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A review by cathepsut
Luna: New Moon by Ian McDonald
adventurous
challenging
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
The Mafia on the moon. In the first two chapters we are introduced to the powerful Corta family owning Corta Helio, a helium-mining company. We also meet Marina Calzaghe, an impoverished surface worker, whose life gets entangled with them.
Adriana Corta is the founder of Corta Hélio and the family’s aging matriarch. She tells us her story from the third chapter. Lovely chapter and the kind of storytelling I love.
“Great Houses and the Monarchy, dispensing territories and favours, monopolising water, oxygen, carbon allowance. Vassals and serfs indentured to their sponsoring corporations. It’s like Shogun Japan or medieval France.“
At times I got a Dune vibe. It also reminded me a little of The Fall of the House of Usher (Netflix miniseries).
I can appreciate that this is a great story with a unique setting. But it was not really my cup of tea. It‘s interesting and different. Cool world building. But, regardless, I didn‘t really like it. It made me low-key uncomfortable to read this book. I can’t quite put my finger on it. It might have been the meanness of the moon‘s society, the callousness of the ruling houses and all these entitled, horrible people. I did not care. The only person that had an ounze of blood and life in her was Adriana.
I could have done without the graphic sex as well. It added to the weirdness of the book.
Another thing that didn‘t help with my flow: the layout of my ebook. Or rather the lack of a decent page set-up. I could be two paragraphs into a new characters, before realizing that the POV switched. On purpose or bad page setting? If I can lay hands on a printed, physical edition, I will check…
I know that the author can write well and in a styles that I enjoy. I saw it when Adriana told her life‘s story. The other chapters were hard and not enjoyable work, with some light skimming here and there. Bizarrely, despite the action sequences, I was bored for large stretches and did not want to pick up the book.
I am still rating this with 3/5 🌖🌖🌖, due to its scope. But it’s very doubtful that I will pick up the sequel anytime soon.
Adriana Corta is the founder of Corta Hélio and the family’s aging matriarch. She tells us her story from the third chapter. Lovely chapter and the kind of storytelling I love.
“Great Houses and the Monarchy, dispensing territories and favours, monopolising water, oxygen, carbon allowance. Vassals and serfs indentured to their sponsoring corporations. It’s like Shogun Japan or medieval France.“
At times I got a Dune vibe. It also reminded me a little of The Fall of the House of Usher (Netflix miniseries).
I can appreciate that this is a great story with a unique setting. But it was not really my cup of tea. It‘s interesting and different. Cool world building. But, regardless, I didn‘t really like it. It made me low-key uncomfortable to read this book. I can’t quite put my finger on it. It might have been the meanness of the moon‘s society, the callousness of the ruling houses and all these entitled, horrible people. I did not care. The only person that had an ounze of blood and life in her was Adriana.
I could have done without the graphic sex as well. It added to the weirdness of the book.
Another thing that didn‘t help with my flow: the layout of my ebook. Or rather the lack of a decent page set-up. I could be two paragraphs into a new characters, before realizing that the POV switched. On purpose or bad page setting? If I can lay hands on a printed, physical edition, I will check…
I know that the author can write well and in a styles that I enjoy. I saw it when Adriana told her life‘s story. The other chapters were hard and not enjoyable work, with some light skimming here and there. Bizarrely, despite the action sequences, I was bored for large stretches and did not want to pick up the book.
I am still rating this with 3/5 🌖🌖🌖, due to its scope. But it’s very doubtful that I will pick up the sequel anytime soon.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Death and Murder