I really enjoyed this book. The story immediately sucked me in. I loved the character's self discovery throughout the book. And the cover is beyond gorgeous.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess is the debut fantasy novel by author Sue Lynn Tan, inspired by Chinese mythology. In particular (as you might imagine from the title), it's inspired by the story of Chang'e the Moon Goddess and Hou Yi the Archer, a story I've learned about from other adaptations (last year's Burning Roses by S.L. Huang for example). Here, that story is this book's backstory, as the novel features Chang'e's daughter Xingyin, who becomes determined to find a way to free her mother from the decree of the Celestial Kingdom that she remain imprisoned for her actions. The result is a novel that I've seen a lot of advance acclaim for online, and features a set of author blurbs that could hardly be more impressive.

And all that acclaim is largely worth it, as Daughter of the Moon Goddess is a tale that is really really well done and nearly impossible to put down (I meant to read it over two days and finished it instead in one). The protagonist heroine Xingyin is tremendous in her determination to save her mother, her struggles with her attraction to two different immortal men, and her struggles between honor, love and doing the right thing - all in a story and setting that is incredibly well built in its Chinese-myth inspired depth. It's not perfect, but this is a highly satisfying novel in its own right that makes me eager for the chance to read its eventual sequel (this is the first half of a duology, although it stands alone perfectly well).


--------------------------------------------------Plot Summary------------------------------------------------------
Xingyin grew up on the Moon accompanied only by her mother, the moon goddess, and her attendant Ping'er. She was happy there, even though she sometimes felt a pull towards something that her mother insisted she never follow. Until one day she does just that, flaring her magic and drawing attention to her mother - a mother Xingyin never realized was supposed to be imprisoned there alone by the Celestial Emperor and Empress for the crime of taking an elixir of immortality to save both hers and Xingyin's life. Lest she be discovered and killed, Xingyin's mother forces her to flee, resulting in her winding up alone in the Celestial Kingdom, with no idea what to do next.

But Xingyin is determined to survive to see her mother again, if not to free her, and will not simply lie down and wait for fate to take her. Instead circumstances provide her with the opportunity to meet the Crown Prince Liwei, and the chance to learn alongside him. And as she grows into her powers and skills, she even begins to fall for the prince, despite him being the son of the pair responsible for her mother's misfortune.

But Xingyin's first priority remains saving her mother, and so she embarks on dangerous martial campaigns and quests against other immortals and monsters, all for the sake of earning her mother's freedom, and her own happiness. But both the Celestial Emperor and his enemies are ruthless and willing to twist honor for their own sakes, and one wrong move by Xingyin could result in both hers and her mother's deaths...if it doesn't plunge the realm into disaster and chaos first.....
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Daughter of the Moon Goddess is naturally Xingyin's story, which she narrates entirely from a first person perspective. It's set in a world inspired by Chinese mythology (duh) although it certainly doesn't require any reader to have foreknowledge - and the result is a world that is absolutely wondrous and incredibly well built. You have Xingyin and her mother growing up on the moon, you have the Celestial Kingdom (as well as neighboring kingdoms), you have the Demon Realm, you have various monsters and beings of various seas, etc. You have magic of the elements and of the mind, to go along with Martial skills such as archery and swordplay that our heroine has to learn, to go along with haughty nobles and dreaming adorable young princes.

And in all this, you have Xingyin, who is learning about it all alongside the reader, and is an incredible heroic protagonist, even if her underlying character traits aren't really all that unique. Tan writes Xingyin's narrative so incredibly well, so that her determination to save her mother, her occasional misery as she's stymied, or the struggles of her heart become so easy to feel and understand. Xingyin is facing a situation that should seem impossible - the Emperor and Empress hate her mother and clearly are somewhat cruel and yet only they can free her mother, they could kill her if she reveals her identity, and her closest ally is their son - a boy she's fallen for even though he's politically betrothed to another. Her only hope is win enough honor that the Emperor will agree to do her a favor....a favor that he might kill her over instead of grant, and which will require Xingyin to face incredible odds to earn in the first place. And then of course there's the military leader who Xingyin falls under, who also is interested in her, just to complicate her heart.

