Review: a great premise that got lost in translation.
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 07 15, 2011
(2.5/5 stars)I got a copy of this through librarything, just for full disclosure.I also really wanted to like this book, but I just couldn't get into it. Usually, this sort of story is something I love to read, but I felt like "Gravity" echoed so many books in this genre that have already done this sort of plotline, and there was nothing that really stuck out to me as something new, different, or brilliant.It is a solid read, however, and that needs to be said. Boyd can definitely weave a story, but I felt like she could have expanded on certain things and pushed her story/characters over the limits of what's already out there. Unfortunately, this didn't happen, and it fell far short of what I was hoping it would be.It started off well, with a mystery and an interesting heroine, and soon got plodded down in a lot of telling instead of showing in terms of the school scenes, and then I just kind of lost interest after that. I think with some editing, this book can definitely be better than it is now. For now it feels like a first draft, and that's not a bad thing - it's almost complete, but that's just it. Almost.After the initial school scenes, I could no longer emotionally connect with the heroine. I'm not sure why. It could be the aforementioned avalanche of telling instead of showing, it could have been the often used "small haunted town with usual high school social groupings and treatment" elements that have been so present within YA lit as of late. I think had she just concentrated on the mystery itself and used a little less of the school/social factor, it would have been a much better read.I would definitely like to read another version of this - an edited, tightened version. This story has potential, Boyd has potential, and I just think she needs to push things to the limit of what they can be. The same for this story. I definitely look forward to her next work, though, and hope she keeps up with this series.(posted to librarything, goodreads, shelfari, and [...])