Book Review: The Martian

The Martian by Andy Weir
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Basically, The Martian = Apollo 13 + Cast Away.

What a page turner! I enjoyed reading it even after watching the movie. (Now I want them to write a play so I can go see that!) I didn't give it 5 stars was because—despite the realistic scenarios and elaborate math validating every action taken throughout the story—my disbelief was never fully suspended. When I give 5 stars, it's because I was able to lose myself in the story; when I have become one with the narration. Perhaps Weir's style of writing was too fast paced for me. Perhaps my mind didn't have time to struggle with the problem before the solution presented itself. I think due to this and other factors I never fully became Mark Watney, the protagonist.

Re: Language — Weir's use of swearing didn't bother me because I recognized that Watney was from Chicago, not Provo.

Personal lessons learned: I had hoped that by reading about how Watney demonstrated grit, effort, planning, and persistence throughout his epic journey, some of those traits would rub off on me. I'm currently doing a dissertation and want to strengthen my self-discipline in the face of overwhelming odds. Watney did not disappoint. I appreciated his use of humor to help him stay positive in dark moments, as exemplified by this passage:

“He’s stuck out there. He thinks he’s totally alone and that we all gave up on him. What kind of effect does that have on a man’s psychology?” He turned back to Venkat. “I wonder what he’s thinking right now.”

LOG ENTRY: SOL 61 How come Aquaman can control whales? They’re mammals! Makes no sense.”

Also, when Watney experienced disappointment, he never let it get him down for more than a few seconds. He recognized that there was no time to sulk. When something failed, he (and all the other astronauts) were trained to immediately begin working on plan B.

E.g., “I guess you could call it a "failure," but I prefer the term "learning experience".”

View all my Goodreads reviews.

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