In this fascinating retelling, ROMEO AND JULIET MEETS HOUYI AND CHANG’E

Remember Houyi, the sun hunter and Chang’e, the moon goddess? For those who don’t know, they are legends of a Chinese Myth that has been popularly adapted and retold by many. By now, I have read several retellings about them but what made this one stand out was giving the myth a contemporary twist with a star-crossed lovers trope. The myth is disguised within the story in tiny details and eventually unravels into a beautiful (albeit bittersweet) tale of love and legends.

So trust me when I say this book is absolutely the best retelling of Houyi and Chang'e to date and has become my personal favorite for all the good reasons.


Read An Arrow to the Moon by Emily X.R. Pan simply to enjoy a new spin on the Chinese moon goddess’s myth and for the phenomenal writing.

(Thanks to TBR and Beyond Tours and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for the ARC of this book!)

An Arrow to the moon review！

Firstly, I want to say a huge thank you to TBRandBeyond for giving me a spot on this tour, so let's get into my review of this story. An Arrow to the moon, is written by Emily X.R. Pan. It is a story that combines the stories of Romeo and Juliet along with the Chinese folklore of Chang E, but with a twist as it sets in modern times.

Our two main characters, Hunter and Luna are actually really great and become the highlight of the story. I feel like they both act like typical teenagers but without going over the top. I found Luna to be quite intelligent but willing to learn, along with being kind and fearless. Hunter is brave, resilient, also kind and very patient especially when it comes to his parents.

The plot mirrored the legend and stories that it is based off and In that sense, the story worked well in delivering that in a very poetic way. I actually enjoyed the romantic plot between the two characters as I felt that it was well done.

The plot that I really struggled with was the parents and their interaction with their children, which to me soured the story quite a bit. I understood that there needed to be a rivalry between the two families to mirror Romeo and Juliet. But the way that the parents were written was confusing and in most cases they acted more immature than our two main characters. Also even though a villain was introduced to the story I felt like the parents were more villainous in the way that they treated their kids.

Overall, the Romeo and Juliet vibes was definitely there and so was the legend of Chang E. I feel like the author did a great job in combining the two in a way that made sense for our two main characters. I give the story 3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️

An Arrow the Moon was hands down one of my most anticipated releases for this year and honestly, Emily X.R. Pan did not disappoint with her sophomore novel. A gorgeously lyrical story, we follow Luna and Hunter in their senior year of high school as a crack in their town grows wider, parental secrets are unearthed, and fireflies reveal the magic that binds them together. This is a story with layers that, with each changing POV, takes all the loose threads to create a love story that's as magical and timeless as its inspiration material. Luna and Hunter's relationship starts and ends like a classic and leaves you feeling changed and unable to go back to where you were before reading their story.

There was a point around the halfway mark where I felt a little lost in the world of Fairbridge, like there were so many introduced threads and it would be difficult to tie everything together. But Emily X.R. Pan manages to do just that because it all works out in the end. There's a simplicity to the everyday routines of our characters that is mixed in with the smallest sliver of magical possibility that elevates the atmosphere to another level. I can't help but leave this story knowing that I'll come back to it again and again in the future and it will always leave its mark on me.

There's always something comforting about a story that just gets little nuanced aspects of your life. Luna and Hunter are mirrors of each other and their relationship is one that's been written in the stars of the universe for ages. While I'm not the biggest fan of instant chemistry in love stories, theirs works because of how in tune they are with each other - they literally breathe together, it's the most precious thing.

On top of that, there's also the exploration of familial relationships and pressures that made the story more personal even when I was struggling with elements of the plot. It is just ingrained in every Asian American household that love is something expressed in different ways and that is spotlighted with the juxtaposition of the Yees and the Changs. Each family has made sacrifices for their child and has internalized that choice in contrasting ways. No matter what lines were crossed by the parents, there's a part of me that understands and hurts for them and that probably made the ending all the more impactful.

It's probably fitting that I finished this novel around midnight and the first thing I did was look out my window to the moon. This is truly a story that leaves its such a strong impression and simply put, to take the words straight from the story, the next time the moon is full, look up.

