If you have little knowledge on space, missions and training then this is a great launch point. (Yes I went with the pun.)

‘ “Isolation” ... It’s appearance in English in 1833 is more recent than the comparable “solitude,” which appeared sometime in the fourteenth century.’

The account covers a lot of info about training especially, talking of variations in food rations between sexes, water training, training on earth and periodic space training, delving into the history and origins of it also. A lot of this becomes even more fascinating and relevant when looking into NASA’s release that they are considering an all female led mission to Mars, and why this training may mean that decision to be imperative.

‘Right now, Musk and his dreams are the loudest space dreams of most people... What are the benefits and drawbacks of allowing a planet’s dreams of space to be guided by such a billionaire.’

Kate’s take and conversation on Elon Musk was one of the most intriguing parts of the book to me. This may be as I’m already aware of the history and many of the processes surrounding space, but it may also be because her questioning of this seemed to be one of the most raw moment in the book, and one that will leave you thinking long after reading.

If you already know a fair share on space and wished to know more about Kate herself, and of more depth and unheard of information about training and selection then this may not be for you. As other reviewers have stated, there is a certain lack of depth to information and choice of what’s been included, which does make sense as this seems like a book appealing to a mass audience, rather than just space nerds in general.

However as a space nerd myself- whilst it’s awesome to hear of a female training account- I felt like a lot of this was information that I wasn’t as intrigued in, and that which I was wasn’t expanded upon in depth.