The Calculating Stars is the first book in Mary Robinette Kowal’s Lady Astronaut series. This alternative history science fiction story starts out impactfully – literally. Main character Elma, has a unique set of skills. When an asteroid obliterates the east coast of the United States in 1952, she becomes pivotal in a chain of events that leads humanity to escalate the space race.
When the asteroid hits, Elma and her husband are thrown into a new world struggling to make sense of what’s happened. Elma, a pilot and mathematician, gets them to safety out of the shock wave zone. They end up at a military base. Elma proves to the over-zealous commander that the Russians didn’t attack: it’s an asteroid impact.
In doing her calculations, she discovers that the world is going to descend first into an impact winter. However, it will ultimately progress into a runaway greenhouse state. Before long, the Earth will be uninhabitable. With no other options, the decision is made: humanity will colonise the solar system, seeking refuge on other planets.
The life of a computer in the 1950s
What ensues is a deep dive into this alternative history what-if scenario. In this first book of the series, Elma, working as a computer, begins to question why she and the other talented and skilled WASP pilots can’t go into space alongside the men who have been chosen for the astronaut program. Why can’t she be the first Lady Astronaut?
This first book in the series follows Elma’s experiences as a computer and pilot as the race towards the moon begins. This is alternative history before Armstrong and Aldrin made it there. The historical accuracy is fantastic, as is the immersion in the beliefs and attitudes of the day. Elma’s attempts to shake things up are period-appropriate and engaging. I love how she isn’t simply a present-day woman dropped back in time. Rather, her own conduct and beliefs feel realistic for the era.
Well-rounded characters and conflict
As well as dealing with issues of gender, the novel explores how racism and discrimination impacted on talented pilots during this time period. There is also a mental health storyline throughout that deeply humanises Elma and gives an insight into the prejudices of the time.
Elma is supported throughout by a strong cast of secondary characters. Her computer friends and colleagues are delightful: a group of critical women whose task it is to compute the movement of the newly-designed rockets. She butts heads with the lead astronaut. He is derisive and dismissive of the women entering the program, but ultimately comes to rely on her. All the character feel well-rounded and in possession of their own complex lives.
The Calculating Stars: critically acclaimed science fiction novel
The list of accolades for Mary Robinette Kowal’s science fiction debut novel is impressive. Awards include a Nebula, Locus and Hugo award for Best Novel. I have been recommended this book by others more times than I can count. I’m glad I finally got a chance to read it. I’m looking forward to getting into the rest of the series, which is up to book 4 now. Check it out yourself: this is a novel that will impress with its technical detail and emotive, realistic characters.