A Radical Shift of Gravity

by Nick Tapalansky, Kate Glasheen

Overview

The world is changing. Gravity, a force everyone takes for granted, has begun to disappear. As a young journalist, Noah spends his days documenting the wondrous and terrifying shifts in the world around him. But Noah’s life is changing, too. Falling in love and raising a rebellious daughter adds new meaning to life in this mysterious floating world. As he covers the invention of new sports, interviews experts, and even journeys into space, each experience shapes how Noah views the world and, in turn, his relationship with his family. And as his daughter grows older, Noah faces the challenge every parent dreads and dreams of: letting go. A Radical Shift of Gravity is a science-fiction fable: a graphic novel that explores the ties that bind a family together, the forces that threaten to pull them apart, and the quiet beauty of a world where everyone is floating away.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940153654690
Publisher:	IDW Publishing
Publication date:	04/08/2020
Series:	A Radical Shift of Gravity
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	110 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

A Radical Shift of Gravity

Editorial Reviews

04/27/2020

Set against the backdrop of a global apocalypse, Tapalansky (Cast No Shadow) and Glasheen’s ambitious narrative of loss and reconciliation doesn’t fully achieve the promise of its whimsical premise. In a world where the Earth’s gravity is suddenly reduced, mankind is unmoored from the planet. At first, this bouncy state is kind of fun; then gravity suddenly releases its hold further and the effects become devastating. The narrative follows a journalist, Noah, through his estrangement from his daughter, Elycia, as they disagree over what to do about Earth’s fluctuations in physics. Elycia aligns herself with a mysterious entrepreneur named Isolde Spedmore, who wants to save mankind by housing them on an off-world colony. Noah first takes Spedmore to be a corporate villain, but when he realizes she’s a savior, the foreshadowing has been so heavy that one wonders why he was so slow on the uptake. The worldbuilding includes theatrical, moody pans of acrobatic commuters and jumbled cityscapes, but also feels inconsistent, as when characters do a lot of walking, driving, and sitting—details that matter in a world where human locomotion has been upended. Glasheen’s watercolor art is sparse and dreamy, with pen lines over muted color washes, but also sometimes rushes by seeming unfinished. In the crowded market for envisioning the end of the world, this one feels like it needed a bit more time in development. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

"This beautiful book is very smart about global catastrophes and very honest about personal ones. For everyone asking ‘How can we raise a family in a world like this?’, A Radical Shift of Gravity offers a powerful answer.” — Jeff Lemire

"Ingeniously structured... a remarkably moving parable that captures the particular uncertainty of 21st-century life." — Library Journal (starred review)

From the Publisher

★ 04/01/2020

This ingeniously structured story from writer Tapalansky (Cast No Shadow) and artist Glasheen (Bandage: A Diary of Sorts) darts back and forth across several decades to explore one man's desperation to keep his family safe. After Earth's gravity is mysteriously reduced by 16.5 percent, most people enjoy the newfound freedom they find, floating around. But freelance journalist Noah Hall is skeptical of humanity's speedy adaptation to its new circumstances, especially after a scientist, Isolde Spedmore, informs him that further gravitational shifts are imminent and that moving humanity off-world is the only way to avoid mass extinction. Years later, Noah and his daughter meet a group of researchers convinced that the solution lies at the center of Earth; decades after that, father and daughter find themselves estranged after she decides to join Spedmore in space. Tapalansky and Glasheen weave storylines and time frames together for maximum impact, juxtaposing scenes depicting love and loss, best-laid plans and tragic outcomes, again and again, to highlight Noah's struggle to accept his own limitations in a rapidly changing world. VERDICT A remarkably moving parable that captures the particular uncertainty of 21st-century life.

Library Journal

04/01/2020

Gr 9 Up—Everyone remembers where they were when Earth's gravity shifted—now humans can float through the air, though trees, animals, and objects remain grounded. Scientists are stumped, but theories abound. Corporate giant Isolde Spedmore is convinced that the gravity shift is a sign that the planet will become uninhabitable and that the population must move to space before it's too late. But Noah Hall, a struggling journalist documenting this new world, wants to stay and find a solution; he investigates a utopian society trying to live life as it was before, with magboots that keep people rooted to the ground. This intriguing tale jumps back and forth in time—an especially poignant plot line focuses on the growing tension between Noah and his daughter, Elycia, who agrees with Spedmore. Selections from Noah's articles offer insight into his philosophy and the state of the world. Glasheen's resplendent watercolor and ink drawings suggest tranquility but occasionally veer into the unsettling. Each time line has its own palette, which helps readers keep the story straight. This dreamy work may be too ponderous for many, but its contemplation of a world in catastrophe, the devastation that ripples outward, and how human beings respond in the aftermath of a great crisis will reward teens seeking out something beautiful and challenging. VERDICT Hand this thoughtful graphic novel to those who appreciated Scott Westerfeld's The Spill Zone and other cryptic dystopian tales.—Gretchen Hardin, Bee Cave Public Library, TX

School Library Journal