What a wonderful premise - over night the moon (and all moon samples on the ground) turn to what appears to be cheese.
The book is split into 29 chapters (one for each day of the lunar cycle) and we effectively get a set of linked short stories exploring what would happen on Earth if this came true.

It made me laugh quite a lot, and the nerdy space science seemed accurate to me, and at one point it also made me cry which I really wasn't expecting.
I wasn't sure how the book would end, and I'm still not 100% convinced by one part but then the couple of extra chapters explained why this was the only way it could play out.

What a fun read!

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (3.75/5)

Scalzi's sci-fi comedy about an unexpected celestial event that throws the world into chaos was a really enjoyable read. With multiple intertwining storylines, the narrative is humorous, unexpected, and absolutely bonkers at times.

This novel is an ambitious blend of wit, silly science, and social satire, packed with engaging and interwoven storylines. I loved the concept and how the various narratives connected, creating an intricate and often entertaining plot. However, some threads felt unnecessary, as they weren’t as engaging as the rest of the story. Trimming a few of the less gripping storylines could have made the experience even sharper and more enjoyable. That said, it's still an inventive and fun read with Scalzi’s signature wit.

For a book about something as ridiculous as the moon turning to cheese, this was FANTASTIC.

I don't think many authors could pull it off, but writing the absurd and making it a great read seems to be a strength of Scalzi. He manages to present a ridiculous concept, then fills the story with immediately likeable (or loathe-able) characters that bring such immense heart that you can't help but be swept up by it all.

Almost every chapter is told by a different character, so we get a wide variety of experiences. This is probably the part that I loved the most and happens to work incredibly well for this story. Seeing the small picture - on the individual level - helps us relate to what's happening in such a pure way, that it becomes less about the absurd and more about the experience of being human.

Add to that the perfect amount of humour and a gouda-mount of cheese puns (see what I did there) and you've got yourself a special kind of silly book.

Obviously, if you're picking this one up for scientific accuracy then you're in for a rude shock, but if you're after something a little more quirky with a lot of heart, this is absolutely one to pick up.

With thanks to Macmillan and NetGalley for an ARC

Absolutely bonkers!
Imagine waking up one day and finding that the moon is suddenly made of cheese! Would you believe it? Be convinced that it was a hoax? A cover up or conspiracy?
This is day by day of a full lunar cycle, as the world tries to work out what is going on. From multiple viewpoints, this really is an unexpected and entertaining read.

This was definitely different to everything else I’ve read by this author, and I think the key difference is the multiple perspectives. Also it’s a lot more grounded, which is odd given the subject but I think it makes more sense that way. It would have been too easy to turn this into a farce, and although it has ridiculous moments , it’s about more than that.

On its surface, it's a homourous sci-fi novel, with an odd-ball premise (moon turning to cheese), and a set of funny-ish (including black humour) scenes showing the effects on life as we know it. There is really no protagonist, though some characters do appear several times. Upon closer inspection, the book is a thinly veiled social critique taking aim at some of the odder aspects of contemporary life - be it political system, macro economy, or social norms.

The book shines due to the author's writing style, and dry wit. The combination makes for a fun and entertaining read, and the lack of substantive characters doesn't make the book a difficult read. Essentially, the book reads like a series of comedy sketches, some more absurd than others. The absurdity goes up one notch when it becomes clear what dreadful consequences the moon's transformation might eventually have.

Within the humourous sci-fi genre this is probably a great book, which stands out as being well written and substantive at the same time. As a result, I enjoyed reading it, and would recommend to fans of the genre.

For me, personally, the experience was fine. I liked it, and am happy to have read it, but I didn't really take away anything from the experience. There is nothing memorable or distinctive here to make it more than a good book. I'm sure that if I was a bigger fan of the genre I'd've given it 1 additional star. As it stands, it is what it is.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an early copy of the book in return for an honest review.

