My sense was that "Astrid" played up the "strangeness" of the protagonist, presenting her as some sort of exotic or "alien" creature. It struck me as quite stylized (or perhaps, simply "quite French"?) in this regard. I actually preferred what seemed to me a more "human/humane" portrayal in "Patience", despite the fact that I typically prefer original series to "knock-offs". Of course, not being knowledgeable re: the spectrum, I can't reliably judge which might be more true-to-life or even if it's a case of either/or. They might be equally valid/invalid, for all I know. I simply related more to Patience.
Reading about consciousness can be fascinating. Personally, I find connecting with it directly more rewarding.