My review
My book review of Project Hail Mary
- Author
- Andy Weir
- Series
- Standalone
- Release date
- May 4, 2021
- Read from
- 20.07.2026 – 31.07.2026
Book facts
Archetype
- Primary: Escapist Dreamer (space exploration, alien life, scientific discovery, survival, curiosity, discovering the unknown)
- Secondary: Emotional Alchemist (friendship, loneliness, sacrifice, connection, personal growth, finding meaning through another person)
Tropes
Spice level
None. There is no romance or spice. The emotional heart of the story is the friendship between Grace and Rocky.
POV
Single POV, following Ryland Grace.
Vibe
Scientific · Funny · Hopeful · Heartwarming · Adventurous. A refreshing science fiction story about survival, communication, friendship, and two completely different species learning how to work together toward a common goal.
What I loved
- The friendship between Grace and Rocky. Honestly, one of the most unlikely and heartwarming friendships I've read. There's something mesmerising and addictive about watching two completely different species learn how to communicate.
- The science. There is A LOT of it, but I actually loved that. So many fictional elements were supported by scientific explanations that made even the unbelievable parts feel strangely believable.
- The communication between Grace and Rocky. Watching two completely different species figure out the basics of communication and slowly build a language together was one of my favourite parts.
- The dialogue. Grace and Rocky are both so likeable and funny together that I actually laughed out loud many times.
- The exploration of human and alien evolution. Their biology is completely different, yet there are also surprising similarities between their cultures and behaviour.
- The audiobook performance. The emotion, interpretation, and overall performance were so well done. I finished the audiobook within three days.
- The ending. For my taste, this is one of the most satisfying endings I've read. It felt right for Grace, right for Rocky, and right for the story.
Characters
Grace is likeable, funny, intelligent, even though sometimes he could be a bit frustrating.
What I found especially interesting was learning more about who he really was as the story progressed. Usually, I get annoyed easily with flashbacks, but I didn't feel that way with this book. Instead, I was even more curious and wanted everything to unfold as soon as possible.
Without getting too much into spoilers, I loved the contrast between the person Grace initially seemed to be and the decisions he eventually made. His final decision felt honourable and showed how much he had changed throughout the story.
Rocky is easily my favourite character.
He's lively, open-minded, intelligent, kind, and empathetic. He also has a loneliness and a genuine need for friendship that makes him even more lovable. I loved his fun personality, his humour, and especially his relationship with Grace.
They're from completely different species, with completely different biology, languages, cultures, and evolutionary histories. We know it's fictional, yet somehow their friendship feels completely genuine.
Their relationship is the heart of the book and its most memorable part.
What didn't work
- Some of the similarities between human and Eridian culture felt a little unbelievable considering they evolved completely independently from each other.
- There is a LOT of science. I personally enjoyed it, but readers who aren't interested in detailed scientific explanations might find some sections overwhelming.
My final thoughts
Such a refreshing science fiction book.
No hostile alien. No head-on action or constant violence. Just friendship, science, communication, survival, and cooperation toward a common goal.
I loved how Andy Weir used real scientific ideas to make fictional, unbelievable concepts feel believable.
But as much as I loved the science, the heart of this story for me was Grace and Rocky.
Watching two completely different species start with uncertainty and slowly learn how to communicate, understand each other, trust each other, and eventually become friends was so heartwarming.
This book made me smile, laugh out loud, and genuinely warmed my heart. I was honestly sad when Grace and Rocky had to say goodbye.
Such a good experience from beginning to end.
Would I recommend it?
Absolutely.
If you enjoy science fiction with lots of actual science, problem-solving, space exploration, first contact, and unlikely friendships, I highly recommend it. Especially if you want science fiction that isn't centred around hostile aliens and violence. At its heart, this is simply a story about two completely different beings learning how to communicate, cooperate, and care about each other.
