Stratt is so much meaner in the book, when she tells Grace he's going on the mission, and I love it. It's so effective. Because Stratt isn't mean. Not to anyone else. She's brusque and ruthless, but she often chooses to be kind, when she can afford to be. She's not cruel.
Except in this one scene. She tears Grace apart, she lies to him to make it hurt more, because she's furious with him. Because he's disappointed her so profoundly. Because he couldn't do the right thing, and now she has to tear her heart out of her chest to do it for him. If he had only been brave enough to do the right thing, she could have said goodbye. Her last memory of her best friend could have been of somber solidarity, of pride in their shared purpose. But no. And now she has to live with the memory of him begging her for his life instead. She has to remember telling him no.
YES EXACTLY THIS THANK YOU
It's also worth noting that in the book this scene is a significant departure from both of their previous characterizations.
Grace's "I belong in the classroom" excuse in the book is full of fascist dogwhistles. I can't find the exact quote, but it's something along the lines of western civilization being in decline because the children are being raised too soft and he cant go to space because he has to go back to teaching to toughen these kids up for a harsh future. Like, it's bad.
Grace, who has been Stratt's moral compass throughout the book (including, notably, helping her make the call to use comas rather than keep the astronauts awake) is not only refusing to do what's necessary, but he comes out with the absolute worst possible excuse to justify it. She's a history major. She knows what atrocities have been justified with those lines of thinking. And sure, logically, she knows he's grasping at straws to justify his own self preservation instinct, but I imagine part of her anger comes from fear that she's miscalculated by putting her trust in him and fear that she'll do the same once it's time to pay the piper for her own crimes against humanity. She promised herself she would be different from all the petty dictators she hates. But she can't be sure she really has it in her. Maybe she was wrong about Grace. About herself. About humanity. Maybe this was all for nothing.
No wonder she lashes out.
