Scan barcode
A review by alligatoralyssa
The Martian by Andy Weir
4.5
There is one thing I have to give this book (or rather the author) major props for: keeping me invested through paragraphs of science-y talk so much that I was reluctant to put it down and eager to pick it back up every time I did. Though I am a huge sci-fi fan, I've never been much of a STEM person. I appreciate that even though there were many points where I felt like I was just reading a bunch of technological words that didn't add up, I was able to get the general gist of things. It might have helped that I saw the movie a year or two ago, so it made it easier for the pictures to form in my head. I fought back tears near the end of the book, which is the highest compliment I could possibly pay.
The fact that I watched the movie before reading the book stems from a personal connection that I was glad to have reinforced on paper. I felt even more connected to it through the book than the movie. There are a few quotes I highlighted and tabbed, because I felt like they succinctly explained the harshness of being (unwillingly) disconnected from the human civilization.
"Who knows how far south the storm goes? Well, NASA probably knows... So there's like a hundred million people or so who know exactly how far south it goes.
But I'm not one of them."
I often struggle explaining what it really felt like to be so disconnected from the world in wilderness. Because we were deliberately disconnected. I didn't know what WAP meant for three goddamn months!! My group members and I spent three months trying to decode what WAP stood for (we didn't get anywhere the right answer) because there was no swearing or mentions of risqué content in general allowed. That's just one small and rather light example. It sucked. To feel like there's finally words that express that intense isolation is comforting.
Personal things aside- I genuinely enjoyed this novel and found it exciting. Also, Andy Weir gets extra respect for being a Whovian. Doctor Who was my first introduction to sci-fi, and subsequently my departure from any chance of popularity. Is this a sign that I should start my 5,000th 10th Doctor rewatch?! Me thinks so!
(I will also be rewatching the movie adaptation of The Martian, of course. Love you Jessica Chastain <3)
The fact that I watched the movie before reading the book stems from a personal connection that I was glad to have reinforced on paper. I felt even more connected to it through the book than the movie. There are a few quotes I highlighted and tabbed, because I felt like they succinctly explained the harshness of being (unwillingly) disconnected from the human civilization.
"Who knows how far south the storm goes? Well, NASA probably knows... So there's like a hundred million people or so who know exactly how far south it goes.
But I'm not one of them."
I often struggle explaining what it really felt like to be so disconnected from the world in wilderness. Because we were deliberately disconnected. I didn't know what WAP meant for three goddamn months!! My group members and I spent three months trying to decode what WAP stood for (we didn't get anywhere the right answer) because there was no swearing or mentions of risqué content in general allowed. That's just one small and rather light example. It sucked. To feel like there's finally words that express that intense isolation is comforting.
Personal things aside- I genuinely enjoyed this novel and found it exciting. Also, Andy Weir gets extra respect for being a Whovian. Doctor Who was my first introduction to sci-fi, and subsequently my departure from any chance of popularity. Is this a sign that I should start my 5,000th 10th Doctor rewatch?! Me thinks so!
(I will also be rewatching the movie adaptation of The Martian, of course. Love you Jessica Chastain <3)