Letting Go of Gravity

Leder, Meg. Letting Go of Gravity. Simon Pulse, 2018.

Charlie and Parker are twins, but that's where their similarities end. Charlie has had leukemia twice and is now in remission, although he has one more year of high school to finish. Parker has just graduated first in her class, has an elite internship at the local hospital, and is headed to Harvard where she will be studying to be a pediatric oncologist. As Charlie and Parker clash throughout one summer, each must confront what others expect of them and what they actually want.

Even though Parker is really the main character of this story, she is not the only well-rounded character. Many of the characters are fully three-dimensional, flawed, and real. This isn't a book that is action-packed or compelling reading, but it is a thoughtful character study of what happens to the siblings of people who have serious illnesses. Parker and Charlie's entire family had to make sacrifices for Charlie, but it takes a summer of lying to her parents for Parker to realize the truth about herself and what she really wants. Recommended.

Recommended for: teens
Red Flags: language, underage drinking and drug use, domestic violence
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

Read-Alikes: You'll Miss Me When I'm Gone, All the Bright Places, My Sister's Keeper
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley for the purpose of review.