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Celestial Lights: A Novel
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A beautiful, heartbreaking novel about ambition, love, and space from the award-winning author of the Women’s Prize longlisted Wandering Souls
January 28, 1986: Soon after launch, the Challenger shuttle falls out of the sky and into the sea. At the same time, Oliver Ines is born. Celestial Lights is his story.
Ollie spends his childhood in an English village where his bedroom is covered in glow-in-the-dark wallpaper bearing the planets and stars. Decades later, he has become one of the most renowned astronauts of his time. When an enterprising billionaire taps him to lead a landmark mission to the distant moon Europa, Ollie makes a choice that will send his whole world spinning.
As the mission advances deeper into unchartered territory, Ollie finds himself retreating into the past: his university days in London and years in the navy, relationships found and lost, becoming a husband and father. But will the world he remembers still be waiting for him when he returns?
Cecile Pin’s novel is a portrait of a complicated man whose unparalleled understanding of the universe doesn’t always translate into stellar relationships on Earth. A breathtaking tale of memory, personal choices, and the relationships that define us, Celestial Lights is an unforgettable story of fate, love, and sacrifice that questions what we owe ourselves and our loved ones when our ambitions and loyalties collide.
January 28, 1986: Soon after launch, the Challenger shuttle falls out of the sky and into the sea. At the same time, Oliver Ines is born. Celestial Lights is his story.
Ollie spends his childhood in an English village where his bedroom is covered in glow-in-the-dark wallpaper bearing the planets and stars. Decades later, he has become one of the most renowned astronauts of his time. When an enterprising billionaire taps him to lead a landmark mission to the distant moon Europa, Ollie makes a choice that will send his whole world spinning.
As the mission advances deeper into unchartered territory, Ollie finds himself retreating into the past: his university days in London and years in the navy, relationships found and lost, becoming a husband and father. But will the world he remembers still be waiting for him when he returns?
Cecile Pin’s novel is a portrait of a complicated man whose unparalleled understanding of the universe doesn’t always translate into stellar relationships on Earth. A breathtaking tale of memory, personal choices, and the relationships that define us, Celestial Lights is an unforgettable story of fate, love, and sacrifice that questions what we owe ourselves and our loved ones when our ambitions and loyalties collide.
256 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication March 24, 2026
7346 people want to read
About the author
Cecile Pin
5 books263 followersCecile Pin grew up in Paris and New York City. She moved to London at eighteen to study philosophy at University College London and received an MA at King’s College London. She writes for Bad Form Review, was long-listed for their Young Writers’ Prize, and is a 2021 London Writers Award winner. Wandering Souls is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
December 15, 2025
Having adored Cecile Pin's debut Wandering Souls, I was surprised and delighted to be sent an advance copy of this follow-up. It's even better than its predecessor and confirms her status as one of my favourite authors working today.
Celestial Lights tells the story of Ollie, an astronaut on a decade-long mission to Jupiter's moon Europa. It intersperses his mission logs with reminiscences on his life as he ponders what led him to leave behind his wife, child and family to embark on a dangerous and isolating journey through the cosmos. While there's plenty of sci-fi goodness, the novel's beating heart is the genius way in which Pin captures our personalities and relationships. I don't tend to be interested in family stories or romances, but I was gripped by this side of Celestial Lights just as much as the spacefaring, if not even more so. The tale of Ollie and Philly's childhood, how they drifted apart before being reunited and finally falling for each other, is one of the most compelling and realistic depictions of love I've ever encountered. It also makes Ollie's inevitable departure even more tragically moving.
Each of the minor characters is also expertly drawn (Shane being my favourite) and they all add something to the story as well as being a joy to spend time with. The novel's deeper themes are also wonderfully developed, ranging from the ethics of space exploration to the role of chance in our lives and the dichotomy between what you are and what you do with yourself and which is more important in shaping you as an individual. This is all delivered in Pin's spare but masterful writing style; she distils each line of description or dialogue down to its bare essence and ensures the reader connects with every character on an almost spiritual level.
