Center of Gravity, switches gears for the better

I really like books that I didn’t think I would like. Center of Gravity is a book like that. Personally, there’s nothing about the subject matter that appeals to me. Tessa’s mother passed away relatively recently and her dad has started dating again. Things have gotten very serious and the two of them are packing up things in Denver to move to a coastal California town. The new girlfriend is much younger than her dad and her family is apparently loaded. At first, Center of Gravity feels like a middle school companion to Karate Kid. However, as the book moves along it takes a much more serious turn. In doing author Shaunta Grimes delivers a character study that’s as much about teenage grief as it is insecurities, acceptance and moving on. 

Tessa has no illusions as to how her mom would want her to handle things. She would want her to be happy, but that’s a little challenging. To help her cope, Tessa has started collecting milk carton pictures of lost kids. It’s worth pointing out that Center of Gravity takes place in 1985, so cell phones aren’t a distraction and picture of missing kids are on the back of cardboard milk packages. The fact that the story takes place in another time period adds to the earnestness of how each of the characters behaves in the book.  

When Tessa relocates to her new home she’s surprised at how quickly she makes friends. The pack of friends plays foosball together, which was thing that Tessa excelled at before she moved. Her new friends are amazed at her foosball abilities and the stage is set for the upcoming competition that has a prize of $1,000 to the winning team.   

 It’s here where book feels like it could easily segue into a summer camp story where Kristy McNichol would play the lead. However, the plot goes into a more realistic direction that sees two members of the foosball team who are in real-life peril. Initially this twist felt weird and I wanted more of the summer camp story.  

Much to my surprise, as the story went on I found the way that the kids dealt with the situation real and refreshing. It has a zany plot aspect where they hatch a plan so that the two can go live with their uncle in the northeast. The way that they deal with it isn’t unrealistic; it’s just the way that kids would’ve dealt with it in 1985. 

With her dad travelling, her step-mom pregnant and her new gang of friends trying to plan something that’s legitimately helpful it all comes to a head. It’s a satisfying end that sees Tessa doing what’s best for her, even though it might not be what she really wants to do at the time.  

Center of Gravity is real and dramatic, but not melodramatic. No characters pull the pity card or have annoying stereotypes. It’s just a realistic fiction book on characters doing real things and trying to make the best of it.  

There are affiliate links in this post, because, the 80’s.