I read this book so quickly, especially since I am in a reading slump and so busy with my job rn. But everything about this just hit. At first, the narration and way of speaking were annoying and not my favorite, however, I have come to realize I may be too old for books such as this. Additionally, once the main character grew up a bit, the narration was more tolerable.
I really enjoyed the story of this book and I too have a special affinity for Ziggy Stardust so reading about someone else's love of Ziggy was great. The main character's story is one that many can resonate with even if the details and time periods differ and this is just the type of story I think I would have loved a lot when I was 14 or 15.

Very well written, interesting story and characters. No spoilers - just read this book! It's not only for YA readers - adults have much to learn from the characters, too.

*3.5

This is my first young-adult since forever. I wasn't too disappointed by the end.

It's one of the books that I picked purely because of the cover. Walked in without knowing a thing about the book. I did not expect the story to take place in the 1973, the period where the Vietnam war was raging, women were fighting for their rights, and gay people were being jailed for their sexuality. I did not expect Jonathan's conversion therapy or Seb's Native American struggles. I did not expect the vulgarity and violence and the ugliness of it all. And I am glad that I did not see any of those coming.

The book is more than a typical romance with a cute happy ever after. It begins in a bathroom behind the bleachers and ends with a postcard, the question of a reunion hovering in the air. Their affection is tentative and passionate. Their love is a bitter-sweet secret soaked with buckets of tears, tastes of orange Popsicle and sweats, smells of sunburns and fire, sounds of Roberta Flack and muffled sobs. They're two lonely astronauts that find each other a moon of their own.

What I appreciated more than the romance was the self-discovery. Jonathan's denial in himself struck a chord in me. He wants to get fixed, to neglect his own emotions and replace them with tingling currents of electricity. He wants to not make his mother's death a mistake and to have his father proud of him. But then he realizes all of his efforts are for vain. No matter how much he disguises himself, betrays Seb and lies to his father, he could never change. And he doesn't want to. It's a difficult journey but the electrifying emotions blossoming in him are worth it.

Seb's story is a sad one. More tragically, despite being set in 1973, stories like him are still occurring not only in the reddest states of America but also in Canada. I could tell Jonathan that he would be surrounded by the ever-growing queer community who will let him know that his sexuality is never a sin or a shame, but I cannot tell Seb that his people will stop being demonized, his family stop being murdered by the hands of the police, his land stop being stolen, and his identity stop being trampled under the boots of the colonizers. And it makes me felt so uncomfortable. Seb is resilient and courageous but he should not have to be. He is still a kid. He should not be fighting for his rights to exist as himself. He should not be fighting to be alive.

The plot and characterization are nicely executed. However, I did not appreciate the diction and writing style. There are some cliché that I could have gone without and some dialogues that are awkward to read. Scarla has so much potentials to be fleshed out more so it's a shame that she is introduced as a major character but does not create an impact. I also disliked the excess use of pop references but it's just a personal preference. I would have given it a higher ranking if the delivery was better.

A Moonage Dream from start to finish. Bowie would be proud, proud, proud!

I need to soak it in a bit.