Every bit as good as the first one. ( )

Read in one sitting, which is the biggest compliment I can give a well-written book. While it didn't quite have the same sense of urgency the first book in the series did, I really enjoyed the attention to detail when it came to the complicated business of character development. And the other thing that floors me, when writing about space, what does an author who has never been there use as an anchor of trust with the reader? I don't even know how to identify that in her writing, but Kowal does it artfully and with grace in this installment. I'm beyond impressed, and definitely would recommend continuing on with the series! ( )

Liked it better than the first book. ( )

This second entry in the Lady Astronaut Universe series is a near‑seamless continuation of the first book, The Calculating Stars. If you've read that one and liked it you’ll want to read this one too because this time the crew is off to Mars! And if you haven’t, don’t start here even though it is the stronger of the two. The character development for one individual in particular just wouldn’t have the same impact without knowing them from the first book and the cataclysm that makes the space race so critically important would be harder to grasp since it gets very little coverage. There was enough closure at the end that I didn't feel like I was left hanging for the next installment in what I understand will be an ongoing series. ( )

I had read "The Calculating Stars" almost exactly one year ago today. I didn't realize it when I chose "The Fated Sky" as my next read, but I enjoy the serendipity. Thankfully, I found that "The Fated Sky" held up to its predecessor fantastically.

While "The Calculating Stars" dealt a lot more with sexism and misogyny than racism, it did still deal with the racial tensions of the 1950s. "The Fated Sky" inverses this, dealing much more heavily with issues of racism and bigotry, while still highlighting the issues of sexism that were heavily prevalent in that time. What I find Mary Robinette Kowal does well with the character of Elma York is portray someone who, while facing her own battle with discrimination, can overlook or minimize the issues of discrimination that others face. Elma York embodies a lot of times what can be performative allieship. She believes that her struggles are largely the same as others who have faced and still face greater discrimination. And in fighting to end her barriers believes she is fighting for everyone and can speak for everyone. MRK does well to other characters confront Elma on this without sugar coating it, not treating the subject with kid gloves.

Outside of the social issues, Kowal's writing still stands out. The majority of the book takes place on the 320-day voyage to Mars, and so takes place in a confined space. Kowal stills manages to create drama and ratchet up tension whenever you get too comfortable with the tales of the day-to-day of managing an interstellar voyage. The various issues the crews of the Nina and the Pinta deal with feel viscerally real and got my heart rate up several times. The technical jargon flows well, despite me being utterly incapable of understanding it.

I am in love with this series, and I'm stoked to be delving into the next one tomorrow. ( )