Thanks for joining me today on my stop for
An Arrow to the Moon By Emily X R Pan
Thanks to & @exrpan @littlebrownyoungreaders for my print copy

🏹🌙
A magically written YA book that blends Romeo and Juliet along with Asian mythology. A delightful tale that sucks you in from start to finish. The author’s lyrical writing is splendid, along with her exquisite ability to create a fairytale-esque dreamlike atmospheric imagery. The romance to me was more older YA, but so sweet and beautiful, which I have been missing so much in most of high fantasy YA reads lately. A storyline keeps readers entranced with its reincarnated gods living in California during the early 1990s. Told in multiple POV’s, easy to follow narration, likable characters. The bittersweet and heartbreaking ending will have lost for words.
🏹🌙

High school seniors Hunter Yee and Luna Chang haven't noticed each other until one Saturday night when they meet at a party. The attraction between them is instant and the days following their encounter are all they can think of.

However, due to some events that happened in the past, the families of Hunter and Luna are doing all they can to keep the two apart. With college applications around the corner and decisions that will change their futures forever, Hunter and Luna are drawn together and slowly come to an understanding with each other.

Casual meetings turn into dates but to what extent can they go before the family secrets catch up to them?

This book is exactly why I love Emily X.R. Pan's books. They're just so beautiful and amazing to read and I'll never get bored of them. The way she writes just brings out such amazing imagery and makes the characters seem so graceful even with their human flaws.

I loved Luna and Hunter's relationship. Going from family enemies to just getting along isn't always easy, but they've been through so much that being enemies is the least of their worries. It's crafted so carefully by the author but at the same time, I just wanted them to be together once and for all.

Overall, An Arrow to the Moon is a must-read for 2022. I have waited SO long (over a year) for this book to come out and I'm so honored to have received an ARC of the book. If you only read one book in April, please let this book be it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers and TBR and Beyond for an advanced e-ARC and physical ARC of this book.

⭐️ ⭐️

An Arrow to the Moon is a magical realism fantasy retelling based upon both Romeo and Juliet and Chinese mythology (Houyi and Chang’e). Two teenagers born on the same day to rival families continue to run into one another in the midst of bizarre/supernatural happenings in their town. Will they be able to solve the mystery before their parents discover their alliance?

I requested this book as I thoroughly enjoy fantasy books based on mythology/retellings. I’d both just read Daughter of the Moon Goddess and These Violent Delights based on the same two stories, and really enjoyed those, so I assumed this one would be right up my alley. Unfortunately, this did not turn out to be the case.

Let’s start with what I enjoyed about this book. It is set in the 1990s, which sounds simple enough, but it really made the contemporary setting so much more enjoyable to me! There’s some thing about texting and pop culture in fantasy books that just doesn’t mesh for me as a personal preference and I enjoyed that. I also enjoyed the realism of the complicated relationships the main characters had with their families and their learning to think for themselves outside of only the beliefs they’d grown up being taught. This book was also a quick read and I really enjoyed the chapters with Hunter’s little brother, Cody.

This book is set up as a mystery, although as it’s a retelling, it was easy to guess from the beginning. I think the mystery aspect is what ruined this for me, unfortunately. Although I can see some bits of buildup after the 50% mark, it feels like “oh, here are a bunch of really really really wild and disturbing things” and the characters almost only ever seem mildly intrigued by them and sort of shrug everything off as “we’ll figure it out later”. There are 8(?) different POVs in this book, and the chapters were mostly no longer than a few pages each. That was difficult for me to stay enthralled in the story, although I could definitely imagine this style working as a TV show. Finally, I struggled with the chemistry between the main characters. It seemed more like continued proximity and the supernatural connection were their only draws to one another, and we didn’t learn much about their personalities other than their relationship and attitude to their parents.

I would recommend this book to people looking for a quick read who enjoy mythology/retellings and short chapters.

Firstly the gorgeous cover and than this unique book with things I have never heard or read about. I liked knowing something new.

