Daughter of the moon goddess is a story about relationships, familial, platonic and romantic. Xingyin was an amazing protagonist with a great character development but overall I didn't really get attached to any of the characters.
The writing style was awkward and disjointed sometimes, but it improved and flowed more elegantly as the story went on. The world building and visuals were rich and the pacing felt just right. The whole vibe of the book was just very enchanting and atmospheric.
The plot and the adventures were good and the ending satisfying, the story is action packed. I didn't like the romantic aspect of the story, it was full of love triangles and petty jealousy.

Thanks to netgalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a beautiful retelling of Chang e the moon goddess and the autumn festival, we follow her daughters journey of self discovery and determination to free her mother from the Emperor, a tyrant who thirst for power is endless. This story reads like a song, a great retelling and the political plot is constantly gearing up levels, who do you trust? can't wait for the second book!

Although the UK cover is very beautiful, with all those soft pink flowers and what I suspect will be gold highlights, I think the US cover has to take this one for the sheer drama. Look at that blue background and Xingyin with her bow! They're very different styles, but they both manage to suit the book very well.

I'm afraid I don't know as much Asian folklore as I should, so I was worried I'd find this confusing, but I didn't at all. Everything was well explained. I wish the map had been included in my proof copy, but I always want a map, so that might have just been me. This is a thick book, just about 500 pages, but for me it flew by. I didn't feel like any of it was padding or inserted just to make things longer. Everything seemed to have a purpose.

For the first half or so of this book I kept thinking of Zoe Marriott's Shadows on the Moon (a compliment, I promise - Shadows is my favourite Zoe book and one of my favourite books overall.) It's not just the obvious, Asian-inspired-fairytale flavour, though, it's the tone, the language used and the things the character goes through. Around about half way through, though, those comparisons dropped away as this book became very much its own creature. Still just as good as Shadows but not quite so familiar any more.

I love that, although this is the first of two, there's no cliffhanger here. It would have been easy to stop at (spoiler) the point where Xingyin is heading back to face the Emperor, which would have made a brillant cliffhanger and I'm so glad Sue didn't go for it. There are some threads continuing through, and I'm really looking forward to seeing how they're tied up, but I didn't want to throw the book across the room in frustration, which is always nice!

This is a great read for anyone looking for a new fantasy read (or for a beautiful cover to look good on your shelf!)

Thank you so much, NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and HarperVoyager, for the chance to read and review this book in exchange of an honest review.

Xingyin is used to be alone, growing up on the moon. She doesn't know she's being hidden from the Celestial Emperor, who exiled her mother who stole his immortality's elixir, But when she's discovered, she's forced to flee her home and leave her mother. In disguise in the Celestian Kingdom, managing to train in the Crown Prince's service, learning archery and magic and trying to ignore her feelings for him. But to save her mother, Xingyin finds herself involves in a perilous journey against a powerful immortal, legendary creatures and enemies, across earths and skies, bargains and love, losses and chaos.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess is the first book in a wonderful and romantic duology, inspired by the legend of the Chines moon goddess and I loved so much reading it.
It's an adventure mixing Chinese mythology (it was such a pleasure learning about it) and love, honour, goddesses and gods, creatures, immortals, magic and so much more. The setting is thrilling and evocative, so lush it was like being there with Xingyin, who is a fantastic main character. She's stubborn, inventive, smart and brave. I was really impressed by her stubborness and resourcefulness and I loved her relationship with her mother and the romance with the Prince!
This story has everything you could hope to find in a book. Love, adventure, magic and plot twists and immersive storytelling!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for granting me an ARC.

Xingyin is the daughter of Chang'E, the Moon Goddess, and the mortal archer Houyi. Chang'E is immortal but is banished to remain on the moon forever for her crimes in taking something which did not belong to her, but to her husband for his aid to the Celestial Kingdom.

Unbeknown to the Celestial Kingdom, Xingyin was born of the two and Chang'E kept her hidden for fear of retribution and fear of the Celestial Royals. When Xingyin taps into her powers she inadvertently alerts the royals to a presence on the moon and sets a string of events into motion. In order to protect her daughter Chang'E sends her away. No one could predict the chain of events that sees Xingyin ending up in the very place that would see to Chang'E's downfall.