After the astoundingly accomplished debut that was Wandering Souls, it's such a joy to see Cecile Pin delivering another brilliant work. Celestial Lights stands as a humane and immersive masterpiece. Pin may have only written two books so far but given the consistently high standard of her oeuvre I can only eagerly await many more. She's a unique talent and joins the fabled ranks of authors whose every word I will obsess over.
Celestial Lights tells the story of Ollie, an astronaut on a decade-long mission to Jupiter's moon Europa. It intersperses his mission logs with reminiscences on his life as he ponders what led him to leave behind his wife, child and family to embark on a dangerous and isolating journey through the cosmos. While there's plenty of sci-fi goodness, the novel's beating heart is the genius way in which Pin captures our personalities and relationships. I don't tend to be interested in family stories or romances, but I was gripped by this side of Celestial Lights just as much as the spacefaring, if not even more so. The tale of Ollie and Philly's childhood, how they drifted apart before being reunited and finally falling for each other, is one of the most compelling and realistic depictions of love I've ever encountered. It also makes Ollie's inevitable departure even more tragically moving.
Each of the minor characters is also expertly drawn (Shane being my favourite) and they all add something to the story as well as being a joy to spend time with. The novel's deeper themes are also wonderfully developed, ranging from the ethics of space exploration to the role of chance in our lives and the dichotomy between what you are and what you do with yourself and which is more important in shaping you as an individual. This is all delivered in Pin's spare but masterful writing style; she distils each line of description or dialogue down to its bare essence and ensures the reader connects with every character on an almost spiritual level.
After the astoundingly accomplished debut that was Wandering Souls, it's such a joy to see Cecile Pin delivering another brilliant work. Celestial Lights stands as a humane and immersive masterpiece. Pin may have only written two books so far but given the consistently high standard of her oeuvre I can only eagerly await many more. She's a unique talent and joins the fabled ranks of authors whose every word I will obsess over.
December 17, 2025
This book was not as I expected, but in this case that's a good thing. First and foremost: the bulk of this book is not actually about space, but rather the life story of Ollie Ines recounted in the large volume of time he has available during a long journey in space.
While I did enjoy the chronicling of the space travel, and the impact it had on the greater story, my favorite part was undoubtedly the narrator's life outside of the mission. The author, Cecile Pin, does a really nice job telling a cozy and calm story that manages to retain interest, and it was easy to return to multiple times a day to read. Especially closer to the end of the book, I found myself upset with the main character for the decisions he made — but these decisions enabled Pin to explore some highly emotional and complicated interactions between characters which not only allow for Ollie's reflection but for the reader as well. It definitely forced me to think through aspects of my own life, and how I believe I'd act if placed into the same circumstances he was.
Philly, who you're introduced to early in the story, is my favorite character. She reminds me of several friends of mine growing up, none of which I'm in contact with anymore but nevertheless recall for the same "strange" mannerisms they had. She would definitely have been made fun of at the schools I attended, but she could easily have been a great friend. Ollie and Philly interacting with one another was the source of the most emotion for me in reading this, and that contains both pleasant and difficult feelings. I know they aren't real, of course, but I feel for Philly nonetheless.
On the flipside, Mark is my least favorite character. He's written well — well enough to instantly make me think of irritating tech billionaires indulging themselves throughout their lives by throwing money around to get whatever (and whoever) they want - and he reminds me a lot of a specific billionaire who is particularly infuriating and owns a very similar start-up to Mark's. (Hint: his last name is the same length, and both starts and ends with the same letters, as the fictional character's first name. Was that intentional?)
While it's not a particularly lengthy read, Celestial Lights is a worthwhile read and I can easily recommend it to other readers. Think of this as a "realistic fiction — science fiction hybrid" title, if you will.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to enjoy this book's ARC ahead of release.
