Book Review: Artemis by Andy Weir
Andy Weir is the last person anyone would expect to become an author.
He is nerdy, but not in an “I’ve read more Vonnegut than you” sort of way. He is a true blooded, physics doing, sci-fi reading, space-obsessed nerd. This is a big reason why his writing is so endearing. Every bit of enthusiasm he has for space exploration and science comes through in his writing. When I first read Weir’s debut novel, “The Martian,” I immediately turned into the kind of person that it is truly interested in the mathematics of long distance space flight. And I nearly failed calculus one! His enthusiasm is contagious.
The Martian had such a big impact on me that I was completely terrified to pick up Weir’s latest novel, “Artemis.” I was terrified that it might disappoint and that I’d have to find a new funny science author to satisfy my now insatiable need. But, dear reader, Weir did not disappoint. “Artemis” isn’t better than “The Martian,” but it has the same scientific flare and hilarious commentary that made me love “The Martian” so much.
“Artemis” tells the story of a girl named Jazz, who like many of us here in Utah, grew up in a small town. The only difference is that her small town is the first colony on the moon. She is an incredibly intelligent, vulgar and driven woman who belongs to the small but necessary working class sector of the moon colony, “Artemis.” She makes most of her money smuggling products that aren’t allowed on the moon through contacts in the shipping department. When one of her contacts offers an incredible sum of money to sabotage the local mining industry, Jazz rashly accepts. Much like the protagonist in “The Martian,” Mark Watney, Jazz is an incredible problem solver. This novel is driven by complicated scientific problem solving that is both captivating and hilarious. Don’t look away if you dislike science, because this book will make a scientist out of you. Nobody cares about the economics of an on-moon aluminum plant until it is part of an epic space heist!
The writing style used in this book is unconventional. It doesn’t sound like it had the kind of high-level editing much of modern literature goes through. It is casual and direct. Though it doesn’t lend itself to much literary analysis, this style was refreshing to me. It is easy to feel like you’re in Jazz’s mind, which just adds to the hilarity of her internal monologue. Plus it makes for a fun read that is impossible to put down. If you’re looking to something to cheer you up during this rainy week, I highly recommend this novel.
– tilda.wilson@aggiemail.usu.edu