Book Review: The Gravity Of Us by Phil Stamper

‘The Gravity Of Us’ was Phil Stamper’s first novel, released back in 2019. This insightful story shouts hard-hitting truths from the rafters; a primary theme of this book is communication, whether among friends, family, or the media. I loved how Stamper used this theme in so many different ways, whether he’s commenting on fake news, reality TV, or family, it’s all incredibly poignant and certainly a hot topic. Something I particularly enjoyed was how Stamper showed that parents can make incredibly flawed decisions, for example, in a bid to chase a seemingly futile pipe dream, Cal’s father applies to be an astronaut in the Orpheus Space Project. Or how, Leon’s parents had good intentions in encouraging him to harness his talents in gymnastics despite struggling with the workload and his own mental health.

The story follows Cal, who grew up in Brooklyn, New York, and has a budding career in journalism in front of him after reporting with a no-nonsense approach to interviewing. He gained influence and following from his video content on FlashFame, where he reported on the US election. He returns from filming content in the city with his best friend, Deb, to find his family is going to be uprooted. On a whim, Cal’s father Calvin Sr. applied to be the last prospective astronaut on the upcoming Orpheus V mission to Mars, and having managed to attain the position, the family had to move from their small apartment to the sweltering suburban town of Clear Lake, Texas, home to the AstroKids of the original Space Race.

After getting off on the wrong foot with StarWatch, the reality TV show that documents the lives of the astronauts in anticipation of Orpheus V’s launch, Cal is forced to make quick decisions in the name of his image, his reputation, and his career options.

Cal is faced with some of the hard-hitting truths of a career in his industry, and as he battles with romantic feelings toward his fellow AstroKid, Leon Tucker, whose mother, Grace, is supposedly in direct competition with Calvin Sr., Cal has to make some hard decisions, and when tragedy strikes the heart of the Orpheus V mission, he becomes well-acquainted with how harsh reality TV can be: the need to capture the reality of a situation is starkly juxtaposed by needing to record the same moment from multiple angles, which is only exacerbated by the horror the families are experiencing. After a confrontation with the host of StarWatch, and another tragedy jeopardising the security of the Orpheus Project, Cal finds himself the centre of attention and wants to make it right.

The romance between Cal and Leon is a primary focus of the story, however, it doesn’t overshadow the imposing figure of journalism as a whole. That’s what Cal wants to do. That’s what lords over everyone living in Clear Lake. That’s what keeps NASA funded. But, there are ramifications of turning the astronauts of NASA into the stars of ‘Love Island’, ‘Geordie Shore’ or, ‘Big Brother’. None of it feels authentic, and drama is stirred to keep people interested. What happened to the wonders of space travel being enough to keep people interested?

Deb’s character rubbed me the wrong way, mostly due to how Cal as a character interacts with her. I’m glad she isn’t forgotten throughout the story, and that her role is important, aside from declaring that Cal is selfish at almost every opportunity. She offers the reality check, the perspective, and offers a grounding presence. Although she as a character annoyed me, her purpose is imperative to the book and despite not necessarily liking her, I liked what she did for the book.

I also loved how clear Cal’s flaws were, and how willing he was to acknowledge and attempt to work on them – that doesn’t always happen, but the idea of having a control freak on reality TV proves very interesting.

The metaphors and imagery, and their relationships to the idea of exploration, progress and space travel were fantastic. I loved how the idea of progress in this novel wasn’t about Cal and Leon falling in love, it was about going to Mars. It was such a refreshing, positive element to the book. Furthermore, I loved how Cal’s perceived microcosms and macrocosms interact. He sees the bigger picture of what the Orpheus Space Project means for the world, and not just his father. It’s incredibly interesting.

Kiara’s character, therefore, is incredibly interesting. She is young, tired, and desperate for change. She has good intentions but puts herself first. She knows what she needs to do, and doesn’t necessarily fear how that may hurt others in the long run. Yet she’s reserved and vulnerable, and doesn’t necessarily want to be a fly on the wall when a widow is crying over the loss of her husband. She knows it’s cruel. She’s human, complex, and nuanced. She’s real. I really enjoyed seeing Cal’s point of view change throughout the story as he sees the layers of her character shine.

I really enjoyed reading this book, it was short but incredibly poignant. I’d definitely recommend it. It was a hard-hitting, critical look at the nature of reality TV and what it means to keep your job in a vicious industry like journalism.