And then there's the fact that through it all, Xingyin is honorable and caring and good, one who cares for the memories of the mother she loves and the father she only knows a story of, in a world where honor can easily fall by the wayside when faced with conflicting desires and responsibilities. The plot of this book throws Xingyin through the ringer as she discovers the haughtiness of Celestial Kingdom nobles, the honor and friendliness of the soldiers she fights alongside, and her smart thinking (although she's in no way a guile heroine) and determination gets her through it in really satisfying ways.

And there's the depth of the world alongside Xingyin, some of which I've mentioned above, that really makes this work on another level. So naturally the people of the Demon Realm aren't necessarily different than those of the Celestial Kingdom (although they still serve the function of antagonists), something that makes Xingyin rethink what she's been taught. So the dragons are powerful but are beings of peace, not of danger. And well, so the minor characters get some really great depth that make them generally highly enjoyable. It makes the cast and world around Xingyin very easy to fall into, and again Tan's prose and dialogue helps that even more.

Not everything is perfect - this book is advertised for being romantic, and while Xingyin's romantic connection with Liwei works, her second love interest Wenzhi doesn't quite work as well from the start (these romances - despite a three people one bed joke - are basically entirely chaste, which might be affecting that honestly). And a late act twist is kind of well, a bit ordinary in its direction (especially as it takes the romance) and I really wish the book hadn't gone there. Still, this book ends in an incredibly satisfying fashion, to the extent that I forgot that this book was the first in a duology - this could easily work really well as a stand alone novel, and does not contain a cliffhanger. So if you're not sure you want to read another two book series, you can commit just to this one and you'll be fine.

The result is a wonderful book both in setting and character, and with prose so enjoyable that it drew me in from the start and never let up. Highly imaginative and recommended.

DNF at 37%

Daughter of the Moon Goddess was one of my most anticipated reads of 2022, so I was ecstatic to receive an e-arc of it through NetGalley. As a Chinese reviewer, I was greatly excited to read a book inspired by the moon goddess. Unfortunately, this book was just not it for me. I pushed through it as much as I could just because it was a book that I've been looking forward to for so long. However, this book just could not grab my attention at all.

There are quite a few problems that stand out with this book. To me, the most notable is the unbearably slow plot. It is almost entirely filler chapters. Daughter of the Moon Goddess started out with a bang, immediately catapulting readers into the world. For the first couple of chapters, I was obsessed and could not put this book down. But as the book progressed, I found myself caring less and less about anything that happened. Liwei and Xingyin had zero chemistry. There was nothing that could have possibly indicated romance between them, other than very obvious hints torward it. I had no idea that there was a love triangle in this book either. Captain Wenzhi was slightly more compelling than Liwei, and I stuck around just in hopes of him and Xingyin having some good scenes together. But, still, I just did not care about them or their relationships at all.

Some of the things I did enjoy about this book were the prose and the worldbuilding. The writing was beautiful and completely immersed me in the world. The worldbuilding was also great. I' m not normally a huge fan of first-person point of view books, but this was actually quite well done.

Final thoughts: While I did not enjoy this book, do not let my review discourage you from picking it up. My review is one not-so-good-one in a sea of hundreds of 5-star reviews. Plus, the cover is so beautiful that even if you don't find yourself enjoying the book, it will be a great item to display!

What an epic fantasy novel inspired by the legend of the Chinese Moon Goddess.

This debut novel is so much more than its beautiful cover.

Xingyn is the secret daughter of the Moon Goddess. To avoid discovery, she is forced to flee the only home she ever knew and the safety of her mother. She befriends a prince and begins training with him. She discovers a way to earn favor and aims to use that to free her mother. She goes on a quest, there is a love triangle, there is betrayal and it’s all written so beautifully I was so engaged with the story and it flew by.

The YA fantasy is perfect if you like bad ass females fighting for their family, Friends to lovers, Friends to enemies, Mythology and magic.

I still think about Xingyn’s journey and I want to spend more time in this universe the author has created.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

I love mythical retellings, but one area that I don't really know much about is Asian mythology. I've recently read some books that delve into that area of mythology and I am loving it so much.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess is an amazing debut novel by Sue Lynn Tan. It is a spin on the story of Chang'e, the Chinese Moon goddess. From the outset, the world is completely real and the story immediately immerses you. The story follows Xingyin, the daughter of the moon goddess as she is forced to flee her home on the moon after her magic draws the attention of the Immortal Emperor. Unaware that her mother kept her identity a secret, she leaves, and is catapulted into the conniving intrigues of the Celestial Kingdom. While there she learns her own strength and seeks to find a way to free her mother.

