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emiged's review against another edition
4.0
I have three sons, ranging in age from four to eleven. Reading aloud at bedtime has been a tradition since the oldest was born, so I'm always on the look out for books that will interest them while teaching good lessons and engaging their minds, too. (Among many others, we have under our belts Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the entire Harry Potter series, the Chronicles of Narnia, The Hobbit, L. Frank Baum's original OZ series, A Christmas Carol, and we're currently making our way through Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House books.) Consequently, I read quite a bit of juvenile lit and young adult fiction.
But sometimes, among all these books directed at kids, I find exquisite stories that, while written for the younger set, entrance me as well. Starry River of the Sky and its predecessor, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, both by Grace Lin, are some of those books.
A young boy named Rendi has run away from home and ended up trapped in a tiny, remote village called Village of Clear Sky with no way of traveling on. Taken on as a chore boy by the village innkeeper, Rendi's negative attitude and seething anger sour his potential friendships, but he's noticed something odd. The moon is missing! He also seems to be the only one who hears dreadful moaning, groaning, and crying sounds all night long, which make it impossible to sleep, not helping his short temper at all.
One day a beautiful, mysterious woman shows up to stay at the inn. She befriends Rendi and the innkeeper's daughter and starts both the village and Rendi on the path to healing from anger, selfishness, and pride. As Rendi tells his story, at the grand lady's gentle insistence, he recognizes the roots of his anger in his relationship with his father and learns that "sometimes the best decision is a painful one, but it is never one made out of anger."
For the rest of this review, visit my website, Build Enough Bookshelves.
But sometimes, among all these books directed at kids, I find exquisite stories that, while written for the younger set, entrance me as well. Starry River of the Sky and its predecessor, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, both by Grace Lin, are some of those books.
A young boy named Rendi has run away from home and ended up trapped in a tiny, remote village called Village of Clear Sky with no way of traveling on. Taken on as a chore boy by the village innkeeper, Rendi's negative attitude and seething anger sour his potential friendships, but he's noticed something odd. The moon is missing! He also seems to be the only one who hears dreadful moaning, groaning, and crying sounds all night long, which make it impossible to sleep, not helping his short temper at all.
One day a beautiful, mysterious woman shows up to stay at the inn. She befriends Rendi and the innkeeper's daughter and starts both the village and Rendi on the path to healing from anger, selfishness, and pride. As Rendi tells his story, at the grand lady's gentle insistence, he recognizes the roots of his anger in his relationship with his father and learns that "sometimes the best decision is a painful one, but it is never one made out of anger."
For the rest of this review, visit my website, Build Enough Bookshelves.
haley_reads_books's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
my fav children’s books
abwrites's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
relaxing
fast-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
Grace Lin is going to end up one of my favorite fantasy authors (not even sure if she would consider herself a fantasy author). This and Where the Mountain Meets the Moon are just splendid children's books, and, I think, must-reads for anyone who enjoys fantastic stories based on folktales and myth.
jthekemp's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I’m not sure I was in the mood for this sort of story, which I why I didn’t rank it very highly. It uses many mythology / folktale devices such as simplistic characters / writing and predictable plots to explain the world and teach a moral. Lin weaves stories inspired by Chinese folklore that her characters tell which add explanation and deepen the characters without having to make use of flashbacks. The way she weaves the stories into the main narrative is perfect for a reader who loves folktales but wants something written more recently. The story itself deals with anger and presents forgiveness as the answer to achieving peace. I love how it used stories to show Rendi life from other perspectives and how that enabled him to share his story and find a way to move on from the past.
nairam1173's review
4.0
I was slightly worried that I wouldn't enjoy this one as much as /Where the Mountain Meets the Moon/, but I definitely did. Possibly even more. Beautiful illustrations, gentle prose, important themes.
pancakeducks's review against another edition
adventurous
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? It's complicated
5.0
lrcartee's review against another edition
4.0
When Rendi comes to the Village of Clear Sky many things are wrong. There is a terrible drought, it seems everyone is bickering and the moon has disappeared from the sky. The mysterious Madame Chang entertained them with her stories and Rendi couldn't figure out if old Mr. Shan was crazy or wise. Little by little Rendi began to figure out the mysteries of this village and the mysteries and secrets he kept hidden as well.
This book is delightfully filled with re-telling of Chinese folklore, beautiful illustrations artfully woven within the tale of Rendi and the Village of Clear Sky.
It has a lot to offer in the way of a diverse, multicultural book with a story and lessons that transcend through all cultures.
This book is delightfully filled with re-telling of Chinese folklore, beautiful illustrations artfully woven within the tale of Rendi and the Village of Clear Sky.
It has a lot to offer in the way of a diverse, multicultural book with a story and lessons that transcend through all cultures.
i_is_book's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
mairiairi's review against another edition
5.0
Here we come to the second book of the series.
MAJOR SPOILERS. This review is only for people who have already read it and want to know more about how this story ties into the first book, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon.
It all starts with Rendi, son of Nobody and his wife Nothing. Wait no that's Mara.
So Rendi arrives at the Village of Clear Sky (not to get mixed up with the Village of the Moon Rain), and all we know about him is that he's running away (like Minli!) and that he's wealthy (not like Minli) (p20 - not used to chores. p21 - scoffs the "best room in the inn" bc it's not even as good as his father's servants' rooms). But as he stays longer and longer and learns more and more, he starts sounding awfully familiar . . .