I think only John Scalzi would think of writing a book about the moon becoming cheese. Well he thought about it, and did it. The stories are vignettes, some one chapter and a few more, all connected by this unaccountable change in space. There are some chapters I found particularly funny, like the school kids discussion the situation and the family feud to name two. Politics, science (assumed possible), a bit of skullduggery and humour. Fun is what it is. The book is very American biased. Russia and China do get a mention, however the rest of the world were obviously nonplussed out toasting cheese sandwiches under a very different sky. Okay, John says this was much harder to right than he thought, so I’ll give him some leeway. Some well matured Scottish Cheddar might be a suitable repast in recovery, if you are not completely cheesed off now. Thank you to Pan McMillan and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

We are confronted with a seemingly impossible proposition, that the moon has turned to cheese. And we live in an age where disinformation not only exists, but is actively used as a tool by pundits and political parties. [loc. 514]
Scalzi's latest novel, very much in the vein of Starter Villain and The Kaiju Preservation Society, takes a light-hearted concept -- here, it's the moon (including moon rock samples) suddenly turning into cheese -- and explores the consequences in twenty-eight sections, one per day of the lunar cycle, recounting the experiences of ordinary Americans.

We begin with the director of a small Air and Space Museum: other stories feature a retired philosophy professor, two assistants in two cheeseshops both alike in dignity a small town in Wisconsin, a Sunday School teacher, an appalling billionaire (when asked what he'd say to other billionaires with space companies, his answer is 'Hey, Elon and Jeff? Ha ha ha lol suck it dudes'), a Vice-President of development in Hollywood*, a sex worker in Las Vegas...

I recall several novels, a while back, examining what would happen if the moon suddenly disappeared or had never existed: Seveneves, The Fifth Season, to name but two. (I'm sure there were others which I cannot recall or locate. Any suggestions?) This novel also fits the premise, albeit with more comedy. It reminded me, in parts, of the film Don't Look Up, and of Ben Winters' Last Policeman trilogy: but the scope is broader, and so is the humour. It's sometimes tragic, sometimes (surprisingly?) profound, and a very good read.

Interesting post about translating the title for audiences unfamiliar with the Dean Martin song.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance review copy, in exchange for this full honest review. UK Publication Date is 25th March 2025.

*This is where Scalzi stashes most of his appalling puns.

This is an entertaining book on the whimiscal question of what if the moon was made of cheese? In this case, it turns into cheese quite unexpectedly which makes everyone go wild with theories and actions. Each chapter is usually from the viewpoint of a different group and how they handle this strange development. You get some whacky stunts that I laughed so hard at, from billionaires racing to be the first to try this special "moon" cheese, to producers vetting new movie ideas (like "No Whey Home"). Those were a couple of my favorite chapters though there are loads more hilarious stunts! And of course it wouldn't be complete without the panic of a possible Fromaggedon! I also like how each chapter was a new phase of the moon, ending with the lunar eclipse.

So, no this is not a deep thinking novel. It is supremely fun and what with each chapter being a different group, it was like reading a bunch of connected short stories. John Scalzi is my go to for his wonderfully written funny novels and this one is another winner!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read this totally entertaining and crazy fun book!

If you've ever been on ao3, you've probably seen the tag "crack treated seriously" - that's basically what this book is. The moon, suddenly and inexplicably, turns into cheese, and the book follows a wide range of people and how they react to this new reality. It's very funny, and while I found the first half a bit slow, I devoured the last half. While the premise is buck wild, its a heartfelt and genuine story about people coming together to handle a truly unprecedented situation.

This is a fun book about the moon turning to cheese. The principle story is told over the course of one lunar cycle from the viewpoint a variety of different Americans. The book starts quickly - after all, it wears its premise on its sleeve so there is no mystery for the reader about what has happened. There's more of a focus on how to tell the world and how people deal with such absurd news. While the beginning chapters mostly focus on people who are professionally involved with space in some way, as the book progresses we get a wider range of viewpoints and vignettes.

Obviously this is soft science fiction book and it wisely does not offer an explanation of *how* the moon turned to cheese. It does, however, make an attempt at extrapolating what the effects might be. That much cheese would be unstable, and over the course of the lunar cycles the characters have to deal with an increasingly volatile moon.

