Gravity Is Heartless

This book is shelved as a Sci-Fi romance, but I think Sci-Fi women's fiction is probably more accurate. That being said, I loved it! More Sci-Fi women's fiction, please! This book is part sci-fi thought experiment, part futuristic journey of self-discovery, and I loved every minute of it, even if it wasn't exactly what I'd been hoping for. 5 Stars and definitely a book to take a chance on!

I actually really liked this book. It was interesting to read about what could potentially be our lives in 30 years time, and it is a scary place. Very tech-savvy but quite disturbing.

The author must have done a LOT of research for this book. There is so much science that I sometimes found it a little overwhelming. However, it was necessary for the story so in the end it did start to make sense.

I loved Quinn and I loved the character she was. Very stubborn, hot-headed and smart.

I found an important message in the way we treat our planet and the effect that global warming has and will have.

Definitely worth a read.

There is a lot going on in this book. Near-future climate sci-fi also dealing with conscious AI, cyborgs, colonization of Titan and time travel.
Overall, the author does a great job of telling the story of Quinn, a 30 year old scientists specializing in clouds, who is about to get married to a multi-billionaire. She works on a climate prediction project when something goes terribly wrong.
The world is immersive, even though there are so many different elements, it feels natural and the characters, especially Quinn, are well written.
There are some pacing issues, some might be caused by the terrible formatting of the ARC I received by Netgalley in exchange for a review. There are some jumps in the story that don't feel natural.
what bothers me is the constant change between first, second, and third person narrator. It does not make sense, and it does not feel deliberate. I would have likes bit more consistency.
Overall, I like the prose of the author. BUT there are some really terrible written sex scenes in the book, they are cringy and really blunt, and did not fit well into the rest of the book.

I am excited for the second book, there are multiple plots ongoing.

Gravity Is Heartless is the story of Quinn, a scientist in the 2050s struggling as she gets inadvertently thrust into the middle of warring factions in a global climate crisis. I loved reading this book - it was so different from most other science fiction. This is one of those rare books that effectively combine women's literature, science fiction, fantasy, and action. Quinn's character is developed in-depth, and I love how the novel brings so many side characters back around at multiple points. My only complaint about the book is that even at about 80% in, I still felt like the world building was ongoing, and while the plot definitely moves a lot, it seems like the climactic moments are all being saved for book two. In a way this makes me really excited for book two, but it's also a bit frustrating that it ends where it does. I'm so glad that sci fi is evolving to include books like this, and am really grateful I had the chance to read it!

With all that is going on in the world today, I often like to escape into the world of books. Gravity is Heartless, by Sarah Lahey, focuses on a bleak dystopian future where the Earth is ravaged by global warming. Even with it's bleak subject matter, I found the book utterly entertaining. The setting was (sadly) realistic, and the characters and story were very creative.

What I Liked:
Setting:
The time is set about thirty years in to the future. If you imagine the worst possible effects of global warming, then you can guess a few of the possible problems in this world. Rising temperatures melt most of the polar icecaps, flooding island nations. This creates waves of nation-less refugees. The hotter climates cause the wealthy to build massive, air-conditioned cities that overlook large populations of the poor. Everything has changed, including how people live, work, and eat. The details make this bleak world come to life.

Conflicts:
One of the main conflicts that I found scariest (because I can see it happening) is the formation of two political movements. One is science-driven, pushing for reforms that might save the planet. The other is based on religious fanaticism. Both of these factions are vying for power and limited resources. And they are both ripe for corruption.

Characters:
Quinn is a scientist who is at a crossroads in her life. While she's making strides in her career, her personal life is in chaos. She's set to marry a fellow researcher, but is getting cold feet. As the wedding approaches, an event occurs that causes Quinn to question everything she believes in.

She has a lot to sort and in her journey she encounters several unique characters. The one who will affect her life the most is Tig. Tig is human but has many parts of him replaced with tech. He seems to know Quinn already, but she certainly doesn't recognize him. Tig is one of the many displaced island people of South Asia. He represents what is being lost in the world. Quinn represents the future. How is it that they make such a powerful connection?

Story:
The story centers around the possibility that Quinn's mother, a famous scientist herself, could have unlocked the secrets of time travel. Both the Science party and the Religious party want this secret. While Quinn's mother remains missing, they believe Quinn is the key to unlocking the mystery. All this is set in the backdrop of civil unrest, and the budding romance between Quinn and Tig.

What I was Mixed About:
While the romance between Quinn and Tig was exciting (and very sexy), I was troubled by how pushy and possessive Tig quickly became. He "chose" her, he is jealous of any attention Quinn gets from other men, and he tries to push her into getting married. Tig showed all the red flags of being an abuser. Fortunately, Quinn gets this vibe as well, and is very cautious with him. But I didn't like how others were willing to excuse Tig's behavior, including her own father!

A Note: This is definitely an Adult book with sex on the page. If you like "Clean" books, you may want to skip this book.