The novel “Gravity” by Tess Gerritsen was published for the first time in 1999.
When a scientific experiment involving a species of archaea conducted on the International Space Station seems to fail, the directive given is to incinerate everything. That seems like the end of it, also because the Station doctor is rushed back to Earth when his wife is the victim of an accident.
Emma Watson is training within the Station’s regular crew rotation and being sent there ahead of schedule seems like a dream come true despite the tragic circumstances. However, when Japanese astronaut Kenichi Hirai starts feeling ill showing symptoms that are difficult to diagnose, the dream begins to turn into a nightmare.
Tess Gerritsen has an actual medical degree and also practiced as a doctor before becoming a writer and especially known for her medical thrillers. She has also written romance novels with thriller elements and “Gravity” mixes these genres with the addition of a science fiction element that sometimes has horror tones.
When this novel was written, archaea were still little-known microorganisms and Tess Gerritsen may have thought they were strange enough to be used in one of her novels. The story includes various discussions of the genetic characteristics of the archaeon brought to the International Space Station as part of the scientific experiments being conducted in microgravity. The author tries to avoid using too complex scientific jargon but it’s probably an advantage to have some knowledge of biology.
The beginning of the novel is much closer to a romance novel with married couples at the center of the main events. Emma Watson and Jack McCallum are on the verge of divorce and their problems have much importance and repercussions throughout the story. I guess Tess Gerritsen’s idea was to add another layer of drama but this is definitely not my thing, so she just made the opening part heavy and tedious for me.
The story comes to life after Emma Watson arrives on the International Space Station and Japanese astronaut Kenichi Hirai falls ill. The plot has a number of ramifications both in orbit and on Earth with what are supposed to be twists with surprises and revelations. The romantic element between Emma Watson and Jack McCallum remains important but is not as heavy as in the initial part.
Honestly, I found several parts somewhat predictable, especially in the parts set on Earth and with events that were supposed to be unpredictable. My biggest concern came from the fact that the Station was at the center of the plot but all the activities were managed in the USA. Even at the best of times in U.S.-Russia relations, frankly, I just don’t see the Russians sitting back and watching a situation where their own cosmonauts are risking their lives.
The strength of the novel lies in the development of the story of a completely out-of-the-ordinary biological threat in an environment that is also out of the ordinary like the International Space Station in a way that is easily understandable even for readers who don’t have great technical and scientific knowledge. Tess Gerritsen manages to explain in simple words everything about space travel, work in microgravity, and the biological characteristics of the archaeon at the center of the story.
A project for the cinema adaptation of “Gravity” began soon after the novel’s publication but was never developed. The rights became the property of Warner Bros. through various acquisitions and Tess Gerritsen sued after the release of the movie “Gravity” believing there were too many similarities to be coincidences but she lost it. The novel seems really suitable for making a movie and Emma Watson is now the right age to play Emma Watson. 😉
“Gravity” is above all a medical thriller and I think it was written for readers who don’t read science fiction. If you like this genre and the romantic element doesn’t bore you or worse, it can be an enjoyable novel.