While I did enjoy the chronicling of the space travel, and the impact it had on the greater story, my favorite part was undoubtedly the narrator's life outside of the mission. The author, Cecile Pin, does a really nice job telling a cozy and calm story that manages to retain interest, and it was easy to return to multiple times a day to read. Especially closer to the end of the book, I found myself upset with the main character for the decisions he made — but these decisions enabled Pin to explore some highly emotional and complicated interactions between characters which not only allow for Ollie's reflection but for the reader as well. It definitely forced me to think through aspects of my own life, and how I believe I'd act if placed into the same circumstances he was.
Philly, who you're introduced to early in the story, is my favorite character. She reminds me of several friends of mine growing up, none of which I'm in contact with anymore but nevertheless recall for the same "strange" mannerisms they had. She would definitely have been made fun of at the schools I attended, but she could easily have been a great friend. Ollie and Philly interacting with one another was the source of the most emotion for me in reading this, and that contains both pleasant and difficult feelings. I know they aren't real, of course, but I feel for Philly nonetheless.
On the flipside, Mark is my least favorite character. He's written well — well enough to instantly make me think of irritating tech billionaires indulging themselves throughout their lives by throwing money around to get whatever (and whoever) they want - and he reminds me a lot of a specific billionaire who is particularly infuriating and owns a very similar start-up to Mark's. (Hint: his last name is the same length, and both starts and ends with the same letters, as the fictional character's first name. Was that intentional?)
While it's not a particularly lengthy read, Celestial Lights is a worthwhile read and I can easily recommend it to other readers. Think of this as a "realistic fiction — science fiction hybrid" title, if you will.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to enjoy this book's ARC ahead of release.
November 30, 2025
Got an ARC of this through the bookshop where I work!
Between experiential descriptions and tangible senses, Celestial Lights explores the cost of hubris, even when acted upon under the guise of “best intentions.” How could someone expect to land among the stars in their infinitude when that's where they came from in the first place? Reconciling what's important to us with what we feel our life’s work is for is a sisyphean task and evolves alongside us; this book questions what we recall and what we choose to remember when faced with the questions “Was everything I did in my life worth it?” and “Am I enough?” This book feels like a modern classic to me, and I imagine it'll make me cry for different reasons each time I revisit it.
Between experiential descriptions and tangible senses, Celestial Lights explores the cost of hubris, even when acted upon under the guise of “best intentions.” How could someone expect to land among the stars in their infinitude when that's where they came from in the first place? Reconciling what's important to us with what we feel our life’s work is for is a sisyphean task and evolves alongside us; this book questions what we recall and what we choose to remember when faced with the questions “Was everything I did in my life worth it?” and “Am I enough?” This book feels like a modern classic to me, and I imagine it'll make me cry for different reasons each time I revisit it.
November 17, 2025
beautifully written with so much character and warmth 🧡 I flew through this one - I just couldn’t put it down
‘celestial lights’ is about childhood friends who reunite and a marriage torn apart by a ten-year space mission. what it means to leave your family behind whilst searching for answers about this world.
it’s about how ambition and family collide and how seeking externally for a greater purpose sometimes means you forget all the wonderful things that lie right in front of you - something universally profound.
it’s one of those books that’s quite hard to put into words, but it’s like a slow tear to the heart - knowing that the magic of space is never going to be enough, and the magic was on earth all along 😥💔
‘celestial lights’ is about childhood friends who reunite and a marriage torn apart by a ten-year space mission. what it means to leave your family behind whilst searching for answers about this world.
it’s about how ambition and family collide and how seeking externally for a greater purpose sometimes means you forget all the wonderful things that lie right in front of you - something universally profound.
it’s one of those books that’s quite hard to put into words, but it’s like a slow tear to the heart - knowing that the magic of space is never going to be enough, and the magic was on earth all along 😥💔
Want to read
June 12, 2025edit june 2025 when this was originally supposed to be released…. I think this has been delayed til march? April? 2026… gutted I must say
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NEW CECILE PIN BOOK!!! 2025 is already made for me i absolutely cannot wait for this
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NEW CECILE PIN BOOK!!! 2025 is already made for me i absolutely cannot wait for this
October 30, 2025
Commander Oliver “Ollie” Ines is traveling through space to Europa. He is going to be the first man in history to set foot on Jupiter’s moon. During the journey he reflects on his life leading to his current position in life. This story pits ambition against love and all examines motivation along the way.
