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shealea 's review for:
Daughter of the Moon Goddess
by Sue Lynn Tan
Romantic, lush, and just the right hint of dramatic, Daughter of the Moon Goddess was a divinely cinematic reading experience. I respectfully demand a film/series adaptation.
Final impressions:
• A solid YA fantasy debut with sweeping worldbuilding, gorgeous prose, and a twist-y, arduous journey.
• While I was expecting a straightforward, linear story wherein a distraught daughter fights her way to reunite with her exiled goddess of a mother, I was pleasantly surprised by the twists and turns - and even backslides - as Xingyin forged a new destiny for herself. Plus, the multiple side quests and adventures!
• From a storytelling standpoint, I appreciated that Xingyin's journey spanned years and brought her across multiple celestial and mortal realms. I thought it was a great approach to introducing this fantastical world without losing sight of Xingyin's ultimate goal of saving her mother. In doing so, the story felt both personal and expansive.
• Much of the story was propelled forward by filial piety, duty, and honor - and I'm personally a sucker for family-centered stories.
• Sue Lynn Tan's descriptive prose brought me to my knees. It definitely swept me off my feet and allowed myself to get lost in the cutthroat elegance of the Celestial Kingdom.
• Onto the weaker points:
- While Xingyin was a heroine that's easy to root for, she unfortunately fell into the pitfalls of being presented as a typical YA "strong" female lead. I also felt that, despite growing up as the story progressed, her narrative voice remained largely unchanged.
- Perhaps my biggest frustration is that for a YA romantic fantasy, Daughter of the Moon Goddess failed to deliver a compelling romance. Especially with the insertion of - what I maintain was - an absolutely unnecessary love triangle.
• Despite my short list of reservations about this book, I immensely enjoyed the experience. I think that I picked up Daughter of the Moon Goddess at the right time because it gave me what I desperately needed: adventure, character drama, and tons of atmosphere.
• I believe that the best way to enjoy Daughter of the Moon Goddess is to close your eyes, suspend disbelief, and allow yourself to be whisked away into beautiful, lush, magical escapism. (This isn't to say that the worldbuilding or plot was lacking. I just think that it's best not to ask too many questions and just go with the flow. Because once you do, I promise that you're in for a treat!)
Recommended!
Final impressions:
• A solid YA fantasy debut with sweeping worldbuilding, gorgeous prose, and a twist-y, arduous journey.
• While I was expecting a straightforward, linear story wherein a distraught daughter fights her way to reunite with her exiled goddess of a mother, I was pleasantly surprised by the twists and turns - and even backslides - as Xingyin forged a new destiny for herself. Plus, the multiple side quests and adventures!
• From a storytelling standpoint, I appreciated that Xingyin's journey spanned years and brought her across multiple celestial and mortal realms. I thought it was a great approach to introducing this fantastical world without losing sight of Xingyin's ultimate goal of saving her mother. In doing so, the story felt both personal and expansive.
• Much of the story was propelled forward by filial piety, duty, and honor - and I'm personally a sucker for family-centered stories.
• Sue Lynn Tan's descriptive prose brought me to my knees. It definitely swept me off my feet and allowed myself to get lost in the cutthroat elegance of the Celestial Kingdom.
• Onto the weaker points:
- While Xingyin was a heroine that's easy to root for, she unfortunately fell into the pitfalls of being presented as a typical YA "strong" female lead. I also felt that, despite growing up as the story progressed, her narrative voice remained largely unchanged.
- Perhaps my biggest frustration is that for a YA romantic fantasy, Daughter of the Moon Goddess failed to deliver a compelling romance. Especially with the insertion of - what I maintain was - an absolutely unnecessary love triangle.
• Despite my short list of reservations about this book, I immensely enjoyed the experience. I think that I picked up Daughter of the Moon Goddess at the right time because it gave me what I desperately needed: adventure, character drama, and tons of atmosphere.
• I believe that the best way to enjoy Daughter of the Moon Goddess is to close your eyes, suspend disbelief, and allow yourself to be whisked away into beautiful, lush, magical escapism. (This isn't to say that the worldbuilding or plot was lacking. I just think that it's best not to ask too many questions and just go with the flow. Because once you do, I promise that you're in for a treat!)
Recommended!