hamsterpillar 's review for:

The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal
2.5
adventurous inspiring slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

On the surface a book about overcoming sexism and becoming an astronaut, but an overwhelmingly large part of the book is about the main character experiencing severe social anxiety and having low stakes conversations with her friends and husband.

The, unfortunately small, sections dealing with piloting are thrilling, but the majority lacks narrative tension and depth.

In the end, the main antagonist is overcome by his own medical condition, and after The Spare Man I’m starting to think Kowal is fine with resolving her plots via deus ex machina.