AfterEllen.com Book Club discussion

The Gravity Between Us is the official pick for the June book club, and I don't have a copy in my own hands yet, but it seems like a lot of folks have already read it, or are starting to read it, so I want to get these discussions up and running. I also like when we split the discussions up into sections, and this one is just a little over 300 pages (according to Amazon), so why don't we just split it three ways, 100 pages-ish each? Like I said, I haven't read the book yet myself, so I have no idea if these splits will necessarily make sense plot-wise but OH WELLS! I also might be just a little bit drunk right now.

So anyway, tell us about the first 100 pages! Are you digging the writing style? The characters? The plot thus far?

Awesome! I've had this book on my device for a while and will gladly take the opportunity to finally read it.
Also: Group, we're reading another book about young people in Hollywood. Is this our new theme? :-)

I'm grateful that this is such a fast an easy read. I keep trying to remind myself that it's for teens, and of course that's a good audience for a silly fame/romance fantasy (that seems to involve little to no knowledge or research into how Hollywood actually works). I do like the characters and the format of swapping between narrators, and things are moving along at a nice clip. The dialogue, however, is killing me.

Also, I'm highly entertained as this is the first time I've read a YA novel on Kindle, so I get to see which passages are most-frequently highlighted. Is anyone else e-reading and finding those choices fascinating/curious?

I'm also reading this on my Kindle and I agree, Louise. I actually got the vibe that some of the highlighted passages were the types of things that parents would highlight in that "it's ok my kid is gay and here's why" spirit! Either way, it's definitely interesting to see the types of things that 60+ people have marked.

I think that if you accept this for what it is, i.e. young adult find yourself romance, it's incredibly engaging. This isn't great literature by any stretch of the imagination, but I think that she captures the sexual tension of innocent moments in an incredibly realistic manner. It's bringing back so many memories of my first crush and the stillness vs. heart pounding out of your chest feeling you get when you're in certain situations. I'm really enjoying it so far!

This is sweet! Reminds me of when I was young and pining over a certain friend. But: How realistic is it that two best friends both turn out to be gay AND fall in love with each other? I mean, sure, otherwise there wouldn't be this book. But so far I havn't encountered it in real life. Makes a cute story though.

I wasn't expecting the change of view. It kind of throws me off. To me it's Payton's book, probably because hers was the first chapter. So I'm always a bit confused when Kendall is narrating. It would be easier to switch back and forth if the girls were more different in style of narrating. Of course they are young and best friends, so no wonder it's similar.

Kim wrote: " It would be easier to switch back and forth if the girls were more different in style of narrating. Of course they are young and best friends, so no wonder it's similar."

...or this could be because the author doesn't know how to make them sound like different, distinct characters. I read this a while ago, so perhaps I'm not remembering it well, but other than one being a movie star and the other being a music student, they were basically the same character.

I agree, Ali. The two narrative voices are identical.

And again I do know it's a fantasy for young girls, but do both protagonists really have to be drop-dead traditionally-gorgeous? One is a movie starlet and the other randomly gets invited to be a runway model?

Louise wrote: "And again I do know it's a fantasy for young girls, but do both protagonists really have to be drop-dead traditionally-gorgeous? One is a movie starlet and the other randomly gets invited to be a runway model?"

What, Louise, this hasn't happened to you IRL?! All of my couple friends are stunning movie stars and gorgeous runway models!

Ali wrote: "this hasn't happened to you IRL?! All of my couple friends are stunning movie stars and gorgeous runway models!"
Ha! So relatable, right?

Louise wrote: "Ha! So relatable, right?"
Yeah, c'mon, how about some love for the rest of us normals?!

It was already noted above that this isn't (and was probably never supposed to be) great literature, but it really toasts my marshmallow when characters are so unrelatable. They're always so beautiful and so talented and so kind and so rich and so perfect, perfect, perfect that even though I *know* I've signed on to read a dumb, junk-food book, I still can't help rolling my eyes.

I feel the same way. It's a simple story and I can't help but want to believe this sort of book could give some comfort and hope to a young person exploring these issues. But I just don't feel like "being attracted to a girl who the whole planet celebrates for her hotness" is a problem lots of young people feel worried about. Where are the growing pains, the awkwardness? Being drawn to qualities that aren't generally lauded by the rest of the world? Feeling ugly and confused?

I hope it improves but right now I'm exhausted by all the many, many passages about how each girl is conventionally stunning.

Ali wrote: "Louise wrote: "Ha! So relatable, right?"
Yeah, c'mon, how about some love for the rest of us normals?!

It was already noted above that this isn't (and was probably never supposed to be) great lit..."

I was actually picturing Peyton as a femme-leaning tomboy, and then we got halfway into the book and everyone she met started to fancy her and / or suggest she take up a career in modeling. Definitely threw me.

I agree with what was said about the two protagonists. Both are pretty flat characters and just too perfect and rich and beautiful - I generally just skim the passages where their physcial looks are described.

I didn't expect this to be great literature, but still I'd expected a bit more. Example: Payton realizes Kendall is her idea of a perfect woman, the standard she applies to everybody else. Instead of showing that, the author simply tells us this info. What could have been a great moment of revelation is just crammed into one flat line ("Oh my god! She is the standard by which I asses every other woman on the planet."). I think it would have been nicer if the reader were given the chance to come to that conclusion themselves, before Payton does.

However, this didn't keep me from reading about 70% of the book in less than 2 days, and probably finishing it today. Something about the story still draws me in. Probably because I'm a real sucker for best friends falling in love stories.