Gravity (Young Adult Novels) Paperback – November 1, 2008

This was a very engaging novel that dealt with several complex issues very well. The writing itself is stellar. I question some of the choices the author made -- particularly in having the main character's family be "born again" Jews -- but the book was no worse for it.

I read all the publishers reviews and wanted to throw up. None of them read the book. I did. The book is poorly written trash designed to imply that religious girls just was lesbian relationships. Then the book gets worse as the author attacks every aspect of Torah Judaism. It's all one big fat lie.Save your money. This book just isn't worth it.This book defies gravity because it makes you want to vomit.

Gravity is the interesting story of fifteen year old Ellie as she figures out how to fit her new found sexuality into her Orthodox Jewish upbringing after a summer at her grandmother's lake cottage. It's also set in the 80s, which is awesome. But anyway, Ellie meets Lindsay and cannot stop thinking about her (especially her boobs). Things might be over when they leave the lake, but the girls don't live too far from one another. Now Ellie is terrified of being caught due to the mixed messages her religion sends about homosexuality.Ellie's parents are very, very, very religious. The Torah is everything, so there's no way she can talk to them about what's going with her. Luckily, her older sister is sick of the sexism and restrictions placed on them by their faith and is letting it go. Ellie doesn't want to stop being religious, she just wants to figure out how to make it work for her without being like those hypocrites who pick and choose which scriptures should be followed literally and which are out of date. I really enjoyed going on this journey with Ellie. There was a great balance between her being totally lost and her finding her own way. She asked questions even if she remained vague so her parents wouldn't know exactly what she meant.The only thing that kind of annoyed me about Gravity was the romance. At least in the beginning. Lindsay is not a very nice girl. Ellie likes her at first because she's hot (duh) and confident, like how she wants to be. But Lindsay toys with her a lot. I would also describe her as a manic pixie dream girl. She has all of the qualifications, including getting Ellie to open up and be herself. Ellie also stalks Lindsay for several weeks before making contact. It's kind of weird. Like, she's super obsessed with her and at times it made her feel younger. I'm sure you can all remember lingering around places to get a glimpse of your crush then giggle back to your friends about it. It was like that, so it was weird to see Ellie like that, but then she's also having a sexual relationship later. If that makes any sense at all.In the end, I did like Gravity. I found it really interesting to learn more about Judaism, which I'll admit I didn't know much about at all. I also thought that Ellie discovering her sexuality felt very realistic. She noticed that she never thought about boys the way she thought about Lindsay, did some research, discovered it wasn't the end of the world, and accepted it. I do kind of wish there had been a coming out scene though. I would have liked to know how her parents reacted. I'm sure Bubbie would have been 100% supportive though.

Gravity, Leanne Lieberman's masterful and remarkable debut novel, tells one of the most profound and powerful tales of coming-of-age and exploring and understanding one's self that I have read. Leanne Lieberman conquers the heavily trodden path of teen self-discovery and sexual orientation and manages to interpret in an unprecedented and creative fashion. Ellie Gold, an orthodox Jew, has never doubted or resented her beliefs, but now, over the summer of her 15th year, she struggles to define and understand herself within the rigid lines of her religion. She encounters wild and liberal Lindsay, whose abandon and flamboyant nature provoke feelings and stirrings that challenge Ellie's perception of her self and cause the great difficulty of dealing with her emerging homosexuality. Ellie is lost, guilty, and unsure about to approach now a religion that tells her that her sexuality is a mistake or childish tendency, even a sin is followed. Ellie must choose between abandoning her perception of God and her beliefs of what is truly right and wrong, or bury and hide the feelings and personality that she cannot deny. The realistic fiction genre is not one of my favorites; however, I felt that Gravity was exceptional. Ellie's attempt to judge and really comprehend her religion is one that I can understand. If God loves everyone, why does he disown the homosexuals or those who don't keep Sabbath or follow strict religious practices?I thoroughly enjoyed Gravity and hope that all teens, going through a time of self definition, as well as those who are coming out, or confronting a part of themselves that have not, will also. Ellie, Lindsay, and Ellie's diverse and rich family are all highly developed and deep characters, each with their own quirks, yet able to maintain personalities that one can relate to or connect to people in our own lives. Their deep nature adds to the already extensively original and unique plot, concluding in a surprising yet wrenchingly realistic ending. Although the Gravity was admittedly not written very complicatedly, the blatant honesty of Ellie and her childish innocence reversed any detraction from the text. I would encourage people of all ages and religions to begin the splendid journey and mental trek that one will certainly experience upon ordering Gravity. ~~ C.S.H.

Was an interesting story and as a person unfamiliar with the Jewish faith I learned a lot!