Atmosphere Book Review
Check out my review of Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid, an astronaut's powerful love story set among the stars.
Taylor Jenkins Reid has turned into one of my rare must-read authors. I loved Malibu Rising, Daisy Jones and the Six on audio, and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.
The cover of Atmosphere stopped me in my tracks this summer and I couldn't wait to see how she handled the world of women astronauts at NASA.
I came for the science and space exploration, I was utterly surprised to discover this is one of the most emotionally impactful stories I may have ever read.
I do not enjoy crying and I specifically avoid tearjerker books. However, I was so moved by the ending of the story, I had to pause several times to wipe my eyes and clear my nose. It was 110% worth every tissue.
Curious if this book is for you? Check out my full review below.
If this is your first time reading one of my reviews, you may want to check out how I score my reads with this scale guide here.
Summary of Atmosphere
Joan Goodwin has been obsessed with the stars for as long as she can remember. Thoughtful and reserved, Joan is content with her life as a professor of physics and astronomy at Rice University and as aunt to her precocious niece, Frances. That is, until she comes across an advertisement seeking the first women scientists to join NASA’s space shuttle program. Suddenly, Joan burns to be one of the few people to go to space.
Selected from a pool of thousands of applicants in the summer of 1980, Joan begins training at Houston’s Johnson Space Center, alongside an exceptional group of fellow candidates: Top Gun pilot Hank Redmond and scientist John Griffin, who are kind and easygoing even when the stakes are highest; mission specialist Lydia Danes, who has worked too hard to play nice; warmhearted Donna Fitzgerald, who is navigating her own secrets; and Vanessa Ford, the magnetic and mysterious aeronautical engineer, who can fix any engine and fly any plane.
As the new astronauts become unlikely friends and prepare for their first flights, Joan finds a passion and a love she never imagined. In this new light, Joan begins to question everything she thinks she knows about her place in the observable universe.
Then, in December of 1984, on mission STS-LR9, it all changes in an instant.
Fast-paced, thrilling, and emotional, Atmosphere is Taylor Jenkins Reid at her best: transporting readers to iconic times and places, creating complex protagonists, and telling a passionate and soaring story about the transformative power of love—this time among the stars.
What I Liked
Here's what I would tell my best friend about the book:
- Women in STEM: I loved getting a peek inside the experience of the first women of NASA. Even though this is historical fiction and these characters are not accurate portrayals of the real women astronauts, it is easy to draw connections.
- Time Line Jump: The book opens with a pivotal event that introduces us to the cast while they are in peril. Once the premise is established, the story jumps back in time and we get to know the characters as they meet and form bonds but with the understanding of where their future will land.
- Family Drama: Joan is not only training to be an astronaut, she is juggling life as a sister and aunt to a niece who is the center of her world. Human connections and deep relationships are essential to her motivation throughout the story.
- The Meaning of True Love: While there is a romantic storyline, this book would not qualify for the Romance genre. Nevertheless, it is one of the most emotionally impactful fictional romances I may have ever read. I highlighted so many passages that give deep insight to what it means to truly love someone.
- The Meaning of Life: The lessons learned by the end of the story reminded me of everything that truly matters in life. I was ready to put down my book and go hug my family and enjoy every day we are given.
What I Didn't Like
Every reader needs something different from a book. What I may not have preferred may be your favorite part.
I appreciated the powerful opening chapter, but I found myself needing to go reread it later in the book once I knew who was who. This was an intentional literary device but I feel the opening chapter gave away too much.
I think a shorter glimpse into the tragedy with more of the event unveiling slightly later in the story after we warmed up to the cast would have made me sympathize with the challenges the team faced.
How Spicy Is It?
🌶️: Atmosphere rates a 1 on my spicy books rating scale. A true 0 means nothing more than a kiss happens on page. A 1 has a fade to black approach. The language used was so soft and mild, it lands somewhere just beyond a 0 but isn't even quite fully a 1.
That said, I would not call this book "spicy" in any way at all. Intimacy is hinted at but just barely.
Overall Score
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I give Atmosphere five sparkly stars on my star rating scale. That ending would be nearly impossible to beat. I would not be at all surprised if we see this being made into a movie in the coming years.
Favorite Quotes
"To look up at the nighttime sky is to become a part of a long line of people throughout human history who looked above at the same set of stars. It is to witness time unfolding."
"The world had decided that to be soft was to be weak, even though in Joan's experience being soft and flexible was always more durable than being hard and brittle."
"Being an astronaut is not just about getting up there. It is about being a member of the team that gets the crew up there."
"Everything about space exploration is about preparedness over impulsivity, calmness over boldness. For such an adventurous job, it can be achingly routine. all risks are carefully managed; no corners are cut. There are no cowboys here."
"When somebody's too smooth, there's nothing to grab on to. Now that you've got a little edge to you, I can hang on."
"I'm not scared of being a mother."
"Why not?" Joan asked her.
"Because it feels good to love someone," Donna said. "It feels better than anything on this Earth. And I bet better than anything up there."
"That's what made me fall in love with astronomy as a kid," she said. "That the night sky is a map, and once you know how to read it, it will always be there. You'll never be lost."
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