Xingyin decides there and then that she will do anything in her power to become stronger and free her mother. What she doesn't count for are matters of the heart and the men who capture it.

Forced to leave her family home Xingying is determined to find away to release her mother from eternal imprisonment. Concealing her true identity she embarks on a sweeping adventure involving slaying monsters, falling in love and discovering her true self.

I loved the setting and use of myths in this story of life in the immortal realm. Privilege duty and family honour blend with magic, lyrical prose and evocative use of colour to create a mesmerising world where nobody is quite as they seem and people travel by cloud, which I thought was brilliant. Both claustrophobic and beautifully expansive with believable characters who form poignant relationships, this book had me hooked from beginning to end.

I would chart my own path to blaze across the sky.
ARC provided by the publisher Harper Voyager UK through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess is an extraordinary first book and most anticipated 2022 debut by Sue Lynn Tan that is ready to captivate readers with a high fantasy epic romance filled with magic, legendary weapons, and heavenly politics.

Starting my quest of reading as many Advance Readers Copy (ARC) as I can this November I picked Daughter of the Moon Goddess as my first book. I recently acquired the ARC with high hopes of a Chinese inspired fantasy about Chang’e, the moon goddess, a beloved legend in Chinese mythology that is the basis of the Mid-Autumn Festival. Coming from the Chinese diaspora in Indonesia I celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival with my family every year. Growing up I didn’t know about Chang’e’s story until I saw the cartoon Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat. From what I’ve learned there are many variations to Chang’e’s legend but the core of it all is Chang’e being separated from her human husband to live on the moon and that she can only reunite with him during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Reading the title Daughter of the Moon Goddess it is to say this is not Chang’e’s story but it’s the story about Chang’e daughter, a nice refreshing twist in the legend.

Before I dive deeper into my review let’s gush about the covers of this book both UK and US version that has been circulating around the internet. The UK cover (as you can see above) it is done by Jason Chuang, this cover is incredibly stunning and intricate. I love the flowers framing the moon and the color palette. While the US cover is done by Kuri Huang and art director Jeanne Reina. The US cover is a contrast to the UK as it uses deeper sharper colors with the center illustration of Xingyi holding a bow looking up to the moon. Both covers are equally as beautiful and I am still debating which version I would want to purchase. If you have any suggestions which one I should get, please leave a comment below.

I would be beholden to no one. My path forward was clear, I had no reason to delay.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess is the first book to The Celestial Kingdom duology by debut author Sur Lynn Tan. In this fantastical duology the story is set in the Celestial Kingdom, where immortals live above the clouds in the heavens above to cultivate power and magic serving the Emperor and Empress of the kingdom. Imprisoned away from the kingdom on the moon Chang’er, the goddess of the moon, lives a reclusive life away from other immortals as punishment for defying the Emperor by drinking the elixir of immortality to save her unborn daughter. The emperor doesn’t know that Chang’er is with child and she has been keeping her child a secret for years. On the moon she is not alone she lives with daughter, Xingyi, and loyal servant, Ping’er. Xingyi has grown up on the moon only knowing what her mother and her servant taught her. One day Xingyi made a mistake that resulted in a rare occurrence that threatens the peaceful life she’s been living. Xingyi is then forced to runaway and live away from her mother to avoid punishment from the kingdom. Unable to return home Xingyi is determined to find a way to free her mother and herself.

Sue Lynn Tan’s writing is exquisite and beautiful as Tan describes the world with intricate detail. The world building is imaginative and expansive that slowly expands with the progress of story. Readers are treated to lush and vivid imagery of the setting’s epic scale. The world is closely reminiscent of the Chinese dramas (Wuxia and Xianxia) I watched of immortal worlds above the clouds, magic that is cultivated based on elements, magical creatures, immortals flying on clouds, and many more. Even the magic system is similar to what readers can find in a typical wuxia or xianxia drama (chi blasts, legendary magical weapons, cinematic battles, and many more) but I would like to point out that it is much more elemental based and avatar-esque in my opinion. There is also checks and balances in the magic system that functions as a power gauge for magic users that can fire back from burning too much power which I find interesting.

