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A review by justine_ao
Before Mars by Emma Newman
4.0
A deeply personal book that makes for a compelling read. As was the case in the previous two Planetfall books, [b:Planetfall|24237785|Planetfall (Planetfall, #1)|Emma Newman|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1424627926s/24237785.jpg|43823353] and [b:After Atlas|28361265|After Atlas (Planetfall, #2)|Emma Newman|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1456689269s/28361265.jpg|48430277], Newman sketches the portrait of a deeply flawed main character struggling to survive and present as "normal".
After Atlas gave us a glimpse of a future Earth, ruled by corporate governments, horrifying contracts, and profit. Before Mars continues in the same vein, and provides a bleak look at a world that seems less implausible now than it used to.
The main character, Anna, struggles with her feelings about her family, and in particular, her inability to fully embrace her role as a mother. It is extremely rare for people to talk about this, and about post-natal depression and how it really feels when you have to deal with it day after day. I have to applaud Newman for being brave enough to put what are obviously her own issues right out there on the page for everyone to see. Some people will find Anna completely unrelatable, but others, I suspect will silently feel the sense of understanding that comes from seeing something of themselves in the pages.
There is a heavy emotional and psychological side here that may not appeal to everyone, but if you like your mysteries told from an place of extreme personal honesty by the characters, this is a good choice.
It's not technically necessary to have read the previous Planetfall books prior to Before Mars, as each one is written as a stand alone story. However, the books together form pieces of a larger picture, the richness of which is better appreciated by having done so.
After Atlas gave us a glimpse of a future Earth, ruled by corporate governments, horrifying contracts, and profit. Before Mars continues in the same vein, and provides a bleak look at a world that seems less implausible now than it used to.
The main character, Anna, struggles with her feelings about her family, and in particular, her inability to fully embrace her role as a mother. It is extremely rare for people to talk about this, and about post-natal depression and how it really feels when you have to deal with it day after day. I have to applaud Newman for being brave enough to put what are obviously her own issues right out there on the page for everyone to see. Some people will find Anna completely unrelatable, but others, I suspect will silently feel the sense of understanding that comes from seeing something of themselves in the pages.
There is a heavy emotional and psychological side here that may not appeal to everyone, but if you like your mysteries told from an place of extreme personal honesty by the characters, this is a good choice.
It's not technically necessary to have read the previous Planetfall books prior to Before Mars, as each one is written as a stand alone story. However, the books together form pieces of a larger picture, the richness of which is better appreciated by having done so.