"And when nobody wakes you up in the morning, and when nobody waits for you at night, and when you can do whatever you want. What do you call it, freedom or loneliness?" Quoted by Charles Bukowski, this statement delves into defining what loneliness can be. To truly feel loneliness and understand how hopeless life can become, I would say, pick up the book Project Hail Mary and find out for yourself. (Kudos to Andy Weir for giving this masterpiece to humanity.)

Imagine being struck in a situation where you are embarking on a suicidal mission of no return (death being your endgame). Wait, the scenario doesn't end here. Of course, it is a suicidal mission, but you are also burdened with the responsibility of saving mankind before you die. So, what would you do? (I would be in a state of confusion, wondering why I am stuck in this plight.) For our protagonist (aka Ryland Grace), this is his harsh reality. As if to add fuel to the fire, this is revealed at the very beginning (Andy Weir laughs evilly).
As if all this were not enough, our hero is in constant turmoil throughout the book. Before he can take a proper breath, he is thrust back into the trouble zone (Andy Weir, a little mercy was all we expected, but you made him endure). As you flip through the pages, you are immediately drawn into the plot, and what can I say? Mwah! Just pure goosebumps stuff.

In terms of suspense, if I were a book critic, I would give it full marks (no doubt about it). The non-linear story structure, in particular, gives it an extra punch. I think I may be going a little overboard (maybe more) with my praise rather than offering a profound analysis. Darn it! The book deserves it. One thing about Grace’s character that truly influenced me is how his use of foul language is formal and devoid of vulgarity. With all the exciting elements packed in, what would stop it from being the ultimate page-turner?
Adding to its glory, the book is being adapted into a film, starring Ryan Gosling as the lead. I don't know how the film will turn out, but the adrenaline rush and the vivid imagination the book offers are something I doubt the film can match.
After finishing the book, I had a chat with a friend about it. He brought up an interesting point: if we had been introduced to this book during our early education, it might have inspired us to explore science and become science nerds. I completely agree. So, I strongly recommend you grab a copy or find a way to read it. I promise you won't be able to put it down until the end. Happy reading. Take care and adios.