This one was written for the moms. This one was for the disenfranchised. This is a book published in 2025, but set in the 1980s, that contains storylines about people not being accepted for who they are – something that is unbelievably still happening today. Atmosphere was written about the family you create, the dreams you chase, and the love that means everything to you.
Unsurprisingly, Taylor Jenkins Reid did it again. She wrote a compelling story that I couldn’t put down. She wrote a book that required a ton of research about NASA, what it took to be an astronaut 40 years ago, what it took to be a female astronaut, what it took to balance being an astronaut while living your life, and what it looked like to be in love with someone society did not approve of four decades ago.
I’ve read all the TJR classics – Daisy Jones, Malibu Rising, Evelyn Hugo, and Carrie Soto – and I could not wait to read Atmosphere because I knew the author would do what she does best: She writes historical fiction in such a magnetic way that the reader feels like they are part of the story. She writes strong female leads and relatable dialogue. She writes about real feelings, real people, real struggles, and real triumphs. Two of my friends – who love TJR and are both moms as well – whipped through their audio books in two days. It took me about four days to do my usual analog page-turning. And we are BUSY. The three of us have very different jobs but are equally busy and still knocked this book out eight days after its release date. Eight days.
Atmosphere’s protagonist is Joan Goodwin – a kind human being who is a daughter, sister, and aunt. She is extremely smart, capable, organized, and nerdy – which is fun. She also doesn’t know how great she is until she’s chosen to be part of NASA’s space shuttle program. Thousands applied and she was one of the few selected, which meant it was time for her to leave her job as professor of physics and astronomy at Rice University and tell her sweet niece Frances that her aunt was going to space.
While in the program, Joan befriends a group of fellow candidates who become her family – especially Vanessa Ford – and both her professional life and personal life change forever. “Joan had never before in her life felt the sense of belonging that she has with the people here at NASA.” In addition to her new job, Frances is Joan’s priority which has been true her entire six years on the planet. In fact, Joan prioritizes Frances more than her sister Barbara prioritizes Frances (aka her own daughter).
As a mom, Barbara’s resentment of Frances was extremely hard to read. She is unequivocally one of the most selfish characters I’ve read in a while. But I know that personality – manipulative, always playing the victim, only cares about herself, and thinks the world owes her a favor – and it sounds like TJR does too. It takes Joan a long time to figure out the degree to which her sister is horrible but she gets there. Almost halfway through the book: “Sometimes Joan was concerned about Barbara’s inability to consider other people, to think things through from any perspective other than her own.” I know that personality too – the one who always gives people like Barbara the benefit of the doubt, even though that person has repeatedly demonstrated their awfulness. I could go on and on about how appalling Barbara is but, in the interest of not spoiling the story, that’s all I will say.
As always, TJR has a knack for seamlessly switching back and forth between timeframes and jumping around timelines. Atmosphere is no exception which definitely serves the narrative. She also continues to use small details to demonstrate her characters’ personalities and describe a much bigger picture of who they are and who they want to be. An example of one of these small details is when Joan and Vanessa drive in a convertible together for the first time: “The wind ran through Vanessa’s hair. Joan had been trying to control hers, holding it back. But Vanessa let it fly. Joan put her hands down, let hers go.” Joan is the lovable rule follower and peacemaker and Vanessa is the no-nonsense voice of reason.
There are so many important themes throughout this novel, but one of the most significant is the fact that people should be able to be themselves – no matter what. “Happiness is so hard to come by. I don’t understand why anyone would begrudge anyone else for managing to find some of it.” Amen. Although it’s a sad reality that our current political climate makes this book (again, set 40 years ago) relevant to what’s going on now, I think TJR knew exactly what statement she was making when she wrote it. Good for her. As a mom, and a person who believes health, family, and happiness are everything, this book resonated for the entire 332 pages.
Quotes:
“Joan found a familiar peace in going unnoticed.”
“She knew there was a scientific explanation for these moments in which she felt she could sense the future…She understood why people got confused sometimes, calling things fate.”
“You have to have something on the line, for it to be called character.”
“So when you look out at the sky, the farther you can see, the further back you are looking in time.”
“Bravery is being unafraid of something other people are afraid of. Courage is being afraid, but strong enough to do it anyway.”
“Being willing to make a mistake got you further than never trying.”
“It’s time to stop getting upset at stupid jokes and start getting stuff done.”
“Joan felt like a moth that knew what a flame could do to it.”
“Gravity is underrated. It gives us something to fight against.”
“I feel like I could know you forever and still be curious about what you’re going to say next.”
“Kids can just knock the wind right out of you. They just tell the truth without any agenda.”
“The rules of society came for everyone eventually: the too big, too small, too wild, too quiet, too strong, not strong enough.”
“If character was built through bones breaking and healing, Frances had earned some.”
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