Calculating Stars

A Lady Astronaut Novel

by Mary Robinette Kowal

384 pages

English language

Published April 29, 2018 by Doherty Associates, LLC, Tom.

ISBN:: 978-1-4668-6124-4

(16 reviews)

On a cold spring night in 1952, a huge meteorite fell to Earth and obliterated much of the east coast of the United States, including Washington, DC. The ensuing climate cataclysm will soon render Earth inhospitable for humanity, as the last such meteorite did for the dinosaurs. This looming threat calls for a radically accelerated effort to colonize space, and requires a much larger share of humanity to take part in the process.

Elma York's experience as a WASP pilot and mathematician earns her a place in the International Aerospace Coalition's attempts to put man on the moon, as a computer. But with so many skilled and experience women pilots and scientists involved with the program, it doesn't take long before Elma begins to wonder why they can't go into space, too.

Elma's drive to become the first Lady Astronaut is so strong that even the most dearly held conventions …

Elma's drive to become the first Lady Astronaut is so strong that even the most dearly held conventions of society may not stand a chance against her.

This description comes from the publisher.

2 editions

Someology reviewed The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal

Review of 'The Calculating Stars' on 'Storygraph'

3 stars

This was an interesting and fun work of anachronism in many ways. There are a lot of fun "what ifs" for fans of space exploration and NASA History. Alternate histories are good for that.

I could write about racism in the 1950s. I could write about sexism in the 1950s. I will refrain, though, because that's all to be expected. The main character's social anxiety does seem tiringly omnipresent, but I believe that is the point. It seemed a bit much at times, but if you want to portray a person suffering from social anxiety, who has PTSD several times over, and works a high pressure job that the future of the human race probably depends on (while surrounded by racism and sexism), how could you lessen it? Usually stories gloss over the nerves of the performer, soldier, or yes test pilot. I think it took some bravery on Ms. Kowal's part to attempt this. So even when it's a bit much, it's still interesting to observe as a writing exercise.

It is a fun book. If you ever wondered "what if" about the timelines of the early space race, then you might enjoy it! If you ever looked at the social and technological history of that time and wondered if anything but aliens could have spurred us forward faster and started to bring us together, then Ms. Kowal's offering of natural disaster just might be a read you enjoy as well.