Scan barcode
A review by divine529
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
adventurous
challenging
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
For those of you who know me, you know that I struggle reading sci-fi (I tend to prefer experiencing sci-fi in visual format), but I had very little trouble reading this. A lot of the time, it felt like I was watching or living it, and I think that makes a difference for me.
This is a fairly well-known book, written by a fairly well-known author, but I'll briefly tell you what it's about anyway. This follows our main protagonist Ryland Grace who wakes up on a space ship in another star system with no memory of who he is or what he's doing. The book is told in two timelines, the current one aboard the Hail Mary, and a past timeline of the events leading up to how he got aboard the Hail Mary and why - it all has to do with saving the sun and in turn the planet. And all kinds of interesting things happen along the way.
As with most books I read, there were parts I really enjoyed and parts I enjoyed less.
The writing, while engaging and immersive, and generally well paced, irritated me at times, for no other reason than the words he chose and at times the dialogue.
The setting/world was well done and seemed well researched. I loved learning about the different planets and species that were being discovered.
The plot was interesting and was the fuel for the story, but it wasn't the main focus the majority of the time. Yes, saving the planet was important and all of their findings and actions directly related to saving the planets, but at it's core it was more about the characters.
Which brings me to the characters. Ryland was an interesting character and I found him relatable and fun to read about. I adored Rocky, who I'm not going to tell you much about, but he's the best and I lived and breathed for his and Ryland's interactions. Stratt was irritating. I liked her at first, but she got old really fast because she felt like she had one personality trait. The other characters were also interesting, the short time we spent with them, but nothing too special overall.
All in all, an enjoyable and fun read. This was my first Weir book, but I don't think it'll be my last.
This is a fairly well-known book, written by a fairly well-known author, but I'll briefly tell you what it's about anyway. This follows our main protagonist Ryland Grace who wakes up on a space ship in another star system with no memory of who he is or what he's doing. The book is told in two timelines, the current one aboard the Hail Mary, and a past timeline of the events leading up to how he got aboard the Hail Mary and why - it all has to do with saving the sun and in turn the planet. And all kinds of interesting things happen along the way.
As with most books I read, there were parts I really enjoyed and parts I enjoyed less.
The writing, while engaging and immersive, and generally well paced, irritated me at times, for no other reason than the words he chose and at times the dialogue.
The setting/world was well done and seemed well researched. I loved learning about the different planets and species that were being discovered.
The plot was interesting and was the fuel for the story, but it wasn't the main focus the majority of the time. Yes, saving the planet was important and all of their findings and actions directly related to saving the planets, but at it's core it was more about the characters.
Which brings me to the characters. Ryland was an interesting character and I found him relatable and fun to read about. I adored Rocky, who I'm not going to tell you much about, but he's the best and I lived and breathed for his and Ryland's interactions. Stratt was irritating. I liked her at first, but she got old really fast because she felt like she had one personality trait. The other characters were also interesting, the short time we spent with them, but nothing too special overall.
All in all, an enjoyable and fun read. This was my first Weir book, but I don't think it'll be my last.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical content
Moderate: Alcohol, Death, Drug use, Blood, Misogyny, Confinement, Excrement, Grief, and Racism
Minor: Cannibalism and Sexual content