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spinesinaline's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This was a wonderful story, it just felt very spaced out and slow-paced that it was almost a slog to get through.
The author has created a truly beautiful world, playing off the Chang’e legend and depicting this beautiful kingdom filled with gods. I did really like the author’s writing style and descriptions but this book is over 500 pages and it feels like it. The pacing is very, very slow and I was getting bored before I’d even reached the halfway point. There’s not much urgency or thrill in the story despite the MC originally setting out on an important mission. It felt like she forgot about the point of her quest and so we get the humdrum of life instead of any true adventures.
I will say that the book reminded me a lot of the labours of Heracles in its pacing, where there are several things he’s required to complete before he has actually completed the overall challenge. So perhaps if you think along those lines for Xingyin, the story won’t seem to drag as much.
The author has created a truly beautiful world, playing off the Chang’e legend and depicting this beautiful kingdom filled with gods. I did really like the author’s writing style and descriptions but this book is over 500 pages and it feels like it. The pacing is very, very slow and I was getting bored before I’d even reached the halfway point. There’s not much urgency or thrill in the story despite the MC originally setting out on an important mission. It felt like she forgot about the point of her quest and so we get the humdrum of life instead of any true adventures.
I will say that the book reminded me a lot of the labours of Heracles in its pacing, where there are several things he’s required to complete before he has actually completed the overall challenge. So perhaps if you think along those lines for Xingyin, the story won’t seem to drag as much.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Violence
Moderate: Confinement, Death, War, Grief, and Kidnapping
maple_dove's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Chinese drama Vibes
One of this book's most prominent subjects was Xingyin's character arc.
One of this book's most prominent subjects was Xingyin's character arc.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Gore, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, Infidelity, and Kidnapping
kindredbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
YES! It's always such a great feeling when one of your most anticipated reads of the year meets all your expectations and more. Daughter of the Moon Goddess has been on my anticipated list since I first heard about it last year, I preordered my copy, and completely just devoured the book within days. This is a read that kept me up late into the night because just "one more chapter" was not enough.
I absolutely loved the fantasy world in the Celestial Kingdom that is based on ancient Chinese mythology and the idea of the MC being the daughter of the Moon Goddess, Chang'e. Basically stories and characters that I have known about since I was a child but now in a magical and whirlwind of a fantasy novel. Sue Lynn Tan weaves an absolutely enchanting story filled with incredible detailed descriptions of the world. I would be reading her descriptions of a place, like the Fragrant Coral Palace in the Eastern Sea and be able to really envision it in my mind because of her beautiful words and narrative.
I really enjoyed Xingyin's character development in this story as we start off with her so content yet isolated living with her mother on the moon. Throughout the story, her determination to return home and to free her mother becomes a guiding motivation for who she is. But she is not a character who just miraculously has all things work out her way with ease. She struggles, errs, and even falls in love - all of which made me like her more as a character.
Just absolutely fantastic and magical and I do not know how my heart can take any more in this epic tale - but I know that this is the first in the Celestial Kingdom duology. I will have to brace my heart and eagerly await book two.
I absolutely loved the fantasy world in the Celestial Kingdom that is based on ancient Chinese mythology and the idea of the MC being the daughter of the Moon Goddess, Chang'e. Basically stories and characters that I have known about since I was a child but now in a magical and whirlwind of a fantasy novel. Sue Lynn Tan weaves an absolutely enchanting story filled with incredible detailed descriptions of the world. I would be reading her descriptions of a place, like the Fragrant Coral Palace in the Eastern Sea and be able to really envision it in my mind because of her beautiful words and narrative.
I really enjoyed Xingyin's character development in this story as we start off with her so content yet isolated living with her mother on the moon. Throughout the story, her determination to return home and to free her mother becomes a guiding motivation for who she is. But she is not a character who just miraculously has all things work out her way with ease. She struggles, errs, and even falls in love - all of which made me like her more as a character.
Just absolutely fantastic and magical and I do not know how my heart can take any more in this epic tale - but I know that this is the first in the Celestial Kingdom duology. I will have to brace my heart and eagerly await book two.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Violence, and Confinement
Moderate: Death of parent, Death, Sexual assault, and Grief
foreverinastory's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Thank you to B2Weird book club & tours as well as Harper Voyager US for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This was a fantastic debut! Daughter of the Moon Goddess is a retelling of the Chinese myth of the moon goddess, Chang’e. This book takes place over the course of several years. We see Xingyin leave the moon palace and enter the Celestial Kingdom in order to find a way to free her mother. Xingyin goes on several adventures during her time in the Celestial Kingdom, but she never forgets her purpose: to free her mother. This is something that is always circled back to in the overall plot.
