interrowhimper's review against another edition
5.0
Loved this book. Creepy and suspenseful, but definitely feels like sci-fi rather than horror. Cool technology but not burdensome in its description. Very interesting main character, with a mental illness rarely depicted. Good use of diversity in characterization.
tobesmagobes's review against another edition
4.0
3.75 stars. I really loved this book but it shat its pants with the climax. I predicted how everything would go down very early on and was bummed to be totally right. The ending somewhat redeemed it but still. The Sparrow it was not, but then again what is?
kbhenrickson's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book has one of the most accurate and powerful depictions of anxiety that I have ever read - in fact, I found it quite stressful to read at times (though also hard to put down). The story itself was kind of so-so, but the main character is so well drawn that I had to bump it up to 4 stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Toxic friendship
lindy_b's review against another edition
5.0
Thematically a throwback to SF of the 1960s and 70s in some ways, Planetfall's largest strength lies in the depth of its characters.
chirson's review against another edition
4.0
I read this novel courtesy of NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Part exploration of mental illness, part mystery/thriller, all in a science fiction setting of an alien planet humanity travelled to and settled on. The novel relies on the device of a narrator who hides things from the reader and from herself, and that's a difficult feat to pull off. I'm not certain all the elements of the plot worked for me, or would hold up to closer scrutiny; some subplots appear to be abandoned, or at least not fully resolved (and I'm quite sad to see the sequels don't pick up where Planetfall leaves off). But that mattered very little to me while I was reading: it was one of the most unputdownable novels I've read in ages: I read it in two days, which is rare for me these days. I found the ending both breathlessly fascinating and a little disappointing, but the character exploration and the gripping plot were amazing.
I'll keep an eye out for more from Newman.
Part exploration of mental illness, part mystery/thriller, all in a science fiction setting of an alien planet humanity travelled to and settled on. The novel relies on the device of a narrator who hides things from the reader and from herself, and that's a difficult feat to pull off. I'm not certain all the elements of the plot worked for me, or would hold up to closer scrutiny; some subplots appear to be abandoned, or at least not fully resolved (and I'm quite sad to see the sequels don't pick up where Planetfall leaves off). But that mattered very little to me while I was reading: it was one of the most unputdownable novels I've read in ages: I read it in two days, which is rare for me these days. I found the ending both breathlessly fascinating and a little disappointing, but the character exploration and the gripping plot were amazing.
I'll keep an eye out for more from Newman.
sarahmadams's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book. It's one of those stories that asks questions about society... about what it means to live in society. About how we might create a new one, the ethics around that, and what do we inevitably get wrong _again_? Even with everything we already know. The author poses these questions and I'm still thinking about them days after finishing this book...
On top of the bigger societal questions, the main character and her personality and her point of view are expertly drawn.
Brilliant book. Alllmost five stars.
I cannot get enough of quiet sci-fis lately. Not so much the kind with space battles and a heavy focus on cool tech, but the kind that asks questions about what's important, the true nature of humans, and what it means to live together and be a good neighbor in a world (and in a universe in some cases).
On top of the bigger societal questions, the main character and her personality and her point of view are expertly drawn.
Brilliant book. Alllmost five stars.
I cannot get enough of quiet sci-fis lately. Not so much the kind with space battles and a heavy focus on cool tech, but the kind that asks questions about what's important, the true nature of humans, and what it means to live together and be a good neighbor in a world (and in a universe in some cases).
grid's review against another edition
5.0
Read this book in about 24 hours. I couldn't put it down in a way that hasn't happened for me in quite a while. There was basically nothing here I didn't like. The story, characters, technology, all were super compelling. This was a fantastic page turner and I loved it from start to finish.
sillypunk's review against another edition
1.0
Behold! My disappointment: http://blogendorff.ghost.io/book-review-planetfall/
moomieswan's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death, and Mental illness
shay_fire_99's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.0