Up, Up and Away

This book was a slow burn for me. There were several times when I first started reading it that I wanted to just DNF it and move on. But I'm so glad that I didn't!

Atmosphere is the life story of aspiring astronaut Joan Goodwin. It goes into great detail about what the space program looked like in the 1980s. Hence, the reason I almost got a bit bored. It was clear that the author had done a great deal of research, but at times the technical speak made my eyes gloss over.

But all of that setup was necessary to set the stage and fully engage the reader, investing them in the characters Jenkins brilliantly builds. By the end of this book, I was wiping away tears and wishing that I could see into the future of the main protagonist's life for just a bit longer. The book I almost didn't finish became a book I wished would keep going, if only for a while.

The heart of this book is a love story. And it's a beautiful one. I don't want to spoil it any further, but I will say that the kind of love Joan found at NASA was not the kind that was encouraged or celebrated. Taylor Jenkins Reid is masterful at making her readers truly feel the angst seeping off the pages. This book didn't disappoint in making me feel the anger at the unfairness of two people trying to live in a world that defines the legitimacy of love by gender.

Give this book a try and give it time to sink in. It's worth it in the end!