Review Detail

Moth Dark by Kika Hatzopoulou brings us a different type of story. A story where dark spots, referred to as the Maw, pop up all over the world and dark creatures emerge. Most are harmless, but there are some that come out as Beasts and terrorize the land. In order to combat these dark creatures, technology has been developed to deal with them.

What worked:
-The world: I thought this world was so creative. It's a classic light vs dark trope but done in a unique way that kept me wanting more. There was so much more to both sides and I loved the connection.
-The meaning: This book didn't take the typical "good vs bad" "light vs dark" but a more realistic approach of what happens when something new appears and we don't understand. We find ways to defend ourselves. But once we do understand, we are capable of adapting and becoming better. The focus on this story is how one action will affect another but more so, how good people can be.
-The moths: I loved them. I also want a Mooch
-Representation: There is plenty of it!
-Found Family: I AM HERE FOR IT. I loved how they all supported each other. There was never a "I need to handle this on my own" moment. It was great to see that they knew they had each other and could rely on each other.

What could have been better:
I don't want to label this category what didn't work, because in reality - it all worked. There were just some aspects that I felt like could have been stronger
-Sascia: I really did enjoy her as our main protagonist but there were just some parts where I wanted to say get it together and stop being sad for yourself. There was a scene where she pretty much makes every one feel sorry for her and they were like why are you acting like this? I loved the call out but to wait the whole book for it? A little too long
-The romance: I wasn't really sold on it. Yes, you knew it was going to happen. Yes, the connection was obviously there. It just wasn't my favorite.
-Genderfludity: I am not against it...I just felt like why? For the representation? It just didn't make sense that the dark was like this.... it was well done - truly, well done. But what was the point of all dark creatures being like this?

Moth Dark by Kika Hatzopoulou was definitely a unique read. I loved the atmosphere and the found family that this book brought. There was so much representation in this book that any one can find a home in this story. There was a little bit of fantasy and sci-fi, which blended really well. Some writing and plot choices let me wanting a little more out of this book but I would definitely recommend it if you feel like it calls to you!

AUDIO REVIEW
The audio narration was so well done. Mia Hutchinson-Shaw did phenomenal bringing this story to life. I loved the emotion she put behind each character to truly draw out the meaning of the book. It was easy enough to follow and I think anyone could enjoy the audio format.