I CHOOSE THE MOON: My Journey from the Midwest to the Middle East by Jonea Mounsey is a true story of the author’s purposive leap from a loveless marriage to freedom through obtaining a nursing degree, which forged the way for her numerous adventures across continents. The central focus of the book is her contract with FrontierMedex, which allowed her to work as a medic in Iraq, and the various challenges she participated in over the years. These include Run Italy, the Disneyland half marathon, the Wilderness Medical Society Mount Everest hike, her exploration of countries such as India and Dubai, and many other accomplishments.
Mounsey vivifies her environment through expressive prose, having this to say while in Kathmandu: “My nose was filled with the stale odor of filth and fumes, cow dung mixed with fragrant incense, aromatic spices, and the pleasing smell of restaurants stewing curry dishes.” Through interactions with other characters, cultural similarities and differences are explored. During her first time in Iraq, she experienced a culture shock that left her (someone previously unexposed to Muslims) feeling naked amid the fully covered locals.
Her detailed recollections and narrations lend authenticity to the story, and the pictures that follow at the end of most chapters strengthen it. These pictures provide visuals for the many individuals mentioned and clarify described events, such as the newness and complexity of her using squat toilets while working in Iraq.
However, a few repetitions disrupt the book’s progression, such as reintroducing characters already introduced earlier (e.g., her friend Dr. Angela). Also, some information is revealed suddenly, creating a whiplash effect and interrupting the mostly sequential order of events. This is the case when she mentions a second divorce towards the end of the book, since a second marriage was not previously mentioned. Adding a nice touch to this memoir are the appealing and sometimes thought-provoking quotes at the beginning of the chapters, such as “Don’t tell me the sky’s the limit. There are footprints on the moon.”
The last chapter ties up loose ends and provides an update on her next steps. It addresses concerns she struggled with for a substantial portion of the book, and enables a satisfying resolution.
Jonea Mounsey’s I CHOOSE THE MOON: My Journey from the Midwest to the Middle East is a mostly fluid, inspiring memoir of perseverance and adventure.
~Gabriella Harrison for IndieReader