Ollie is an aloof man. As the reader you are privy to all the details of his memories and thoughts. He doesn’t seem to have glory at the forefront of his mind, but you can tell it lurks in the background. He wants to discover how the universe works and likes the idea of being the first one to find out. Despite all of this, he does not come off as confident and cocky. Every thought he has is calculated with a tad of insecurity.
The story does not get bogged down with the science of the mission even though the setting is a spaceship with astronauts. Author Cecile Pin is more interested in painting a portrait of a man who looks like a brave soul to everyone else.
There is a lot of pleasant nostalgia as Ollie travels through space. Who wouldn’t fondly remember their childhood summer with a new friend? I really enjoyed when the story took a step farther and showed the ripples and consequences of his choices and actions. Sometimes when you get to the end of the road, you discover how lost you really are.
I would recommend Celestial Lights it to anyone who likes a well-written character study.
*** Many thanks to Netgalley and publishers for providing a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. ***
Ollie is an aloof man. As the reader you are privy to all the details of his memories and thoughts. He doesn’t seem to have glory at the forefront of his mind, but you can tell it lurks in the background. He wants to discover how the universe works and likes the idea of being the first one to find out. Despite all of this, he does not come off as confident and cocky. Every thought he has is calculated with a tad of insecurity.
The story does not get bogged down with the science of the mission even though the setting is a spaceship with astronauts. Author Cecile Pin is more interested in painting a portrait of a man who looks like a brave soul to everyone else.
There is a lot of pleasant nostalgia as Ollie travels through space. Who wouldn’t fondly remember their childhood summer with a new friend? I really enjoyed when the story took a step farther and showed the ripples and consequences of his choices and actions. Sometimes when you get to the end of the road, you discover how lost you really are.
I would recommend Celestial Lights it to anyone who likes a well-written character study.
*** Many thanks to Netgalley and publishers for providing a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. ***
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book was not as I expected, but in this case that's a good thing. First and foremost: the bulk of this book is not actually about space, but rather the life story of Ollie Ines recounted in the large volume of time he has available during a long journey in space.
While I did enjoy the chronicling of the space travel, and the impact it had on the greater story, my favorite part was undoubtedly the narrator's life outside of the mission. The author, Cecile Pin, does a really nice job telling a cozy and calm story that manages to retain interest, and it was easy to return to multiple times a day to read. Especially closer to the end of the book, I found myself upset with the main character for the decisions he made — but these decisions enabled Pin to explore some highly emotional and complicated interactions between characters which not only allow for Ollie's reflection but for the reader as well. It definitely forced me to think through aspects of my own life, and how I believe I'd act if placed into the same circumstances he was.
Philly, who you're introduced to early in the story, is my favorite character. She reminds me of several friends of mine growing up, none of which I'm in contact with anymore but nevertheless recall for the same "strange" mannerisms they had. She would definitely have been made fun of at the schools I attended, but she could easily have been a great friend. Ollie and Philly interacting with one another was the source of the most emotion for me in reading this, and that contains both pleasant and difficult feelings. I know they aren't real, of course, but I feel for Philly nonetheless.
On the flipside, Mark is my least favorite character. He's written well — well enough to instantly make me think of irritating tech billionaires indulging themselves throughout their lives by throwing money around to get whatever (and whoever) they want — and he reminds me a lot of a specific billionaire who is particularly infuriating and owns a very similar start-up to Mark's. (Hint: his last name is the same length, and both starts and ends with the same letters, as the fictional character's first name. Was that intentional?)
