Psychopomp
Maria Dong
Paperback/ebook
ISBN: 9781958598528
Dark Matter INK, March 25th, 2025, 328 pgs

Psychopomp opens with frenetic energy, somewhat mercilessly pouring information onto the page. It fits the somewhat frenetic internal energy of the protagonist, who is more than a little uncomfortable in her social setting. Like the internalization, the information (worldbuilding, much of it) is interesting and feels useful to the story. The story also comes with an intriguing character in a fraught situation, so all together, the read is both entertaining and pleasantly intense.

Young is serving a prison sentence, trapped by her circumstances, and perhaps worse, trapped with a bunch of people when she would much rather be left alone. Her discomfort is palpable, and perhaps ironically (from her perspective), readers will immediately want to follow along with her story. The bigger picture is that she’s stuck with a bunch of folks who are mining to pay off their sentences. Just as her crimes were translated into years of imprisonment when she transferred to the mining colony, those years were translated into labor; that is to say, converted into debt which is paid through her labor. Relatively, it’s much better than actual prison; at the same time, it is definitely not freedom—despite the company and some of the laborers telling her that it’s freedom and luxury compared to living in a prison cell. Of course, the mining is dangerous and, on a moon, somewhere in space. And of course, even as she is working to pay off her debt, the corporation which owns the mines also charges the prisoners for everything, from the water in the tap to the beer at the dive bar. It’s a setup which works and feels, in many ways, relatable, because so many of us have a sense of being caught in the web of someone else getting wealthy off our inevitable, unavoidable, and endless labor. In this way and more, Dong wonderfully imagines a science fictional setting which points to many of the situations we face as a society, giving the narrative a sense of plausibility and importance, without taking the spotlight away from Young.

Young is also a mess. Anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation are among her immediate concerns. She tried to commit suicide, but it didn’t work, and there is a bit of mystery around why. She may also be having visions; it’s hard to be sure when you know you are generally going through a lot: your mind is definitely playing games with you . . . so, the visions? Maybe just another game. Survival for Young comes down to just making it through the day; and, if possible, getting away from people from time to time. Being alone is her only real comfort, and it’s hard to be alone when you’re in a labor camp. She also finds comfort in a guy named Gyu, who, from her perspective, inexplicably sticks around.

Young’s personal history and anxiety sometimes leads to questionable decisions. Straightforward prose makes getting involved in Young’s complex interiority easy. Many readers will strongly relate to her, including, I think, those moments of wrestling with said questionable decisions; of knowing you might not be seeing clearly, but feeling the emotions like a tsunami crashing against you, driving you in potentially bad directions anyway.

This is, in itself, engrossing enough to make a book worth reading—especially considering the thorny interpersonal entanglements we get to experience, but Dong has even more in store. Amidst the fury of Young’s chaos, Dong sneaks in little story questions, luring readers like glowing wisps in the woods, bringing you deeper into the plot: a scrap of paper with a weird message; a drone that may or may not exist; a pendant with unexpected connections; an unusual hideaway; and more—perhaps most importantly, an occasional nagging feeling of being watched. Gyu brings a chance at big changes, and . . . well, Dong will have you saying, Just One More Chapter! until you’ve devoured your way through the entire book.

Let Dong take you on a journey. There’s wonderful drama, as well as great revelations and turns and twists, right up through the final pages. If you like messy, seriously flawed characters, set in a vividly depicted science fictional labor camp, with a lot of great worldbuilding details and a strong narrative throughline, this is a book you’ll really enjoy.