The Moon Children: Independent Book Review
The Moon Children
By Kim Catanzarite
Genre: Science Fiction
Reviewed by Andrea Marks-Joseph
A suspenseful political space adventure where enemy species must work together to survive deadly poisonous gas attacks
Earth, 2051. A group of scientists are investigating why there have been no whales in sight all Spring, despite environmental conditions being favorable for them.
We meet the scientists on a rare off-day, at a team-building beach picnic planned to thank them for their hard work and offer some respite from
the long hours of frustrating, tiring research that feels like it’s going nowhere.
In a sudden (literal) wave of understanding, their research comes to a close in the most horrifying, deadly, disturbing way possible: The ocean begins to bubble, emitting a steam so potent that everyone doubles over in forceful coughs, some collapsing into unconsciousness, their lungs and skin burning as a fog of ammonia rolls over the bay and into their bodies.
“The bay bubbled for as far as Dana could see. Plumes of steam unfurled like subtle slow-motion fountains, the scent of ammonia strengthening with every second that passed.”
This same suspicious, sudden attack happens to different groups throughout this story, and only a few people in leadership positions understand what it is: The Moon Children. In this world, multiple species (aliens, humans, clones, and hybrids) live and work together—on the same planet, in the same family, or in groups focused on important projects. But the relationships between species aren’t all good, with many holding onto painful history from times gone by.
The Moon Children are creatures who can shapeshift between liquid, solid, and vapor states. In their vapor state, they can kill. They’re a species that was abolished from their home (the moon called Io) and left with no explanation or resources on Europa— which is described as “basically an undeveloped crust of ice. The opposite of luxurious.”
What’s most interesting about this novel is the varying power dynamics and outbursts of mistrust, mostly because the antagonist of the book—the thing our characters must protect themselves from—is a party that has clearly been wronged by a group we spend significant time with.
The entire situation is fascinating and infuriating, culturally and even anthropologically, because we follow this story from so many perspectives. And you never know who to trust or who is lying to who. The narrative is thrilling as it reveals more sides to the story, even when you realize you’re rooting for people who may have to sacrifice themselves for the greater good. But we never hear from the Moon Children themselves. It feels strange to have every other perspective but theirs, especially when it seems perfectly understandable that they would retaliate for such a brutal act of colonization and betrayal.
As a disabled reader, I especially loved that this book includes multiple disabled characters who are driven and determined to follow their hearts and make use of their unique skills. I love that we hear from them directly, in ways that never disregard their disability, but also don’t allow them to be limited mentally or emotionally by their illnesses.
Dmitri, who was born with “not exactly muscular dystrophy or cerebral palsy, but a combination of the two, his parents used to say” escapes his mother’s overprotective home to go on a grand adventure; and Natasha, who has had a successful heart transplant and medical grade e-skin to assist her everyday health, lives with a practical outlook on her family’s tendency to die young and the likelihood that she will too, focusing on making sure that her life has meaning, however long or short it may be.
Near the beginning of Dmitri’s story, he experiences a surge of power that feels as if he’s been miraculously cured of his physical disability, which felt confusing and disappointing—especially since I had felt seen and understood by the way his perspective had been written—but what he experienced turns out to be a surge of magic that he has no control over. Even when he seems to be filled with once-in-a- generation magical ability, he still lives at the whims of his body’s capabilities, finding his energy rises to standing capacity only occasionally, and only for short bursts. So, yes, sometimes he can walk, but most times he still needs his wheelchair as a mobility aid (and he refers to it explicitly as such, as well as describing his wheelchair as “dignified and comfortable” transport.) I loved that Dmitri uses the word disabled and seemed to find the same empowerment in acknowledging himself as disabled as I do. Dmitri’s cousin and closest friend, Alexandria, lives with agoraphobia, but bravely manages (with the power of vodka) to venture out with Dmitri, helping to push his wheelchair and stand up for him when he runs away from home to help save the planet and his family.
Dmitri also gave me one of my favorite quotes of the novel, something I will always think about when describing the view from an airplane: “He enjoyed gazing at the Earth from an almost outer-space point of view. The rough and smooth textures formed a faraway tapestry, its straight and curved lines dividing swaths of green and gold dotted with tiny homes and abutted by broccoli forests. Like a painting the planet itself had created.”
The Moon Children asks its readers to interrogate their humanity—the good and the bad—from multiple perspectives, and throughout history—from our past to the near future. The story is set in an alternate future where in 30 years’ time we have a history of existing among populations of clones, aliens, and hybrid beings, sure, but a near future nonetheless.
It’s a story about the horrendous effects of colonization and of the disasters that strike when power-hungry politicians and leaders of nations insist on discrimination and exploitation of those who are different from us. I really enjoyed reading the hierarchical struggles within governmental organizations and the conversations between family members whose relationships have long been placed under strain or stretched to their limits in aid of the universe or planet’s wellbeing.
Readers should be aware that this novel includes descriptions of mass murder by poisonous gas. In this case, steam clouds of ammonia as part of a coordinated attack from a vengeful alien species. The effects of the ammonia fog are described similar to acid rain, with the burns described like this: “It was as if the young man had drunk poison and showered in acid. What was left of his skin was burned and peeled.” There’s discussion of a family history of death by heart failure. There are also a few storylines that deal with grief and shock over the unexpected death of a father, a mentor, and a son.
If you love visually-stunning science fiction, you’ll enjoy this story. Author Kim Catanzarite’s writing is so vivid and cinematic that you feel the majesty and the mayhem—the glorious, the gory, the good, the terrifying—all as if you’ve been thrown into the middle of that scene yourself. Reading The Moon Children feels like stepping into a perplexing but awe-inducing alternate world that’s slightly off but not frighteningly so (except when the mysterious poison gas starts killing people).
There’s humor in the way these more technically advanced beings spoon-feed the humans with technology because we think we’re so advanced in our fuel-powered rockets and our delicate egos. I laughed out loud when Natasha asked her dad whether their time traveling would “screw up the history of the world?” and he replied with a chuckle that she’s “been watching too many old movies.” I loved the mentions of technology like e-skin that helps space pilot Max’s body withstand g-force, and the “NOxygen clips” they all use to make sure the air they breathe provides enough oxygen for survival. And there’s a precious beauty in how Catanzarite writes experiences like someone’s breath smelling like burned forests.
Though this is the fourth book in a series, I never felt left out of any information or behind on backstories. Kim Catanzarite has written a wide range of interesting, unique characters and we are introduced to them in ways that we can immediately connect with. I found it easy to care about each of the characters—all of whom are at different points in their lives, in their families, and in the universe (sometimes even at different points in time), feeling invested not only in their survival but their sense of fulfillment and happiness. I will absolutely be looking out for the next book in this series. I must know what some of my favorite characters—each of them brave beyond their years, faced with huge decisions, and an entirely unknown future—will do next.
