charisma in a box

The Very Nice Box by Eve Gleichman and Laura Blackett

Rating: 3.5 stars (out of 5)

Genre: fiction

Review: Ava Simon is not, as the jacket copy would have you believe, another Eleanor Oliphant.  She's grieving, having lost her fiancée in a car accident several years ago, and has shut herself off from nearly all social interactions.  Her life is quiet, steady, and calm, consisting of engineering work that she loves at STÄDA (an Ikea look-alike), Monday lunches with a colleague, podcasts, and her dog.  But when Mat Putman blows into her office like a charismatic hurricane, this self-contained existence is quite upended.

The novel follows Ava as she somewhat grudingly re-enters the world, learns that it is possible to love again, and navigates the truly asinine corporate culture at STÄDA.  The office culture is almost a character in itself; think Eggers's The Circle, without the menancing undertones.  The tone here is much more lighthearted, although it's clear that Mat Putnam is not what he seems.  He's too goofy to seem truly threatening though, unless you count his misguided sense of self-worth to be a threat (and by the end, I'm not so sure that you'd be wrong to do so).  Ava and Mat's personal drama, and the scandal-in-the-making that's been building up at STÄDA all come together for a satisfying, if slighly ridiculous resolution.

FTC Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for this review.

saving humanity

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Rating: 4.75 stars (out of 5)

Genre: science fiction

Review: Dr. Ryland Grace has been sent on a suicide mission to the Tau Ceti system to try to figure out why, of all the nearby systems, it remains unscathed in the face of an instellar infestation that's causing our sun to dim, which will result in another extinction event on Earth.  His crewmates have died, and he's got coma-brain, so it takes him a while to remember where he is and why he's there.  The reader follows along with Dr. Grace as he slowly regains his memory and sets to work.  As a narrator, he has an extremely accessible voice.  You can totally imagine yourself being friends with this wry, sardonic, and wickedly smart guy.

As engaging as Dr. Grace is, this book is not without its flaws.  For one thing, there is a lot of math in this book.  Like, a lot.  And I'm sure it's all completely correct, though I confess that I kind of skimmed those parts.  But as much as the author seems to think that we're all going to understand the math, he also seems to think that we need to be told that Venus is the 2nd planet in our solar system.  Also, the Hail Mary is the most advanced piece of engineering and technology ever assembled, but its computer isn't even as smart as my home assistant.  It doesn't help Dr. Grace do anything (except stay alive through his extended coma, which, ok, yes, is pretty important, but once he's awake, he's on his own).

Still, these are easily overlooked in favor of this compelling story, as we wait with baited breath as Dr. Grace holds the fate of humanity is in hands.  Can he solve this seemingly insurmountable problem?  You'll be rooting for him, and you'll find his experiences stay with long after you read the last page.

FTC Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for this review.