Girlfriend on Mars

A Novel

By: Deborah Willis

Narrated by: Landon Doak, Vanessa Matsui

A funny, poignant, and thrilling debut novel that skewers billionaire-funded space travel in a love story of interplanetary proportions.

Amber Kivinen is moving to Mars. Or at least, she will be if she wins a chance to join MarsNow. She and 23 reality TV contestants from around the world—including attractive Israeli soldier Adam, endearing fellow Canadian Pichu, and an assortment of science nerds and wannabe influencers—are competing for two seats on the first human-led mission to Mars, sponsored by billionaire Geoff Task.

Meanwhile Kevin, Amber’s boyfriend of 14 years, was content going nowhere until Amber left him—and their hydroponic weed business—behind. As he tends to (and smokes) the plants growing in their absurdly overpriced Vancouver basement apartment, Kevin tunes in to find out why the love of his life is so determined to leave the planet with somebody else. On screen, Amber competes in globe-trotting, Survivor-meets-Star Trek challenges and seems like she might be falling for Adam. But is that real, or is it just a tactic to keep from being voted off? And since the technology to come home doesn’t exist yet, would Amber really leave everything behind to be a billionaire’s Martian guinea pig? Sure, the rainforest is burning, Geoff Task has bought New Zealand, and Kevin might be a little depressed, but isn’t there some hope left for life on Earth?

An audacious debut from a “a dazzlingly smart and strikingly original writer” (Molly Antopol), Girlfriend on Mars is at once a satirical indictment of our pursuit of fame and wealth amid environmental crisis and an exploration of humanity’s deepest longing, greatest quest, and most enduring cliché: love.

©2023 Deborah Willis (P)2023 Penguin Random House Canada Limited

Don't waste a credit

This story had potential and good narrators, but failed to deliver. I got it as a daily deal, thank heavens. Definitely don't waste a credit.

Held my attention - barely

Never got to the aha moment. Still wondering what the point was. Narration was great.

Ode to an Utterly Absurd & Cynical Generation

The real story is how absolutely lost these characters are. They have rebelled against everything their parents believed in and embraced all the modern social and environmental causes: counterculture, free love, feminism, anti-capitalism, drugs, etc. They constantly complain how everything in the world is terrible and getting worse. I can’t tell if the author really believes this edgy tripe or if she is purposely over-emphasizing their angst to make it over-the-top humorous. Kevin is hilarious: he bunkers himself in his basement apartment and never leaves, wasting his life doing nothing except toke marijuana and rail against every real or imaginary grievance caused by capitalists, the patriarchy, government, or whatever else he can think of. He’s the poster boy for the garbage mentality and values of this latest generation.

Doesn’t know what it wants to be

I took a chance on this book and was disappointed. It tries to be a cautionary tale and a romcom with sci-fi elements. It swings wildly in tone and pacing, then rushes through the third act. Definitely not worth the time to listen.

Good story

This story was very well done. The characters were well written and I was drawn into their lives. I liked the wit and satire. However, I was not prepared for this book to tug my heartstrings, but it did.

Liked it until the end

The end was incredibly depressing. The story went somewhere I didn’t like at the end.

Potential Unfulfilled

Pathetic boyfriend, schizophrenic girlfriend sometimes bad ass other times emotional airhead, coupled with endless whining about environmental destruction and the evils of capitalism.

Whining Millennial Rubbish

I like quirky stories, and I love SCI-FI. This is neither. it is the story of a promiscuous female tree hugger and the stoner soyboy cuck that loves her.
If you are looking for sci-fi save your credit.

Childish

The story was supposed to be witty in the scientific, sci-fi tone. It was anything, but it was simply a young adult. I kept waiting for it to get real, but it never did. The two now it is, did a decent job.

waste of time. so depressing.

This story had no bright spots in it. Time I won't get back in my life.