This discussion was terrific and you really surfaced the highlights! I especially loved hearing from TJR fans (hi Nicole!) who offered context for her writing and how this book is part of a body of her work. And I got so much out of our convo about the different ways to write about female-centered love!
I loved this book and loved this discussion! As a TJR fan I thought it was great (not her BEST maybe, but great). She really knows how to tell a story and this did not disappoint.
As far as going to space, I'm too old now lol but at one time, yeah! I did appreciate that her character got super sick in space and how realistic that felt. Like, if humans get seasick, imagine being in space in zero gravity inside a space suit it sounds nauseating for sure. New appreciation for astronauts for sure.
Re: the character of the sister I was in the camp that thought it was appropriate and well written, given the storyline. I'm also coming at this from the child-free angle and I appreciated the emphasis on the importance of aunties and women who do caregiving who did not necessarily give birth or want to. Not everyone without kids wants to be involved in kids' lives, but some do or step up when the need arises, and society gives no credit for all that caregiving that's essential for some kids' thriving. Just saying.
As for the ending--TJR does it again! One of her best.
Agree 💯 on the importance of aunties and loved that aspect.
I’m a reader who is used to something more literary and less commercial but you’re right, I totally got emotional during the space liftoffs (I always do irl too!) and the ending.
The ending was pretty incredible storytelling in particular
I have never wanted to go to space and seeing the main character getting sick for the majority of her space flight felt like something that would happen to me! The first and last time I went on a cruise, I felt miserably sea sick for the entire 5 days.
The Barbara character was difficult for me to decipher. I certainly understood how she felt like her daughter made her grow up fast and lose out on more carefree days- my own mother had a similar experience albeit with my parents deciding to get married at barely 21-22 years old when she found out she was having twins. I appreciated the auntie love and showing we could value a bond outside of parenthood but at times it did feel like there wasn’t enough respect for Barbara as a mom too. I agree she seemed like a person who thought getting married should be her top priority.
I wish we had seen a bit more of the romance, it felt like it went from the initial hookup to settling into the domesticity pretty quickly. I get that they felt the majority of their relationship couldn’t be out in the open but I expected it to be a little hotter. I love the discussion of all the ways this is a love story.
I loved the ending. I rarely cry at books and I cried at this one. I was sketchy and read the end first because I couldn’t handle the suspense and I still cried when I legitimately got to the end!
Ha! Same--I went on a cruise on a big ship once and after a few hours of seasickness was like...I need to get off this thing. I very much felt that for Joan in space--like, this just needs to be over haha.
I agree on Barbara and the character development in general. Since a lot of what I read in fiction is more literary (snob, I know) I tend to like/expect a lot of character development and a lot of interiority--internal monologue, wrestling with things along with the character and being in their mind, etc. So I think I felt some of what you felt re: the characters and the relationship development. I wanted to "romance" to be hotter/more tortured for a while, maybe?
I think I'll be steering back to more literary/nonfiction bent, but this convo made me think about/appreciate some things about the book WAY more than I would have, which is what's so great about a great book discussion!!
I have definitely felt like since billionaires are set on going to space/trying to arrange some space colony like…you can have it and also good luck 😅 We literally can’t survive for even two mins off this planet unassisted and no thanks.
The idea that we are part of this planet and belong to it really rang true for me in the book. It definitely did not fetishize space but rather was a love letter to Earth in the best way ❤️❤️
This discussion was terrific and you really surfaced the highlights! I especially loved hearing from TJR fans (hi Nicole!) who offered context for her writing and how this book is part of a body of her work. And I got so much out of our convo about the different ways to write about female-centered love!
I loved this book and loved this discussion! As a TJR fan I thought it was great (not her BEST maybe, but great). She really knows how to tell a story and this did not disappoint.
As far as going to space, I'm too old now lol but at one time, yeah! I did appreciate that her character got super sick in space and how realistic that felt. Like, if humans get seasick, imagine being in space in zero gravity inside a space suit it sounds nauseating for sure. New appreciation for astronauts for sure.
Re: the character of the sister I was in the camp that thought it was appropriate and well written, given the storyline. I'm also coming at this from the child-free angle and I appreciated the emphasis on the importance of aunties and women who do caregiving who did not necessarily give birth or want to. Not everyone without kids wants to be involved in kids' lives, but some do or step up when the need arises, and society gives no credit for all that caregiving that's essential for some kids' thriving. Just saying.
As for the ending--TJR does it again! One of her best.
Agree 💯 on the importance of aunties and loved that aspect.
I’m a reader who is used to something more literary and less commercial but you’re right, I totally got emotional during the space liftoffs (I always do irl too!) and the ending.
The ending was pretty incredible storytelling in particular
I have never wanted to go to space and seeing the main character getting sick for the majority of her space flight felt like something that would happen to me! The first and last time I went on a cruise, I felt miserably sea sick for the entire 5 days.
The Barbara character was difficult for me to decipher. I certainly understood how she felt like her daughter made her grow up fast and lose out on more carefree days- my own mother had a similar experience albeit with my parents deciding to get married at barely 21-22 years old when she found out she was having twins. I appreciated the auntie love and showing we could value a bond outside of parenthood but at times it did feel like there wasn’t enough respect for Barbara as a mom too. I agree she seemed like a person who thought getting married should be her top priority.
I wish we had seen a bit more of the romance, it felt like it went from the initial hookup to settling into the domesticity pretty quickly. I get that they felt the majority of their relationship couldn’t be out in the open but I expected it to be a little hotter. I love the discussion of all the ways this is a love story.
I loved the ending. I rarely cry at books and I cried at this one. I was sketchy and read the end first because I couldn’t handle the suspense and I still cried when I legitimately got to the end!
Ha! Same--I went on a cruise on a big ship once and after a few hours of seasickness was like...I need to get off this thing. I very much felt that for Joan in space--like, this just needs to be over haha.
I agree on Barbara and the character development in general. Since a lot of what I read in fiction is more literary (snob, I know) I tend to like/expect a lot of character development and a lot of interiority--internal monologue, wrestling with things along with the character and being in their mind, etc. So I think I felt some of what you felt re: the characters and the relationship development. I wanted to "romance" to be hotter/more tortured for a while, maybe?
I think I'll be steering back to more literary/nonfiction bent, but this convo made me think about/appreciate some things about the book WAY more than I would have, which is what's so great about a great book discussion!!
I have definitely felt like since billionaires are set on going to space/trying to arrange some space colony like…you can have it and also good luck 😅 We literally can’t survive for even two mins off this planet unassisted and no thanks.
The idea that we are part of this planet and belong to it really rang true for me in the book. It definitely did not fetishize space but rather was a love letter to Earth in the best way ❤️❤️