Lane’s older sister, Faraday, was a charismatic genius who invented a new method of space travel and inspired an egalitarian lunar community. But now Faraday is dead, and Lane is living in the paradise her sister built. Alas, the autistic Lane cannot replace her charming idealistic sibling, and when she gets to the moon, she’s put to work in the kitchen. Lane struggles to help plan a memorial for Faraday, while also juggling a few romantic relationships and trying to save the lunar community from destruction at the hands of her sister’s killers.

“Moon Dust in My Hairnet” spends a lot of time at the uneasy juncture of loss and optimism, but it ultimately left me feeling energized. Lane slowly learns how to feed people, but also how to inspire them. Creaden writes both polyamorous relationships and neurodivergent characters with an unusual deftness, and her depiction of chosen family in space reminded me at times of Becky Chambers. Unfortunately, the high-stakes narrative about saving the lunar city from invaders is the least compelling element of the novel, and sometimes feels like a distraction from the more personal story of grief and community-building. All in all, though, this is an essential addition to the space-community canon.