Dancing Through the Darkness: Jessi Morris Brings the 90s Rave Scene - and its Hidden Stories - Back to Life

In a cosy corner of Bath's Society Café, where exposed stone walls meet industrial lighting and the scent of freshly ground coffee fills the air, Jessi cradles a hot chocolate and recalls the moment she first heard Kurt Cobain. 'It was 1992, I was in the Algarve, and Lithium came on MTV,' she says, her eyes lighting up with the memory. 'I just stood there with my mouth hanging open.' This collision of time, place, and sound - a defining moment of musical awakening - perfectly encapsulates the spirit of her debut novel, 'Whole of the Moon', a story that pulses with the raw energy of Britain's early 90s rave culture while diving deep into one of the era's darkest shadows: the AIDS crisis.

'I was a grunge raver,' she says with a laugh, explaining her own journey through the decade's overlapping music scenes. 'Grunge with friends at home, rave music for dancing.' This dual identity informs the rich musical landscape of her novel, where Papua New Guinea thunders through makeshift sound systems at Castlemorton Common, Prince's 'Kiss' echoes through smoky underground gay bars in Portugal, and Pearl Jam's 'Black' plays on a bedroom turntable as two lovers connect for the first time.

But 'Whole of the Moon' is far more than a nostalgia trip. At its heart is Steve, a middle-class law graduate whose life is upended by an HIV diagnosis. Through his story, Jessi dismantles countless stereotypes about who the crisis affected. 'I wanted to remove the shame,' she explains. 'Steve is bisexual, well-educated, from a supportive family. I wanted to show that anyone could get HIV, and not all families abandoned their children.'

Some of the novel's most powerful sequences take place in London's Broderip Ward, meticulously recreated through Jessi's extensive research and interviews with former staff. 'One nurse told me it was the best years of her life,' she shares, before recounting a remarkable story about staff wheeling patients outside in the middle of the night to witness a comet. 'These moments of joy and humanity existed alongside the illness. The ward was full of love.'

Though Broderip Ward forms the emotional heart of the story, Jessi's novel sweeps far beyond hospital walls, from sweaty warehouse raves to sun-drenched Portuguese beaches. Even within the ward itself, life and love persist. 'I wanted to show that romance didn't stop at the hospital doors,' she explains, discussing the character of Basil, who becomes Steve's love interest during his time in Broderip. 'These were young people in their twenties and early thirties. They were still falling in love, still dreaming, still living fully despite everything.'

Jessi's connection to the material runs deep. Having grown up in South Africa, she witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of AIDS on communities there. This experience influenced the character of Alex, Steve's lover who returns to post-apartheid South Africa. 'Alex was my ode to my homeland,' she says quietly.

The authenticity of her writing stems not just from lived experience but from painstaking research. She immersed herself in the music, documentaries, and literature of the period. Most importantly, she spoke with long-term survivors and the nurses who cared for patients. 'Their stories uplifted me,' she says. 'Yes, there's sadness in the book, but it's also full of hope and love and laughter - and lots of music.'

This balance between light and dark, between the euphoria of the dance floor and the stark reality of hospital wards, gives 'Whole of the Moon' it’s remarkable power. Jessi has created something rare: a historical novel that never feels like a history lesson, a story about illness that vibrates with life, and a debut that reads like the work of a seasoned chronicler of human experience.

As our conversation winds down, I ask about her hopes for the book. 'I want readers to understand that these were just young people who never chose to get ill,' she says. 'But more than that, I want them to feel the joy, the music, the connection. Because even in the darkest times, people found ways to dance.'

'Whole of the Moon' by Jessi Morris is available through Simpatico Publishing on Amazon and all e-book platforms.