Sibling Rivalry. Most of us have been there. It sucks. There's no question about that.
But what happens when you are referred to as the "cursed child" by your own family? It stings more than anything. It's also horrifically cruel. Moon and Star are twin sisters who couldn't be more different if they tried. Star is a beautiful, "pure," social influencer whose focus is on purity and religion. Moon is more spiritual, "less beautiful" (ugh), and is not a virgin, which angers their religious mother. It is very clear that their mother favors Star over Moon, and it's not because Moon has had sex. It goes much deeper than that, which I don't want to spoil. She even goes as far as to abuse Moon over the smallest slight. When Star is invited to join an influencer tour, Moon unwillingly joins as Star photographer and as a "merch girl." During this tour, the reader will meet a variety of characters, including Santiago who has a love-hate relationship with Moon while working with her at the merch table, and discover deeply hidden secrets within the Fuentez family that shows that all things are not what they seem. I must warn that this book is not for the faint of heart. It covers a wide range of topics such as racism, sexism, fatphobia, abuse (religious, mental, physical, etc.), slut-shaming, self-harm, you name it. What Moon endures is absolutely heart-breaking. She is unloved by her mother, who makes sure she knows how much she loathes Moon (for absolutely no logical reason, as the reader will see). The only people who truly love her are her tía (aunt), and Moon and Star's father, who has left the family before the story begins. Star does care for her sister, but does get blinded by her fame, and treats Moon in a distasteful way when she feels overshadowed. We see how Moon seeks validation in unhealthy ways which are very relatable, and you can only sympathize knowing her abusive upbringing. Now the love-hate, will they or won't they relationship between Moon and Santiago. Santiago, whose brother is the organizer of the influencer tour, treats Moon with such contempt when they first meet. It does get annoying at times that I wanted to wring his neck if he was real. But when we learn more about him and his disability caused by an accident, we get a pairing of two people who are "broken" in a way and trying to find their own place outside of their sibling's shadow, as well as overcome their own traumatic past. My feelings were so strong with this book, that when I was away from it, I was feeling withdrawal symptoms. Yeah, this book was really that good. The storytelling was amazing, with the addition of magical realism and shock to keep the reader engaged. How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love with the Universe is definitely on of my top 5 favorite books of 2021, and I just can't recommend it enough. 5/5 all the way.
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Who am I?The Library Lady is a Young Adult Librarian and reviewer. She's also a music, anime, and film nerd. Archives
January 2024
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