A review by hannahleelovestoread
Moonchild Rising: The Complete Series by B. Ward Powers, Marti Ward

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective tense fast-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

5.0

This collection of five action-packed novellas set in the near future features Irene, a tough and direct “moonchild” who has come to Earth to interview for a position at the South Kent Special Care Facility in England. Having endured the unspeakable trauma of losing both parents when she was young, Irene feels adequately equipped for a position at the hospital working with the seriously mentally ill on a daily basis. But even when she lands the job, nothing could have prepared her for the hospital’s rampant workplace politics and corruption or for the widespread discrimination against her due to her formative years spent on the moon. 

When I began this book and discovered just what a “moonchild” was, I expected hard science fiction with extremely futuristic vibes. Instead, however, Irene’s struggles as a woman, an underdog, and a perpetual outsider felt all too familiar to today’s world. As a neurodivergent woman living in what some sociologists have deemed the “Age of Anxiety,” I felt a deep sympathy with Irene’s plight throughout all five seamlessly blended novellas. I can do nothing but recommend this story to any and all readers. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness

Moderate: Bullying, Violence, Grief, Death of parent