“Willis [knows] how to tell a story with the grip of a good drama series. . . . While the setup could have made for a breezy read, Willis cuts deep with insight. . . . Every detail is sharply placed by Willis, who has a scorching sense of humor and a soft spot for humanity down here on Earth”
“A bleak yet darkly funny story that dissects with compassion and wit the reality of “reality TV” and the fantasy of escaping eco-catastrophe by moving to another planet.”
“A sharp, funny take on capitalism, climate change, and our lifelong mission to be loved.”
“Winsome, sweet, and apocalyptic—the perfect blend for the end of times.”
“[A] breezy speculative debut.... Willis keeps up a light tone and a fast pace...and her satire yields plenty of insights.”
“Deborah Willis’ debut novel “Girlfriend on Mars,” veers giddily on the brink between satire and tragedy, transporting us to places we never dreamed we’d go. ”
“Funny, tragic, keenly aware, observational and insightful...a tenderhearted story of love and self, a cautionary tale of climate change, and a scathing critique of corporate greed. It manages to be both absurdist and deadly serious as Willis takes on reality television, gender roles, the manufactured battle between the sciences and the humanities, the creative impulse, climate justice, and the isolation and fear that is an all-too-common hallmark of living in this damaged world. In a word, this novel is stellar.”
“Animal Farm. Catch-22. RoboCop. Starship Troopers. Deborah Willis’s debut novel, Girlfriend on Mars, counts itself among such triumphant satires. On the surface, the book is a biting send-up of celebrity culture, the internet age, and social media. Looking deeper, it’s a parable about the follies of misguided ambition, the danger of becoming captivated by progress for its own sake.”
“...incisive satirization of Anthropocene dissonance.”
“It’s hilarious. It’s genuinely entertaining. It’s devastatingly sad. In short, Willis’ first novel is an anti-gravity rocket sled roller coaster that will have you feeling things.... Girlfriend on Mars is an undisputed triumph, a masterful debut work from a talented new author with a keen grip on pacing.... Whether you’re looking for a novel whose pages you’ll turn so fast they’ll start a friction fire or some thoughtful, philosophical speculative fiction, you’ll find it in Girlfriend on Mars.”
Girlfriend on Mars is longlisted for The Leacock Medal for Humour!
A funny, poignant, and page-turning 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 twenty-three reality TV contestants from around the world―including a handsome Israeli soldier, an endearing fellow Canadian, 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 fourteen years, was content going nowhere until Amber left him―and their hydroponic weed business―behind. As he tends to 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.
An audaciously original debut, Girlfriend on Mars is at once a satirical indictment of our pursuit of fame and wealth amidst environmental crisis, and an exploration of humanity’s deepest longing, greatest quest, and most enduring cliché: love.
“The emotional range and depth of [Willis’ writing], the clarity and deftness, is astonishing.”
“Willis is an immensely talented writer...sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes funny, always sharply observed, elegant, and incisive.”
“A perfectly observed satire that captures the absurdity—and beauty—of twenty-first century life. It reminded me of so many favorite novelists, from Margaret Atwood to Dave Eggers to Alexandra Kleeman. I loved it.”
“Girlfriend on Mars is a deeply moving, deeply funny novel about love and loyalty in the midst of the paralyzing effects of eco-anxiety and the seductive toxicity of reality entertainment. While the girlfriend of the title reaches for Mars, her boyfriend reaches for another toke, but both essentially crave the same thing: a better, kinder, healthier world. This story is propulsive and surprising in the very best ways – Willis writes with a combination of pathos and humour that entrances and lights a way forward in this troubled time.”
“How did Deborah Willis manage to write about love, grief, corporate greed, climate change, and a reality show that sends two people to Mars with such grace and humor and compassion? Girlfriend on Mars blew my mind! This is one of the most original novels I’ve read in a long time.”
“Bizarre, bleak and funny... Fleishman is in Trouble but in space.”
“A compulsive blast of a read, Deborah Willis’ completely of-the-moment novel delivers a wry, witty, and ultimately moving commentary on celebrity culture and altruism, eco-posturing and sustainability, love and the relentless drive for more. Sharply-observed, funny, and tender, Girlfriend On Mars will break your heart.”
“Pulls off that most unusual balancing act: humour, heartbreak and biting social commentary. The writing is feather-light and scalpel-sharp.”
“Girlfriend on Mars is out of this world. Deborah Willis pushes the absurdly miserable, deeply addictive pleasure of reality TV to its only possible end, zooming from euphoria past satire to slam into real life and death. Prescient and poignant, Amber’s reality is an inch from coming true.”
“Energetic, wise-cracking style...horribly convincing.”
“Witty and moving...a wild ride.”