Atmosphere: Taylor Jenkins Reid Reaches for the Stars in Her Most Ambitious Novel Yet
A New Frontier for a Beloved Author
With “Atmosphere,” Taylor Jenkins Reid, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” and “Daisy Jones & The Six,” ventures into uncharted territory—both literally and figuratively. Selected as a Good Morning America Book Club Pick, this epic love story set against the backdrop of NASA’s 1980s space shuttle program proves that Reid’s storytelling prowess extends far beyond Hollywood and rock ‘n’ roll into the infinite expanse of space.
Reid’s departure from her usual entertainment industry settings might surprise some readers, but “Atmosphere” demonstrates her remarkable ability to immerse readers in any world she chooses to explore. By combining meticulous historical research with her signature emotional depth, Reid has crafted a novel that’s simultaneously a thrilling adventure, a poignant romance, and a profound meditation on ambition, identity, and the courage to reach beyond our perceived limitations.
Joan Goodwin: A Heroine for the Ages
The Quiet Revolutionary
Joan Goodwin represents a departure from Reid’s typically glamorous protagonists. Described as “thoughtful and reserved,” Joan is a professor of physics and astronomy at Rice University who finds contentment in her academic life and her role as aunt to her precocious niece, Frances. This grounding in quiet domesticity makes her transformation all the more powerful when she discovers NASA’s advertisement seeking the first women scientists for the space shuttle program.
Reid’s portrayal of Joan captures the internal conflict many women face between contentment and ambition. Joan isn’t unhappy with her life—she’s built something meaningful and satisfying. Yet the possibility of space ignites something dormant within her, a hunger she didn’t know existed. This nuanced characterization reflects Reid’s understanding that female ambition often exists in tension with societal expectations of what constitutes a fulfilling life.
The Birth of Burning Ambition
The moment Joan sees the NASA advertisement marks a pivotal transformation. Reid writes that “suddenly, Joan burns to be one of the few people to go to space.” This isn’t gradual interest but immediate, consuming passion—the kind that reorders priorities and redefines identity. The verb “burns” perfectly captures the intensity of Joan’s newfound desire, suggesting both illumination and potential destruction.
This awakening of ambition in a middle-aged academic challenges narratives about when and how women can pursue their dreams. Joan’s journey suggests it’s never too late to discover a calling, never too settled to upset everything for a chance at the extraordinary. Reid gives us a heroine whose greatness lies not in early achievement but in the courage to pursue a dream when life seemed already defined.
The Class of 1980: A Constellation of Characters
Unlikely Astronauts, Unlikely Friends
Reid’s ensemble cast represents the diversity of backgrounds and personalities drawn to space exploration. Each character brings unique skills and perspectives while facing the common challenge of proving themselves worthy of the stars. This microcosm of American ambition creates natural tensions and unexpected alliances that drive both plot and character development.
The group dynamics reflect the historical reality of NASA’s early efforts to diversify the astronaut corps while adding Reid’s signature attention to interpersonal relationships. These aren’t just colleagues but people forging bonds under extreme pressure, creating friendships that transcend professional boundaries. Reid understands that the most interesting stories often emerge from how disparate people come together when united by common purpose.
Individual Stars in the Constellation
Hank Redmond, the Top Gun pilot, and John Griffin, the scientist, represent traditional astronaut archetypes but with Reid’s humanizing touch. Their kindness and easygoing nature “even when the stakes are highest” suggests emotional intelligence alongside technical capability. These men serve as allies rather than obstacles, reflecting a more nuanced view of male-female professional relationships.
Lydia Danes embodies the woman who has “worked too hard to play nice,” representing those who’ve fought for every achievement and can’t afford to be anything less than exceptional. Her character speaks to the additional pressures women face in male-dominated fields, where being good isn’t enough—you must be undeniable.
Donna Fitzgerald brings warmth while “navigating her own secrets,” suggesting the personal costs of professional ambition. Reid often explores how public achievement requires private sacrifice, and Donna likely represents this theme within the ensemble.
Vanessa Ford: The Catalyst
Magnetic and Mysterious
Among the fellow candidates, Vanessa Ford stands out as “the magnetic and mysterious aeronautical engineer, who can fix any engine and fly any plane.” This description establishes her as both technically brilliant and personally compelling—a combination that makes her the perfect catalyst for Joan’s emotional awakening.
Reid’s choice to make Joan’s love interest a woman adds layers to an already complex narrative. In the 1980s NASA setting, such a relationship would face not just personal but professional obstacles. The romance must develop in shadows, adding tension beyond the usual will-they-won’t-they dynamics.
Competence as Attraction
Vanessa’s ability to “fix any engine and fly any plane” represents a competence that’s deeply attractive in Reid’s universe. Her characters often fall for capability as much as charisma, finding passion in shared excellence. This grounds the romance in mutual respect and admiration rather than mere physical attraction.
Love Among the Stars
A Passion Unexpected
Reid describes Joan finding “a passion and a love she never imagined,” suggesting transformation beyond professional ambition. This love story doesn’t compete with Joan’s space dreams but complements them, showing how opening oneself to one possibility can create space for others. The parallel between reaching for the stars literally and emotionally creates thematic resonance throughout the narrative.
