Reviews

Die Berechnung der Sterne by Mary Robinette Kowal

pyrocat's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny medium-paced

5.0

themarquessmagpie's review against another edition

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adventurous informative inspiring fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

timinbc's review against another edition

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3.0

Just on instinct I feel I'm being generous with three stars.
I read the one- and two-star reviews and found myself agreeing with them.

Yes, there's plenty of good research on show here.

1,1,2,3,5, ..

There's an interesting trigger with a major meteorite strike. We are shown some immediate consequences, but then, like half the American public with COVID-19, everyone's all "bor-ing, this is so last week, let's move on."

3.14159 ...

Apparently everything is going to be fine. A moon mission today and we'll have everyone off the planet by Christmas! Although with the abilities that Mary Sue, oops, Elma brings, she can probably get 'er done.

But not if she keeps on with the tired old trope of "stressed? make sure the reader knows it by reminding him frequently that you are not eating or sleeping."

17 cubed x the square root of 129.667 = (instant solution)

They should have made this book's awards conditional on never writing a sex scene again.

So, our heroine is perfect except for anxiety. As if growing up privileged isn't enough, she implausibly-for-the-era gets a Ph.D. and a decently-explained vast piloting experience.

Her husband is right out of a Hallmark movie. Everyone else is cardboard, and some are also caricatures. Kowal mentions a Blackhawk comic, and it was a bit like that, with Olaf and Chop-Chop and the rest.

There has to be a barrier within the astronaut program, and the one we are given–Parker–feels forced.

Despite all the social issues that are shoehorned in here, I often felt as if I'd read this before. Astronaut training, brief look at real life with picket fences and pie, more astronaut training, launches, stress, political meddling, media, yeah yeah we know Get On With The Plot!

I have no problem with the social issues, nor the way they were addressed, except that they dominated a tad much. If that's the book Kowal wanted, OK, but I'd have liked more balance.

Kowal's previous works are those of an experienced, comfortable writer. This one didn't leave me with that feeling. Not sure I'll read #2.

han_nur's review against another edition

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adventurous informative inspiring lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

noblecharley's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful medium-paced

3.25

I wanted to like this book more than I did. Overall it was perfectly fine! Just not for me. 

trigonomitron's review against another edition

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I'm not the target audience. That's not a bad thing! But it's not a book for me. 

eirarangel's review against another edition

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adventurous informative fast-paced

2.5

barning's review against another edition

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4.0

Ich habe etwas länger überlegt, ob ich diesem Buch 3 oder 4 Sterne gebe. Am Ende wäre meine Kritik „kein PewPew im Weltraum“ gewesen und das wäre lächerlich.
Wir erleben hier den Werdegang einer Frau, die nach einem Meteoriteneinschlag in den 1950er Jahren sich in einer von Männern dominierten NACA beweisen muss.
Gerade als Mann ist es interessant, über die inneren Monologe der Protagonistin und die Beziehungen der Frauen innerhalb der Agentur, den strukturellen Sexismus und Rassismus der damaligen und heutigen Zeit zu erfahren.
Ich will eigentlich nicht zu viel verraten. Tolle Charaktere, spannende Geschichte und sicherlich noch interessanter für Leute die sich mit Militärgeschichte auskennen. Kein PewPew im Weltraum. Zum Glück!

kdaedwards's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

matos's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5