Mostly I found this book enjoyable. The premise is silly, of course, but within that the characters still have to go about their lives and deal with the situation in front of them. They exist on a wide spectrum from overindulged rich guys to a a struggling former sex worker, and even the objectionable characters are still quite fun to read about. I struggled a bit with being given so many names - it sometimes made it difficult to notice when people returned in later chapters, particularly as a lot of the characters have very similar narrative voices. However, the plot was easy enough to follow that it didn't make a huge difference.

With such a large cast there are bound to be some chapters that don't hit home, but the majority entertained me and I liked the very human portraits that emerged. There were times when it was genuinely funny, and it was a warm read throughout.

I had already read Scalzi in its not exactly sci-fi version (Villain, Kaiju, etc.) and liked it quite a bit. This time, on the other hand, it seemed to me that he didn't quite know how to end the book and even struggled a bit (but maybe it's a clear case of projection and it was me struggling to keep up with him) to handle the almost infinite number of characters. The end then really left me hanging.... In short, I have read much better books of his, but surely that is a matter of taste.

Avevo giá letto Scalzi nella sua versione non esattamente sci-fi (Villain, Kaiju, etc.) e mi era piaciuto parecchio. Stavolta mi é sembrato invece che non sapesse bene come far finire il libro e facesse anche un po' fatica (ma magari é un chiaro caso di proiezione ed ero io che faticavo a stargli dietro) a gestire il numero quasi infinito di personaggi. La fine poi mi ha lasciato veramente con l'amaro in bocca....Insomma ho letto libri suoi decisamente migliori, ma sicuramente é questione di gusti.

I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

I was immediately intrigued by the premise of When the Moon Hits Your Eye—the moon turning into cheese? It sounds absurd, and yet Scalzi completely pulls it off. The execution of this bizarre idea lives up to my expectations, and it was genuinely satisfying to see how he explored the chaos and humor that followed this cosmic shift.

The humor in this book was spot on. One of the highlights for me was the fate of the tech billionaire—such a brilliant, unexpected twist. I found myself laughing out loud more than once, which isn’t something I often do when reading.

While the shifting perspectives tied the story together well, I did miss forming deeper connections with the characters. Most only got one chapter, which made it hard to get attached to them. I enjoy connecting with characters, and that was the one thing I felt was lacking here. It felt a bit like a collection of short stories, each with its own unique voice, but the lack of continuity made it feel like there was something missing for me.

That said, Scalzi does a fantastic job of making each vignette count, and the satire and wit are top-notch. If you’re a fan of clever, fast-paced storytelling with a touch of philosophical reflection, this one’s definitely worth the read.

Thanks to net galley for e-arc.

I did enjoy this book and it would probably be a 3.5 but it didn't quite hit page turner for me. I think it too a bit to long to get going. The middle and end were far better.

I enjoyed the concept of using something silly to examine how the world operates and responds to crisis.
For the most part the book reads like a short story collection or different people from vastly different walks of life responding to the main events. It's a fun read with serious undertones

This book is definitely up there among my favourites of Scalzi's, and it has his signature humour and a great deal of absurdity which I greatly enjoyed. The story switches between various perspectives, all different people from different places in the US responding to the revelation that the moon has just turned to cheese. The switches between points of view were smooth the whole way through, and I particularly liked that it would often return to related characters who were introduced earlier by someone else's chapter, although there is every chance that the only reason I could remember most people's names was because I read the book in the span of about a day or so. The story seemed mostly observational, a collation of different experiences of the moon turning to cheese, and the minutae of many lives as those lives went on regardless. It featured multiple rich assholes, some of whom perhaps got what they richly deserved, and was so intensely readable that it was possible to read ten chapters quite easily when you had only intended to read one. If you've liked any of Scalzi's books before, you'll definitely like this one.

DNF @ 35%. To be completely truthful, I was bored. I was so bored, which for a story about the literal moon turning to cheese, should not be the situation. Scalzi employs a similar structure to Kirsten Miller's 'Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books', following a different character each chapter and how they react to an overall stimuli - i.e. the moon turning to cheese. But where Miller succeeds and Scalzi falters is in the connectivity of each of these characters. There are so many and so very similar that as soon as I finished one chapter, I immediately forgot who they were. There was no return to their lives, no thread that kept me interested in all of these different perspectives. The chapters are long and very dialogue heavy without actually moving the plot forward. This feels like a movie that's been battered into a novel shape and presented to us. Not for me.

