Such an enchanting, evocative novel with well-defined characters and beautiful prose. I loved the world building and the pacing of the story and can't wait to read more by this author.

Thank you to Netgalley for my ARC.

I rated this 4.5 / 5 stars.

Full disclosure, I did listen to the audiobook from the library.

Xingying is the titular Daughter of the Moon Goddess and the book opens with Xingying being forced to flee to moon (a place she has never left before) and make her way in the Celestial Kingdom whilst keeping her identity a secret.

There is a LOT that happens in this book. The events could've comfortably filled more than one book but also, with some light tweaking, this could very easily have been a standalone book.

I really liked Xingying, and whilst some things did seem a bit easy or convenient for her, she still puts in the hard work. And I also appreciated that things took time, like her studying with Prince Liwei or working on her archery. It felt a bit more 'realistic' and it also made the bond between Xingying and Liwei more meaningful (to me anyway!).

This book is very descriptive - it tells of beautiful scenery, lush food and exquisite outfits which really set the scene and help you envisage the very vivid world that Sue Lynn Tan has created. However there is possibly a bit too much focus on outfit descriptions 😅

From speaking to other people who have read the book, I think it's a good thing that I knew this was a love triangle from the get go because I was already anticipating romantic drama and angst. Although some plots points still came as a surprise and had me gasping out loud 😂

Despite saying that this could have been a standalone, I do have an idea of what's going to happen in book two so I'm intrigued to find what's going to happen (and if my theory is correct!).

Also the audio narrator was fantastic.

CW: war, injury, imprisonment, kidnapping

This book was absolutely enchanting and the writing was stunning. The characters and the world, I adored and captivated me throughout.

I was torn on this one. On the one hand the writing completely and utterly swept me away, Tan has a wonderfully lyrical prose style that really adds to the magic of the tale. The worldbuilding and the mythology behind it was also beautifully captured and brought to life, but I wasn't taken with the characters and found myself lacking any real investment in the story. But, the writing and world meant it was an enjoyable read.

This book is an adventure filled with magic. The writing absolutely captivated me. I loved the world building. The story was fast paced. I loved the characters and I can’t wait to read more

Ultimately this was a pretty generic YA fantasy unfortunately.

The unique parts of the story that linked to east asian mythology were the most interesting part to me - so the foundation was there, but the tropes and characters and choices made unfortunately didn't do the source material justice.

I absolutely loved this book! As a big fantasy fan, I enjoyed finding a new world, complete with well developed characters with interesting backgrounds. I found the story compelling and propulsive. A new favourite!

3.5 stars

Xingyin is the daughter of the Moon Goddess, and they have lived together on the moon all her life.
One day, Xingyin learns that she has been kept hidden on the moon from the powerful Celestial Emperor who imprisoned Xingyin's mother on the moon for stealing an elixir of immortality.
Xingyin flees from the moon, having to leave her mother and everything she knows behind in order to be safe and for her existence to remain secret.
Alone, Xingyin creates a new identity and will take every opportunity she can to work towards obtaining her mother's freedom, even becoming the prince's learning companion which entitles Xingyin to learn magic as well as how to fight.
Xingyin's time in the Celestial Kingdom is filled with danger at every turn.
Can Xingyin save her mother?

The premise for this book really intrigued me and I was excited to read it, especially as I had seen lots of praise for it.
Xingyin was a likeable and relatable protagonist, and I felt sorry for her having to leave her mother and home behind. It was interesting to read and see her interactions as well as the decisions Xingyin took. I liked the friendships that Xingyin made and how she cared about others but also wasn't afraid to speak her mind.
The setting and concept of the Celestial Kingdom and the different magic were interesting and I liked that they were inspired by Chinese mythology.
The plot was enjoyable and held my attention, but I wasn't gripped and did find the book perhaps a little long. However, I thought the pacing was pretty good overall, and I was interested in what was happening.
The writing style was enjoyable to read and I would definitely consider reading another book by the author.

Overall, this was an enjoyable, unique read.

The story:
Xingyin is the daughter of the Moon Goddess. They live undisturbed in the Pure Light Palace, Xingyin’s existence kept secret from the eight immortal lands. Until one day, in defiance of her mother’s warning, Xingyin is tempted to use her magic, and in so doing draws the attention of the haughty and proud Empress of the Celestial Kingdom.

