A review by sarahsthoughtsonbooks
Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan

adventurous hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

This is the first of many of my highly anticipated debuts for 2022 and it didn't disappoint.

I was hooked to the story from the beginning, the descriptions painted vivid images in my head. I couldn’t help but think of my childhood when my family would rent Chinese Historical Fantasy series from the local TVB rental store. I was very much transported to the Celestial Kingdom, the battlefields, the palace at the Easter Seas, and even parts of Demon Realm (or Cloud Wall). 

DAUGHTER OF THE MOON GODDESS is inpired by the story of Chang’e, the Moon Goddess. Xingyin, the daughter of Chang’e, and her desire to free her mom from her imprisonment on the moon. It’s as much as a novel about Xingyin’s quests as it is about her growth as a person. It’s as much about her determination to do what is right while getting closer to freeing her mom, even if she makes some powerful enemies. 
For those that love their Fantasy with a touch of romance, there’s so much pining and longing in this book, as Xingyin has two love interests. However, I do wish the book could have focused a bit more on the friends Xingyin made, such as Minyi (well, she was more ally than friend), and Shuxiao, a fellow member of the army. Did I mention that I thought it could be a TVB series from my childhood? Please give me more of this world. Luckily, this is the first book of a duology (or maybe unluckily, because I need to WAIT, and I’m not good with waiting). There are no major cliffhangers, but things aren’t tied up in a bow. 

A few things (1) at one point I wanted to throw my book across the room, this was not something I saw coming. Maybe others saw it, but not me. (2) Until a few weeks ago I thought this was a YA Fantasy novel, but I’ve recently been informed that it is an Adult Fantasy. So I will say that it will have crossover appeal 
Oh, another thing, the audiobook is narrated by Natalie Naudus, so you know I’ll be listening to the book in the future. 

Content Notes: imprisonment, battles, kidnapping, drugging 
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