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A review by mlwe
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Summary:
"What's two plus two?"
"What's two plus two?"
"Incorrect. What's two plus two?"
Do you know the answer? Because the protagonist of Project Hail Mary certainly doesn't; he can't even remember his name! Thus, we are taken on an adventure. Who is this character? Where did he come from? And, maybe more importantly, where is he going? As pieces of events and flashes of memory return (in the form of non-chronological storytelling), the readers begin to construct the plot, returning to the present to affirm conclusions with the protagonist. As reality begins to take shape for the protagonist, the readers must confront the best and worst parts of humanity, and how we have both the ability to save our world and the power to destroy it all.
My Thoughts:
The author excels at creating passionate, well-rounded characters that are easy to love (and hate!). I read the book fairly quickly, as the plot is constantly developing. The slowest parts of the book are the first chapter, since we are thrown in media res, and a couple of pages of world-building which are needed to foreshadow later events. The time jumps are clearly illustrated (new chapters, section breaks, explicitly stated), and they do not cause confusion or pull the reader away from the story. The science is well explained. Although it is a significant portion of the story, readers could skim the explanations and rely on the protagonist's summaries, if desired.
Some complaints include all the plot lines. While the story reached a definite conclusion, I was not satisfied with all the resolutions. <Specifically, I felt navigating the ups and downs of life and water was ultimately unnecessary. Likewise, discovering Stratt's criminal actions and learning about Grace's teaching on Erid felt rushed.> Therefore, the ending was a bit of a miss for me.
I'll reread the book one day, if only to meet Rocky again.
"What's two plus two?"
"What's two plus two?"
"Incorrect. What's two plus two?"
Do you know the answer? Because the protagonist of Project Hail Mary certainly doesn't; he can't even remember his name! Thus, we are taken on an adventure. Who is this character? Where did he come from? And, maybe more importantly, where is he going? As pieces of events and flashes of memory return (in the form of non-chronological storytelling), the readers begin to construct the plot, returning to the present to affirm conclusions with the protagonist. As reality begins to take shape for the protagonist, the readers must confront the best and worst parts of humanity, and how we have both the ability to save our world and the power to destroy it all.
My Thoughts:
The author excels at creating passionate, well-rounded characters that are easy to love (and hate!). I read the book fairly quickly, as the plot is constantly developing. The slowest parts of the book are the first chapter, since we are thrown in media res, and a couple of pages of world-building which are needed to foreshadow later events. The time jumps are clearly illustrated (new chapters, section breaks, explicitly stated), and they do not cause confusion or pull the reader away from the story. The science is well explained. Although it is a significant portion of the story, readers could skim the explanations and rely on the protagonist's summaries, if desired.
Some complaints include all the plot lines. While the story reached a definite conclusion, I was not satisfied with all the resolutions. <Specifically, I felt navigating the ups and downs of life and water was ultimately unnecessary. Likewise, discovering Stratt's criminal actions and learning about Grace's teaching on Erid felt rushed.> Therefore, the ending was a bit of a miss for me.
I'll reread the book one day, if only to meet Rocky again.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide and Death
Minor: Drug use, Medical content, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, and Medical trauma