The development of Joan and Vanessa’s relationship against the backdrop of astronaut training adds unique pressures. They must excel professionally while navigating personal feelings that could jeopardize everything they’ve worked for. Reid excels at creating scenarios where love is both salvation and potential destruction.
Questioning the Observable Universe
As Joan’s relationship with Vanessa deepens, she “begins to question everything she thinks she knows about her place in the observable universe.” This beautifully captures how love can fundamentally alter our understanding of ourselves and our possibilities. The scientific language—”observable universe”—reflects Joan’s perspective while suggesting that some truths exist beyond empirical measurement.
Reid uses the vastness of space as metaphor for the expansiveness of human experience. Just as Joan trains to venture beyond Earth’s atmosphere, she simultaneously explores emotional territories she never knew existed. The parallel journeys—physical and emotional—reinforce each other, creating a narrative that’s both intimate and epic.
December 1984: Everything Changes
Mission STS-LR9
The specificity of “December of 1984, on mission STS-LR9” grounds the story’s climactic moment in pseudo-historical reality. Reid’s attention to technical details—using realistic mission designation formats—creates verisimilitude that makes the emotional stakes feel more real. Readers familiar with space shuttle history will appreciate this careful world-building.
The phrase “it all changes in an instant” promises dramatic transformation while maintaining suspense about what exactly occurs. Reid understands that anticipation enhances impact, allowing readers to invest emotionally before the crucial moment arrives. This restraint demonstrates her maturation as a novelist, trusting readers to stay engaged without revealing everything upfront.
The Weight of Instant Change
In space exploration, instants truly can change everything—equipment failures, split-second decisions, unexpected discoveries. Reid uses this reality to create a moment that likely tests everything Joan has learned, both as an astronaut and as a person. The intersection of professional crisis and personal growth creates maximum dramatic impact.
Historical Context and Contemporary Relevance
The 1980s Space Shuttle Era
Reid’s choice to set the novel during the space shuttle program’s early years provides rich historical context. This era represented both tremendous optimism about space exploration and growing awareness of its dangers. The shuttle program promised to make space routine while never losing its essential danger and wonder.
The 1980s setting also allows Reid to explore gender dynamics during a pivotal period for women in STEM fields. The first female astronauts faced scrutiny and pressure unimaginable to their male counterparts. Joan’s journey reflects these real historical challenges while maintaining focus on personal rather than purely political struggles.
Resonance with Today
Though set 40 years ago, “Atmosphere” speaks to contemporary issues about women in STEM, LGBTQ+ rights, and the courage required to pursue seemingly impossible dreams. Joan’s struggle to be taken seriously as a female scientist resonates with ongoing challenges in male-dominated fields. Her relationship with Vanessa reflects love that dared not speak its name, adding historical poignancy to their romance.
Reid doesn’t anachronistically impose modern values on her 1980s setting but shows how individuals have always pushed boundaries and challenged limitations. This historical perspective offers both inspiration and reminder of progress made and still needed.
Reid’s Evolution as a Writer
From Entertainment to Exploration
With each novel, Reid expands her range while maintaining core strengths. From aging Hollywood starlet (Evelyn Hugo) to 1970s rock band (Daisy Jones) to 1980s NASA, she demonstrates remarkable ability to inhabit different worlds convincingly. Yet themes of ambition, identity, and complex relationships remain constant, creating continuity across diverse settings.
“Atmosphere” represents Reid’s most technically ambitious novel, requiring research into physics, astronaut training, and space shuttle operations. Her willingness to tackle hard science alongside human emotion shows artistic courage and growth. The result proves that emotional truth transcends genre boundaries.
Character-Driven Spectacle
Despite the spectacular setting, Reid keeps focus on character development and relationships. Space exploration provides backdrop and metaphor, but human connections drive the narrative. This balance between external adventure and internal journey marks Reid’s maturation as a novelist capable of handling both intimate moments and epic scope.
Critical and Popular Reception
GMA Book Club Selection
Selection for Good Morning America’s Book Club indicates both literary merit and broad appeal. This recognition suggests “Atmosphere” succeeds as both serious fiction and entertaining read, bridging literary and commercial success. The book club selection guarantees exposure to millions of readers who might not typically read space-themed fiction.
Author Endorsements
Kristin Hannah’s description of the novel as “thrilling… heartbreaking… uplifting” captures its emotional range. Her emphasis on Joan “finding both her voice and her passion” highlights the dual journey of professional and personal discovery. Hannah’s endorsement carries weight given her own success with emotionally complex historical fiction.
Andy Weir’s enthusiasm—”NASA? Space missions? The ’80s? This is a collection of all the things I love”—provides credibility from the hard science fiction community. His endorsement suggests Reid successfully captures technical authenticity alongside emotional truth, appealing to readers across genre boundaries.
