Luna by Julie Anne Peters

Luna

On the surface Luna is the story of a teenage boy, Liam, who was born into the wrong body, that of a girl. But just like Liam, the novel has layers and is really about the journey of self-discovery that every teen must travel, regardless of gender identity. It is this universal truth, the truth that we all must discover who we are and we might need help doing it, that makes Julia Anne Peters’ book accessible to all readers.

Peters made the conscious choice to tell the story through the eyes of Liam’s sister, Regan. At first it seems odd to tell the story of a teen going through the beginning stages of a gender identity transition through the eyes of a straight sibling. How can Regan possibly know the struggle that her brother is going through? Is it possible for Regan to truly understand her brother? It is these questions that plague the reader in the beginning pages of Luna. The unreliability of Regan as a narrator seems as if it will doom this novel that tells such an important, and often overlooked and under told, story. However, it is soon apparent that Regan is struggling just as much as Liam. At sixteen years old, Regan does not know who she is. She has always lived in the shadow of her brother. Liam has depended on Regan and in turn Regan has almost become an extension of her brother. “It’s always about my brother,” (117), complains Regan. Her life has begun to revolve around her brother gender identity.

There is a point in the novel, after Regan’s first date with Chris, where Liam’s future seems more certain than Regan’s. Liam is determined to transition to Luna. It is almost certain that the future will bring a new, more appropriate life for Liam, a life where he can identify as his true self, as Luna. Regan, on the other hand, seems to have no control over her life. When Regan first encounters Chris after their first date she, “locked herself in a stall and waited. Waited until the earth stopped spinning. Until the roar in my head subsided,” (182). It is Regan’s future that is spinning out of control, not Liam’s. One would think that in a book about gender identity, it would be the opposite.

Peter’s choice to make Regan’s struggle parallel Liam’s is what makes Luna such a beautiful and accessible books. Through Regan any reader can identify with Liam and his struggles, for the reader is not asked to identify directly with Liam, but instead with his sister and her point of view. Looking through Regan’s eyes makes it easier to comprehend Liam’s struggles; the non-transgendered reader is allowed to make stronger and deeper connections to the text.

Peter’s does a magnificent job of creating deep and believable characters. Despite the fact that Regan, at first, appears to be an unrealistic narrator, she comes alive through the spectrum of emotions that she faces throughout the novel. At times she depends on her brother, she needs his affirmations as much as he needs hers. A few pages after this deep connection with her brother, Regan will think about how Liam and Luna are ruining her life, or the life that she so deeply desires. She will then become defensive of Liam, scolding Aly for having the same thoughts that Regan herself has had about Luna. This rollercoaster of emotions makes Regan seem like a real person. She does not live in a perfect world of love and acceptance. Instead Regan is forced to deal with the realities of life. These true to life emotions make it easier for the reader to connect to and trust Regan, and through Regan the reader knows, trusts, and begins to understand Liam and Luna.

Luna is a text about self-discovery and accepting who you are, but it is also a text about accepting who others are. During my reading of Luna it was impossible for me to separate the novel from the tragic news stories of the multiple LGBT identified teens who have committed suicide in the past few months. These stories have been weighing heavily on my mind and my heart. It is impossible for me to separate my reading of the text from the fact that there are teens who are taking their own life because of their identity struggles. It is through the lens of the text that I examine these recent news stories and my responsibilities as a teacher. What is my role in this crisis that our country is currently facing? How can I as a teacher effectively promote the idea that intolerance is not tolerated?

Reading Luna helped me to begin to think through some of these questions. I could relate to Regan who wanted so badly to be able to save her brother from all the hurt and ugliness in the world while at the same time she wanted to leave her brother behind and take care of herself. I too want to shelter my friends, family, and students from the ugliness of the world. However, facing these realities, and learning to deal with them, is part of becoming a productive global citizen.