Gravity Is the Thing audiobook

A wonderful, heartwarming book, yet heartbreaking at the same time. Abigail, a single mum to five year old Oliver, has had some tragic times in her life. First her brother disappeared when she was a teenager, then she broke up with her husband, "the love of her life" and gone through her parents divorce. During all these times she's been receiving mysterious help through chapters of 'The Guidebook', a self help manual she started receiving about the time her brother disappeared. Now, twenty years later, she's been invited to an all-expenses paid retreat, to finally learn the truth of 'The Guidebook.' Abigail goes, somehow convinced that 'The Guidebook' and her brothers disappearance are connected, yet what she finds is something entirely different indeed. She finds herself going to a series of seminars connected to 'The Guidebook', finds new friends and really starts to find herself.Gravity Is The Thing is a lovely, witty tale, beautifully written and original. Jaclyn Moriarty will make you laugh, and she'll make you cry. A compelling storyline that you wont want to put down, you'll find yourself neglecting what you're supposed to be doing. Recommended.My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

OH MY FRAGILE HEART.GUH.So much love for this. SO MUCH.When I was younger, I discovered Finding Cassie Crazy. I didn't even realise it was a second book in a series. I just fell instantly in love. It was so witty and light and fun but it had real talk, too, and made you think long and hard about important things.I loved this for all the same reasons and more. It was so incredibly relevant, despite featuring a single mum. I normally feel distanced from stories told by mothers but not so with this one. Because it's a story about life and how, sometimes, it kinda just happens to you without you getting to have much say.I don't really want to say too much more, other than that it's beautifully written, and quirky, and disjointed, but somehow so seamless, so elegant and graceful and light. There's true substance but it's not oppressive; it lifts you slowly and lowers you gently. An absolutely stunning read that left me with a lot to think about, and reaffirmed my admiration for this author. Can't wait to read what she writes next.

4.5The thing is this novel enthralled and surprised me in unexpected ways.Gravity Is The Thing (love the title) is about many things, beautifully pulled together in this first adult novel from Jaclyn Moriarty. Abigail Sorensen began receiving the "Guidebook" twenty years prior, the year her fifteen-year-old brother, Robert, disappeared, never to be seen or heard from again. Abi's now a thirty-six-year-old single mother of a boy and the part-owner of the Happiness Cafe in Sydney.Her life revolves around her child and work. She gets an opportunity to attend a free retreat organised by the son of the people who had been sending the Guidebook. There she meets a mix of people, although only a few of them will be chosen to attend a special seminar back in Sydney. Is that some kind of pyramid scheme, a cult?This novel is about finding your way and moving on when grief, heartbreak over a failed marriage and the day-to-day struggles seem to cage you.Despite the above, the tone of the novel is very light, with some amusing episodes. I had a good chuckle at Abi's analysis of many very popular self-help books, such as The Secret, The Celestine Profecy, He's Just Not That Into You to name just a few. I'm not doing this novel justice, so I'll just sum it up by saying that it was surprising, intelligent, relatable, touching, uplifting and I loved every minute of the twelve hours plus I spent in its company. I hope Jaclyn Moriarty will write more novels for grown-ups. She's got a fan in me. A huge shout out to Aimee Horne who was absolutely magnificent. So now I've read novels by all the Moriarty sisters, who write books (three out of five are published writers). They're a talented bunch.

4+ starsWhat a lovely, lovely novel!Well, I need to back up. The first 10% seemed completely hokey, but then the story shifts and the beginning made sense and I fell in love with this novel and its narrator and I gobbled it up. The story is told by Abi, who at 37 is a single mother with more than her share of sadness in her past. But since she was 16 years old, she had been receiving unsolicited chapters of a quirky self help book in the mail. Now, she is called to attend a reunion of all the other people who had been receiving chapters from the book. Hokey, see! But there's far more to the story than this unpromising beginning. Abi is funny, sad and introspective, and the whole story is written from her lovely point of view. The beginning of Abi's sadness was the disappearance of her brother when she turned 16, which is a mystery and ache than permeate the whole novel. And the puzzling chapters and their provenance morph into a lovely subplot of human connections. I'm trying to say enough without saying much because this is a lovely reading experience to be savoured as you go. This novel is human, philosophical, sad and funny -- but it doesn't take itself too seriously.Thanks to Goodreads friend Bianca for bringing this one to my attention. And thanks for Edelweiss for giving me access to an advance copy.

I loved every single thing about this and am bereft at its being over.

