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A review by mishmashedmagic
The Martian by Andy Weir
5.0
Unlike most people, The Martian and I had a bit of a rocky start. I gave up twice trying to read this book because the main character was starting to get a bit boring. The third time, I reached the 6th chapter where the perspective switches from Mark Watney, a man stranded on Mars after a mission goes south due to crazy Mars weather (while the rest of his team successfully escapes), to some main characters back on Earth.
After that it was smooth sailing. I really enjoyed Watney's ever-present humor and I found myself laughing out loud throughout the book (something that honestly does not happen very often for me!). I also found that once I reached the 6th chapter, the perspective between Mark and the other character's point of views were perfectly spaced. Just as I was starting to get tired of Mark, it would switch to a different person, which I really appreciated. As interesting as the science bits were, it was easy to get overwhelmed with all the math getting thrown at you at times. I also really appreciated the amount of time that must have gone into getting all that science and math accurate because it made the story so much more believable.
I also thoroughly enjoyed the other characters perspectives, though I found myself wanting to know more about them as well. We get to know Mark so well but I wanted to hear more about Commander Lewis, Johanssen, and the other characters. We get a smidge in the book, but I was left with wanting a little more.
As far as action goes, I felt almost constantly at the edge of my seat. Mark endures setback after setback and I loved watching the story play out as he and the others took on a multitude of challenges. Though I have to admit, I was a bit dissatisfied by the ending. It felt a little abrupt and wish it had played out just a little longer. But I guess that goes for any book you really enjoy - you never want the story to end!
After that it was smooth sailing. I really enjoyed Watney's ever-present humor and I found myself laughing out loud throughout the book (something that honestly does not happen very often for me!). I also found that once I reached the 6th chapter, the perspective between Mark and the other character's point of views were perfectly spaced. Just as I was starting to get tired of Mark, it would switch to a different person, which I really appreciated. As interesting as the science bits were, it was easy to get overwhelmed with all the math getting thrown at you at times. I also really appreciated the amount of time that must have gone into getting all that science and math accurate because it made the story so much more believable.
I also thoroughly enjoyed the other characters perspectives, though I found myself wanting to know more about them as well. We get to know Mark so well but I wanted to hear more about Commander Lewis, Johanssen, and the other characters. We get a smidge in the book, but I was left with wanting a little more.
As far as action goes, I felt almost constantly at the edge of my seat. Mark endures setback after setback and I loved watching the story play out as he and the others took on a multitude of challenges. Though I have to admit, I was a bit dissatisfied by the ending. It felt a little abrupt and wish it had played out just a little longer. But I guess that goes for any book you really enjoy - you never want the story to end!