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clairebartholomew549 's review for:
Atmosphere
by Taylor Jenkins Reid
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-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:
Yes
This is my new favorite TJR book. Wow. This was an incredible read - I devoured this book in one day.
TJR has a knack for immediately immersing the reader in the world of the book, and this book is no exception. The space stuff is so cool, and right away we're deep in it, in the best way. TJR also makes the most technical stuff feel accessible and not overwhelming, and I was so invested in the space flights and the training. Most of the book follows the astronauts' training, but there's also a parallel timeline following a tense and dangerous mission, which drives the plot and provides a great narrative structure.
Similarly, TJR has always depicted the many varieties of love masterfully, and this is no exception. Joan and the other women love space so much that they are willing to endure overt sexism and the burden of representing their whole gender (there are some absolutely fascinating conversations about being the first to do something and the pressure that entails, and how one should react to prejudice and discrimination). Joan loves her niece Frances so much that she deals with her mercurial sister and is there for Frances no matter what (there were many interactions between them that made me cry). And, perhaps most exquisitely, Joan and Vanessa love each other so much that they are willing to risk basically everything to be together. Joan's blooming realization of her queerness is done so beautifully, and her and Vanessa's agony at the world's constraints is palpable and really sad. I was extremely moved by this book in all ways.
This is also just very well-written and enjoyable all around! Highly recommend this one.
TJR has a knack for immediately immersing the reader in the world of the book, and this book is no exception. The space stuff is so cool, and right away we're deep in it, in the best way. TJR also makes the most technical stuff feel accessible and not overwhelming, and I was so invested in the space flights and the training. Most of the book follows the astronauts' training, but there's also a parallel timeline following a tense and dangerous mission, which drives the plot and provides a great narrative structure.
Similarly, TJR has always depicted the many varieties of love masterfully, and this is no exception. Joan and the other women love space so much that they are willing to endure overt sexism and the burden of representing their whole gender (there are some absolutely fascinating conversations about being the first to do something and the pressure that entails, and how one should react to prejudice and discrimination). Joan loves her niece Frances so much that she deals with her mercurial sister and is there for Frances no matter what (there were many interactions between them that made me cry). And, perhaps most exquisitely, Joan and Vanessa love each other so much that they are willing to risk basically everything to be together. Joan's blooming realization of her queerness is done so beautifully, and her and Vanessa's agony at the world's constraints is palpable and really sad. I was extremely moved by this book in all ways.
This is also just very well-written and enjoyable all around! Highly recommend this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Death, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Vomit, Lesbophobia, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Abandonment, Sexual harassment