Book Review

Book Review : Bright and Dangerous Objects by Anneliese Mackintosh

Hey friend! My latest book review here at cuppfam is for Bright and Dangerous Objects by Anneliese Mackintosh.

Below, you’ll find the description of the book provided by NetGalley followed by my personal review and star rating.

*Disclaimer : I received a copy of this ebook for free from NetGalley and Tin House in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Description :

Commercial deep-sea diver Solvig has a secret. She wants to be one of the first human beings to colonize Mars, and she’s one of a hundred people shortlisted by the Mars Project to do just that. But to fulfil her ambition, she’ll have to leave behind everything she’s ever known—for the rest of her life.

As the prospect of heading to space becomes more real, thirty-seven-year-old Solvig is forced to define who she really is. Will she come clean to James, her partner, about her plans? Or will she turn her back on the project, and commit to her life on Earth? Maybe even try for a baby, like James is hoping? Is there any way she can start a family and go to Mars? Does she even want both things? 

Intimate and captivating, Bright and Dangerous Objects explores the space between ambition and obligation, grappling with questions women have faced for centuries while investigating a future that humanity is only beginning to think about. In frank, honest, and moving prose, author Anneliese Mackintosh moves from sea to sky, head to heart, and present to future, asking all the while what it means when our wildest dreams begin to come true.

Bright and Dangerous Objects – My Review :

Bright and Dangerous Objects revolves around Solvig and her partner James. They have what I would describe as a comfortable relationship. Nothing seems too exciting or out of the ordinary in their day to day lives – except Solvig is a saturation diver and is away for weeks at a time.

After hearing of the Mars contest, she experiences a longing that she can’t escape. Even if it means leaving her partner, and possible child – she knows that she will never be satisfied until she is in space.

A lot of this book is depressing…but relatable. We see her wrestle with whether or not to keep her job, whether she can be faithful to James, and if she’ll be a competent mother.

I think her questions and fears are valid, even if I can’t relate to wanting to colonize Mars.

I enjoyed reading about Solvig and seeing how the book winds up. The end did fall a little flat for me, but I tried not to let that detract from the rest of the book.

Star Rating :

4 Stars
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