I was more than this ill-fated love; I would not let it define me.

Being a story set in a kingdom there is a lot of court drama and political intrigue that will keep you on your toes. The brutality of the world and vague cryptic messages that underlies the events of the story is a pleasing reminder of how heavy the East Asian (Chinese, Taiwanese) drama inspiration is. It is truly a wonderous and fantastical world that Tan has created, it is refreshing and sets Daughter of the Moon Goddess apart from other fantasy stories that are mostly Western centered. It is an example of a Chinese inspired high fantasy that I’ve found in Chinese web novels, manhua, and donghua; so seeing more and more of this sub-genre of East Asian fantasy being released in the west as books is amazing. These elements are heavily rooted in the world, I’d say if I made a checklist of all the general aspects of a wuxia or xianxia drama I can confirm they are all present in this story.

Tan is a master of their craft in writing a fast paced and gripping story. The themes about loneliness, sacrifice, duty, and honor is wonderfully weaved into the story. Though I praise Tan for their writing style that is lyrical and crisp there are certain gripes I have about the way the story flowed. This book is around over 500 pages in length something that I rarely see done in all the young adult books I’ve read, especially for a debut. It is truly impressive. When I read it I expected the story to be a slow build knowing the length but on the contrary it is quite mixed. The pacing seems to simmer then explodes with a resolution quickly moving on to the next arc without missing a beat. This book, for lack of a better word, is PACKED and it is something I commonly find in Chinese web novels. Not saying it’s a bad thing for having a packed outline because it all comes down to execution and pacing management in my opinion. Honestly, the first half of this book is magnificent, entertaining, and whimsical. I was immersed fully into the story in less than five pages—that is how gripping Daughter of the Moon Goddess is. Sadly, it might be too packed for me specifically, because of the fluctuating pacing and the formulaic arcs that got repetitive the more I read which made the story lose it’s grip on me and it’s fairytale like charm. This is all subjective to me personally though, I can see other friends that would enjoy this book regardless of pacing as it is still a well written and enjoyable book with high quality story telling.

Yet logic was merciless and reason relentless, unsparing of my wounded heart.

For characters there are a staggering amounts of it in Daughter of the Moon Goddess. In this review I would like to focus on the characters that left a big impression on me, they are : Xingyin, the protagonist and daughter of Chang’er; Liwei, the crown prince of the Celestial Kingdom and best friend turned love interest to Xingyin; and lastly, Wenzhi, an up-and-coming decorated young captain who serves in the military of Celestial Kingdom. Xingyi is a driven and strong main character that isn’t afraid to scrape from the bottom to ascend to be someone well known. She prioritizes family over everything and is willing to do whatever it takes for them, as it is a reverberating theme throughout the story. Xingyi is a strong character with unbending will that puts in the work to gain a lot of experience to get to the level she is now. She carved out a place for herself without betraying her morals and by following her heart to do the right thing.

Continuing on to the two main love interests of the story Liwei and Wenzhi. Starting with Liwei, his presence in the first half of the story is monumental to Xingyi’s arc as he is the gateway that gave her the chance to shine. He is a character that continuously shows support towards Xingyi, helping her and coming to her aid at crucial times. Their chemistry and banter is cute. Readers will know from the get-go that Liwei is Xingyi’s other half and equal. He is the good hearted prince that is compassionate and kind, in short soft good boy. Compared to the other characters in the book Liwei got me rooting for him and every time he comes on to the page I get excited. Contrast to Liwei comes Wenzhi, a young captain in the army that is known for his smoldering looks and cold demeanor. Slightly ruthless, strict, yet soft behind closed doors. Wenzhi is the bad boy that knows how to do his job, dependable, and quite frankly a fictional bias wrecker. They are all well fleshed out and believable in their growth. Each of them have their own defining character arc that is filled with emotion and depth. Though there are certain things that hindered me from fully investing into the characters.

