I had the pleasure of receiving and reading an ARC copy of Break the Moon by Michael Buchsbaum. This mystery filled twisting and turning science fiction book was a wonderful easy read. It follows the story of Leon and Joanna, two unlikely friends, as they become caught in a centuries old fight and discover the worlds they were raised in are far more than meets the eye.
The book begins with our main character in a familiar setting of a high school science fair, and it’s clear that Leon Rhaine, the quirky, loud, almost insane protagonist is someone you will love. His story as he becomes immersed in political and fantastical plots to unveil ancient mysteries is gripping, and his reactions to it along the way make him all the more a joy to read. He was a lot of fun, and while he is written with a touch of a YA audience in mind, I still found him endearing and easy to identify with.
Joanna as well was a character who in the book grows with so much capacity, and with great resistance, and her internal struggles to become something other than what she’s told she ought to be really struck a chord with me. Her friendship with Leon is extremely sweet, and their later relationship is built on their trust of one another. That specific relationship dynamic, two people who have grown both as people, and equally grown together as people, is just my absolute favorite. It left the book with a greatly satisfying feeling for the romantic aspect.
Many of the side characters on both sides were equally as lovable for a variety of reasons. For the sake of not adding spoilers, I will simply put that Abel was perhaps my favorite, being the kind of best friend Leon needed, and being a no-nonsense person. I believe he was well written as a support for Leon, and as a character in his own right with his own passions and goals.
The plot of the book appears simple on the surface, but it is layered deeply with mystery upon mystery. Like a ball of yarn, once Leon asked the first question, all you can do as a reader is sit back and watch it all unravel. It’s well done, with good pacing, and with compelling characters. I found myself at times not always finding the stakes perhaps as high as I expected, and yet I never lost interest. There was always another question, always more to discovery, and that path of discovery was where I found myself lost in this book in the best of ways. Although the book ends with a sense that there will always be more to do, that not all is mended, and not all is fixed, it ends with a feeling of completion as well, and of satisfaction.
I would recommend Break the Moon to any lore lover, and those who read to discover. There is action, and there are stakes, but the heart of the story is in delving deep and understanding more about the world, about ones self, and about the nature of humanity. That crux skill of free will, and of choice drives the story throughout, and so if you are someone who finds science fiction, utopia, and a search for a better world with greater understanding of true freedom, this is the book for you.
You can find Break the Moon at Lost Boys Press shop. It is currently available for Pre-Order and releases next month, March 28th, 2024.