The Martian is a space Sci-Fi novel about an astronaut, Mark Watney, who gets stranded on Mars after a test gone wrong. His crew has no other choice but to leave him on Mars after pronounced dead. Turns out, he wasn’t dead. Through the course of 549 Sols, Watney must survive the harsh planet.
Mark Watney displays how a human would really react being stuck on Mars alone. He is a brave and relatable character with a good sense of humor. Most of the NASA workers are people who think they know everything.
Watney is a character with a crude sense of humor that may well have been the reason he survived so long on his own. He manages to say funny and witty things even during near-death instances.
Some monorails quotes made by Watney include:
“Yes, of course duct tape works in a near-vacuum. Duct tape works anywhere. Duct tape is magic and should be worshipped.”
“It’s true, you know. In space, no one can hear you scream like a little girl.”
“I don’t want to come off as arrogant here, but I’m the best botanist on the planet.”
Weir also tells the story in an accurate way. He uses a unique form of writing, which keeps the audience engaged. You feel as though you are an actual part of the story. Weir makes it seem like you are sitting on Mars with Watney, or in a meeting with Annie, or waiting for the spaceship to launch at Houston. I believe that Andy Weir does an exceptional job at depicting what real life people would be like in this type of situation.
REVIEW
This book keeps you on the edge of your seat every page. It is engaging and thought provoking. You will find yourself laughing out loud from a funny remark on of the characters make. You will find yourself angry as there characters are and you will feel weeks of missed sleep while reading about characters who haven’t slept. The book is absolutely amazing and this is why I rate it five stars.
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