I absolutely adored this story. It does have some of the typical YA tropes that we all know (and mostly tolerate as necessary) like the secret identities, love triangles, and kick ass heroine. However, it's all so well done with the rich storytelling that it is really easy to ignore the tropes. Xingyin is self-aware and doesn't constantly whine about her predicament. She owns her story and it's a joy from moment one.

The Daughter of the Moon Goddess is the first in a duology, so keep an eye out for the next book (hopefully in 2023?!). It feels self-contained enough to stand on it's own but leaves the door open to finish the story out.

Thank you to Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 stars
I received an ARC from the publisher and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
Daughter of the Moon Goddess draws inspiration from Chinese mythology, and pulls off the execution in grand style. It’s epic, evoking the feel of those classic epic poems in prose form.
The world is so well-conveyed and immersive, and I love the little tidbits of Chinese culture and myth that make up the layers of this story. It all feels so alive and drew me in.
The writing is gorgeous. This is Sue Lynn Tan’s debut, and she perfectly manages all the elements to keep the reader engaged, in particular plot and pacing. I did balk a little at the high page count, but I almost didn’t feel it with how much was going on. Even in the quieter, subtle moments, I didn’t feel bored.
Xingyin is a lovely character, and it was great watching her growth over the course of the story, as she faces down challenges to save her mother. And while that relationship is the most central to Xingyin’s arc, it’s not the only one. She forms valuable bonds with others which I became invested in pretty easily. This does include romance, and a bit of a love triangle with two different people. While love triangles aren’t my favorite, I appreciated the way this was executed, making both love interests viable candidates for Xingyin’s love.
I adored this book, and am excited for the next book and anything else Sue Lynn Tan writes in the future. If you’re looking for a beautifully written Chinese mythology-inspired romantic fantasy, I think you’ll like this one.

Thank you so much to Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Daughter of the Moon Goddess was such a great fantasy and debut from Sue Lynn Tan! I'm still sitting here in shock after everything that happened. Sue Lynn Tan is such a good storyteller--Xiangyin's journey was an absolutely wild rollercoaster ride and I literally feel so winded after watching everything play out. If you love lush storytelling, intricate magic systems and world building, badass heroines, plot twists and betrayals of the highest order, friends-to-lovers-to-enemies, and more, I highly suggest picking up Daughter of the Moon Goddess!

I am not sure that I can recommend this book enough! I am not sure how to describe it except it feels both epic and also light and airy. Sometimes it feels sort of dreamy, but other times you're in the midst of a dark battle. I would say it feels like a Chinese folktale (from someone without much experience with those). I loved it and can't wait to see what happens next!

Let me begin with this: I enjoyed this book. I found it to be atmospheric with a fairytale like magic system that felt cozy and intriguing. Tue romance was good and don't we all love a harass with a bow? My issue is that I feel like this could be been an astoundingly wonderful collection of shirt stories that would have provided the ability to flesh some of the battles and relationships throughout this book. While I think it did a great job, I just found myself wanting more. However, I don't feel that speaks overly negatively of the book or writing - lets say it as I loved it so much I wanted more.

I knew I had to read this book the second I saw the gorgeous cover on Twitter and rushed to request it on NetGalley when it became available. I'm glad I did because this story was as beautiful inside the cover as on the outside. The writing was absolutely stunning with a wonderful lyrical quality to it. Reading it felt like I was transported into this mythological world on one of the fluffy clouds the immortals used to get around the Celestial Kingdom. I couldn't get enough of Tan's descriptive genius and was enthralled by the setting and world-building. Xingyin was a really great protagonist with good characterization. I enjoyed reading her perspective and getting her thoughts on love and honor as she worked stubbornly toward the goal of freeing her mother. The rest of the characters were a bit flat, but I didn't mind it much because I liked their interactions with Xingyin. Surprisingly, I didn't hate the love triangle, and it turned out to be one of my favorite things about the book. I liked both of the love interests and appreciated how each of them represented a side of the internal struggle within Xingyin. The pacing of the book was a bit uneven and it became somewhat repetitive in the middle with the main characters going off on several quests one after the other. However, it all came together well in the end in a satisfying way, and the writing, world-building, and relationships kept me engaged even when the pace was a bit off. If you are looking for an Eastern mythology re-telling with court intrigue, magic, plenty of action, beautiful writing, love and betrayal, and a well-developed female protagonist, look no further. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.

