Book Review: Moonlight and Dust by Jasmin McGaughey
Jasmin McGaughey, a Torres Strait Islander and African American author from Queensland, uncovers belonging, identity, coming-of-age and magic in her young adult debut novel, Moonlight and Dust, releasing in July 2025 by Allen & Unwin.
‘I swear to never tell a soul about what happens at Craigmont parties, or about Moondust.’
Moonlight and Dust tells the story of Zillah Donald, a Torres Strait Islander high schooler who leaves the loneliness of her private boarding school to move back to her home in Cairns. Zillah’s older sister, Nik, has been distant ever since Zillah moved home. She ignores Zillah, sneaks out, and acts reckless.
Celebrating the New Year, Zillah goes to a party, hoping to spend more time with her sister. Nik shows up late and in a terrible mood. Feeling defeated, Zillah calls for a ride home. As she is about to leave, she hears cheering and people shouting Nik’s name. Running to see what’s going on, Zillah gets there just a moment too late. She stands helplessly as Nik falls off the balcony into the pool, resulting in Nik’s hospitalisation.
Zillah moved back home to find community, so despite Nik not being there to guide her through the ways of Craigmont High, Zillah is determined to make friends. Not long into her time at Craigmont, she is invited to an initiation for ‘BEW’, also known as ‘Black Enviro Warriors’. BEW was shut down by the school for being considered ‘exclusionary’ towards white students, but the kids in it are determined to make a difference and keep it going, even if they have to do so secretly. Zillah finds the initiation weird, having to swear not to tell a soul about . . . Moondust?
At the first party with BEW, Zillah discovers that Moondust is an elixir with magical properties. As Zillah finds out more about Moondust, she begins to wonder if it had anything to do with Nik’s accident. And if it did, all of her new friends are in real danger.
Moonlight and Dust had me hooked from the first chapter, when Zillah reflects on her experience with an American, who questioned why Aussies don’t pronounce their T’s and D’s. It made Zillah insecure - how she didn’t feel comfortable having an Australian accent in Australia. She craved a black accent or an Island accent. Her words didn’t belong anywhere.
This internal struggle reflects Zillah’s larger journey throughout the novel. Having been isolated from her family, her home and her people for the last five years at a boarding school where she was one of five black kids, Zillah does not know her place in this world and feels clunky speaking her native language.
After doing some research, I found Jasmin McGaughey talking about learning her Aka’s (Grandmother’s) language and even living, working and studying in Brisbane for a while, much like Zillah’s stay in a Brisbane boarding school. It seems that much of McGaughey’s experience has been woven into the character and journey of Zillah. This shines through in the realness of the novel. As a reader, the passion and care that went into Moonlight and Dust is so clear. It is no surprise that, having experienced many of the same things as Zillah, McGaughey does a beautiful job of writing her story.
Moonlight and Dust is, on the surface level, an engaging speculative fiction mystery that any teen would devour. However, it’s also so much more, weaving seamlessly through Torres Strait Islander languages and culture, sharing stories and experiences that often go untold. It is also just so fundamentally Australian. I need more Australian authors to take notes from McGaughey and not shy away from their ‘Aussieness’. Let’s hear more about throwing up Vegemite, people! (When you read Moonlight and Dust, you’ll get that.)
A refreshing addition to the young adult genre, Moonlight and Dust should be added to any Australian’s TBR list when it comes out in July.
You can buy the book here.
Taya Dardengo
Acquisitions Associate