A review by wanderonwards
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

adventurous emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for sending me a free ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. 
 
Project Hail Mary is a sweeping and creative science fiction adventure, brimming with twists and Weir’s signature laugh-out-loud humor and easy to understand science. I had no idea where the plot was going most of the time, but I definitely enjoyed the ride and guessing where the story would turn next. 
 
One of my favorite aspects of Project Hail Mary (without giving anything away) is how each character’s salvation rests with helping others, and how no character could actually solve the problem at hand without teamwork and shared resources. Each of the primary characters all answer the same question in their own way: how far would you go to save your species from extinction? I really enjoyed watching this story play out in ways I did not see coming. 
 
However, some sections of Project Hail Mary were too medically descriptive for my taste. I’m sure they were fascinating and creative, I just didn’t want to read them. There’s also a scene with detailed discussion on assisted suicide (this is a suicide mission, after all), which still feels on the edge of insensitive. Yes, it is part of the story, but do we really need to go into the step-by-step of different methods? I think Project Hail Mary could have included these scenes without describing every detail. 
 
I also think this book could have benefited from another perspective: I found many of the questions I had were left unanswered by the end and I wish there had been a POV from someone still on Earth. By the time Grace wakes up on the Hail Mary, 13 years have already passed on Earth, which would have put the rest of humanity in the middle of some of the scientific predictions we learn about as Grace regains parts of his memory. Although, I understand why Weir would not want to tackle that storyline in an already almost 500-page book. With that said, I’m glad there was some focus - however small - on the “real” world consequences for the characters’ actions as they try to save humanity’s future by adapting their present realities. 
 
Thank you again to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the privilege of reviewing an ARC. 
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