I loved this! I would give it a 4.25 or 4.5. The writing flowed beautifully and was very immersive. I loved the culture and the setting. The plot was interesting! But my favorite would have to be the relationships - I loved seeing the development between various characters. I loved the fantasy aspects!

(Mild spoilers) while there is a love triangle in this, I actually enjoyed it! It made sense, I liked the relationships between the characters, and I loved the conflict that sparked! I’m not a love triangle person, but I did like this - and the way it ended up!

Why this isn’t a 5:
It’s kind of predictable - not horrifically so, but there were things I saw coming
The pacing - some segments drag and then we time skip around. It’s a little jarring.
I could have used a little more characterization of each major character!

Overall I thought this was beautifully written and very captivating. I read it slowly to savor the experience. So thankful I got the chance to read this as an ARC!

The Daughter of the Moon Goddess takes the myth of Chang'e from Chinese mythology and spins a new tale around the invented character of Chang'e's daugther. Sue Lynn Tan did a wonderful job weaving this Celestial world that felt like it was ripped straight out of the pages of myth and legend.

Plot wise this book was split into a few sections of plot, almost like a collection of short stories. Because of this I did find myself a little more interested in the short term plots of the book than the overarching long term plot.

This book also has a strong romantic subplot that I really enjoyed. It was a love triangle, and honestly it was probably the most well done love triangle I have read in a while. Both love interests had unique relationship dynamics with our heroine and both were well developed and realistic and so I couldn't figure out who she was going to pick.

The writing of this book was very well done and had the same kind of tone to its prose that I would expect to encounter when reading myth or legends and so it was very fitting for this book. But as a result it's also the kind of prose that feels a little distant from the characters so depending on how much you need a close connection with the characters this could be a hit or miss for you from that angle.

Overall a very enjoyable read! And I'm very intrigued as to what direction the sequel is going to go in as this book did not end where I expected it to.

Wow, I loved every minute of this book! The world building was amazing and beautiful! It was very fast paced and I did not want to put it down! It had my emotions are all over the place! It was heartbreaking and yet sometimes heartwarming. The main character Xingyin was amazing..She was brave, fierce, cunning, loyal and fought so hard for her family and what she believed was right! I also loved Liwei’s character from the moment we met him! He never treated Xingyin as if she was beneath him and always showed her respect and support. I loved watching Xingyin grow into a fierce warrior and go on an amazing yet perilous quest to help free her mother! Her journey definitely had me on the edge of my seat scared to read what would happen next! I loved how the book had a pretty satisfying ending, but I cannot wait to see what is next for Xingyin and the others!

Sue Lynn Tan’s debut novel, DAUGHTER OF THE MOON GODDESS, is a beautifully written, young adult quest/romance based on Chinese mythology.

Xingyin has grownup on the moon, hidden by her imprisoned mother, the moon goddess. When Xingyin’s magic flares, it draws the unwanted attention of the immortal emperor. To keep her safe, the moon goddess sends Xingyin away from the quiet confines of the moon. Now Xingyin is determined to learn how to use her magic and to free her mother.

This has all of the young adult tropes - a love triangle, a righteous quest involving a powerful adversary, and lots of self-discovery and growth.

I loved watching Xingyin develop from the quiet, reserved girl on the moon to the young woman making difficult decisions.

The world-building and magic system were complex yet well thought out. The descriptions were beautiful and lush.

The cover is absolutely gorgeous - but the contents are even better. Xingyin is the sheltered daughter of the Moon Goddess, Chang'e, but she will be forced to grow up in a hurry when she is forced to leave the moon, and make her own way in the Celestial Kingdom. Without betraying her origins, lest the mother, whom she misses deeply, be punished further for bearing and hiding her, on the moon.