While it's not a particularly lengthy read, Celestial Lights is a worthwhile read and I can easily recommend it to other readers. Think of this as a "realistic fiction — science fiction hybrid" title, if you will. As a high school library manager, I am eagerly anticipating the book's release to purchase one or two print copies for my students to enjoy.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to enjoy this book's ARC ahead of release.
While I did enjoy the chronicling of the space travel, and the impact it had on the greater story, my favorite part was undoubtedly the narrator's life outside of the mission. The author, Cecile Pin, does a really nice job telling a cozy and calm story that manages to retain interest, and it was easy to return to multiple times a day to read. Especially closer to the end of the book, I found myself upset with the main character for the decisions he made — but these decisions enabled Pin to explore some highly emotional and complicated interactions between characters which not only allow for Ollie's reflection but for the reader as well. It definitely forced me to think through aspects of my own life, and how I believe I'd act if placed into the same circumstances he was.
Philly, who you're introduced to early in the story, is my favorite character. She reminds me of several friends of mine growing up, none of which I'm in contact with anymore but nevertheless recall for the same "strange" mannerisms they had. She would definitely have been made fun of at the schools I attended, but she could easily have been a great friend. Ollie and Philly interacting with one another was the source of the most emotion for me in reading this, and that contains both pleasant and difficult feelings. I know they aren't real, of course, but I feel for Philly nonetheless.
On the flipside, Mark is my least favorite character. He's written well — well enough to instantly make me think of irritating tech billionaires indulging themselves throughout their lives by throwing money around to get whatever (and whoever) they want — and he reminds me a lot of a specific billionaire who is particularly infuriating and owns a very similar start-up to Mark's. (Hint: his last name is the same length, and both starts and ends with the same letters, as the fictional character's first name. Was that intentional?)
While it's not a particularly lengthy read, Celestial Lights is a worthwhile read and I can easily recommend it to other readers. Think of this as a "realistic fiction — science fiction hybrid" title, if you will. As a high school library manager, I am eagerly anticipating the book's release to purchase one or two print copies for my students to enjoy.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to enjoy this book's ARC ahead of release.
October 4, 2025
Celestial Lights by Cecile Pin follows Ollie as he serves as commander on a ten-year space flight to Europa, one of Jupiter's moons. The story chronicles his childhood and early career that lead him to this terrifying mission, and the difficulties of maintaining relationships while pursing dreams. Ollie questions if abandoning his wife and small child was worth becoming a scientific hero and forever changing space exploration.
I absolutely adored this book and found the characters to be very dynamic. I really like how Pin was able to weave together the past, present, and future in an interesting and comprehendible way. The stories flowed like a tapestry of Ollie’s life, slowly revealing more information the further he traveled into space. The novel is beautifully written with clean pacing that left me on the edge of my seat, and I finished the book in one sitting!
Despite being a shorter novel, I felt connected to all of the characters and very invested in their lives and struggles. I was a little worried going into this book because I am not usually interested in STEM but I never struggled to understand technical terms and what was scientifically happening. This book actually made me more interested in the science world and I hope to read more books set in space in the future.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves beautiful prose, personal moral struggles, and a speculative look into what the future of space exploration may look like for our modern society.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Henry Holt & Company for sending this arc in exchange for an honest review!*
I absolutely adored this book and found the characters to be very dynamic. I really like how Pin was able to weave together the past, present, and future in an interesting and comprehendible way. The stories flowed like a tapestry of Ollie’s life, slowly revealing more information the further he traveled into space. The novel is beautifully written with clean pacing that left me on the edge of my seat, and I finished the book in one sitting!
Despite being a shorter novel, I felt connected to all of the characters and very invested in their lives and struggles. I was a little worried going into this book because I am not usually interested in STEM but I never struggled to understand technical terms and what was scientifically happening. This book actually made me more interested in the science world and I hope to read more books set in space in the future.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves beautiful prose, personal moral struggles, and a speculative look into what the future of space exploration may look like for our modern society.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Henry Holt & Company for sending this arc in exchange for an honest review!*
December 6, 2025
Celestial Lights is a novel that's a million miles away from Wandering Souls (figuratively and literally), but Cecile Pin has taken on a space novel that is just wonderful.
