To the Moon and Back by Eliana Ramage – Book Review
Just finished: To the Moon and Back
Author: Eliana Ramage
Narrators: Nathalie Standingcloud, Kamali Minter, Tanis Parenteau
Genre: Literary Fiction / Coming-of-Age / Family Drama
Publication Year: 2025
Runtime: 14 hours, 44 minutes
My Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5 stars)
At a Glance
A nuanced exploration of three Cherokee women navigating identity, ambition, and heritage in contemporary America. Perfect for people interested in complex character studies that examine the tension between personal ambition and cultural roots. An exceptionally well-narrated audiobook great for focused reading or light multi-tasking.
Plot Overview
Setting: Contemporary America, primarily Oklahoma Cherokee Nation and college campus
Protagonists: Steph (aspiring NASA astronaut), Della (adoptee reconnecting with heritage), Kayla (traditional crafts entrepreneur/activist)
Central Conflict: Each woman’s struggle to define success and identity within Cherokee heritage vs. broader American society
This sophisticated debut weaves together three distinct perspectives on what it means to be a Cherokee woman in modern America, each facing different pressures around heritage, ambition, and belonging. Steph dreams of becoming a NASA astronaut but faces family resistance and community questions about abandoning her roots. Della, raised by Mormon adoptive parents in Utah, gets only five hours a year with her Cherokee father. She struggles with conflicting feelings about a heritage that complicates her otherwise stable life before finding a Native American friend group that helps her connect to her indigenous heritage more. Finally, Steph’s younger sister Kayla channels her cultural identity into social media activism and traditional crafts, positioning herself as the “authentic” sister against Steph’s seemingly assimilationist choices. Ramage skillfully avoids easy answers, instead presenting each path as valid while honestly examining the costs and benefits of different approaches to cultural identity in personal and professional contexts.
The Audiobook Experience
Narrator Performance
Voice Quality: Exceptionally clear and distinctive for each character
Character Differentiation: Outstanding – three separate narrators create authentic individual voices
Pacing & Flow: Measured and reflective, perfect for the contemplative tone
Emotional Range: Subtle but powerful “method acting” style that embodies rather than performs characters
Overall Narrator Rating: 5/5 stars
Audio Production Quality
Sound Quality: Professional and polished throughout
Chapter Breaks: Clean transitions between narrators and perspectives
Length: Longer than your typical book but worth the time
Audiobook vs. Print Recommendation
This story benefits significantly from the audio format. The three distinct narrators (Nathalie Standingcloud, Kamali Minter, and Tanis Parenteau) bring distinctive voices to their characters, creating what feels like intimate conversations rather than performed readings. The measured pacing allows space for reflection on complex themes. Highly recommended in audio format.
The Deep Dive
My Take
Ramage demonstrates remarkable skill in balancing informative content about an Indigenous experience with compelling storytelling, never allowing either element to overwhelm the narrative. The novel’s structure – alternating perspectives among three women at different life stages – creates natural points of comparison while avoiding oversimplification of complex identity questions. The author’s decision to ground abstract concepts of cultural identity in concrete professional and personal choices makes the themes accessible to readers without Cherokee heritage while maintaining authenticity through her own family history and extensive research.
What sets this apart from other contemporary fiction exploring cultural identity is Ramage’s nuanced treatment of success and ambition. Rather than presenting traditional heritage and modern professional achievement as inherently opposing forces, she examines how each woman navigates these waters differently, with varying degrees of success and personal satisfaction. The writing is sophisticated enough for literary fiction readers while remaining accessible for those primarily interested in the cultural and professional themes. The final third connects the specifically Cherokee experiences to universal questions about family, career, and personal fulfillment. While I had moments of frustration with the characters – wishing they made better or mature decisions – that final third really helped me connect with the characters even more without diminishing the importance of the cultural specificity.
Career & Life Connections
- Career vs. Family Balance: Steph’s NASA ambitions create ongoing tension with family expectations and cultural obligations
- Professional Identity Formation: Each woman defines success differently – academic achievement, cultural preservation, social media entrepreneurship
- Navigating Multiple Communities: Code-switching between professional environments and cultural identity
- Imposter Syndrome: Della’s experience as an “outsider” in Cherokee spaces mirrors workplace dynamics for many professional women
Why Now? Our Cultural Moment
Ramage’s exploration through Cherokee perspectives offers insights applicable to many professional women balancing cultural identity with workplace expectations. The book’s examination of different paths to success – from Steph’s traditional high-achievement route to Kayla’s social media activism – reflects current conversations about redefining professional success and the growing recognition of entrepreneurship and cultural work as valid career paths. For professional women, this offers both validation for diverse approaches to success and thoughtful consideration of the trade-offs involved in different choices.
Is This For You?
Perfect For:
- Women interested in complex character studies about identity and ambition
- Readers seeking contemporary fiction that examines cultural heritage without tokenism
- Book clubs who enjoy discussing themes of family, career, and personal values
- Anyone interested in Cherokee and more broadly Native American perspectives told with authenticity and nuance
- Professionals navigating questions of identity in workplace contexts
Skip If:
- You prefer fast-paced, plot-driven narratives
- You’re looking for light, escapist fiction
- Complex family dynamics and identity questions feel overwhelming
- You prefer single-narrator audiobooks
The Bottom Line
A sophisticated, emotionally intelligent novel that examines the real costs and benefits of different approaches to cultural identity and professional success. Ramage avoids easy answers while providing deeply satisfying character development and authentic cultural insight. Essential reading for women interested in thoughtful fiction that connects personal struggles to broader cultural questions.
Where to Listen
Quick note: This review includes affiliate links to help support Lark’s Edition. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend audiobooks and equipment I’ve personally experienced and loved.
- Audible – “Perfect for your commute – get your first audiobook free with Audible’s trial”
- Libro.fm – “Support independent bookstores while enjoying premium audio quality”
- Hardcover edition for those who prefer visual reading
For Your Book Club
- What surprised you or what did you learn about Cherokee and Indigenous experience and culture from reading this?
- How do Steph’s NASA ambitions reflect broader questions about professional success and cultural identity that many working women face?
- What does Della’s experience navigating between her adoptive Mormon family and her Cherokee heritage suggest about code-switching and belonging in professional or personal contexts?
- What role does family play in shaping each woman’s professional and personal choices, and how does this resonate with your own experience?
- Each character made choices that felt frustrating or emotionally disconnected at times. Did you find yourself relating to Steph, Della, and Kayla, or did you struggle to connect with their decisions? What does this say about how we judge women’s choices?
- The family dynamics between Steph and Kayla show two sisters taking radically different paths. How do their choices reflect or challenge dynamics in your own family regarding success, tradition, and approval?
A thoughtful, beautifully executed debut that deserves a place on every professional woman’s reading list. The audiobook format particularly enhances the intimate, conversational quality that makes these characters’ journeys so compelling.