Themes and Deeper Meanings
Observable Universe vs. Infinite Possibility
Reid’s use of astronomical language throughout the novel creates thematic coherence. Joan studies the “observable universe” professionally but discovers infinite possibilities personally. This contrast between what can be measured and what can be felt runs throughout the narrative, suggesting some truths exist beyond scientific observation.
The notion of atmosphere itself carries multiple meanings—the thin layer protecting Earth, the emotional environment between people, the pressure that both challenges and sustains life. Reid exploits these multiple definitions to create layered meaning throughout her narrative.
Extraordinary Lengths for Love and Life
The subtitle promises a story about “the extraordinary lengths we go to live and love beyond our limits.” This frames the novel as exploration of human capacity for growth and change. Joan’s journey to space represents literal extraordinary lengths, while her relationship with Vanessa requires emotional risks equally daunting.
Reid suggests that living and loving fully requires venturing beyond comfort zones, whether that means training for space flight or opening one’s heart to unexpected love. The parallel challenges reinforce each other, creating a unified narrative about courage in all its forms.
The Audiobook Experience
Bringing the Stars to Life
The audiobook format offers unique opportunities to enhance Reid’s atmospheric prose. Skilled narration can convey the wonder of space, the tension of training, and the tenderness of developing love. Technical discussions about physics and space flight benefit from clear vocal delivery that maintains accessibility.
Listen free at Tokybook to experience Reid’s most ambitious novel through immersive narration that captures both the grandeur of space exploration and the intimacy of personal discovery.
Character Voices in Zero Gravity
The ensemble cast provides opportunities for distinct character voices that help listeners navigate complex group dynamics. The narrator must convey Joan’s transformation from reserved professor to passionate astronaut while maintaining character consistency. Vanessa’s magnetic presence requires vocal choices that suggest both competence and charisma.
Writing Style and Craft
Scientific Precision Meets Emotional Truth
Reid demonstrates remarkable ability to incorporate technical details without overwhelming the narrative. Her descriptions of astronaut training, space shuttle operations, and physics concepts remain accessible while feeling authentic. This balance between accuracy and readability shows extensive research synthesized through storytelling skill.
The prose itself reflects Joan’s scientific mindset while maintaining emotional resonance. Reid uses astronomical metaphors naturally, creating language that feels true to her protagonist while serving broader thematic purposes. This integration of character perspective and narrative style shows sophisticated craft.
Pacing Like a Launch Sequence
Reid structures the novel with building momentum, from Joan’s initial discovery of the NASA advertisement through training to the climactic mission. Like a rocket launch, the story requires careful preparation before explosive action. This pacing creates anticipation while allowing full character development.
The “fast-paced, thrilling, and emotional” description suggests Reid maintains tension throughout despite necessary exposition. She likely alternates between training sequences, relationship development, and personal reflection to create varied rhythm that keeps readers engaged.
Cultural Impact and Legacy
Expanding the Space Fiction Canon
“Atmosphere” joins a tradition of space exploration fiction while adding unique perspective through its female protagonist and LGBTQ+ romance. Reid brings literary fiction sensibilities to a genre often dominated by hard science fiction, potentially attracting readers who might not typically read space-themed novels.
By centering women’s experiences in the early space program, Reid contributes to historical fiction that recovers overlooked stories. Though fictional, Joan’s journey reflects real women who fought for their place among the stars, adding to cultural understanding of this pivotal era.
Inspiring New Dreamers
Stories about space exploration inspire future scientists and astronauts. By creating a protagonist who discovers her passion later in life, Reid suggests it’s never too late to pursue extraordinary dreams. Joan’s journey from professor to astronaut shows that transformation remains possible regardless of age or circumstances.
The romance element adds dimension often missing from space narratives, suggesting that pursuing professional dreams need not require sacrificing personal fulfillment. This holistic view of success resonates with contemporary understanding of work-life integration.
Final Assessment: Reid’s Masterwork
“Atmosphere” represents Taylor Jenkins Reid operating at peak powers, combining her gifts for character development, emotional complexity, and immersive world-building in service of her most ambitious story yet. By venturing into space, Reid discovers new ways to explore familiar themes of identity, ambition, and love.
The novel succeeds on multiple levels—as historical fiction capturing a pivotal moment in space exploration, as romance depicting love that transcends societal boundaries, and as character study of a woman discovering her true self. Reid proves that literary fiction and genre elements can coexist beautifully when united by emotional truth and compelling storytelling.
For readers who loved Reid’s previous novels, “Atmosphere” offers familiar pleasures in new packaging. For those discovering her work through this GMA Book Club selection, it serves as perfect introduction to an author who understands that the most spectacular adventures often occur within human hearts.
Experience Taylor Jenkins Reid’s most ambitious novel yet—listen free at Tokybook and join Joan Goodwin on her journey from earthbound professor to aspiring astronaut. In a story where reaching for the stars becomes both literal goal and metaphor for human potential, discover why the greatest atmosphere isn’t the one surrounding our planet but the one we create between each other. Because sometimes the most extraordinary lengths we go aren’t measured in miles above Earth but in the courage to love beyond our limits.