The reader meets Ollie, a young bright boy who is encouraged to be an engineer and is given the opportunity to be an astronaut by a Musk-type billionaire who has the ability to influence and control.
Ollie is desperate to prove himself and fulfil his duties, but at what cost? He's selfish but selfless, depending on who you ask - but his choice is made and he is on a mission to Europa for a whole decade.
The book isn't as much about space travel as it is about human ambition, sacrifice, family, and where our loyalties lie.
It was a really atmospheric and I found myself reading the whole book in two sittings which I haven't done for a long time. It's a very 'readable' novel, split into general narrative and the log from Oliver's years on the spacecraft.
I really enjoyed it and it was an honour to hear Cecile Pin talk about the book and the process and research she put into it. I find her a really trustworthy author and I know this has not even been released yet but it makes me excited for whatever project she works on next as Wandering Souls and Celestial Lights are so different to one another, but the storytelling in both is just fantastic.
The reader meets Ollie, a young bright boy who is encouraged to be an engineer and is given the opportunity to be an astronaut by a Musk-type billionaire who has the ability to influence and control.
Ollie is desperate to prove himself and fulfil his duties, but at what cost? He's selfish but selfless, depending on who you ask - but his choice is made and he is on a mission to Europa for a whole decade.
The book isn't as much about space travel as it is about human ambition, sacrifice, family, and where our loyalties lie.
It was a really atmospheric and I found myself reading the whole book in two sittings which I haven't done for a long time. It's a very 'readable' novel, split into general narrative and the log from Oliver's years on the spacecraft.
I really enjoyed it and it was an honour to hear Cecile Pin talk about the book and the process and research she put into it. I find her a really trustworthy author and I know this has not even been released yet but it makes me excited for whatever project she works on next as Wandering Souls and Celestial Lights are so different to one another, but the storytelling in both is just fantastic.
November 11, 2025
I recently read Wandering Souls by Cecile Pin, so I was keen to pick up her new book. Captain Oliver Ines it seems was born to be an astronaut, and he makes the life changing decision to leave behind his wife and young child for a ten-year mission to Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons, with no contact with Earth for the entire time.
The story moves perfectly between timelines: Oliver’s past, his space logs, and finally, his return to Earth. The pacing is spot-on, and I honestly read the whole thing in one evening because it was so compelling. The character development is excellent too, and I really liked the other characters, especially Philly and Shane.
It’s a book that really makes you think about ambition, exploration, and what we’re willing to sacrifice for the sake of discovery and recognition. Is it all really worth it? Even 'for the greater good'?
It was a brilliant, thought-provoking read that I’d definitely recommend.
I received a free advance review copy from the publisher and NetGalley, and this is my honest review.
The story moves perfectly between timelines: Oliver’s past, his space logs, and finally, his return to Earth. The pacing is spot-on, and I honestly read the whole thing in one evening because it was so compelling. The character development is excellent too, and I really liked the other characters, especially Philly and Shane.
It’s a book that really makes you think about ambition, exploration, and what we’re willing to sacrifice for the sake of discovery and recognition. Is it all really worth it? Even 'for the greater good'?
It was a brilliant, thought-provoking read that I’d definitely recommend.
I received a free advance review copy from the publisher and NetGalley, and this is my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
“Celestial Lights” by Cecile Pin is the story of an astronaut who was born the moment the Challenger fell out of the sky in 1986.
He is on a 10 year space mission to one of Jupiter’s moons and there is a lot of believable and realistic information provided about his momentous space journey that kept me on the edge of my seat.
But, this book is really about the astronauts own personal quest for success and power. The novel weaves his past, present and future story seamlessly throughout his life while painting a clear picture of the questionable choices he made and the consequences of those choices.