It is only then that Xingyin discovers her mother is in fact a prisoner; exiled and accused of stealing the Elixir of Immortality to become a goddess, a gift granted to her husband, famed mortal archer Houyi, by the Celestial Emperor.

Forced to flee her family and the only home she has ever known, Xingyin escapes, vowing to one day find a way to set her mother free. But the immortal lands are full of peril, and Xingyin must use all her strength if she is to see her mother again…

My thoughts:
Inspired by the legend of the Chinese moon goddess, Chang'e, “Daughter of the Moon Goddess” is author Sue Lynn Tan’s award-winning fantasy debut, and the first book in the Celestial Kingdom Duology.

The book is divided into three parts, and the start of the story focuses on Xingyin’s escape from the moon, only to find herself serving in the household of the Celestial Empress herself, as attendant to her son, Crown Prince Liwei. There she shares in his studies, starts learning to harness her magic, and train with him in the arts of warfare, finding herself to have inherited her father’s skill with the bow. Here she also learns of the Crimson Lion Talisman, the highest honour in the Celestial Army, granting the bearer any royal favour — giving Xingyin a glimmer of hope that she might free her mother one day. Love blossoms between Xingyin and Liwei, but of course is doomed given her lowly position.

Xingyin is a strong and heroic main character who, although determined to free her mother, goes about this by trying to earn favour in her own right, and is never willing to compromise her morals. Although she doesn’t consider herself loyal to the Celestial Empire, she is certainly loyal to her family and friends (which is why some later betrayals hit her hard).

As the story progresses we see her join the Celestial Army in the hopes of winning the Crimson Lion Talisman, serving under Captain Wenzhi to defend both mortals and immortals from threat with her skills as an archer. Captain Wenzhi becomes more than a friend to Xingyin, and the seeds are sewn for a love triangle, with Xingyin still struggling with her feelings for the Crown Prince despite his betrothal to another.

In the final part of the book we see Xingyin finally granted the talisman, but with strings attached — she must retrieve four pearls from the Four Venerable Dragons, imprisoned in the mortal world, and deliver these to the Celestial Emperor to earn a pardon for her mother. This once again plunges Xingyin into danger and also brings her conflicting feelings for Liwei and Wenzhi to a head…

This book is beautifully written, and the descriptions of the immortal realms are brought vividly to life, from Xingyin’s home on the moon, the Pure Light Palace, to the kingdom of the Eastern Sea and the Fragrant Coral Palace. The story is an exciting hero’s quest, but also with real heart. I thoroughly enjoyed Xingyin’s adventures, and I can’t wait to see where the story takes us in Book Two, “Heart of the Sun Warrior”!

A legendary retelling. I hate to be very harsh but honestly, I was pretty bored. The first few chapters and then I almost skimmed. After I read so many great reviews I did not expect it to be this bland.
Guess, mythological stories are not much my forte.

[Actual rating: 4.5/5]

Well, what a ride this book was! Daughter of the Moon Goddess is a highly evocative and captivating fantasy steeped in Chinese mythology and I was so here for all of it!

I knew this book would be quite something right from the start, where we jump straight into it with a chase scene shortly after the brief introduction. All the settings were gorgeously drawn, with very vivid descriptions (at one point, I could almost smell the flowers!), and the worldbuilding was absolutely on point! This world feels rich and deep, and even though I was a bit confused by all the names at first (alas, a common problem for me with fantasy), by the end I had it all pretty much clear in my head. There were intrigue, drama, politics, secrets and backstabbing, and it was delicious. Plus, dragons!

Xingyin was an interesting main character and I loved watching her grow up throughout the book. Her journey from servant to archer in the Celestial army was a delight to follow, as she finds new ways to make her own fortune, constantly trying to free her mother. I also liked the bond she developed with her study companion - none other than the Celestial Emperor's son. The relationships were probably the best thing in this: be they family relationships, romantic ones or just friendships, they all felt teased out perfectly and given a chance to grow in a way that made sense within the story. There is a love triangle, which I honestly wasn't terribly keen on but it did make sense so I wasn't too annoyed, despite rolling my eyes maybe a few times.

The plot kept me on my toes for a while, trying to guess at all the mysteries and secrets, and there were a few surprises there! I struggled a bit with the pace in certain sections towards the middle that felt a tiny bit repetitive but maybe it had more to do with me being extra tired when I read them rather than it being the book's fault.

