In the first few pages of Becoming Luna: A Chronicle of Shadow and Light, Luna Carper describes her former name, Brian, as “a heavy coat she was expected to wear.” It is an image that lingers long after the chapter ends, the weight of that coat symbolizing all the expectations, assumptions, and constraints placed upon her before she could even begin to understand who she truly was. What begins as a simple account of childhood discomfort quickly transforms into something extraordinary: the awakening of a soul determined to live in truth, even if that truth must be forged in the fires of digital worlds, shadowed dreams, and unrelenting self-discovery.
Carper’s memoir is not a typical transition story. It is a spellbook of becoming, written at the intersection of technology, magic, and identity. Each chapter feels like an incantation, casting light on the moments when Luna’s reality began to shift. From battling a childhood allergy that hinted at something deeper to discovering freedom within the pixelated landscapes of World of Warcraft, Luna finds pieces of herself in every digital echo. In those virtual realms she meets her first loves and encounters the mentors who see beyond her glamour spell, the digital façade she wore to hide her inner truth.
