Scan barcode
fablejack's review against another edition
3.0
I had a hard time getting into this but once things finally started happening, it got much better. I appreciate the accuracy in the technical details. I may give another Tess Gerritsen book a try in the near future.
devrose's review against another edition
3.0
Not my kind of book, really. It was definitely too graphic for me at times. But it was Tess Gerritsen, so I'm glad I read it.
candik's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed the book and thought it was creepy and fairly predictable.
lexiedm14's review against another edition
5.0
5/5.
This book was AMAZING! It combines two of my greatest fears: space travel and micro-organism outbreaks. I was not a big fan of The Martian and because Tess Gerritsen is one of my favourite authors, I had high expectations going into this novel. It has been a long time since I have had a physical reaction while reading a book. Throughout the novel, there were many instances where my heart was beating out of my chest and I had to take a break from reading because I was getting so much anxiety from what was going on. That is when you know that the book is really good.
Gravity did not disappoint. It follows an astronaut named Dr. Emma Watson (haha! I know, right?!) who is on board the International Space Station when an unknown organism outbreak causes Watson's fellow colleagues to drop like flies.
This book is impeccably researched both on the medical and space side. Gerritsen was a physician so she does an amazing job at describing the medical and biological aspects of the story. I have the school background to understand what she is taking about but she can describe these aspects in a way that everyone can understand. The information regarding space travel is pretty spot-on and I ended up learning a lot about throughout the book.
All-in-all, this book was amazing. If you are looking for a unique medical thriller then this is the perfect book for you.
This book was AMAZING! It combines two of my greatest fears: space travel and micro-organism outbreaks. I was not a big fan of The Martian and because Tess Gerritsen is one of my favourite authors, I had high expectations going into this novel. It has been a long time since I have had a physical reaction while reading a book. Throughout the novel, there were many instances where my heart was beating out of my chest and I had to take a break from reading because I was getting so much anxiety from what was going on. That is when you know that the book is really good.
Gravity did not disappoint. It follows an astronaut named Dr. Emma Watson (haha! I know, right?!) who is on board the International Space Station when an unknown organism outbreak causes Watson's fellow colleagues to drop like flies.
This book is impeccably researched both on the medical and space side. Gerritsen was a physician so she does an amazing job at describing the medical and biological aspects of the story. I have the school background to understand what she is taking about but she can describe these aspects in a way that everyone can understand. The information regarding space travel is pretty spot-on and I ended up learning a lot about throughout the book.
All-in-all, this book was amazing. If you are looking for a unique medical thriller then this is the perfect book for you.
wickedthalia's review against another edition
4.0
Started off a bit slow but got quite interesting as the novel progressed. All the loose ends were nicely tied up at the end. I will definitely be reading more from this author!
cathepsut's review against another edition
5.0
About 15 years ago I read the first Rizzoli & Isles thriller, The Surgeon, and liked it. And although I 5-starred it, I never again picked up anything by Gerritsen. Well, space and an infection sounded too tempting to pass up. And after finishing this book, I think I should have picked up something by Gerritsen sooner.
On the book it mentions ER meets Apollo 13. Throw in Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton and we have a deal. And maybe bits of Life and Contagion.
Gordon Obie, known as the Sphinx... that got old eventually. I am also not a massive fan of the whole conspiracy theory shindig and the mysterious grey haired billionaire. And the ending seemed a bit too easy.
Setting that aside, this was a very enjoyable read, full of action and suspense and plenty of gross bodily fluids. Whilst I started slowly, I read the bulk of the book in one day and had a hard time putting it down. Well done!
On the book it mentions ER meets Apollo 13. Throw in Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton and we have a deal. And maybe bits of Life and Contagion.
Gordon Obie, known as the Sphinx... that got old eventually. I am also not a massive fan of the whole conspiracy theory shindig and the mysterious grey haired billionaire. And the ending seemed a bit too easy.
