Title: The Moon Papers: A Novel
Author: Emmalea Russo
Pages: 336
Release: June 30, 2026

What begins as a delightfully off-kilter chronicle of the impending launch of a massive art installation, Moon2, eventually strikes a discordant note as the unfocused and unrestrained narrative loses any semblance of cohesion.

I did find much of the commentary surrounding the creation of a second moon to be biting and sharply observed. Each character responds to the imminent launch in different and often amusing ways, ranging from deep skepticism to general indifference. I just wish the narrative gelled better overall, because there is a lot of interesting writing from Russo here. At times, it made for intoxicating reading; at others, it felt as though the novel was drunk on its own supply.

★★★

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.