A gripping sci-fi mystery wrapped in an LGBTQIA love story that bends space, time, myth and science.

Lumi is an Earth-born healer whose Mars-born spouse Sol disappears unexpectedly on a work trip. As Lumi begins her quest to find Sol, she delves gradually deeper into Sol’s secrets – and her own.

While recalling her own path to becoming a healer under the guidance of her mysterious teacher Vivian, she discovers an underground environmental group called Stoneturners, which may have something to do with Sol’s disappearance. Lumi’s search takes her from the wealthy colonies of Mars to Earth that has been left a shadow of its former self due to vast environmental destruction. Gradually, she begins to understand that Sol’s fate may have been connected to her own for much longer than she thought.

Part space-age epistolary, part eco-thriller, The Moonday Letters is also a love story between two individuals from very different worlds.

The Moonday Letters reads in a very quiet and unassuming way, yet cleverly pulls you into a story that feels urgent and unravelling. It’s a writing style that I felt very comfortable with and kept me coming back to read more. 

The epistolary style gave a very one sided approach to the story, with Lumi looking inward, unweaving her relationship with her spouse, Sol, their family and the building blocks of how she became a healer. As each stone is turned Lumi’s approach to the growing situation starts to flip as understanding of the bigger picture dawns and she is forced to be resilient and resourceful in ways she never expected. Because of this i struggled to warm to Sol, their part retained in sugar coated memories or short messages that initially lacked any empathy for Lumi. I found the change in their’s and Lumi’s dynamic well constructed.

Whilst the story would indicate a low opportunity for worldbuilding a solid picture is painted of the areas Lumi visits or recounts, I felt properly able to visualise and appreciate each place although everything felt muted, as if Lumi’s longing and frustration translated into her descriptive writing. Her calm and patience, despite many dead ends and set backs is laudable. 

This is a translated book and I have to give huge props to the translator who managed to capture every thought and feeling so wonderfully.

The Moonday Letters isn’t what i would describe as a traditional sci-fi novel and there is much within it’s pages for those who are not necessarily fans of the genre, i found the comfort of communication within a long marriage captivating and also the theory behind climate change and activism well written and engaging. 

The only down for me was the lack of punctuation in the epistolary style when lumi was recounting conversations past, thoughts, words and who was speaking gave me pause a few times – however, i appreciate that this is a me problem!

I very much enjoyed this story which kept on surprising me!

4*