Setting that aside, this was a very enjoyable read, full of action and suspense and plenty of gross bodily fluids. Whilst I started slowly, I read the bulk of the book in one day and had a hard time putting it down. Well done!
diifacto's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I'm a bit hesitant to mark this as a five-star, if only because, honestly, I was not expecting to enjoy 'Gravity' this much. I only picked it up because I was buying 'Ninth House,' which was on for 2F$15, and needed another book to get the deal. Gravity had a ton of my favourite words in its blurb—ISS, single-celled organisms regenerating out of control, contagion, NASA … essentially: space plague outbreak. Which is, quite possibly, one of the most interesting pitches I've ever heard, so obviously I had to get it.
And wow, did 'Gravity' deliver.
There were times while reading this when I had to remind myself that this was fiction, not some non-fiction biography of a real contagion-type disaster. Tess Gerritsen's writing and attention to detail was just so good. 'Gravity' opens with its acknowledgements, a decision that immediately shows the reader: "This is how much research I did." Gerritsen thanks eight people from NASA by name, as well as the organization itself as a more general whole, alongside engineers, amphibian experts, and more. Though Gerritsen certainly takes creative liberties—ones that an eighteen-year-old high schooler who may have failed calculus would not catch—overall, the science in 'Gravity,' while not overbearing, is plausible, and it's apparent that Gerritsen knows her stuff (I believe she's an M.D., as well, so makes sense).
'Gravity' honestly reminded me of one of Andy Weir's books, with less of a sense of humour (not necessarily a downside). If you liked any of Andy Weir's work—'Gravity' seems more suited to those who enjoyed 'Project Hail Mary' or even 'Artemis' than to fans of 'The Martian,' but the point stands—I'd advise you give 'Gravity' a try.
And wow, did 'Gravity' deliver.
There were times while reading this when I had to remind myself that this was fiction, not some non-fiction biography of a real contagion-type disaster. Tess Gerritsen's writing and attention to detail was just so good. 'Gravity' opens with its acknowledgements, a decision that immediately shows the reader: "This is how much research I did." Gerritsen thanks eight people from NASA by name, as well as the organization itself as a more general whole, alongside engineers, amphibian experts, and more. Though Gerritsen certainly takes creative liberties—ones that an eighteen-year-old high schooler who may have failed calculus would not catch—overall, the science in 'Gravity,' while not overbearing, is plausible, and it's apparent that Gerritsen knows her stuff (I believe she's an M.D., as well, so makes sense).
'Gravity' honestly reminded me of one of Andy Weir's books, with less of a sense of humour (not necessarily a downside). If you liked any of Andy Weir's work—'Gravity' seems more suited to those who enjoyed 'Project Hail Mary' or even 'Artemis' than to fans of 'The Martian,' but the point stands—I'd advise you give 'Gravity' a try.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Gore, Blood, and Medical content
Moderate: Suicide
kirjakauris's review against another edition
3.0
Three and a half stars but I'm rounding up this time. (Edit: now that I've read though my review, I've realized it would be an injustice to every other 4 star read of mine to not drop this one to three :D)
A good premise and setting, great pacing and the tension held through out. I didn't care about the marriage troubles of the main character (or about any other aspect of the relationship between her and her husband) but otherwise the plot was good enough. The ending was really predictable from the get go. There are some questionable things here too, that I'm going to attribute to the late nineties.
Similar themes as Andromeda Strain and Cold Storage but this one had me maybe a little bit more invested, although the eventual heroics that resolved the situation were a little over the top.
A good premise and setting, great pacing and the tension held through out. I didn't care about the marriage troubles of the main character (or about any other aspect of the relationship between her and her husband) but otherwise the plot was good enough. The ending was really predictable from the get go. There are some questionable things here too, that I'm going to attribute to the late nineties.
Similar themes as Andromeda Strain and Cold Storage but this one had me maybe a little bit more invested, although the eventual heroics that resolved the situation were a little over the top.
dani_mae's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0