Complex, creative, and captivating…
A young queer girl travels to Alaska disguised as a boy, trying to find some kind of inner peace in Skipstone’s engrossing latest. Seventeen-year-old Tracy has always felt awkward in her skin. And it is the same for her older brother, Spencer, who hates being a boy. But being a queer in the rather conservative ‘60s is not easy. They must hide their sexual identities if they want to live in peace. When a family tragedy forces Tracy to leave her home behind and travel to Alaska, she has no idea what awaits her ahead. Through the layers of story, the characters spring to life. Readers get a vivid picture of the sibling pair trying to cope with the circumstances of their life and conveying the love, uncertainty, and hope that all humans share. The pair’s gradual realization of their sexuality is portrayed with skill, and Skipstone compassionately renders the everyday struggles, loves, passions, fears, and self-doubts of Tracy as she deals with the unexpected family tragedy. Swiftly moving narrative gives windows into the lives of other characters in Tracy’s life, highlighting how one’s tiny action can change the course of someone else’s life. There is more to this tale than is immediately apparent: the book grapples with relevant questions about the meaning of a life well-lived, love, regret, and redemption while exploring teenage and young adult drama, sibling bond, family, friendship, and the hot-button issues of the era such as LGBTQ and gender and racial inequalities. Twists are in plenty, and the ending is heartwarming and satisfying. Loaded with mature content, the book makes for a realistic and queer-positive tale for mature young adults and older.
The MoonStone Girls
By Brooke Skipstone
Pub date February 14, 2022
ASIN B09MP9FF3Q
Price $2.99 (USD) Kindle edition
I hope all the characters find happiness in the end, sounds like they have to deal with a lot of difficulties but I just love stories about people who overcome adversity