Started: January 19th
Finished: January 26th
TSM Rating: 3/5

I read The Martian a few years ago and loved it. I picked up Artemis shortly afterwards and added it to my ever waxing and waning TBR pile. Finally, it made it to the top. I wanted to love this the way I loved The Martian, but I didn’t.

Here’s what I did like:

1. The old west type world Weir created on the moon.

2. The Apollo space program rabbit hole it sent me down. I did not know that we landed on the moon successfully SIX times. All we ever talk about is Apollo 11 (the first successful landing) and Apollo 13 (the epic failure; still haven’t seen that movie). It would be nice to know more about the other missions (Apollo 12, 14, 15, 16, and 17).

3. Science. I’m not a true STEMist, but I find science-y things very fascinating.

Here’s what I didn’t like:

None of the characters were likable or even redeemable. Even Rudy, the morally sound police officer, bends the rules. They all do bad things for good reasons, but even those good reasons get muddled by their own selfish desires. Jazz, the main character, in the end when she has the opportunity to become honest, continues to find ways to skirt the system.

I understand that morality and good deeds aren’t always black and white. The world (and space, apparently) is very grey. This was too much grey for me.