Moonstorm by Yoon Ha Lee (review)

Reviewed by: Moonstorm by Yoon Ha Lee Jessie Maimone Lee, Yoon Ha Moonstorm. Delacorte, 2024 [352p] Trade ed. ISBN 9780593488331 $19.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9780593488355 $10.99 Reviewed from digital galleys Ad Gr. 9-12 Hwa Young is a ward of the state in New Joseon after she witnessed the death of her family and what she believed was the destruction of Carnelian, the rebel-controlled moon where they lived, six years ago. Now she's in boarding school for the empire, working to join an elite group of armored military pilots called lancers when she's eligible to apply in two years. That timeline is expedited when New Joseon is attacked by the clanners—a group from Carnelian, the home she was forced to leave long ago. Now, Hwa Young realizes the fate of multiple worlds is on the line, and her decisions have a key role to play. Lee weaves together a story of duty, honor, and family that sees Hwa Young figuring out how to attend to past trauma, a chaotic present, and an unknown future. The large cast can be unwieldy at times (and the list of characters at the end of the book would have been helpful as front matter), but it allows for a range of representation, and neopronouns add to the gender diversity of the characters. Heavy exposition brings the conclusion to a predictable end, but readers who enjoyed Zhao's Iron Widow will likely find appeal in the book's realistic portrayal of different relationships as Hwa Young deals with bullies, best friends, and domineering authority figures.