This book has something for everyone: romance, an engaging plot, fierce battles, dragons, a female badass. I absolutely loved the world of the Celestial Kingdom. I want more of this world, because I’m so fascinated by how everything works. Plus the history and lore of the world is magnificent. I was blown away by the scope of this book and how much of the world we get to explore. I'm impressed with how much was included and how I never felt bored.
I listened to the audiobook, which is read by the fantastic Natalie Naudus. I’ve listened to several other books by Naudus, and she’s definitely one of my favorite audiobook narrators! She really brought Xingyin to life, it was impossible not to be invested in her journey.
Throughout all the action, Xingyin also falls in love with Crown Prince Liwei. Unfortunately, he is betrothed to another, but the two cannot keep from being drawn to one another. I really enjoyed the romance between these two. There is also a love triangle, but like idk which side I want to win? We learn so much about both of these men and I can't pick who I like best with Xingyin, hopefully she'll be able to figure it out for herself.
This is a debut I won’t be forgetting any time soon. I was swept away by the adventure Xingyin went on. While this book does wrap up the major conflicts presented, there are still some paths left open, and I’m really curious to see where the sequel will take Xingyin and her friends.
Rep: All Chinese coded cast. Female MC.
CWs: Death, blood, violence, gore, fire/fire injury. Moderate: confinement, kidnapping, infidelity, sexual harassment, attempted sexual assault, torture, grief, abandonment, war, injury/injury detail. Minor: vomit, alcohol consumption, sexism, death of parent, past mentions of pregnancy, bullying bordering on emotional abuse.
This was a fantastic debut! Daughter of the Moon Goddess is a retelling of the Chinese myth of the moon goddess, Chang’e. This book takes place over the course of several years. We see Xingyin leave the moon palace and enter the Celestial Kingdom in order to find a way to free her mother. Xingyin goes on several adventures during her time in the Celestial Kingdom, but she never forgets her purpose: to free her mother. This is something that is always circled back to in the overall plot.
This book has something for everyone: romance, an engaging plot, fierce battles, dragons, a female badass. I absolutely loved the world of the Celestial Kingdom. I want more of this world, because I’m so fascinated by how everything works. Plus the history and lore of the world is magnificent. I was blown away by the scope of this book and how much of the world we get to explore. I'm impressed with how much was included and how I never felt bored.
I listened to the audiobook, which is read by the fantastic Natalie Naudus. I’ve listened to several other books by Naudus, and she’s definitely one of my favorite audiobook narrators! She really brought Xingyin to life, it was impossible not to be invested in her journey.
Throughout all the action, Xingyin also falls in love with Crown Prince Liwei. Unfortunately, he is betrothed to another, but the two cannot keep from being drawn to one another. I really enjoyed the romance between these two. There is also a love triangle, but like idk which side I want to win? We learn so much about both of these men and I can't pick who I like best with Xingyin, hopefully she'll be able to figure it out for herself.
This is a debut I won’t be forgetting any time soon. I was swept away by the adventure Xingyin went on. While this book does wrap up the major conflicts presented, there are still some paths left open, and I’m really curious to see where the sequel will take Xingyin and her friends.
Rep: All Chinese coded cast. Female MC.
CWs: Death, blood, violence, gore, fire/fire injury. Moderate: confinement, kidnapping, infidelity, sexual harassment, attempted sexual assault, torture, grief, abandonment, war, injury/injury detail. Minor: vomit, alcohol consumption, sexism, death of parent, past mentions of pregnancy, bullying bordering on emotional abuse.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, and Violence
Moderate: Abandonment, Confinement, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Torture, and War
Minor: Alcohol, Bullying, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Sexism, and Vomit
talonsontypewriters's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A free ARC of this title was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The first word that comes to mind to describe Daughter of the Moon Goddess is “beautiful.” In a lot of ways, it’s true—from the very writing to the vast, captivating world presented to the inherent love and loyalty that drives the plot, a lot of aspects of the novel are objectively so. The prospect of not being able to put a book down is a cliche one, but an apt one here, if not in the wholly literal sense.
The first word that comes to mind to describe Daughter of the Moon Goddess is “beautiful.” In a lot of ways, it’s true—from the very writing to the vast, captivating world presented to the inherent love and loyalty that drives the plot, a lot of aspects of the novel are objectively so. The prospect of not being able to put a book down is a cliche one, but an apt one here, if not in the wholly literal sense.
My first and foremost compliments must go to the very writing. I’m a substance over style person in general, but I can’t deny that I have a soft spot for gorgeous styles, and Sue Lynn Tan’s certainly qualifies as such. It’s very lyrical, but in a way that’s easy and comfortable to read. No matter whether a scene consists of court intrigue or fast-paced, brutal action (or, as in several cases, both), Tan handles it with grace, making things engaging and smooth-flowing. There are some instances of awkward repetition, as well as some grammatical and spelling mistakes along the lines of what I would expect from an early copy, but overall the technical writing is nothing short of stellar.