Perhaps it was a bond which could never be severed, rooted in our friendship before our ill-fated love.

In the previous paragraph I have explained that this book is packed so Xingyin’s journey from start to end is colorful and covered a lot of arcs. As a reader I covet character development and growth, certainly all of the characters are given a lot of chances to develop her character and relationships. This is where it gets tricky for me, I praise Tan for fitting in a lot of arcs in Xingyin’s journey towards achieving her goal. But all these events need to be effective and pivotal to leave an impact in the character development. Sadly, out of the many arcs there are probably a couple of events that actually left an effect on the characters and the story overall in my opinion. In hindsight, yes, the characters did develop but their characterization didn’t improve nor hit as hard as I expected.

During the start of the story it is clear that the characters have potential to grow exponentially which excited me. After the first half concluded I was curious about how Tan will shape the characters and decide their trajectory. When it reached the middle leading to the ending their characterization seemed stagnant and one noted. By stagnant I meant that they all do have dimensions but they are all the same. It is surprising for me personally that it didn’t deliver the same effect as the first half did, even with how Tan expertly wrapped the ending. The characters lack versatility and variety to me in scenes that isn’t romance related. I want to praise Tan’s skill in creating an entangled messy romance between the characters that is full of yearning, mutual pining, and jealousy. Readers will be properly entertained by the romance I can guarantee. Though I would like to point out based on personal preference and age there is so much petty jealousy that high school me would certainly go crazy over.

No matter how our paths diverged, our bonds remained intact.

Final thoughts, Daughter of the Moon Goddess is a solid fantastical young adult debut that is the perfect introduction to an East Asian (Chinese, Taiwanese) high fantasy story with vivid world building, amazing characters, gripping plot, and a refreshing story that is full of potential. Sue Lynn Tan is a new literary voice that is skillful in her craft proven through this wonderful debut novel. I finished this book this month and I’m already excited to see how this duology will conclude. For readers that love fantasy with epic world building and a sweeping romantic roller coaster full of yearning, and for readers that love to read a Chinese inspired world, I urge to pick this book up because I thoroughly enjoyed myself seeing the many references Tan included. Even with all the bumps I’ve conveyed in this review I still highly recommend it to everyone as I still see Daughter of the Moon Goddess as a strong contender amongst 2022 debuts. Mark you calendars friends January 11th 2022 is very close! Pre-order now and secure your copy!

The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

A really enjoyable first book in a duology.
This is a slower paced, chronicle style fantasy which follows our main character from her childhood through to her coming of age story.
Because of this. where we start feels almost like a different story from where it ends, having been on an immense journey and spent so much time with these characters.
I'm really curious to see what's next in store for them, this first book definitely left off with room for more questions .
I enjoyed the writing style mostly, although I wished there'd been a few more in depth descriptions of how the magic of this world worked i.e. the shields and summoning clouds used for travel. Also during some of the action/battle scenes I couldn't quite grasp the urgency or danger for the characters because the writing lacked a sense of anticipation for me.

On the other hand, though, I really enjoyed the inclusion of Chinese mythical creatures and monsters and their folklore. It wasn't a huge part of the overarching storyline (apart from the dragons) but I enjoyed mentions of them nonetheless.
I think romance does take up quite a large part of the plot and character's inner turmoil in this story; Which made it seem like the original plot motivation of helping Xingyin's mother got a little lost during the middle of the book, however it is returned to during the latter half.
I'm still not too sure how I feel about the almost love triangle that was forming. I liked that it wasn't written as an immature fickleness but I'm a little unsure how to feel about how things are progressing. Perhaps I'll have to wait for the final book in the duology to decide.

One to pick up if you like slow burn fantasy, Asian mythology and, of course, dragons.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess is a stunning book in every way.

