Growing Up Weightless (Paperback)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
It's not that Matt Ronay, the protagonist of this novel, is weightless; it's just that he lives on the Moon, and he has the ability to flow gracefully through the low gravity. There's a figurative weightless to the story as well, that of Ronay's life and decisions he faces growing up as an adolescent in lunar society. Ronay, a brilliant youth, takes a trip to distant city, acts in theater and dreams of flight to far-off worlds. His father, a leader in lunar politics, doesn't always understand, though he may have had some of the same yearnings as his son. This imaginative novel won the 1994 Philip K. Dick Award. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly
Ford offers a hard SF novel that is supposed to have a soft, touchie-feelie center. Unfortunately, this story of a lost generation coming of age in a sterile lunar colony is hollow. Matt Ronay and his posse of hacker friends pass the time in the 21st century by playing virtual reality games and making fun of Terran tourists, while dreaming about future employment on starships. They're a spirited, funky bunch, like their ancestors who declared independence from Earth years ago. Although they speak in a Russian/English/Japanese jive--passed down from the settlers--the sound of self-pitying adolescence rings true. The portrayal of self-absorbed teens is the novel's strongest aspect. Matt's father, Albin, is a lunar bureaucrat (in charge of negotiating water rights for the population) who still manages to let his son know that he honestly cherishes him. But the narcissistic youth doesn't notice and ultimately finds a job that whisks him off the moon. Does Ford ( The Dragon Waiting ) envision a resurgence of careerism over family ties? Long before this, however, despite the occasional vivid description or teenage witticism, the lack of tension and tepid narrative contrive to lull the reader into apathy.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Bantam (November 1993)
• ISBN-10: 0553562991
• ISBN-13: 978-0553562996
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Realized its power years after the last page, November 27, 2000

By	Spring Lea E. Henry "Ellorien" (Colorado Springs, CO USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Growing Up Weightless (Paperback)

I read this book when I was too young to fully understand the complexity of the main character's decision about his future. When I started to go through the same sorts of choices, I found myself haunted by the book, even though I had finished it years ago. The most powerful scene for me is the mother's farewell. Even at the time it made me cry; now it is one of those scenes I use as an example to myself of what good writing really is. Thank you John M. Ford for a very moving experience!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book, September 22, 2004

By	ailsaek (MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Growing Up Weightless (Mass Market Paperback)

I just read this book recently and loved it. I'm amazed people haven't been collaring me and saying "Have you read Growing Up Weightless yet? It's fantastic!" It's the sort of book that ought to have a cult following.

It isn't really a coming of age book, it's more complicated than that. A lot goes on around the edges, and much that you think is important, isn't. This book is best read, in my opinion, in one or two sittings where you are really paying attention, and taking five minutes to process and then turning around and rereading to see what bits you missed the first time isn't out of place, and is well-rewarded.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good setup, but poor ending, June 3, 2004

By	Thouis Jones (Somerville, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Growing Up Weightless (Paperback)

I have to add my voice to those that say that this book ends too abruptly. The book starts well, and has a deeply rich and interesting background to work with, but the ending comes on very suddenly, and many elements of the plot are left undeveloped.

The book makes more sense if read as a sort of diary, wandering from one protagonist to another. If that was the author's intent, it could have been communicated more effectively. As it is, as a reader I thought it would be a standard plot with most of the elements and story arcs resolved at the end. Instead, it ends rather quickly, with most side-plots left hanging. This feels unnatural in a novel, even though "real life" is like that.