The Time it Takes to Fall

The Time it Takes to Fall by Margaret Lazarus Dean

I usually research my book choices and then request them online via the library's website.  But this one I randomy picked up after spotting it in the "librarian's picks" section.  I didn't know what to expect, but it was great! Got me interested in researching the Challenger disaster...


Booklist review from Amazon.com:

Dean's thoughtful debut novel revolves around the uncertainties of the 1980s space-shuttle program, and the effects on one Florida family. At 12, Dolores Gray dreams of becoming an astronaut, following in the footsteps of her idol, Judith Resnick, not an unrealistic goal for a "gifted and talented" student whose father is a NASA technician. But he is one of many NASA employees laid off that year, and this is the catalyst that catapults the family into a downward spiral. Dolores' mother goes back to work and becomes more and more distant from her family, eventually leaving, to "sort things out," as her father explains. Dolores skips classes, starts smoking, and abandons old friends, changes in her behavior her father does not notice. When the Challenger disaster occurs, all of these problems are exacerbated, with the addition of Dolores' constant worrying about her father's job. In spite of a few too many loose ends and unexplained incidents, this is an intriguing look at some previously unexplored repercussions of a historic event.