I just finished this book and finally let out a long exhale. I was crying but also filled with so much hope! Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid gets a million stars—pun intended!
Atmosphere is a love story about a woman who loves the universe and the meaning it holds. Joan, our protagonist, loves the science, the mystery, the enormity, the God it represents, and the history of the universe. She describes looking at the stars as looking back in time—how the light from a star holds the history of hundreds of years, and how we are all made of stars. (This reminded me of the Disney movie Wish, which happens to be my favorite Disney movie.)
Joan also loves her sister, her niece, her job, and her friends. She applies to a NASA program with dreams of being one of the first women in space. After being accepted, she excels in the program, makes friends who become like family, and deepens her relationship with her niece.
The book starts with the climax, so you know what happens but not how it ends. It opens with a mission in space when something goes terribly wrong. Joan is at Mission Control talking to the astronauts as this disaster unfolds. Then the story rewinds seven years, and you read about how Joan and the other characters arrive at this moment.
You love Joan from the beginning. She doesn’t have any big flaws—she’s insightful, and the way she speaks about the universe and God is so heartfelt. It’s like she spoke what I feel but never knew the words to say. Joan is honest and speaks from the heart. She falls in love with another astronaut named Vanessa, and it’s through this relationship that she learns her true place in the universe.
The story takes place during a major culture shift in the US, starting in the 1980s—the beginning of women’s equality and women being seen as truly capable of doing the job as good as or better than a man. It was so important for these women to make those first footprints for girls to follow one day, and equally important to do it the right way so that those footprints were lined with integrity and respect. The women in this story were navigating their own paths of greatness while trying to balance being a woman and being an astronaut.
Then there’s the narrative of LGBTQ+ relationships. These were so taboo back then and could cost people their jobs, families, and respect. But Joan and Vanessa handle their relationship with tenderness, honesty, and with a hope that they could one day be afforded the opportunity to love the one they love with no restrictions.
I’ve loved Taylor Jenkins Reid for a long time. The first book of hers I read was Daisy Jones and the Six, and I thought it was brilliant—written so beautifully and uniquely. That same energy is brought to Atmosphere! The characters are so lovable. One thing I look for in books is when I can see myself in the characters—either who I am now or a reflection of the person I want to be. That happens here. Joan is remarkable and she’s the person you want to be: ambitious, intelligent, kind, giving, and real. Even when she faces the realities of being a woman in 1980s culture, she stays true to herself and remembers what’s most important.
I loved this book. It’s one that sits with you for a long time! No wonder it won all those awards. It’s a story where you learn something new, connect with characters, and feel hope again for the beauty of this world.
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