There is a lot to reflect back on after reading this book and I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in personal moral struggles and the issue of “power and fame at all cost” in today’s society.
Thank you NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
He is on a 10 year space mission to one of Jupiter’s moons and there is a lot of believable and realistic information provided about his momentous space journey that kept me on the edge of my seat.
But, this book is really about the astronauts own personal quest for success and power. The novel weaves his past, present and future story seamlessly throughout his life while painting a clear picture of the questionable choices he made and the consequences of those choices.
There is a lot to reflect back on after reading this book and I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in personal moral struggles and the issue of “power and fame at all cost” in today’s society.
Thank you NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
October 29, 2025
Celestial Lights was fabulous--one of my favorite recent reads. Cecile Pin's story of Oliver Ines, commander of the ship that goes to Jupiter's Moon Europa, is a thing of beauty, weaving together a past narrative of Oliver's coming of age seamlessly with the present as he tries to couple a stellar professional life with a rockier personal one. And at under 300 pages, Pin's prose is so clear and concise, yet it has the emotional impact as great as the universe she's writing about--this is a deeply human story. The science is solid too, at least to my complete layman's view. It's believable and realistic and Pin does a fabulous job portraying the initial excitement and eventual desolation of her momentous space journey.
Oliver and Philly are wonderful characters, and the secondary cast is well fleshed out as well. Once I started this story I just couldn't put it down. This is definitely one I'll be recommending to everyone.
A special thanks to Holt for granting me the opportunity to read a copy of this book for review through NetGalley.
Oliver and Philly are wonderful characters, and the secondary cast is well fleshed out as well. Once I started this story I just couldn't put it down. This is definitely one I'll be recommending to everyone.
A special thanks to Holt for granting me the opportunity to read a copy of this book for review through NetGalley.
December 21, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review 💐
4.5 stars 🌟
The first thing I thought when I finished the last page was, 'I want more'. That is a testament to how much I enjoyed this. I was invested in the story and Ollie and his life right from the first page. Some very interesting concepts were explored in this. Both in the relationships (romantic and otherwise) Oliie had with various characters, and in the overall messages that I took away from this. It was a perfect mixture of fascinating, and painful. It also very much scratched my need to read a book involving space. Having read both of her currently published works, I know Cecile Pin is a brilliant writer, and I'm looking forward to seeing more from her in the future!
4.5 stars 🌟
The first thing I thought when I finished the last page was, 'I want more'. That is a testament to how much I enjoyed this. I was invested in the story and Ollie and his life right from the first page. Some very interesting concepts were explored in this. Both in the relationships (romantic and otherwise) Oliie had with various characters, and in the overall messages that I took away from this. It was a perfect mixture of fascinating, and painful. It also very much scratched my need to read a book involving space. Having read both of her currently published works, I know Cecile Pin is a brilliant writer, and I'm looking forward to seeing more from her in the future!
November 7, 2025
Oliver Ines' destiny always lay, quite literally, in the stars. From his birth at the instant of an infamous shuttle disaster, to his glittering career as an astronaut, to the unthinkable opportunity that he has now been given.
This beautiful story answers the question that has appeared in the minds of many of us whenever we read about for example, people who dream of being chosen for the expedition to colonize Mars. How can they want this, we wonder, knowing what they will have to leave behind?
Cecile Pin has delivered another memorable story that will linger on in the minds of many readers.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
This beautiful story answers the question that has appeared in the minds of many of us whenever we read about for example, people who dream of being chosen for the expedition to colonize Mars. How can they want this, we wonder, knowing what they will have to leave behind?
Cecile Pin has delivered another memorable story that will linger on in the minds of many readers.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
November 17, 2025
This was a great read, thanks to the publishers for the ARC. Does a wonderful job of demonstrating the duality of the 'grand mission' and the 'everyday.' The main character is the Captain on the first manned voyage to Europa. He is an essentially decent person but in his family's life his decisions are cruel. This may be true of his crew's life as well. I did entertain the idea that we could be dealing with an unreliable narrator, but I don't think that is the case, I think the Captain is oddly guileless. The characters had an integrity - they made sense and behaved as they were built to behave. Very well done.
