Reseña: The Calculating Stars (Lady Astronaut 1)

The Calculating Stars (Lady Astronaut, #1)

by 

Mary Robinette Kowal

 

 

431 pages

Published July 3rd 2018 by Tor Books

Edition Language: English

BLURB: On a cold spring night in 1952, a huge meteorite fell to earth and obliterated much of the east coast of the United States, including Washington D.C. The ensuing climate cataclysm will soon render the earth inhospitable for humanity, as the last such meteorite did for the dinosaurs. This looming threat calls for a radically accelerated effort to colonize space, and requires a much larger share of humanity to take part in the process.

Elma York’s experience as a WASP pilot and mathematician earns her a place in the International Aerospace Coalition’s attempts to put man on the moon, as a calculator. But with so many skilled and experienced women pilots and scientists involved with the program, it doesn’t take long before Elma begins to wonder why they can’t go into space, too. Elma’s drive to become the first Lady Astronaut is so strong that even the most dearly held conventions of society may not stand a chance against her.

My rating: 3.5 stars

Premios literarios:  Hugo Award for Best Novel (2019), Nebula Award for Best Novel (2018), Locus Award for Science Fiction Novel (2019), John W. Campbell Memorial Award Nominee for Best Science Fiction Novel (2019), Sidewise Award for Long Form (2018) , Dragon Award Nominee for Best Alternate History Novel (2019), 

Those little girls thought I could do anything. They thought that women could go to the moon. And because of that, they thought that they could go to the moon, too. They were why I needed to continue, because when I was their age, I needed someone like me. A woman like me.

En esta ucronía, en 1953, un meteorito se estrelló contra Estados Unidos. Esto provoca cambios de grandes dimensiones en la Tierra  y con graves consecuencias. Los científicos predicen que la vida en la Tierra sería inviable, por lo que la carrera espacial se ve aqui adelantada por una década, con la esperanza de enviar una colonia a Marte lo antes posible. Por supuesto, no todos creen que esto sucederá, los cambios climáticos no son suficientes (y nosotros vaya que sí lo sabemos). Estamos en medio de una Guerra Fría y los militares están más preocupados por otras cosas.

La historia se cuenta desde la perspectiva de la Doctora Elma York (antes Wexler) quien es una física, matemática y piloto (ex WASP - Pilotos del Servicio de Mujeres de la Fuerza Aérea), mientras que su esposo Nathaniel es ingeniero de cohetes.
 

 Para haberse llevado los 3 premios principales de la ciencia ficcion en 2018-19, resulta que esta historia no me resultó tan impresionante. Es entretenida sí.