Daughter of the Moon Goddess: A Novel by Sue Lynn Tan
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Web ID: 14352355Tons of potential, but a bit disappointing.
I'm a big fan of world mythologies, so.. naturally I was incredibly excited when Sue Lynn Tan's 'Daughter of the Moon Goddess' was announced. Inspired by the legends of Chang'e, the Chinese goddess of the moon, Tan puts her own unique spin on the origin.. and turns it from a classic parable into something more tragic and heartfelt. While the choice certainly allowed me to be more invested in the result of Chang'e's story, something still feels slightly off about this story. Of course, I enjoyed the rich use of symbolism and the relatively elegant prose. Unfortunately, I also felt like most of my favorite quotes were simply modernly rephrased proverbs, rather than the creative nature of the author. Initially, there's a burst of urgency.. spiriting Xingyin away from all that she has known. Due to that, there's not a lot of time spent on side character development which I kept expecting to change, but for the most part.. it never did. Prince Liwei might be the only real exception to that and so, he's also the only other character I really felt able to connect with. Ironically, it feels like we get to know the Empress better than any of the other tertiary characters, including those we see in day to day events. All of which really just leads to a feeling of imbalance within the story. There are so many potentially interesting characters, some of which are clearly meant to be moving.. that just don't do anything for me because of the lack of evolution. Overall, the story just appears more substantial than it is to me, and I feel a bit sad about it. I'm always happy to see representation of my mixed-Asian heritage in modern media and if I'm being fair, Tan did a much better job than some of the bigger names out there. But as lovely as the story is, it's still only slightly more than mediocre.. and I'm on the hunt for that author who will achieve the extraordinary. (I received this title as an ARC, but also purchased two copies. All opinions are mine and freely given.)
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Beautiful story based on Chinese lore
The best word to describe Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan is: beautiful. I loved this story based on Chinese lore. I’m not familiar with Chinese mythology and I loved this opportunity to learn more. I loved Xinying’s journey to free her mother and the growth she experienced along the way. Each battle she waged led to valuable insights as she confronted magic and mythological creatures. Thanks to the wonderfully produced audiobook, I got sucked into Xinying’s and I can’t wait for book two.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Amazing retelling of Chang'e!
Daughter of the Moon Goddess has some of the best writing I've ever read. I always get nervous to start a new fantasy series (even though I love fantasy) because of possible information overload when entering a new world, but this novel was written so incredibly well. It wasn't overwhelming at all to learn about the Celestial Kingdom and its history. This entire book felt magical and mesmerizing because of the world-building that Sue Lynn Tan implements to transport readers through the Mortal and Immortal Realms. I found myself learning about the Celestial Kingdom along with Xingyin and I really loved how engaging and immersive it felt. Xingyin is a brave, fierce, and motivated character and it was extremely refreshing to see her character development. Throughout the story, Xingyin forms many bonds with the other characters but she stays true to herself and prioritizes finding a way to free her mother. It's not often that I like all the characters in a book but I definitely felt attached to most of the characters, including Liwei and Wenzhi. I'm still not really sure which direction the sequel will be heading towards but I love how unpredictable this book is and I'm very excited to see what happens next. Overall, I highly enjoyed the lyrical twist that the author puts on this retelling of the Chinese myth of Chang'e and I will definitely be reading the sequel, Heart of the Sun Warrior.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Highly recommended! Breathtaking! Smooth story!
I'm not regretting reading this book. Everytime I read it, I couldn't put down. The story telling is great and smooth. I love all the plots and twists. I want more. I love stories like this.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Excellent story that stays with you.
This is a wonderfully told story that you really don't want to end. I bought it because of the mythology aspect and I loved it. I highly recommend it.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
An absolutely amazing story
This book was everything I wanted it to be. Rich with cultural elements, gorgeous writing, characters you can really fall in love with, and a story that sweeps you away. I laughed, cried, and gasped so many times while reading. I had so many emotions that I had to stop reading at some points just to process my thoughts. There are not enough words for me to express how much I loved this story. While there was romance, the main love story was the love Xingyin has for her mother and how she will do anything to set her free. Liwei is a royal who does not act the typical way a spoiled royal would. He is kind from the beginning, and I loved their relationship. Wenzhi is a hard but caring general who really takes Xingyin under his wing. I adored these characters, and after some twists and major turns, my heart ripped out and stomped upon, Sue Lynn left me wanting more and more. I can’t wait for more. My heart needs it.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Wonderful start
I am finally slowly going back to reading after a few years and this book reminded me how I love reading. The detailed description, the emotion, the characters, are all beautiful. I cannot wait to read the next book!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Truly amazing and cant wait for the next book
It was great the plot twist that I was not expecting the romance and how strong the female lead the devotion to each other I finished it in a week currently rereading it. It’s just my style it was amazing wish the ending was different until I read that the author will be releasing a second book cant wait going to preorder for sure
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com