December 10, 2025
Commander Oliver Ines has been up in space for 402 days on the spaceship Talos, reminiscing about the summer of '95, when he was 9 and known as Ollie and his mother was young and healthy, and he met his childhood crush Philly. In 2004 he moved to London to attend Imperial, and then he married, got recruited by the most powerful man in the world's space program, and agreed to a ten year mission.
Celestial Lights is a story about an astronaut, with themes of loneliness and isolation; the kind encountered in space but also the kind that introverts experience, and only children, top students and divorced people.
Celestial Lights is a story about an astronaut, with themes of loneliness and isolation; the kind encountered in space but also the kind that introverts experience, and only children, top students and divorced people.
Review of advance copy
This is one of the best books I have read this year. A wonderful read describing one man’s dilemma between ambition and family obligations. Cecile Pin weaves us from childhood through the ultimate “Was everything I did in my life worth it?” It’s about how ambition and family collide and how seeking a greater purpose sometimes means you forget all the wonderful things that lie right in front of you. I highly recommend this book.
Thank you to the author Cecile Pin and Henry Holt & Company for a copy of this book.
Thank you to the author Cecile Pin and Henry Holt & Company for a copy of this book.
December 3, 2025
I got this as an ARC in a goodreads giveaway; I really enjoyed it even though it’s not my go to genre. Was a good story.
There were a few missing parentheses and an extra letter toward the end as my only critique of edits
There were a few missing parentheses and an extra letter toward the end as my only critique of edits
December 5, 2025
Thank you to Goodreads Giveaways for the Advanced Reader Copy! This book is so well written and I love how there are different fonts that are used for the mission logs vs the memories of the past. I really enjoyed reading this book!
2026
October 2, 2025📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt and Co.
November 21, 2025
Wow. I couldn’t stop reading this. I want to read it again because there’s so much here. One of the best novels I’ve read in a long time.
December 15, 2025
This was a Goodreads giveaway winner. Good story.
December 21, 2025
gorgeous, beautiful, heartwrenching, and intense book about a man born under the shadow of the stars who strove to reach the farthest, even at the cost of everything else. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.
December 21, 2025
It's really boring
I was given a review copy by the publisher
I was given a review copy by the publisher
December 11, 2025
I love this book for so many reasons, but especially the constant pull between opposites
she creates dualities everywhere. The warmth and nostalgia of childhood memories set against the vast, icy isolation of space. Philly being so full of life vs Ollie’s cool, unsettling presence.
The story also explores themes of ambition and personal sacrifice. She asks the question, “how much do we owe ourselves and our loved ones, when our ambitions and loyalties collide?” And Ollie embodies this conflict. His mission isn’t just about discovery, it’s about proving himself, and chasing greatness just for the sake of greatness. But when he gets that greatness, is it even worth it? Is all that loneliness and sacrifice actually worth it in the end?
The writing in this book is beautiful. I found myself tearing up more than I expected. Cecile Pin is amazing at breaking your heart in a single paragraph.
I need to read this again ASAP.
she creates dualities everywhere. The warmth and nostalgia of childhood memories set against the vast, icy isolation of space. Philly being so full of life vs Ollie’s cool, unsettling presence.
The story also explores themes of ambition and personal sacrifice. She asks the question, “how much do we owe ourselves and our loved ones, when our ambitions and loyalties collide?” And Ollie embodies this conflict. His mission isn’t just about discovery, it’s about proving himself, and chasing greatness just for the sake of greatness. But when he gets that greatness, is it even worth it? Is all that loneliness and sacrifice actually worth it in the end?
The writing in this book is beautiful. I found myself tearing up more than I expected. Cecile Pin is amazing at breaking your heart in a single paragraph.
I need to read this again ASAP.
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