Review – The Calculating Stars (The Lady Astronaut, Book 1) by Mary Robinette Kowal (4.5/5 stars)
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Science Fiction
Length: 424 pages
Publisher: Tor Books
Release Date: July 3, 2018
ASIN: B0756JH5R1
Stand Alone or Series: 1st book in The Lady Astronaut series
Source: Borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
“On a cold spring night in 1952, a huge meteorite fell to earth and obliterated much of the east coast of the United States, including Washington D.C. The ensuing climate cataclysm will soon render the earth inhospitable for humanity, as the last such meteorite did for the dinosaurs. This looming threat calls for a radically accelerated effort to colonize space, and requires a much larger share of humanity to take part in the process.
Elma York’s experience as a WASP pilot and mathematician earns her a place in the International Aerospace Coalition’s attempts to put man on the moon, as a calculator. But with so many skilled and experienced women pilots and scientists involved with the program, it doesn’t take long before Elma begins to wonder why they can’t go into space, too.
Elma’s drive to become the first Lady Astronaut is so strong that even the most dearly held conventions of society may not stand a chance against her.”
Series Info/Source: This is the first book in the Lady Astronaut series. Right now there are three books in this series with a 4th book set to release in 2022. I borrowed this book through Kindle Unlimited.
Thoughts: I really enjoyed this a lot and found the story intriguing and engaging the whole way through. The premise of the story is that in 1952 a meteorite hit the ocean off of the east coast of the US; destroying the capital and triggering potentially world-ending climate change. Elma, who is a calculator, and her husband Nathan, who is a rocket scientist, both end up working with the International Aerospace Coalition (IAC) to get manned spacecraft sent to space.
I loved a lot of the characters here. Elma and Nathan have a wonderful relationship and are just so fantastic together. I love Elma’s drive to become an astronaut in such a tough time. The way women are treated throughout (this is the 50’s) stunned me at times; we have come a long way but still have a long way to go. I kept imagining the fallout now if one of my male co-workers came into the lab now calling me sweetheart (I mean seriously?!). It is also interesting how much responsibility women were given during WWII and how much was taken from women as they headed into the 50’s.
The alternate history here is both terrifying and intriguing. This definitely has parallels to some of the climate change issues we are seeing today; in this book they are just moving a bit faster. There is a lot of discussion about the lack of agility and long term vision at a government level, which working corporately I can totally see. Additionally there is a lot of discussion around racism and sexism and nationalism as well.
My Summary (4.5/5): Overall I really loved this and plan on continuing with the series. This is a wonderful blend of science, science fiction, survival, discussion around climate and social issues, and some fun and very driven characters. I would recommend to those who enjoy entertaining reads about world-ending events and space travel. This book was very easy to read and relate to but still very thought-provoking and intriguing. I am excited to read the next one.