Xingyin’s narrative voice is very compelling, and in general she’s an interesting and very likable protagonist. She’s prideful, brave, cunning, and at times rash, a skilled strategist and fighter alike (I anticipate “overpowered” comments, but I think her abilities are interesting and keeping in with her training, upbringing, and heritage) with a tendency for impulsive behavior. There’s no shortage of interesting character work—some minor characters are left fairly flat, but a lot of the cast is given intriguing motivations that explain but don’t justify their actions—but since she’s the main and perspective character, how sympathetic and well-written she generally is is worth especial note.
Where Tan’s writing becomes most lush and evocative, I would say, is when locations are described. It follows, then, that the worldbuilding also completely drew me in. Chinese culture and legend infuse almost every bit of the setting, and the result is breathtaking and inspiring. I was a bit surprised by the choice to base the magic system around the classical Greek elements rather than wuxing, but that’s not really something I have actual complaints about in this context, just something I would want to ask the author about her reasoning behind. Something that particularly caught my attention here is the handling of immortality, different fantastical kingdoms, the limitations of magic, and dragons. I’m also a fan of this retelling and reworking of the Chang’e and Houyi legends, which are some of my favorite Chinese tales to begin with.
The dynamics between characters are what inevitably push the plot forward, so I’d be remiss to gloss over them. Chang’e and Xingyin’s relationship is super touching, and I’m endlessly endeared by how it always remains the central point of the plot and themes. One perhaps understated dynamic is that of Xingyin and her friend Shuxiao, which was super sweet and a nice contrast in its consistent, easy loyalty.
I also ended up more compelled by the romance than I was honestly initially expecting. A love triangle is present, which I started to brace myself for when it became clear (especially because on paper it’s the trite “girl who considers herself plain in appearance is vied after by two powerful attractive men,” though appearance actually is barely noted when it comes to attraction and the focus is absolutely on personality/intellect, something else super nice to see), but it’s pretty all right as far as these things go. Though it’s reasonably clear romance will develop from certain interactions, the characters are given room to develop as friends first without jumping right to that stage. Dedication, respect, and trust are palpable in all major romantic relationships… which makes it all the more heartwrenching when conflict strikes. I do wish jealousy was less prominent throughout, however much it’s kept at bay and addressed.
That said, I do have to note that overall, miscommunication plays a refreshingly limited role in the conflict present throughout the book. Whenever it is present (mostly in regards to secret identities), it tends to be for understandable and relatable reasons, not just for drama’s sake. I especially appreciate the open discussions between Chang’e and Xingyin early on, though later interactions between Xingyin and other characters are just as nice in this regard.
My most glaring critique is with regards to the pacing, which is at times fairly shaky. There are several large jumps in time—the most egregious being a two-year skip pretty early on—that, while understandable enough for how unimportant the interim is in the grand scheme of things (and further evoking the feeling of epics and folk tales), I feel hurt some moments of character and relationship development. For instance, though the romance is technically given room to breathe, we don’t really get to see the parties developing the trust and friendship that eventually drives their interactions. The buildup is also a bit rushed, leading to a couple of deus ex machina moments startlingly early on. Something I would have liked to see more of, for example, is Xingyin’s time working in the Golden Lotus Mansion, as well as the motivations and dynamics of the characters who are present in that segment of the story. It’s not drawn out very long, and later on it isn’t touched upon much, so presumably it’s just there to bridge the inciting incident and rising action, but it feels all the more jarring for that.
That aside, I was ultimately pleased with the plot and resolution. Just enough is settled to lean into a satisfying ending, but just enough threads are still left hanging to justify—and drive interest in—a sequel. One twist in particular really got to me, and made me want to immediately comb back through for a few things I, like Xingyin, overlooked the first time around. There are also a couple of very satisfying Chekhov’s gun moments that had me (mentally) cheering.
A couple of minor complaints with regards to language: Phrasing like “he or she” is used on a few occasions, “crippling” is used more than once when “debilitating” or something similar would have worked just as well or even better, and “deaf and blind” is used as a synonym for “ignorant.” There’s nothing glaringly offputting beyond this, but these did still pull a brief grimace from me.
As magical as the world it presents but at its core human and real, Daughter of the Moon Goddess is not a perfect book, but it is one that kept me captivated until the very last word. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for Tan’s writing in the future, especially what’s to follow in this duology.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, and Violence
Moderate: Confinement, Grief, Kidnapping, and Torture
Minor: Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Vomit
Death of fantastical creatures, most antagonistic in nature. Manipulation, as well as magical overriding of will and agency (not in an interpersonal sense; sexual harassment warning refers to one brief, non-explicit scene) and possession, are employed by antagonists. Ableist and cissexist language is present in passing.
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