I don’t think I can exaggerate just how gorgeous the writing in this book is. It is genuinely delectable and stunning in every possible way. The word choice and structure was just wonderful, with so much layered meaning and consideration behind it. I think I spent a while pouring over every page, just appreciating every literary detail.
I felt so immersed and captivated by Tan’s meticulously woven world. This has spectacular worldbuilding and a gripping plot that will keep you glued to the pages. For me, great worldbuilding is rich and detailed, allowing you to vividly imagine these new worlds and mythologies. Here, I feel like this is achieved and so much more. In addition to this, the character work is superb. These deftly drawn characters fill your imagination. In particular, Xingyin grows so much over the course of the book, coming into her own strength and power. This is fundamentally a book about her growth and skills, cementing her legacy and relationships along the way.

Also, the plot is so expansive and all-consuming. You feel lost within the pages as you join Xingyin’s journey. This is a story about love, family and political power. In that way, this combines elements of adventure stories, fantasy and a gorgeous romance thread that sits at the heart of the book. I loved the various twists and turns, all of which were well-executed. All of this combined made for a gripping plot and I read most of the book in one sitting. I was so entranced by the sheer beauty and power that time seemed to stop around me.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess is a jam-packed book, full to the brim with beauty, wonder and mystery. It’s the type of book you cannot let slip past you.

Sue Lynn Tan’s debut Daughter of the Moon Goddess is inspired by the Chinese legend of Chang’e and Houyi, although it is set years after that story ends. Xingyin is the daughter of the immortalised Moon Goddess Chang’e, and is drawn out of the safe-haven her mother created for her on the moon when they are attacked and her existence can no longer be kept secret from the Celestial Emperor – the reason for her mother’s banishment to the moon – if she remains there. So Xingyin moves to Earth to find her fortune, and perhaps a way to help her mother find freedom after all these years.

It took me a little while to get settled with this story – for the first third or so, I felt like Daughter of the Moon Goddess was like many of the fantasy novels inspired by fairy tales I’ve read, and it felt predictable. Especially early on, many of the events felt a bit too convenient, which meant I found myself rolling my eyes at the book. But as the story went on, I found myself more and more immersed, and ended up falling for it. By the end, I was in love. I’m very happy to say that my first impression of this one was wrong and that it really comes into its own after the setup is done and Xingyin can start establishing herself as a person rather than trying to carve her place apart from her mother.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess is well-written, poetic, and lyrical. It is also an action-packed story with a very slow-burn romance. I loved to see the relationship between Xingyin and her prince develop and steer away from the instalove that it seemed to pivot towards in the beginning. Oh, and I should mention the dragons. There are some pretty epic dragons in this story and to be honest, dragons always make books better in my opinion.

All in all, this feels like a popcorn-y crossover fantasy with some smart aspects that ultimately takes some time to really come into its own. Once it does, it sucks you in and makes you enjoy the intricacies of the worldbuilding and Chinese mythology background in a more traditional Epic fantasy setting, which I think will make many readers enjoy it. And it doesn’t hurt that both the UK and the US editions of Daughter of the Moon Goddess are among the most stunning books to be released in early 2022, either.

An absolutely breathtaking debut, filled with endearingly relatable characters and beautifully immersive world building—the Celestial Kingdom will sweep you into a world of magic, romance and betrayal that’s simply unputdownable.

It’s Inspired by the legend of the Chinese moon goddess, Chang'e and follows a young woman whose quest to free her mother sets her against the most powerful immortal in the realm.

Xingyin is used to solitude growing up on the moon, with no idea she’s been hidden from the powerful Celestial Emperor who exiled her mother for stealing his elixir of immortality. But when her magic flares and her existence is discovered Xingyin is forced to flee her home, leaving her mother behind.

Alone and scared she finally makes her way to the Celestial Kingdom—a land of wonder and secrets. Disguising her true identity, she seized the change to train with the kingdom’s Crown Prince learning to master archery and her magic (as well as the attraction that blossoms between them.)
To save her mother she’ll embark on a dangerous quest, facing legendary creatures and vicious enemies.

