I watched the movie first, and then read the book in quick succession. Overall, it was an engaging read. Despite the dire circumstances, Mark Watney’s sense of humor carries the book pretty far. Also, even though it was science fiction, it pretty much read like a nonfiction survival story.

This is an anthology of five people and their experiences overcoming mundane struggles that anyone might experience, with the help of a shrewd librarian and her book recommendations.

I went into this book expecting a deep dive of the scientific decay in post-apocalyptic humanity, but because the main character is a social science guy, it is shown from his perspective and viewpoint.

This book is a neat concept with an interesting twist, but I just couldn’t enjoy it due to how flowery the prose was. I didn’t find the main romance all that engaging either.