Gravity Is the Thing was an enjoyable, whimsical read, with a touch of romance and some solid underlying themes about how we can choose to live authentic lives. It was my first read of a book by Jaclyn Moriarty, though I have previously read and enjoyed fiction written by two of her similarly talented sisters.The book follows a dual-timeline narrative structure, exploring the life of central protagonist, lawyer-turned-café proprietor Abigail Sorensen, in the present and in several flash-back vignettes set over the years since she was a teenager. The central thread is a mysterious self-help program Abi was invited to join just prior to her sixteenth birthday. The arrival of "The Guidebook" coincided with the sudden and unexplained disappearance of Abi's younger brother, Robert, and she has always conflated the two as being related.In the present, Abi is invited to an all-expenses-paid retreat on a remote island in Bass Strait, with the promise that the truth behind the Guidebook will be revealed. Curious, keen for a short respite from sole parenting her delightful but demanding four-year-old Oscar, and remaining hopeful that she might discover a clue as to Robert's whereabouts, Abi sets off. What transpires is bizarre, to say the least, but introduces Abi to a varied group of fellow Guidebook alumni, all of whom are searching for something more in their lives. Their subsequent meetings back in Sydney provide an opportunity for escapism, wonder and personal discovery.Interwoven with the present day narrative are chapters based around the annual reflections Abigail has sent to the Guidebook's originators over the years since she turned sixteen. Through these passages, we see Abigail's personal history unfold, and develop an increasing empathy and understanding for the challenges she faces in the present.Moriarty writes with a lyrical and assured style - much of her dialogue and many wry reflections made by the central character had me laughing with delight, particularly Abi's exchanges with her innocent but perceptive young son. Abi herself is a sympathetic heroine, who faces many experiences and challenges with which readers will relate. The supporting cast of characters are quirky and interesting, with loveable foibles and struggles that create a wider sense of pathos in the story.Gravity Is the Thing has been on my TBR for most of 2021, and I'm glad I've finally gotten around to reading it, providing as it did a lovely sense of escapism and perspective during the dark days of the Covid-19 resurgence in Australia.

What an unexpected joy this novel turned out to be. I went into it fairly blind as to the plot and not at all familiar with the writing of Jaclyn Moriarty. But there were plenty of cover quotes telling me how astonishing, extraordinary, beautiful, uplifting, unique and wonderful that this novel was. And it really was. All of that and more. It’s heartbreakingly honest and beautifully life-affirming. I loved it so much that it’s become one of my favourite reads ever. Yes, ever. That’s how much I loved it.“I don’t want a man to save me; I am happy with myself. Only, this longing for physical contact is real, a shape with dimension, and it’s all on a continuum with longing for closeness, for friendship, connection, for love. It’s a yearning that reaches back to lost best friends, lost brothers, lost birthdays, lost birthday wishes.”I really enjoyed the way Jaclyn Moriarty writes. She makes full use of style and punctuation within her narrative. Italics for emphasis and plenty of exclamation points for tone and wit. It’s very clever and not in any way overdone. You really get a true sense of not only what a person is saying but how they’re saying it, allowing for a lot of reading between the lines. The same applies to all of Abigail’s internal dialogue, which was very amusing, and highly relatable. The chapter lengths are also used really well, some being only a sentence long, making their point with short impact, while others are quite in-depth, offering key moments of backstory. With extracts from “The Guidebook” and key reflections on Abigail’s life, this novel is arranged brilliantly, like a quilt with its pieces being stitched together, a little hodge-podge at times until all of sudden you realise that there’s nothing random going on here at all. And it’s funny. So funny, with a sharply clever wit.“There were two important things about the approaching year 2000: first, the pressure that the artist formerly known as Prince had placed on us by defining the ultimate party as that which takes place on the last day of 1999; and second, the fact that the world was going to be wiped out by the millennium bug (presumably while throwing Prince’s party).”There are so many themes running through this novel that readers can relate to, and Jaclyn writes with such empathy, that it becomes virtually impossible to not feel everything that Abigail is feeling; she really does put the reader into her main character’s shoes. Loss is examined within many contexts within this novel, and I was struck by how defining a missing family member can be on your life. That absence of closure is such a weight to bear, manifesting itself in so many ‘what ifs’ that all lead to the same road of blaming yourself for things you said or didn’t say, things you could have done differently. I appreciated how Abigail highlighted the ways in which she had not been able to grieve for both her brother and the loss of her husband, because both of these losses were out of the range of ‘normal’. Likening this to Wilbur’s loss and experiences of grief was profound. Poor old Wilbur, trying his hardest to honour his parent’s legacy despite the absurdity of it. He really was a special guy and I liked him a lot. Much of this story is about human connection and there are some excellent scenes where this is demonstrated. I especially loved a scene towards the end that is the very definition of kindness to a stranger in action. It kind of made me want to jump up and clap while grabbing for the tissues – actually, the whole novel kind of made me want to do that!“I studied his smile and I saw that two unstable people had built a gossamer house and left it to their son, who had got to work plastering the walls with his own loss. These classes had been built on bewilderment: our own, Wilbur’s parents, Wilbur’s.”There’s just so much to enjoy within this novel, even when it’s being sad and making you cry! Sometimes it made me laugh while I still had the sad tears raining down my face, and that’s a special kind of novel that can do that. I have deliberately avoided commenting on the plot here because this is one novel you just want to experience without spoilers; less is best, in this case. But I urge everyone to read it, no matter what genre you usually prefer, as this is one novel that has universal appeal, one of those brilliant rare ones that I will quite happily recommend to all.Thanks is extended to Pan Macmillan Australia for providing me with a copy of Gravity is the Thing for review.