But when treachery looms and forbidden magic threatens the kingdom, Xingyin must challenge the ruthless Emperor for a change at her dream and striking a dangerous bargain—torn between losing everything (and everyone) she loves or plunging the realm into chaos…

I can’t put into words how stunning this book was, I absolutely loved the lyrical writing and the beautifully detailed world Sue Lynn Tan has created and though it was a little slow to begin;it didn’t take long for the action-packed fight scenes,backstabbing courtiers and delicious intrigue to speed up the pace—I was quickly hooked!

The characters are really well written, especially Xingyin who’s an absolutely endearing protagonist. I loved her and the range of emotions and conflicts she experiences was brilliantly handled—juxtaposing the perfection of the Immortal Realm that she’s strives for and the emotional vulnerability that the Celestials’ deem weak.

I also loved the romance which was definitely swoon-worthy. Though I literally couldn’t choose which of Xingyin’s love interests I liked more, as there were pros and cons to both of them. I may have skewed a little more towards Wenzhi but I did really like Liwei as well.

Overall, this is an addictively immersive, fast paced and action packed YA Fantasy with an epic fairytale vibe that’s simply breathtaking. If you love YA Fantasy, Fairytales or beautifully evocative writing then I definitely recommend reading this. I’d say it’s definitely a must read for 2022.

Also a huge thank you to HarperCollins UK and Netgalley for the e-arc.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess takes the Chinese mid-autumn legend of the Moon Goddess Chang'E and expands it towards a cosmic scale as the titular protagonist Xingyin dives into the celestial realm to free her mother from divine imprisonment. Tan's retelling infuses the legend with more nuance, consequences, and criticisms towards the celestial wisdom which are not that different from the human intrigue.

While I'm not usually a fan of romance-centric fantasies, I found Daughter of the Moon Goddess to be a very refreshing take on the genre. Tan does not hesitate to poke holes at the dangerously blinding romantic dazzle of the immortal world while also keeping true to the vulnerable human heart that shines through.

I deeply enjoyed this vivid, lyrical, and enthralling romantic fantasy, and I have no doubt other readers would also find this book a delectable treat (especially for xianxia fantasy fans).

DNF at 35% I did try with this book and think that I will be one of the few where Daughter of the Moon Goddess just didn't do it for me. I thought this book was an adult novel but for me fit with YA and this wouldn't be a problem but it felt like a very stale YA that I just don't have the time for when there are far more interesting sff YA pushing the boundaries.

For me, everything was disappointedly easy for our heroin; she just falls into the crown prince's companion through virtually no effort and of course was a skilled archer because her father was? is this a genetic thing? I don't think I would mind much if the prose, the worldbuilding wasn't so simple and everything fell into place for the heroin.

But the reason I stopped reading it at 35% was the info dumps and just throwing info at the reader rather than letting them find out the information in a creative way. These are all things that I can live with if they’re balanced by really beautiful prose, or lush, unique worldbuilding, or interesting and unusual characters. But I didn’t find any of that here. Despite drawing from Chinese mythology, Daughter of the Moon Goddess felt incredibly generic to me. I think I am okay with leaving Daughter of the Moon Goddess as DNF and wont be trying again

Wow — this book was an absolute delight. I have a particular love for lyrical writing and gorgeous, lush world building which Daughter of the Moon Goddess has in droves. The descriptions of the Celestial Kingdom, the clothing and the buildings in particular was incredibly beautiful, almost visceral. I felt like I was experiencing the plot alongside Xingyin. DotMG follows the story of (you guessed it!) the daughter of the exiled Moon Goddess, Xingyin. When her hidden existence is discovered she is forced from her home on the moon down to the Celestial kingdom. From there, we follow her journey trying to free her exiled mother from her punishment. When I say this plot is *jam packed* I really mean it. So much happens in this book I’m astounded it fit in one volume! Despite the fast pace, I never felt lost or overwhelmed. Tan is extremely gifted with writing technically dense prose and plot lines in a way that’s extremely enjoyable and easy to read. DotMG is based around Chinese mythology, and as someone with very little knowledge of Chinese myths and customs Tan made it very accessible and really piqued my interest to read more books based on Chinese mythology. I can’t quite put into words how much I love this book and can’t wait to have a physical copy in my hands! 5/5 stars

Growing up on the moon, Xingyin is accustomed to solitude, unaware that she is being hidden from the feared Celestial Emperor who exiled her mother for stealing his elixir of immortality. But when Xingyin’s magic flares and her existence is discovered, she is forced to flee her home, leaving her mother behind.

