Gravity is the Thing, by Jaclyn Moriarty

Thirty-something Abigail has been receiving random chapters of self-help book in the mail for the last 20 years. Her younger brother Robert has been missing for around the same amount of time. They were very close and Abi has lived almost a half-life ever since, despite a short marriage and having a child on her own. An all expenses paid retreat on a Tasmanian island offers the final truth of The Guidebook. A select few, including Abi, are given that truth and the chance to take it further in workshops back home in Sydney. This leads to friendships, possible romance and eventually to the answers Abi has been seeking about her brother. The book has an odd structure. Some chapters are very short – a few paragraphs or even a few words - for no discernible reason. The story of the missing brother and how this affected the family is poignant and well told. The present day story of flight school is absurd and it’s easy to run out of patience with Abigail’s arrested development. Many aspects do not hang together and the final chapters, which project into the future and are written in future tense, are dull and annoying. The novel leaves one pressing question - how many Moriarty sisters are there and how long will they be cashing in on Liane’s great success? The answer to both questions is seemingly endless.