The Vibe Check

A great read for those who love space exploration and the wonders of a space pal!

The Hook (No Spoilers) This book encapsules the capacity of human kind in moments of apocalypse, there is a sense of hope and teamwork that other similar stories don’t have. Who would’ve thought a high school teacher would be the one to save us all. Maybe you can too!

What I Loved:

I loved the characters and their connection so much. We are met with a beautiful mix of a complicated soul and a new life form. Neither of them knows how to interact with the other, but as the story progresses, they both realize that in their own world they actually are very similar, or so I felt. Rocky and Ryland were both in a situation that they wouldn’t have been in if it wasn’t because they were only supporting characters. But somehow, by chance, all the main, smart people died on the way to Tau Ceti, and they were left on their own to figure out how to save their star, their home, and themselves.

As a reader, usually it tends to be easy to connect to these wonderful characters, but this time, to my surprise, they are so different and smart that the average person, aka me, couldn’t relate one bit to their life story, haha. I did enjoy seeing how they both connected. Seeing it from such a different perspective than I usually understand the characters in the books I read, I realized how much I appreciate this genre, one that is full of impossibilities becoming possible. I understand the love for the unknown a little more now, and it is all thanks to these characters.

The world building in this novel is absolutely insane: we are faced with the unknown, a vast universe that by chance has a predator in common that is putting civilizations in danger. I enjoyed the way Andy Weir introduced the stars and the issue. It felt not only very scientific but also understandable. I feel like since the main character was a teacher, he speaks to us in a way that is somewhat easy to follow, even though none of us really understand what he meant, LOL. I keep having recurring thoughts of what I think Tau Ceti looked like, the redness of the Petrova Line, and the darkness of empty space.

Thanks to this book, I felt a new sense of hope. Usually, humanity constantly feels doomed, but maybe we will be lucky enough to get characters like this that would risk it all for the sake of saving our home. Maybe, just maybe, humans aren't so bad after all. Also, aliens, they can be kind too 🙂 I hope, haha.

What Missed the Mark

A very few things missed the mark, one of them being the fact that when it came to the past, so much science, names, and politics were added in and made the book feel slower than what it really was. I understand it's all for the purpose of contextualizing for the reader what really is at stake and not just introducing them to a random man in space, but still… could’ve been shorter. This comes out of the pure anxiety of wanting to go back to the present day and see what is going on in the ship and what the two little rascals are doing up there, haha.

Through the Lens

I actually started this novel on my way to Orlando. I had two flights, and it was like a six-hour travel day to get there, so I took the chance and bought the book on my Kindle to keep me entertained. Little did I know, I wasn’t going to be able to stop thinking about it during my trip, lmao. It was the only thing I was talking about. Being in an airport, filled with people going to multiple places, where we all were going on a journey, added a new level of interest to this book. I felt more connected with it in a strange sense.

Movie Review!

I just got home from watching the movie, and it was absolutely incredible. I cried so many times!!! Honestly, this novel is an absolute masterpiece. I am not shocked to see how well it has done. I am very pleased with how the film turned out. Of course, they couldn’t fit the entire novel into it, but every second was absolute magic. It is the first time I go to the movie theater by myself, and I loved every single second of it. I was very sad that they didn’t show my favorite part of the book. When Dr. Grace saved Rocky and had to move him around, the struggle he faced and the worry he endured all of those days were so important to the story. I understand how that couldn’t make it to the film, but yeah, I guess it is a little detail only the readers get to experience. They captured the connection between the characters perfectly, and I was so starstruck to see Rocky, hahaha. I want to rewatch it!! I want to reread the book!

The Wandering Paw's Verdict This book is on my top recommended list. It is a book that is a great introduction to science fiction. Even though it gets overwhelming with all the science jargon, the story that develops and the friendship made are truly what make this so special. I want people to enjoy it and love it as much as I did!

Let me know what you think! Have you read Project Hail Mary?

If not what are you waiting for?!?!?