Overall, this is a great epic fantasy and a fantastic first book in the duology. I'm curious to see where the story will go next, since most of the mysteries seem to have wrapped up in this one.

What a beautifully written book, it was a wonderful tale and I loved everything about it the story, the world, the characters. I didn’t want it to end.
Without giving any spoilers I’m hoping a certain character can redeem himself as I was rooting for him! Iykyk

This was slow at times and lacked a bit of punch, but on the whole it was a lyrical, entertaining fantasy.

It's been over a year since this was published and well over a year since this was archived. I originally did download this and began to read almost immediately, but I could never find myself getting stuck in to it. What turned in to what I thought was a temporary "dnf" has turned in to, currently, at least, a "permanent" one. I'm not sure why I couldn't get in to this - maybe it was the pacing? Alas, this one is staying on the shelf for now - however if I do ever find myself coming back to it and enjoying it, I will amend my review.

Although I did DNF this, I think that's more of a me problem, so I've given this 5 stars as to not negatively impact the overall rating.

Das Buch ist unheimlich spannend. Die Geschichte fängt einen ein und man möchte es nicht aus der Hand legen. Die Charaktere sind sehr gut durchdacht und man findet sie sehr sympathisch. Ich freue mich auf den zweiten Band.

Such a good story, really captives you as a reader. Immediately wanted to get book two there was so much world building and development

Disappointing to begin but enchanting nonetheless.

It took me 2 weeks to finish this book, which is often not a good sign. But from part 2 this was only over a few days.

Magical, wondrous, slightly cliche - this is one of those reads where no matter the end result, I think everyone should give it a try. An ethereal fantasy.

I didn’t enjoy multiple aspects of the dialogue. From a typical deception scene that is entirely unrealistic, to jealousy and pouting men - I’m just not here for it.

The plot overall definitely made up for any of the negatives, I loved that we picked up speed and ended in a jam packed mess of action.

I’ve never read anything like this before & honestly it was magical! The writing was lyrical, imaginative & I couldn’t stop thinking about it when I wasn’t reading!
Can’t wait to read the next book & tell everyone about it!!

A perfect blend of a beautiful writing and a stunning folktale. In a dreamy world of colours, kingdoms, clouds, and different earths, this story is of a young girl who discovers her supernatural powers while her mother is an imprisoned moon goddess who was blamed to steal an elixir of immortality. When she flees away to protect her mother, she reluctantly becomes a companion of the prince after finding her true identity. With a sweet love triangle and young emotional conflicts, the backdrop of this fairy tale prospers further and the mystical plot engages with heartbreaks and twists.

Xingyin is an innocent young immortal who only wants her mother's freedom.

I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Xingyin, a young immortal, has grown up with the peace and comfort of the moon. For most of her life, she naively doesn't realise that her mother is a prisoner. She has all the comforts of their own palace, but cannot leave the moon, thanks to the petty ruling immortals.
Her mother, Chang'e has tried to keep her daughter's presence hidden from the others, but no secret can be kept forever.
Trying to escape the Empress, Xingyin finds herself in the immortal lands, lost and alone, and only herself to rely on.

The story follows Xingyin, as she tries to find her way home; not insult the Empress; and becomes best friends with her son, Prince Liwei.
With nothing but her own wit, and no family to support her, she makes progress by her own merit.
She learns more about the world and magic than her mother taught her, and she finds a natural aptitude with a bow, just like her mortal father.

I thought that after the exciting opening sequence, the story slows down a lot, as Xingyin learns to cope in the immortal lands.
She feels understandably lost, and has no idea how to get back home. Her drive and direction were somewhat flaky, making the story lull.
I also thought that her character seemed to be at odds with herself. She's shown to be soft and naive, and generally very sweet to everyone; but we are told that she is angry and spiky.

I thought both the plot and Xingyin's character got much better by half-way. I completely loved Xingyin in the end, and could understand all of her choices, and her unwavering loyalty to the people that have earnt it.

I really liked the love triangle - I thought that it evolved slowly and naturally, and it kept you guessing until the end. Xingyin never goes girly or silly around her love interests, and always insists on using her head as well as her heart.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I look forward to the next part of the duology.