The Martian is an
award-winning science fiction novel written by Andy Weir. The Martian is about Mark Watney, a man who was on the third trip
to Mars, got severely injured and abandoned there because he was presumed dead
by his crewmates. His goal is to survive four years in a dome that’s made to
last 300 days, while NASA is trying to get to Mars as quick as possible. The novel
is set in two major areas: Mars, and the NASA headquarters. Read this book and
take in the breathtaking events of Mark Watney trying to survive on a planet
where surviving is impossible.
The conflict in The
Martian is between Mark and himself. The book has this conflict because the
book is about Mark trying to stay confident and not listen to the small voice
in his head saying he will fail to get off and die. For example, when he was
traveling thousands of kilometers to get to a location, his rover he was riding
crashed and got flipped, and needed major fixing. He could’ve just given up and
stopped trying to get back home. But he didn’t. Another better example is when
his living quarters where he was supposed to live for the next year or so, but
it blew up and there was a small tear in the fabric. He put his heart and soul
into fixing it, with duct tape, but part of him doubted his abilities, even
though it worked out. The theme in this book is important, too, which is
friendship and confidence. Friendship because when Marks crew figures out that
Watney is alive, they jeopardize their lives and mission to bring him home.
Confidence because all the time Mark new that his chances of getting rescues
were very slim, but his natural confidence was obvious to his success.
For the most part, Andy Weir did an amazing job in
portraying the conflict. It was well described and each problem Mark
encountered was met with precise and decisive actions. But every thing has a
few faults, even this outstanding novel. For example, when Marks living
quarters with all the food blew up due to his carelessness, Weir only described
a little bit on what is happening in Marks brain and what he is thinking. It
was almost an immediate decision that came to his mind to fix his living
quarters, with barely any thought. Other than that minor issue, Andy Weir did a
wonderful job in describing the main conflict throughout the novel.
Overall, The Martian is
an overall fantastic novel, from start to finish.
Dear Kyle,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your book review. As you mentioned, Mark Watney's crew mates presume him dead. How do his crew mates react when they find out that Mark is not dead? What would you have done if you were one of Mark's crew mates? Please explain your answer.
Sincerely,
Sasha Jande
Dear Sasha Jande,
DeleteThank you for your question! When Mark's crew mates find out the Mark is still alive, alone, and helpless on a barren planet, they, of course, felt guilty and helpless. They all felt guilty because they couldn't help think that this was THEIR fault. That they left him for dead. The commander, Melissa Lewis, feels the most guilty as she was the one who gave the order to abort and abandon. His crew mates felt helpless because it was almost impossible for them to launch a rescue mission. They would all love to rescue him, but sadly they felt that they couldn't.
If I were one of Mark's crew mates, I would be filled with guilt and it would be unbelievable how ashamed I would be that I abandoned a human being. I would take every precaution; but also try everything to help and save Mark, even though it was against NASA's orders. I hope this helped you!
SIncerely,
Kyle
Dear Kyle,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your review and want to read The Martian because of it. However, you mentioned that the story took place on Mars and at NASA's headquarters. Did NASA attempt to help Mark? If so, how or how didn't, this effect his confidence and overall theme of the book?
Thanks,
Aidan
Dear Aidan,
DeleteThank you for your question. Yes, NASA was working furiously around the clock to come up with a solution to bring him back. After all, someone was stranded on Mars. As soon as a satellite watcher saw multiple images of a rover moving, and a tent blown up, she reported it and no one really went to sleep after that.
This defiantly had a huge impact on the theme. Before Mark knew that NASA figured out that he was alive, yes he was still upbeat and being a comedian, but at that moment everything Mark did to himself needed to be energy saving, useful, or safe. His confidence level was blasted out of proportion; because now at least he knew help was trying to arrive. I hope you got your question answered!
Sincerely,
Kyle
Dear Kyle,
ReplyDeleteI really liked your book review and it was very exciting. Mark always
kept on persevering no matter what happened or how hard his task was and never gave up. Do you think that if someone else was in the same position as mark do you think they could survive or did mark have some type of special motivation. Thank you.
Sincerely, Kaia
Dear Kaia,
DeleteThank you for the question! Your question has two different meanings. It is a yes and a no. Yes because everyone who went on the Mars missions had to very physically fit, and their attitude had to be important. So yes in a sense that you take someone going to Mars, but remember that part of the reason Mark was chosen to go to Mars was he was a botanist (someone who grows plants). His job was to see if things can grow, so he was lucky when he some potato roots and seeds. Others would not think of the mixtures and things he did to the brought soil to make it farmable.
If you took an average person, then they would stand no chance against the elements, and would only survive on the food already there (not enough). Most people are not super fit, really intelligent, and would reacting under pressure would not be as hardwired into their brain as a Mars astronaut.
Sincerely,
Kyle
Dear Kyle,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your book review very much and it's great to hear enough feedback to learn about the book to the point where there are not many spoilers. I was however wondering that which perspective was this book written in and would it be better in another perspective? How could it be better in another perspective?
Sincerely,
Jai S. R.
Dear Jai S. R.,
DeleteThank you for your question. The Martian was written in three main perspectives: Mark’s, Teddy Sanders (Director of NASA), and Vincent Kapoor (Director of Mars missions). For some parts of the book it was written in Mark’s crew mates perspectives, but only for a little bit.
I don’t think it would be better in a different perspective, because there were really no more important characters in the novel to tell the story. There would have to be lesser characters to tell the story, making it less interesting. So no, it wouldn’t be better in a different perspective.
Sincerely,
Kyle
Dear Kyle,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the book review very much, but how exactly did Watney get back home?
Thanks!
Bryan
Dear Bryan,
DeleteThank you for your question! Mark Watney got home by traveling 3200 miles out across Mars to another missions landing site. He then got the MAV (Mars Ascent Vehicle) working, and took it up where his crew was waiting for him. It was very daring and he could’ve been killed. Mark almost didn’t make it on to the ship, and almost drifted away into space.
Sincerely,
Kyle
Dear Kyle,
ReplyDeleteThis book review made me even want to read the book and well at it the movie too. You said that he made it home but i didn't quite catch how or when he gets home. Can you please clear that up for me thanks.
Sincerely,
Hugo