Name: Lauren Sullivan's review of Something Like Gravity by Amber Smith
Item: Something Like Gravity
Rating: 4
Author: Lauren Sullivan

Amber Smith

For fans of Love, Simon and Eleanor & Park, a romantic and sweet novel about a transgender boy who falls in love for the first time—and how first love changes us all—from New York Times bestselling author Amber Smith. Chris and Maia aren’t off to a great start. A near-fatal car accident first brings them together, and their next encounters don’t fare much better. Chris’s good intentions backfire. Maia’s temper gets the best of her. But they’re neighbors, at least for the summer, and despite their best efforts, they just can’t seem to stay away from each other. The path forward isn’t easy. Chris has come out as transgender, but he’s still processing a frightening assault he survived the year before. Maia is grieving the loss of her older sister and trying to find her place in the world without her. Falling in love was the last thing on either of their minds. But would it be so bad if it happened anyway?

Something Like Gravity

Lauren Sullivan

Kind of predictable and cringe. It was ok.

Payton Washer

jess

Unfortunately, Something Like Gravity wasn't for me. I'd picked up this book because of the trans rep, and not only did I find that the rep was potentially harmful, neither Chris nor Maia's stories were particularly captivating to me, and I was bored for most of the book. 

The book is told in alternating perspectives from Chris and Maia, two teenagers living next to each other in a small town. Both Chris and Maia are dealing with two very life-changing events, which is what brings them together: alienated from the rest of their community, they find comfort in each other because they understand what it's like to be alone without knowing the history behind it. That they don't know each other's histories is, I believe, the driving point behind their relationship, and it also makes their whole conflict possible: namely, both characters keep secrets from each other throughout the book. 

Personally, I found Chris and Maia both to be quite frustrating during the book. I did sympathize with both of them, however: both are going through a lot, and it makes a lot of their behaviours understandable. Both of their storylines reflected each other in a very poetic way, which I liked: it definitely lent more weight to the story. 

I was, however, definitely the most disappointed by how Chris was written. I'm not transgender, but a lot of the content surrounding Chris made me really uncomfortable. There's a couple ownvoices reviews that echo these thoughts here and here and I suggest you read those because they say it better than I could ever. But there is a scene where Maia spies on Chris as he changes, which is how Maia finds out that Chris is trans, and I feel like that's such a common yet harmful trope which was really uncomfortable to read about. Both Chris and Maia are hiding things from each other, but Chris being trans is treated with as much gravity as Maia lying about her hobbies, and it felt very wrong to me to equate the two. In addition, I'm just ... tired of reading about queer pain in contemporary novels, and tired of queer identities being held as hostage, so to speak. I know that the author is a lesbian, but she's cis and so is Maia, and I felt like Maia acted like Chris being transgender was something she used against him. Which isn't something I particularly enjoy reading about. 

This is also a very character-driven novel, which meant that because I wasn't too into the characters, I was not into the plot, either. Amber Smith's writing is beautiful, and I've heard a lot about her previous books -- so I was disappointed that I couldn't get into the rest of the book like I wanted to. 

I feel like Something About Gravity had a lot of potential behind it, but I didn't find either of its main characters particularly interesting. In addition, the portrayal of Chris as a trans person played into a lot of harmful plotlines and tropes about trans people that made me really uncomfortable. 

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Alexa Jade

I have conflicting feelings about this read tbh. I’m stuck between a 3.75 and a 4.25 so I’ll settle on 4 stars!

Alexis 

*Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an E-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.*

3/5 stars

I didn't mind the overall story of this book. I liked where it was trying to go and the representation it was trying to promote, however there were a few things I just didn't like about one of the characters. While they are little things and It may very well be a personal issue, I just couldn't stand the characteristics and the thought process behind Maia. This was a very average book, while I enjoyed it, it just fell a little flat for me.

Tiffany Engler

I received this book for my honest review.

Something Like Gravity is a beautiful story about a transgender boy finding love for the first time. Most importantly, a love who understands him and loves him as he is. It’s such a beautiful and important love story.

Words cannot express how much I love this book. My heart absorbed every word in this book. The acceptance. The brutality. The sadness. The grief. The anger. All of the emotions, my heart just sucked them all in. I swear, my heart expanded three times it’s size after reading this wonderful book.

I think there needs to be more books with a main character who is transgender. It’s such an important topic today and it’s one that’s discussed quite often. Amber Smith is not transgender herself, but I feel like her book does a magnificent job at portraying it. Amber Smith is the queen of series topics and getting them on paper properly.

I loved the family dynamics in this book. I love that not everything is perfect. That’s how it is in real life! Not everyone is so accepting automatically. Amber Smith does a great job at showing all kinds of acceptance in this book.

Chris and Maia are amazing characters. Words cannot express how much I adore them. Especially Chris, he’s such a genuine person. And Isobel. I love her with my entire heart. She reminds me so much of my grandmother, it hurts.

I would just love to thank Amber Smith for writing such a beautiful book. I feel like this book could help so many people. Whether you’re a transgender yourself, or you’re dating a transgender person. Heck, even if you’re a parent to a child/teen who told you they’re transgender. Everyone should read this book. This book will touch the lives of many.

Also, I need updates on Chris!

This book deserves all the stars in the night sky. Every single last one.

Lauren Sullivan &
Something Like Gravity by Amber Smith

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Lauren Sullivan &Something Like Gravity by Amber Smith

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Lauren Sullivan &
Something Like Gravity by Amber Smith