Marjaana
It’s hard to decide if I liked this book or not. It starts out exciting and suspenseful, and ends with some very interesting and original metafiction. However, the beginning of part 2 feels completely disconnected, and the book does not end with a clear conclusion. It was interesting to read the translator’s note and learn about some of her choices when translating from the original Korean text. It could be that some of the nuance and symbolism was lost in translation - nevertheless I think plot wise some loose ends could have been tied better for a more coherent reading experience.
I've been meaning to give this book another chance because I really, really wanted to like it - and yet I found it impossible to finish last time around. A passive and introverted main character is a pretty common writing choice, but in this book it was extremely burdensome. Selin's inner reflections mostly led absolutely nowhere and left me hoping for more conclusiveness. Perhaps I would have understood "the point" of this book had I been able to finish it, but nothing in the story - or lack thereof - compelled me to keep reading. The similarities with the author's personal background make me wonder whether too much self-insertion is the root of this book's weaknesses.
This book is wonderfully written, in many instances I was shocked by the level of detail and carefully crafted sentences. The story unravels in such a way that I had no choice but to echo the sentiments of the main character throughout, despite in hindsight realising just how depraved and fake each one of the characters were. Although the plot is important too, I believe this book really stands out as a close study of different character types, what their motives might be, and how they interact.
Woah! It's been a very long time since I read sci-fi, and this story kidnapped me along on a whirlwind of a space adventure! I couldn't put the book down as I needed to know what happened next at all times. The constant element of mystery, with a few action sequences sprinkled in, really achieve the amazing tension that kept me being pulled into the story stronger than gravity (heh). As any good fictional story does, Project Hail Mary draws some pretty compelling parallels to our own reality. Although the comparisons it draws are unambiguous, the thoughts it inspired in me were not. I mean, there aren't really clear villains in this story for me, and that's why it was sometimes difficult to decide whose side I was on. We are pretty used to having heroes and villains in our stories, after all.
The reason I only gave four stars is that despite the exciting storyline, unfortunately Andy Weir's stylistic writing choices did not do it for me the same way. Right from the get-go, the main character's inner dialogue was... grating. I don't like it when too many spoken language ornaments are used in writing, as (to me) it simply makes the writing itself stand out way more than the story or the character's personality. Breaks the fourth wall, if you will. The other issue comes with the 'show, don't tell' rule. There was far too much telling going on!!! I get that for dramatics it can be effective to end a chapter with "Thing X happened. Uh oh. That means bad thing XYZ", but not every few paragraphs, please! I should be able to discern the character's emotions and the implications of things directly from how they're written, without explicit explanations every single time.
Years after reading this book I still think about it, and it remains the benchmark for what good magical realism should be. This book is messed up, gross, confusing, and frustrating. Reading this felt like I understood nothing, and everything at the same time. Even though reality is warped and we can never be sure what is actually happening, the message against bureaucracy, corruption and the state’s power over its people is extremely clear.
This book's a real tearjerker! As other reviewers said though, in parts it might feel forced. I don't mind heavy subject matters, but this would have gotten 5 stars from me only if some of the heaviness was better balanced. E.g. maybe some of Jude's heavy struggles could've been replaced with another character's POV having more defined ups and downs.
I get that the point is to emphasise how isolated Jude feels with his big problems compared to his friends' 'normal' problems, but that concept didn't need to be taken to the extremes that it was. After a point it really was numbing and just piling on struggles didn't add to the emotional impact anymore.
Surprisingly, it didn't take long to get a hang of the 'made up' words. This book is a classic for a reason - but man, it isn't for the faint-hearted. The senseless violence does kind of get to you. I finished this book with a lot of important and heavy questions in my mind, definitely recommend for anyone who enjoys reading heavier stuff.
If you're expecting a book with a clear "point" or philosophical message, this might not be the book for you.
That being said, this is an excellent book from a storytelling perspective. Seeing Theo's entire life journey unfold really makes you care about both him and the other characters. I will definitely re-read this just to relive the story again.
