissareads's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
okevamae's review against another edition
5.0
In an alternate history version of 1952, an immense meteorite struck the Atlantic, just off the coast of the United States. The nation’s capital and beyond was instantly obliterated, with hundreds of thousands dead. But in the days after the disaster, scientists discovered that the long-term aftermath would be far worse than the event itself. In a desperate bid to save the human race from extinction, an international spaceflight agency was established with the eventual goal of colonizing the Moon and Mars. And Elma York, a former Air Force WASP pilot and a computer for the space agency, is determined to prove that women are just as capable as men and deserve to be astronauts in this program.
This sci-fi alternate history is extremely well thought out, and includes lots of scientific details without getting too bogged down in technical explanations. The time period, though it is alternate history, is most definitely the 50s, and the author does a good job of evoking that culture in multiple ways, from casual sexism to fashion to the prevalence of martinis at social gatherings. Elma, our POV narrator and protagonist, is brilliant, determined, and tenacious in pursuing her goal, but she battles crippling social anxiety every step of the way, which is exacerbated by previous trauma and the societal pressures to appear perfect (or as the voice of her mother constantly reminds her, “what will people think?”) This gives what could otherwise be a too-perfect character a set of very human and relatable flaws.
The premise of this novel is a great hook, but the supporting characters, and Elma’s relationships to them, are some of what makes the book really fantastic. All of Elma’s friends, co-workers, and family are interesting and distinct characters, and Elma’s relationships with them are the emotional center of the story – particularly with her husband, Nathaniel, who is a man ahead of his time with regards to respecting the abilities and autonomy of women, and a perfect match for capable Elma.
The book is not what some might consider fast-paced plotwise, as there is heavier emphasis on character than on action, but I still had a hard time putting it down. It’s a very interesting world and a compelling read, and I can’t wait to go on to the next in the series. I’ll also say that the audiobook is read by the author, and she does a spectacular job.
Representation: Jewish main character, Black and Asian major side characters, main character with mental illness, disabled major side character
CW: period-typical racism and sexism, sexual harassment, first person depiction of mental illness, mention of past suicide attempt, antisemitism
This sci-fi alternate history is extremely well thought out, and includes lots of scientific details without getting too bogged down in technical explanations. The time period, though it is alternate history, is most definitely the 50s, and the author does a good job of evoking that culture in multiple ways, from casual sexism to fashion to the prevalence of martinis at social gatherings. Elma, our POV narrator and protagonist, is brilliant, determined, and tenacious in pursuing her goal, but she battles crippling social anxiety every step of the way, which is exacerbated by previous trauma and the societal pressures to appear perfect (or as the voice of her mother constantly reminds her, “what will people think?”) This gives what could otherwise be a too-perfect character a set of very human and relatable flaws.
The premise of this novel is a great hook, but the supporting characters, and Elma’s relationships to them, are some of what makes the book really fantastic. All of Elma’s friends, co-workers, and family are interesting and distinct characters, and Elma’s relationships with them are the emotional center of the story – particularly with her husband, Nathaniel, who is a man ahead of his time with regards to respecting the abilities and autonomy of women, and a perfect match for capable Elma.
The book is not what some might consider fast-paced plotwise, as there is heavier emphasis on character than on action, but I still had a hard time putting it down. It’s a very interesting world and a compelling read, and I can’t wait to go on to the next in the series. I’ll also say that the audiobook is read by the author, and she does a spectacular job.
Representation: Jewish main character, Black and Asian major side characters, main character with mental illness, disabled major side character
CW: period-typical racism and sexism, sexual harassment, first person depiction of mental illness, mention of past suicide attempt, antisemitism