Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Atmosphere gave me a reverance for outer space. Like, I looked up observation conservatories near me. Because, now, I want to visit them.
When I told my husband this — a man who’s tried to get me interested in all things “space” for years — he summed up Atmosphere‘s effect the best: “That’s some damn good writing.”
But are we surprised? TJR continually puts out novels like The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones and the Six that make us feel all the feels, despite however we think about the topic of her latest work.
Atmosphere made me feel the gravity (pardon the pun) of the cosmos. It made me feel how amazing it is out there, and how incredible it is that we’re able to journey there. This book made me feel how immovable and constant the stars and planets are.
It also gave me a damn good love story between two of the best, most-likeable main characters ever.
What’s Atmosphere about?
Atmosphere is about Joan, a physics and astronomy professor who’s never really fit in with anyone or anything. But she’s always loved the stars, so she’s elated when she’s chosen to be one of the first women scientists to join NASA’s space shuttle program in the 1980s.
Love stories follow and abound. There’s a beautiful love story about Joan and the life she finds at NASA that allows her explore her first love: space. Then, there’s the friendships and family-like bonds that grow between her and her fellow astronauts. There’s also the special relationship Joan has with her niece, which keeps her tied firmly to earth.
Then, there’s the gorgeous love story between Joan and, well, someone else. Someone she’s not supposed to have feelings for.
What I loved about Atmosphere
Taylor Jenkins Reid knows how to make an entrance. Atmosphere is a dual-narrative novel. The beginning introduces you to “present day” Joan and her team, who are on a space mission. As that scenario unfolds, we learn about Joan’s pre-NASA history (kinda lonely), then about when she met and started working with her NASA colleagues (yay! friends!).
As with most TJR books, Atmosphere contains many different characters. I worried I wouldn’t be able to keep them straight when I first started reading. But, in this author’s capable hands, it only took a few pages to feel as though I knew them all. I became invested in their stories, their futures, and their fates.
Which is what makes the first 100 pages of Atmosphere so devastating. And wonderful.
I loved everything about this book. Even the parts that made me cry. Okay, especially the parts that made me cry. I loved watching Joan come out of her shell at NASA. I’m in awe of the level of astronautical (is that a word??) detail Taylor Jenkins Reid folded into this story. I love the friends Joan made and how those people evolved in her life. And, I loved her close relationship with her niece, Frances, and how much that impacted her decisions.
Most of all, I loved watching Joan fall in love and learn who she really is.
Should you read Atmosphere?
You should absolutely read Atmosphere. This is the kind of novel that pretty much anyone can pick up and enjoy. If you’re a TJR fan like me, you’ll be pleased: I think this is her best work since Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones. (Note: I didn’t read Carrie Soto is Back after being mildly disappointed with Malibu Rising).
I also want to credit Atmosphere with helping me appreciate the Artemis II mission. This book helped me understand a lot more of what goes into a space launch, a mission, and all that good stuff. When I watched those real-life astronauts prepare for take off and finally launch into the sky, I was able to imagine what they might be going through, just a little, because of Joan. Very cool.
What’s the book-inspired recipe?
Stay tuned for the book-inspired recipe: Lemon Tarragon Chicken Salad.