Wow I have to say this book blew me away, it was so detailed and the imagery the author uses created a beautiful world I felt emersed in from the get go. I did find myself slowing down a little towards the end but the final result is beautiful and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

I did love the training sections with the Prince as they felt like a big character movement for XingYin - but the main showcase is the journey she has in finding the dragons, I found this powerful and enthralling to read.

Would fully suggest you get stuck in and emersed in this lovely debut novel from Sue Lynn Tan.

I managed to read this book in pretty much one sitting and it felt like I was reading an epic Chinese drama that you can watch on TV. It had some major twists and turns that I didn't see coming which was really refreshing, the imagery was beautiful and I loved that the heroine fought for what she wanted rather than relying on someone to do it for her.

Really want to know who she ends up with though or if it is going to be left to the imagination.

I was really excited to read Daughter of the Moon Goddess because it had the premises to be a great book. Alas, I didn't love it as much as I expected. While being beautifully written, I found myself detatched from the story. The writing style was lyrical but, at the same time, it lacked something. I wasn't emotionally captivated. In addition, the characters weren't fully fleshed out. They were flat and I didn't grow fond of them. Even the worldbuilding wasn't fully developed. It's a pity, because this book had the potential to be an incredible story.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess is such an incredible book. I found myself drawn into it right from the start. Sue Lynn Tan's writing is so utterly gorgeous and I want to speak praises of it for days. The way she has described things, the way she has described the world of the Celestials is so enchanting. I lost myself in this book, in this wonderful story and the amazing characters in it. The pace of the story was also perfect. Never once did I feel it was going too fast or too slow; the pacing was just right, especially since the book is action packed.
Xingyin is officially one of my favourite protagonists and I love her character development. She is brave and strong and courageous and her love for her mother burns bright within her. Honestly, I think I would love to be friends with her.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess is an incredible debut, one that I highly recommend to everyone. It's a book that will stay with you for a long time. I, for one, cannot wait to have a physical copy of this.

The moon is a prison. Having grown up there in isolated comfort with her loving mother this is an uncomfortable truth for Xingyin to learn. But it is not until she sees the rest of the world for herself that she truly understands how great a tragedy it is for her mother to be imprisoned. The oath to free her mother is a rash one and the path it takes her on is bumpy and dangerous and uncertain, but Xingyin has only to glance nostalgically at the far away moon to know that it is the right decision. She will need all the help she can get to complete her impossible task, but trust does not come easily to a girl who has had to lie about her parentage to survive.

The mythology of this book creates a strong foundation for the setting and plot, especially where truth and embellishment and story intertwine. Even the myths themselves do not know the full stories. There is a lot that Xingyin doesn’t know at the start of the book and her character is portrayed as naïve and vulnerable. Yet by the end of the book it seems that she alone holds all of the most important information and the strength that she holds herself with is immense. This is particularly striking in her communications with those in higher positions than her as she does not back down and always holds her own. It makes her into quite a prideful character, but her pride is rooted in honour and this makes her easily likeable.

Following Xingyin’s journey, the narrative of this book explores all aspects of the world that it is set in: the moon, the celestial realm, the mortal realm, the life of servants, of royalty and of soldiers. She meets celestials and humans and monsters and demons and dragons, each species more fantastical and detailed than the last. There is good and evil; love and war; death and life; magic and music and battle. That Xingyin experiences all this for herself makes her into a very well-rounded character, whilst for the reader it creates a wonderfully immersive experience that you won’t want to leave behind.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for a review.

This was such a beautifully written book, with a gripping story and characters to root for. I loved it so much! The different romances, the folklore and world building were all well done as well as stunning.

I can’t hype this book up more!