A review by horizonous
Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland

adventurous emotional tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

This is a difficult one to rate because it's almost like each half of the story belongs to an entirely different book:

  1. First half: YA hard-hitting contemporary with a hint of magical realism and a great portrayal of loving, supportive friends and family even through the toughest of times (Rating: 3-3.5 stars)
  2. Second half: Close encounters of the third kind meets X-files conspiracy theories except their real but it all completely derailed the longer it went on (Rating: 2-2.5 stars)

There are also two very different writing styles:

  1. Very matter of fact with quite a bit of swearing - personally I don't think swearing is worth mentioning in my content notes (as long as it isn't excessively disrupting) but if you mind at all especially from teenagers, this will probably bother you
  2. Poetic, moving descriptions especially in connection to the magical realism elements
  3. Also in regards to the writing: In the beginning everything read very young.. I was really taken aback when I read how Sia got into her car because I thought she was at a max maybe 14 years old, but no.. the teenagers are all around 17 and 18 years old.

So, overall this was a truly a mixed bag for me.. the more into the second half I got the more I wanted it to end but I can't dismiss that I really liked the YA contemporary elements including (most of) the characters, their dynamics (minus the romance, I honestly didn't really get its fast development and would have preferred a slower approach and there are way too many sex scenes - I mean I get that I'm not the target audience as an adult but still.. I felt weird reading them and I'm sure I would have as well when I was younger) and even their disagreements because they felt real for teenagers.

P.S.: God do I hope the day comes when Harry Potter isn't referenced anymore to give (younger) characters personality or explain certain dynamics 🤐
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