Take, for example, on p73-75, he gets very angry at the well and only stops when he sees how much he looks like his father. Sound familiar? Then, keep going a few pages forward and on p78 Rendi tells a story about Magistrate Tiger . . . from the point of view of the son. After that, on p96, Madame Chang tells a story about the Wang Yi's wife swallowing a pill story and how she turns into a toad and jumps to the moon. That will come into it later. A few pages after, Rendi is going to the well again when he runs into Mr. Shan, looking into the well. Mr. Shan breaks the partition of the well's wall and tells Rendi not to jump in . . . and Rendi thinks it's funny but Mr. Shan looks at him and Rendi becomes serious. So Mr. Shan leaves and Rendi looks at the well (p107) and he suddenly has a vision of someone, something - a dark green blur - leaping into the gaping hole of the well, angry roars echoing upward.
Then turn the page at 108 and Rendi is in his room, gathering his stuff so he can head out, and the last item is a smooth, blue-and-white rice bowl. Coincidence? I think not. (I'll explain soon.)
The second story he tells, on p110, is also about MT bc it's always smart to tell stories about something you have first-hand experience with, right? So he tells a story where MT steals the answers to three riddles from his children - except they don't know the third, so he only gets two prizes: one is a blue and white rice bowl. It is an amazing prize because the first emperors ate from it. So why did Minli have it? Because the emperor gave it to her parents when she was born. Well, the second prize is an enormous gang, which is really a tub, it's so huge - a whole person could fit in it < remember that when you read the third book in the series ;)
So he finishes his story and Peiyi says too bad the third question about the snails is unanswered - because it's what happened to her family. They go fix the dispute and Rendi asks Peiyi about Mr. Shan. Remember how Rendi got mad at the well? Well, he tried to break it apart but couldn't. Later, Rendi and Mr. Shan are there and he breaks it with his hands (Mr. Shan, not Rendi). How is he so strong? That will come into it later. So they're talking about Mr. Shan (p131), and Peiyi says he came back for the first time without his book and now he's acting lost. Why? Because the book is the same one the sage and the mountain had on p64 - it's the Book of Fortune; and Mr. Shan is the Old Man of the Moon . . . maybe the same moon that got moved from the Village of Clear Sky!
On p132, Peiyi points out to Rendi this was the first time he's shown concern for someone else and Rendi smiles. This is kind of the turning point of the story where Rendi starts to change, becoming less like his father and more like a human being
MAJOR SPOILERS. This review is only for people who have already read it and want to know more about how this story ties into the first book, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon.
It all starts with Rendi, son of Nobody and his wife Nothing. Wait no that's Mara.
So Rendi arrives at the Village of Clear Sky (not to get mixed up with the Village of the Moon Rain), and all we know about him is that he's running away (like Minli!) and that he's wealthy (not like Minli) (p20 - not used to chores. p21 - scoffs the "best room in the inn" bc it's not even as good as his father's servants' rooms). But as he stays longer and longer and learns more and more, he starts sounding awfully familiar . . .
Take, for example, on p73-75, he gets very angry at the well and only stops when he sees how much he looks like his father. Sound familiar? Then, keep going a few pages forward and on p78 Rendi tells a story about Magistrate Tiger . . . from the point of view of the son. After that, on p96, Madame Chang tells a story about the Wang Yi's wife swallowing a pill story and how she turns into a toad and jumps to the moon. That will come into it later. A few pages after, Rendi is going to the well again when he runs into Mr. Shan, looking into the well. Mr. Shan breaks the partition of the well's wall and tells Rendi not to jump in . . . and Rendi thinks it's funny but Mr. Shan looks at him and Rendi becomes serious. So Mr. Shan leaves and Rendi looks at the well (p107) and he suddenly has a vision of someone, something - a dark green blur - leaping into the gaping hole of the well, angry roars echoing upward.
Suddenly, he had a vision of someone, something - a dark green blur - leaping into the gaping hole of the well, angry roars echoing upward. Rendi shivered.Does that sound familiar? Well it should, because in Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, Da-A-Fu trick the Magistrate Tiger (MT) into jumping in the well after his "son" (the reflection). Mr. Shan is warning Rendi not to become (just going to say it for you) his father, MT. Because Rendi is the one who's going to kick his father out of the City of Bright Moonlight (C of BM).
Then turn the page at 108 and Rendi is in his room, gathering his stuff so he can head out, and the last item is a smooth, blue-and-white rice bowl. Coincidence? I think not. (I'll explain soon.)
The second story he tells, on p110, is also about MT bc it's always smart to tell stories about something you have first-hand experience with, right? So he tells a story where MT steals the answers to three riddles from his children - except they don't know the third, so he only gets two prizes: one is a blue and white rice bowl. It is an amazing prize because the first emperors ate from it. So why did Minli have it? Because the emperor gave it to her parents when she was born. Well, the second prize is an enormous gang, which is really a tub, it's so huge - a whole person could fit in it < remember that when you read the third book in the series ;)
So he finishes his story and Peiyi says too bad the third question about the snails is unanswered - because it's what happened to her family. They go fix the dispute and Rendi asks Peiyi about Mr. Shan. Remember how Rendi got mad at the well? Well, he tried to break it apart but couldn't. Later, Rendi and Mr. Shan are there and he breaks it with his hands (Mr. Shan, not Rendi). How is he so strong? That will come into it later. So they're talking about Mr. Shan (p131), and Peiyi says he came back for the first time without his book and now he's acting lost. Why? Because the book is the same one the sage and the mountain had on p64 - it's the Book of Fortune; and Mr. Shan is the Old Man of the Moon . . . maybe the same moon that got moved from the Village of Clear Sky!
On p132, Peiyi points out to Rendi this was the first time he's shown concern for someone else and Rendi smiles. This is kind of the turning point of the story where Rendi starts to change, becoming less like his father and more like a human being