This features Stevie Moon’s Goodreads review of Upside Down by R. Morello.
In his thoughtful Goodreads review, Stevie Moon shares a deeply personal and resonant interpretation of Upside Down. He describes entering the inverted world of the novel without expectations, only to find a raw, honest, and emotionally revealing experience about a universal human truth: everyone walks through pain.
Stevie emphasizes how the Upside Down strips away the social masks people wear, exposing the cracks beneath the surface, the internal Armageddon so many carry, and the emotional wounds we try to outrun.
Morello’s depiction of this shadow realm becomes, for Stevie, a metaphor for the internal storms that shape each of us.
Stevie highlights how Caleb and Maddy’s struggles mirror the emotional battles we all face: finding a path back to ourselves, reconciling with loss, and trying to heal wounds that feel larger than life.
He notes that the story is not just about survival, but about reclaiming honesty, confronting trauma, and choosing connection over avoidance.
He calls the book:
“wonderfully challenging”
“thoughtful, intuitive, and powerful”
“a glorious adventure we all share”
“a rare and profound look at the emotional body”
He concludes that Upside Down is the kind of story that gives voice to internal battles rarely spoken aloud, and that he continues to reflect on its meaning long after finishing it.
ISBN: 979-8296073051
