⚡️ Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico — 3.75/5

A very millennial story about a couple searching for purpose and feeling disappointed when it doesn’t materialize. The novel follows two expats living in Berlin—dual income, no kids—who struggle to balance order and spontaneity in their lives. It’s relatable in the sense that most people, at some point, experience a fear of repetition and question whether they’re truly fulfilled. I remember feeling this way when I first started college, when my daily routine felt monotonous and, at the same time, deeply lonely.

That said, this is ultimately a very first-world experience. The book is divided into three sections, with chapters focusing on different aspects of their lives—social circles, travel, and so on. It opens with a detailed description of their apartment, which may throw some readers off, but I think it’s meant to orient us within the characters’ lives. From there, the story unfolds more organically.

The writing style suits the material: largely narrative, descriptive, and composed of long paragraphs, but not particularly lyrical. This creates a sense of distance—you observe the characters rather than emotionally investing in them. I’m not sure if this detachment is intentional, but it does reinforce the idea that these characters could be interchangeable with many real people and still arrive at the same conclusions. It also positions the reader as an outside observer, dissecting their lifestyle choices from afar in order to form a more measured judgment of the story.

At times, it’s clear the book is written by a male author—the lack of lyrical prose, the straightforward inclusion of drug use, and the framing of their sex life stand out in particular. Overall, I don’t think this is a necessary read, but I did find the themes interesting. I especially appreciated how firmly grounded it is in the present moment, touching on issues like the European refugee crisis and the rising cost of living, while also shining a light on aestheticism.

⚡️ Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir — 4.5/5

Umm… amaze, amaze, amaze. I was honestly a little skeptical when I first started—mostly because of the writing style—but I got swept into the story so quickly. I haven’t read much sci-fi since the early 2010s, but this book absolutely encouraged me to take a closer look at the genre again.

There’s really very little I would change about this book. At its core, it’s a story about science, persistence, friendship, and hope. I loved the back-and-forth between timelines, and I loved how nerdy, blunt, and straightforward so many of the scientists are. The explanations of biology (especially microbiology and evolution) and physics were genuinely fun to read, not overwhelming.

And of course, the friendship between Rocky and Ryland Grace is the heart and highlight of the book. When I reached about the 20% mark and the general premise was revealed, I remember wondering what else there could possibly be—but there is always more than you expect. That’s because you can never quite predict where this story will take you.

There’s also thoughtful commentary throughout on academia, failure, bravery versus cowardice, climate change, and the ethics of removing individual agency to save a larger population.

All in all, I’ll be thinking about this engineer–scientist duo for a long time, and I really hope the movie coming out this year does the book justice.