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Girlfriend on Mars: A Novel
Girlfriend on Mars: A Novel | Deborah Willis
3 posts | 2 read | 6 to read
A funny, poignant, and page-turning debut novel that skewers billionaire-funded space travel in a love story of interplanetary proportions. Amber Kivinen is moving to Mars. Or at least, she will be if she wins a chance to join MarsNow. She and twenty-three reality TV contestants from around the worldincluding a hunky Israeli soldier, an endearing fellow Canadian, and an assortment of science nerds and wannabe influencersare competing for two seats on the first human-led mission to Mars, sponsored by billionaire Geoff Task. Meanwhile Kevin, Ambers boyfriend of fourteen years, was content going nowhere until Amber left himand their hydroponic weed businessbehind. As he tends to the plants growing in their absurdly overpriced Vancouver basement apartment, Kevin tunes in to find out why the love of his life is so determined to leave the planet with somebody else. An audaciously original debut from an immensely talented writer (Emily St. John Mandel), Girlfriend on Mars is at once a satirical indictment of our pursuit of fame and wealth amidst environmental crisis, and an exploration of humanitys deepest longing, greatest quest, and most enduring clich: love.
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kwmg40
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Pickpick

A pot dealer with an unambitious boyfriend ends up on a reality show, trying to earn a spot on a one-way expedition to Mars.

The story is both a lighthearted rom-com and a dark, biting satire, with some interesting science and sci-fi mixed in. There were parts that dragged, interspersed with moments of brilliance.

#wintergames #snowangels #brightcolddays @Emilymdxn

DieAReader 🥳🥳🥳 11mo
See All 10 Comments
Emilymdxn I‘ve been really wanting to read this one! 11mo
TheAromaofBooks Yay!! 11mo
BookmarkTavern Wow! That sounds really interesting! 11mo
kwmg40 @Emilymdxn @BookmarkTavern I'd love to hear what others think of this book. It's described as Willis's debut novel, but it's not her debut book. I'd read one of her short story collections a few years ago and thought it was excellent. 11mo
BookmarkTavern My local library has a copy! I‘ve just put a hold on it! 🧡 11mo
kwmg40 @BookmarkTavern Great! Hope you enjoy it! 11mo
Catsandbooks 🍭❄️❤️ 11mo
32 likes2 stack adds10 comments
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TheKidUpstairs
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Pickpick

I seem to be on a streak of bleak satires full of unlikable characters, with pitch-dark, uncomfortable humour, and apathetic, hopeless endings. But written really well, so you don't want to stop reading about the dumpster fire of a world these horrible people inhabit. If this is also your jam, add this one to your TBR.
Amber and Kevin have been in love since they were teenagers. Faced with a slightly stagnant life in a basement apartment/grow-op👇

TheKidUpstairs ... Amber flees by joining the cast off a reality show looking for two people to man the first mission to Mars (funded by a Musk/Bezos style billionaire). In response, Kevin freezes and stops leaving his apartment. Amber's increasingly manic drive to leave the planet, and Kevin's encompassing agoraphobia are two sides to the same tarnished coin. 1y
TheKidUpstairs ... there is no action-driven plot here, but I still could not put it down. I have no idea if I was rooting for anyone to succeed or fail, I just became engrossed in that dirty, musty, scummy world. 1y
66 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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kelli7990
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I received this book in the mail today. This is a physical ARC I won from a Goodreads giveaway. It sounds interesting to me.

Release Date: June 13, 2023

#bookmail