So, 2022 happened, and I read a lot of books. I wrote about it in this post here. But I didn’t read many books that had been released in 2022. This is mostly because I don’t buy many new books and prefer to get second-hand books, so I don’t usually buy books released in the same year as I’ve read them. So, when I talk about my favourite book of 2022, I’m put in the position of not knowing which book to discuss.
However, for the purpose of this week’s post, I’m going to talk about my favourite book of 2022 that was also released in 2022. I loved this book, and you’ll love it too! That book is Mickey7 by Edward Ashton. It’s a science-fiction novel, and I know that isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but MIckey7 is my favourite book of 2022, and I think you’ll love it too if you give it a chance. I mean, it was nominated at the Goodreads Choice Awards for Best Science-fiction novel.
So, without further ado, let me tell you why Mickey7 is my favourite book of 2022, and why you’ll love it too!
1. The Story
Mickey7 follows Mickey, an Expendable on a space colony in the future. What is an Expandable? They are people who have to do all the dangerous jobs during space travel. Got a radiation leak? Use the Expendable. Damaged part of a ship needs repairing? Use the Expendable. See, Expendables are brought back to life in a freshly-made body, but they aren’t immortal. This concept alone is enough to make Mickey7 my favourite book of 2022.
When protagonist Mickey Barnes signed on to be an Expendable, he didn’t imagine how hectic things would get, and he soon finds himself having entered a situation even more dangerous than the one he was running away from. This seemingly simple story is one of the reasons why Mickey7 is my favourite book of 2022, being that it manages to keep a simple story interesting with complex characters. Along with Mickey, the characters of Berto, Gwen, and others continue to complicate things as they all have their own agendas that clash with Mickey’s, and the story becomes all the more complicated. Add into this a complex world, and things become more interesting.
So, the story, though simple, soon develops in my favourite book of 2022, and speaking of the characters…
2. The characters
Mickey7‘s characters may appear basic, but they soon become complicated. Ann event near the beginning of the book takes away Mickey’s comfort with dying, and he becomes bored of having to do so. Adding in the interactions he has with other characters who are not as they seem, the characters complicate along with the story, and this is partly why Mickey7 is my favourite book of 2022.
I always remember characters more than stories, so when I can remember both, it’s the mark of a good book, hence Mickey7 has become my favourite book of 2022. They’re flawed, complex, and, in Mickey’s case, somehow loveable, and I think you’ll love him too.
3. The Science
I can’t attempt to repeat all the science from my favourite book of 2022, but you can’t blame that on Mickey7. It’s just because I suck at science. But it’s worth noting that author Edward Ashton teaches quantum physics. With that knowledge, he’s managed to make the world of Mickey7 seem plausible, with discussions on science that are interesting, rather than boring.
One thing I often struggle with in science-fiction is that the technological aspects can get in the way of a good story, but this doesn’t happen with my favourite book of 2022, and it is part of the reason why I love Mickey7. You’ll love it too for this reason if you enjoy having an explanation for things without the science overtaking the characters or plot. With discussions around calories in space, radiation, space travel, and more, Ashton makes a fascinating world for Mickey7 to take place in that tickles my curiosity but doesn’t obstruct the story.
4. It’s really funny.
I can’t say much for the humour here, because I think that the best jokes require context, but I should say that comedy is a genre I often struggle with. Since comedy is so subjective, I never would’ve imagined Mickey7 being my favourite book of 2022 since it’s definitely got comedic elements, but here we are.
A lot of the comedy originates from Mickey’s own view of his circumstances, which are quite negative, and despite his belief, can always get worse. The comedic moments made me laugh out loud, and you will too if you can embrace the dark side of humour.
5. I Read it at the Perfect Time
I read Mickey7 around the time I was working on my dissertation. Your mindset can be key to whether you enjoy a book or not, and given the amount of stress I was putting myself under with my dissertation, Mickey7 was a saving grace. This was key to Mickey7 being my favourite book of 2022, since it didn’t just cheer me up during a tough time, but managed to keep me enthralled and riveted.
These are the primary reasons why I love Mickey7 so much, why you’ll love it too, and why it’s my favourite book of 2022. But, I should also mention that it’s going to be made into a film. Not only is it being made into a film, but it’s being adapted by Bong Joon-ho (Parasite, Snowpiercer, Memories of Murder), who won four Oscars in 2020.
The film, titled Mickey 17, is due for release in 2024, and stars one of my favourite actors, the incomparable Robert Pattinson. It has a great supporting cast of Mark Ruffalo, Steven Yeun, Naomi Ackie, and Toni Collette, and I couldn’t be more excited. When I found out that my favourite book of 2022 was being adapted by a dream team cast and crew, I became even more attached to the book. I’m sure I’ll love the film, and you will too.
What was your favourite book of 2022? Have you read Mickey7? If so, what did you think of it? What was your favourite book of 2022? Let me know things in the comments below!
Until next time,
Conrad 🙂
Sounds like such a great book. I haven’t heard of it before, but I will have to check it out. Thanks for sharing all about it!
I hope you enjoy it!
I was imagining that the Expendables were going to be former convicts or poor people basically forced into the role. But they just sign-up for this dangerous work?
Yeah, it’s basically the job you’ll take if you need money and want to avoid being on a planet full of people you owe money to.
I haven’t heard of this book before but it sounds really interesting. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Lauren – bournemouthgirl
Thank you, Lauren! It’s pretty good if you’re not a big sci-fi fan
I haven’t heard of Mickey7, and I’m not a big sci-fi fan, but the book does sound interesting, especially with the concept of Expendables. It’s also good that the characters are complex and that the technical side of the book doesn’t overtake the story.