Disclaimer: I received a free ARC via Netgalley in return for an honest review.

Disclaimer 2: I'm a white American woman, unfamiliar (up until now) with legends of immortal beings from Chinese culture. This did not subtract from my enjoyment of this work at all, but I suspect that this book is even better if one IS familiar with said legends.

The writing is exquisite, poetic, the characters distinct and compelling, and the danger to Xingyin and her mother, ever present. She also has allies, in a friend, and in two young men who are both romantically interested in her. Loved this. Can't wait for the next one.

I was intrigued by the overall premise of this book, but the voice of the book didn't quite draw me in as much as I was hoping it would. I'm not quite sure what it is. I think maybe if it had been written in first person, that might have helped? There was a bit of a formality to the writing style that just didn't quite work for me. Overall a clever tale, but just didn't quite fall in love with the writing enough to totally immerse myself in the story.

Things I Enjoyed: The author does a great job of transporting us into the world of Daughter of the Moon Goddess. I can imagine myself inside the palaces and the clothing and jewelry are amazing.

In terms of the protagonist, I really liked Xingyin. I found myself sympathizing with her struggle to save her mother. I also could relate to her struggle with the prejudices of others due to her assumed lowly station and her gender.

In my opinion, the plot was a good mix of adventure and romance. I thought that the love triangle in this one was very well done. Both Wenzhi and Liwei were well developed and they each had a unique relationship with Xingyin making it hard to choose between the two early on in the story.

Things I Didn’t Enjoy: The pacing was off for me. The first third and the last were great, but the middle felt almost like a filler

Overall Thoughts: This was 3.5 star read for me. The pacing proved very detrimental with regards to my enjoyment of the story. However, if you enjoy a slower paced story and like YA fantasy then consider giving this book a try.

<i>Daughter of the Moon Goddess</i> is one of the most impressive debuts I've ever read, and one I won't soon forget. One of the highest compliments I can give a book is that while I was reading it I forgot about the outside world, and such was the case with this novel. I was easily swept away into this whimsical fantasy, and when it ended I found myself sad to be saying goodbye–though I anxiously await the sequel.

Sue Lynn Tan is a phenomenal talent, and her skills are on full display in this book. Her writing, world building, lore, magic system and characters were fully realized. Even when the characters made decisions that frustrated me, I couldn't truly fault them because they felt like real people. I experienced a range of emotions over the course of the novel and shed a fair amount of tears, but it was a journey I genuinely loved. Sometimes it gave me whiplash, as the pace of this book is breakneck at points, but there was truly never a dull moment. Romance, dragons, battles, politics, magic–there's seldom a second to catch your breath, but it kept me on my toes.

The only thing that truly wavered for me was the romance. There was a lot of back and forth between the two options, which made my opinion flit around as well. But given that Xingyin is struggling with two hot men pining for her, can I really fault her? I'd be the same. As the book went on, I also found that the romances grew on me and, by the end, I thoroughly enjoyed the direction they went.

When I look at the moon at night, I wouldn't be surprised if Chang'e and Xingyin come to the forefront of my mind unbidden, and I will be glad to see them.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this arc in exchange for my honest review.

It's breathtaking, really. The world she crafted based on Chinese mythology feels truly magical and immersive. While a lot of the worldbuilding is never laid out for you verbatim, I felt as if I really got to experience the world. There are many twists and turns in the plot, some of which I'd never expected, and just OH SO much content! I feel like most books would pick 2-3 of the plot elements for a single book, but we're blessed with 6. And even better, I have no idea what's going to happen in the sequel (i.e. there's NO cliffhanger thank goodness!). I'd classify this book firmly in the NA fantasy camp, purely due to its inherent readability. A 500 page book seriously flew by just due to how clear the writing was.

Basically I loved it and you will too.

*Thank you to Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review*

Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan
“There are many legends about my mother…” “Whichever story you believe, my mother, Chang’e, became immortal. As did I.”
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This book was good. I loved the world building, the detailing of it. The determination of the main character was outstanding. I loved the characters' descriptions and their developments. This was an amazing retelling; and Tan is a phenomenal writer. If there is another book after this I absolutely can’t wait to read it. Thank you so Sue Lynn, Harper Collins Publishers, and NetGalley for the eARC!