“Some scars are carved into our bones - a part of who we are, shaping what we become.”

After dying to read this book for over a year, it's finally in my hands, and I couldn't be happier. There's something so gratifying about anticipating a book, especially a debut, and having it meet a lot of your expectations. You couldn't tell at first this was a debut because of the incredible writing, and while the end pacing—something I'll get to later— wasn't the best, I did enjoy this beautiful story. I thought this was a standalone for some reason, so you can imagine my surprise at realizing at the end that this story is only half told! I'm very excited for the sequel and what Sue Lynn Tan plans to do next.

“We should appreciate the flower, regardless of its roots.”

Something I wasn't anticipating was the long stretch of time that passes throughout the course of this book. It took me a while to get used to it, but it's really important to see Xingyin's journey from the start to finish during this point of her life. I liked that she wavered a couple times in the pursuit for her mother's freedom because it shows that she is human and influenced by her new life. I mean who wouldn't? Also, I wasn't expecting Xingyin to leave the Celestial Kingdom to become an archer, but it was one of my favorite parts to this book. Her being able to grow outside of the confines of the palace and her connection to the prince were pure genius, and it really allowed Xingyin to grow even deeper as an individual. I wish we could've seen more of that time in her life besides the big even at the lake, but also, I understand it would've dragged the plot out more.

“Titles are inherited, talent might be blood-bound, but true greatness lies within.”

Back to the mother-daughter relationship, I loved that at its heart, Daughter of the Moon Goddess was about them reuniting. Do I wish we got more Chang'e in the book? OBVIOUSLY— but I realized that's what the sequel is for, at least I assume so. Anyway, Xingyin constantly thinks about her mother and her duty to save her from her entrapment, and even whens she strays from that goal, Xingyin comes back to it upset but resilient. Their relationship isn't anywhere near perfect, but their love for one another just grounded the mistakes and pain. I don't think I've ever read a fantasy where the mother and daughter take such a central role to the plot, but I'm so grateful to Sue Lynn Tan for writing this book. It made me think of my own mother, who I love dearly, and I felt everything like Xingyin. I'd get distracted in my journey to save my mom, and I'd make TONS of mistakes, but ultimately, I would find a way.

“But we could not keep hiding and burying our hurt, especially from those we loved. I had learned that through the pain lay forgiveness, growth, and the eventual healing of our wounds.”

Sue Lynn Tan's strongest point as a writer is her mesmerizing writing style. It's elegant and sweet like win, even when scenes are darker. There's this fairytale/ folklore element that never quite leaves the reader, and it read really well. The pacing did mess with me after the halfway point, particularly when chaos was ensuing at the end. The first half of the book was such a slow buildup that it felt very extreme to suddenly pivot to a very fast pacing at the end. It make the timeframe disheveled, and I had to put the book down for a while before picking it back up. It makes me think that DOTMG could probably have been split into two separate books, and I wouldn't have had this problem but that's not what happened.

“I had always thought life was a road, twisting and turning with the vagaries of fate. Luck and opportunity, gifts beyond our control. As I gazed across the endless night, it dawned on me then, that our paths were forged from the choices we made. Whether to reach for an opportunity or to let it pass by. To be swept up with changed or to hold your ground.”

My last point is that I'm truly so confused about the love interests in this book. I was so hooked on Wenzhi, captain of the guard, because he offered Xingyin a chance to see more of the world and not be under the tension of the Celestial Emperor... until ~the event~ happens that literally throws this story into pure chaos incarnate. Both Wenzhi and Liwei have some pretty big issues with their jealousy and possessiveness of Xingyin, which wasn't my style either. By the end of the book, I was just on the side of Xingyin choosing herself, but it was even sweeter to— like I said before— watch her come back to her mom. I think Xingyin fulfilling her goal to see and save her mom is what won me over in the end of this book and makes me want to continue. Sometimes its not the love interests or cool action sequences that hook you— but instead, the connection of a mother and daughter torn apart and reunited.

Thank you to Harper Voyager for a review copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.