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A review by arachne_reads
Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
It was super cute, but it felt half-finished, like the world wasn’t fully explored. A lot of the things the plot hinges on weren’t fully developed or explained—and not explained in a nuts-n-bolts way, but in that they were introduced in character conversations “oh, you know that theory that is entirely new to the reader? Well…” instead of seen working, and their workings didn’t seem to have any real implications to the characters’ situations.
There also wasn’t any real motive for the “villains” of the story.They just want to do this wolf-demon possession thing because…? Mrs. Crawford says it’s so Tam can “fulfill their potential” and we’re given nothing more.
The setup of the story—so many of the character details, and the sheer diversity of characters whose speech and presence felt very natural—made me want this to be so much more. I loved the Sukkot/mid-autumn festival scene, and the family dynamics at work there. I wanted the story and world to have room to expand, but it felt a bit rushed and flat to me instead. Sad about that, but I’m definitely not sad I read it; it makes me want to see more of Xu’s art and Walker’s writing.
There also wasn’t any real motive for the “villains” of the story.
The setup of the story—so many of the character details, and the sheer diversity of characters whose speech and presence felt very natural—made me want this to be so much more. I loved the Sukkot/mid-autumn festival scene, and the family dynamics at work there. I wanted the story and world to have room to expand, but it felt a bit rushed and flat to me instead. Sad about that, but I’m definitely not sad I read it; it makes me want to see more of Xu’s art and Walker’s writing.