A story about the moon turning to cheese should have been funnier and more interesting.
It is “Fromageddon” and “Lactocalypse”, a childhood nursery rhyme turned reality.

This was ambitious: each chapter represents a day in the lunar cycle, each chapter with mostly different characters in mostly different places in the Unites States, reacting to it in ways specific them alone.

Whilst this gave us a glimpse of many different people, behaviour, and reactions; I think the jumping around made me lack connection to the characters.

Usually, Scalzi can make me laugh, but the humour here felt forced and a dictionary full of overused cheese puns and jokes.

<b>“Did Shakespeare write about cheese?” “
“If he didn’t, he should have.” Annette giggled. “The Tragedy of Romano and Jarlsberg,” she said.
“Two cheese shops, both alike in dignity,” Felix intoned. “In fair Madison, where we lay our scene.”
</b>
This felt like it was trying to be philosophical about our existence especially after the last pandemic, however I sadly felt bored and preached to.

I am disappointed as I adored Starter Villain, enjoyed Kaiju Preservwtion society, and have read a few of his other space books.

Physical arc gifted by Book Break Pan MacMillan.

This was my first book from this author so I didn't have any expectations. It took me a bit to get used to all of the different point of views but I ended up liking that idea. It's the best and easiest way to show how a big event has an effect on everyone. This book made me laugh but it also made cry. And the way all these different emotions were delivered made the whole story feel very... human.

Generally a fan of Scalzi’s work since the old man’s war series. This book just didn’t work well for me. I found there were too many povs. Although I did enjoy the premise as its bizarre.

What kind of cheese though?
For a book with the gloriously silly premise that the moon has suddenly turned into cheese, I think that’s a fair enough question.
Take it all in the spirit of bonkers-ness and enjoy this book for what it is. An Amuse Bouche of a book.

Each chapter follows a day in the lunar cycle and has different people’s thoughts on what is happening.
I expected the book to be very funny, but it is also surprisingly moving with some really deep insights into human nature when we’re faced with the impossible and the end of everything we know.

I couldn’t help thinking of one of my favourite books of all time when reading this - The Hopkin’s Manuscript by R.C Sherriff, where the moon is tumbling towards Earth and is on a course to ‘graze’ it. And also, the film ‘Don’t Look Up’.
Like ‘The Hopkin’s Manuscript’, the science is completely shonky (see John Scalzi’s great notes at the end of the book where he gives his reasons for this), but neither book suffers in the least bit for not scientifically backing up the events.

Brilliant stuff. I need to read more from this author.

4.5/5 stars

What if the moon suddenly turned into cheese? That’s the absurd premise of John Scalzi’s latest conceptual science fiction offering When the Moon Hits Your Eye as it takes it day-by-day over the first lunar cycle following different people from all walks of life.

This book was such a delight to read. It rolls with its premise, giving it a charming and lighthearted take when it could have just as easily fallen into dark humor territory (which it gratefully didn’t because I’m not a fan of black comedy). It’s pop science meets Andy Weir and incredibly funny (I literally laughed out loud multiple times). Told one day at a time from a wide variety of characters’ perspectives, it never feels disjointed and delivers a complete story despite its scattered structure.

The book has the traditional perspectives from astronauts and scientists trying to understand what happened. Then spices it up with some topical perspectives of a megalomaniac tech billionaire determined to be the first man to step on the cheese moon and two rival billionaires with more money than sense who want to be the first to eat the moon cheese. It then brings humor and charm through a rivalry between cheese shop owners spying on each other and an author who just so happens to have published a relevant pop science novel.
The most heartfelt, most human, and sweetest to me though were the doubting pastor guiding his struggling flock (and this is coming from someone who does not like having religion in my books) and the singular sweet moment between a wanna-be writer and her husband.

One note I have though is that I wish we had gotten to see more of some characters as we don’t get back to them so we are left to imagine what comes next for them (and I am imagining all positive things). Also, the book is entirely American so lacks the global feel these types of stories usually have.

When the Moon Hits Your Eye is a ridiculous and positively riotous good time.

*Thank you to Pan Macmillan for the eARC via NetGalley.