Honestly I would pay to read Jaclyn Moriarty’s shopping lists. She is such a beautiful, insightful writer and I love reading her work. This book was no exception. The story was so captivating, the mysterious Guidebook, the missing brother, Abi’s son and ex-husband. There was so much to be unravelled and it all came together in such an interesting, heartbreaking way.One thing that really struck me was how well she captured the reality of having a four year old. Every conversation between Abi and her son made me wonder if the author had been eavesdropping on me and my daughter. The descriptions of the questions, the frustrations, the games Abi didn’t want to play, the utter and complete love in the face of all this, it was so perfect.

4.5 starsWhat an achingly beautiful story. So much truth about love, loss, and everyday life. Push through some of the oddness of the plot and reach in to discover the real truth--that we need each other through the mundane, the exciting, the mysterious, the difficulties, and the joy. Many, many tears were shed while reading this novel, especially in the last chapters.This book is both surprising, and yet so comfortable. There's a central mystery (that does indeed get solved, for those of you who, like me, need closure for things like that), but although that is a thread that is woven throughout the tale, it's not really the most important thing, that would be Abi's (and the reader's) journeys to make sense of things when they don't make sense. Because even if you try to get it all right, you'll miss something important in life. Yet, sometimes it's those misses and confusing things that are exactly the right thing that you find you desperately need.This is Moriarty's first adult novel and I look forward to reading another by her in the future.I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.comWith one adult fiction book and eight young adult titles to her name, Jaclyn Moriarty has released her latest contemporary fiction novel, Gravity is the Thing, to great critical acclaim. With a front cover endorsement from Marian Keyes, declaring Gravity is the Thing as, ‘Astonishing wonderful’, my interest was definitely tweaked. I enjoyed this book from cover to cover.Gravity is the Thing relays the tale of Abigail Sorensen, a woman who suffered from a life altering event in her teens, which has never really left her side. Linked to Abigail’s story is the presence of a self help book, titled The Guidebook. With chapters of this book turning up ever since Abigail’s brother disappeared, Abigail can’t help but think the two are connected in some way. Now, many years after the disappearance of her brother and the appearance of The Guidebook, an opportunity comes Abigail’s way. Abigail is sent on a journey to learn more about the mysterious book and perhaps a missing piece of the puzzle to her brother’s disappearance. Readers will find Abigail’s journey a quietly surprising and soulful experience.Although I am familiar with Jaclyn Moriarty by name, I haven’t investigated her work until now. I was intrigued enough by the blurb and cover of Gravity is the Thing. I sat down to read Gravity is the Thing over the weekend and the pages, as well as the time literally flew by. I was utterly absorbed!It is hard to shelve this book in a category. I would say Gravity is the Thing falls into the category of the most recent resurgence of up-lit, heart-warming fiction or life lit style, with a whiff of mystery. I have really come to appreciate these books and the relevancy they have to our lives. I am confident readers will find some semblance in the experiences of Abigail, Moriarty’s lead protagonist. Moriarty also tackles some resonating themes in this novel, from choices, illness, loss, grief, hope, single parenthood, relationships, friendships, family, life goals and fulfilment. Each is touched gently by the careful and tender words of Jaclyn Moriarty. I think the segment of the story that left the strongest impression on me was the loss of a sibling, so young, in such bewildering circumstances. The case presented in Gravity is the Thing offers with no set answers, or firm goodbyes.‘I’ve said goodbye a hundred times, a thousand, yet I’m always on this carousel, turning and turning, and he’ll always be there, my brother Robert, always there, and always gone.’Abigail, Moriarty’s lead, and her experiences really touched my soul. It is hard not to develop a sense of attachment to Abigail. As a mother of young children myself, I was able to sympathise with Abigail greatly and I wanted her to find what she was looking for. Abigail’s journey is just magnificent to follow, filled with plenty of startling, sad, happy and contemplative moments. There is also a heart-warming ensemble cast, from Abigail’s family, to dear Wilbur. I was impressed with Moriarty’s characterisation, many of these characters will be hard to forget.I really loved the mystery side of Gravity is the Thing, for me, it was the primary reason why I couldn’t put this book down. The mystery is structured really well and the final outcome surprised me. The narrative layout implores you to keep reading the book and it pulls you right in. There are short chapters and longer chapters, defined by present day happenings and flashbacks. I was a little unsure as to how it would all pan out, but I placed my faith in Moriarty and it paid off.Gravity is the Thing was a book that left me with plenty to ponder on. The combination of Moriarty’s unique wit, embracing prose and authentic characters made this novel a book I have no hesitation in backing. Jaclyn Moriarty has a new fan!*Thanks extended to Pan Macmillan for providing a free copy of this book for review purposes.Gravity is the Thing is book #53 of the 2019 Australian Women Writers Challenge .

Perfect. Funny, quirky, weird, happy, sad. The kind of book that you finish with tears in your eyes in the middle of an airport and you don’t even care because it was just that good.