Atmosphere, Taylor Jenkins Reid (book club)

Set in the 1980s, a cohort of astronauts in training includes some of the first women to go into space. Also there's a love story.

I do enjoy science fiction, and had just read a book about astronauts to my 6 year old, so I felt pretty ready going into this book. There's quite a tonal shift going from the science-heavy beginning as main character Joan starts her astronaut training, to the love story unfolding, to the boring middle bit, and then to the final chapters where a whole lot of stuff happens all at once. There are dual timelines, which can be a bit confusing if you're not paying attention. There are touches on the sexism that women, and particularly queer women, faced in such a male-dominated space in the 1980s.

I thought it was good but didn't feel completely cohesive. It made me want to reread Andy Weir books like The Martian and Project Hail Mary for more space nerdery, and also This Is How You Lose the Time War for another queer love story.