Book Review: Gravity by Leanne Lieberman

Gravity
Leanne Lieberman
Victoria, BC: Orca Book Publishers, 2008.
245 p., pbk., $12.95.
ISBN 978-1-55469-049-7

Ellie Gold is facing a major problem. She is an Orthodox Jew who believes both in God and her religion. Her mother and father are strict followers of their faith. They have a nice life in Toronto and are active in their community. So what is Ellie’s problem? The fact that she is a lesbian, which is an abomination according to her religion. The fact that she has fallen in love for Lindsay, a goyische (non-Jew), only makes things worse.

Leanne Lieberman’s Gravity, winner of Orca's So You Think You Can Write? contest, tackles some important themes in a very clean and readable prose that skillfully navigates Ellie’s journey as she tries to come to terms with her religion and sexuality. However, there are some factors that might make the book unappealing to teens. There is a lot of Jewish terminology in the book, which might turn away teens that are looking for a character like them, though there is a glossary in the back of the book.

Another strange element is that the book takes place in 1987, and a lot of cultural references seem forced (shoulder pads, Dirty Dancing, New Kids on the Block). Gravity is a fine book, but teens might not connect with it.

Recommended with reservations. 2P

Review of Getting the Girl

Juby, Susan. Getting the Girl. HarperTrophyCanada, 2008. 341p., pbk. $14.99 978-0-00-200709-2

Starting high school is never easy, but things are especially bad at Harewood Tech where students become instant pariahs if their picture goes up in school washrooms with a large D (for Defiled) beside their face. With the social system entrenched, who is brave enough to risk everything and fight this injustice? The answer is Sherman Mack, aka Mack Daddy Investigations, an Encyclopedia Brown wannabe who yearns to catch the Defiler and impress the ladies in his life. The only problem is that his investigating skills are a little lacking.

Getting the Girl by Susan Juby (Alice, I Think) is equal parts humour and mystery, but never forgets that the plot is centered around a social ritual that devastates lives. She provides a different spin on the typical theme of the mob mentality in high schools, questioning why all of the students follow a social system that none of them want, effectively condoning the work of the Defiler. Juby adeptly changes the tone of the book when needed, all the while maintaining a consistent voice for Sherman. There are some instances of language that might be objectionable to a minority of readers, but the book has a wide range of appeal and will attract many teens with different reading habits.

Recommended. 4P