Hunter and Luna are struggling to express their thoughts to their families and what matters to them. They are part of rival families who have secrets to upturn everything but still there is a strong force driving them towards each other. Their meetings, interaction is so sweet and tender, figuring things out and helping each other. I liked both of them.

This was lovely retelling of Romeo and Juliet with added touch of Chinese mythology making it interesting. With all these you have multiple POVs to know the surroundings and history from different perspective giving insight on small things.

The writing was simple, beautiful and easy to understand. I liked how it was built upto main thing with the little hints of magic like fireflies coming to Luba and talking about Hunter's shot never being missed coming in. I wanted more of them. This was emotional and fast paced. I enjoyed reading it.

Thank you TBR Beyond Tours for having me on this tour.

ARC copy provided in exchange for an honest review. This in no way changes my rating or review.

4 MYSTICAL STARS

Three Minute Thoughts:
What a stunning book. An Arrow to the Moon was everything I expected, with Emily X.R. Pan’s gorgeous, enchanting, lyrical writing, combined with a splendid twist on the mythological Chinese tale of Houyi and Chang’e, and beautiful Romeo & Juliet vibes sprinkled through. Separate to the fantasy storyline were important messages on family and filial piety, and the depths that people will go to protect their loved ones. Such a bewitching novel!

The Extended, Long, and Very-Probably-Messy Review:
Emily X.R. Pan’s writing is like a poem. It’s lyrical and flows so beautifully, and is occasionally a little confusing, but always manages to capture my heart.

“Once upon a time… There was a girl who lived on the moon as its guardian. She was its heart and its breath.”
(This quote may not be in the published version of this novel, it was copied from the advanced reader’s copy.)

An Arrow to the Moon had a variety of changing POVs and short chapters, which – once you get into the rhythm of Pan’s writing – is so captivating, and caused me to fly through this book in like two sittings. And somehow, despite the consistently changing character POVs, all the characters have such unique and realistic personalities, it’s incredible! I found it so easy to relate to both Hunter and Luna, both with the familial pressure placed upon both, and with the difficulties they faced in just trying to discover themselves and each other.

“But what she feared wasn’t sitting still. It was the possibility that she would spin so far in the wrong direction she’d fall off the map and lose sight of herself.
It was the question of whether she would ever become who she was meant to be.”
(This quote may not be in the published version of this novel, it was copied from the advanced reader’s copy.)

In addition, the stunning Chinese mythology woven into the ever-iconic Romeo & Juliet storyline was so well written, and it really added an enrapturing twist to the book. The ending was both expected and not, and I definitely need to read more books based upon this mythological tale, because it was gorgeous.

I’m so glad I read this, it was stunning! Thank you so much to the author, publisher and TBR & Beyond Tours for the ARC copy provided!

I was provided a copy of the book through TBR and Beyond as a Tour Participant . I voluntarily read and reviewed it. All opinions are my own.

Pan writes with such prose in her stories. I was so excited to see her publishing another book and this one did not disappoint!

I love the way Pan intertwines her stories together and I thought the multiple POV’s were well done. I liked getting to know each of the characters and felt like each one contributed something important to the story overall.

I definitely felt the Romeo and Juliet vibes between Luna and Hunter. It was fun seeing them defy their parents and their relationship felt genuine. I enjoyed the banter between the two. I thought the magic that connected them was really interesting. If one kissed the other they left a literal mark and vice versa. It was beautiful in its description.

Pan did a great job of blending tense family dynamics, romance, and magic. I definitely recommend!

I read this book as part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours. Special thanks to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review. 4 stars!

I've been looking forward to reading this book ever since I first heard about it earlier this year. A Romeo and Juliet Chinese mythology-inspired retelling? Yes, please! Plus, I read Pan's debut several years ago and it quickly became one of my favourite YA contemporaries full of heart and so much deep emotion, so I had high expectations for her sophomore novel; ultimately though, they were perhaps a bit too high. That's not to say that this was a bad book. Not at all! There was a lot that I loved about this story and the things these characters experience but at the same time, I wanted MORE—more emotion, connection, and depth which would've catapulted this into the 5-star territory I was expecting from it.

Pan's prose is exceptional. It's a little poetic, a little flowery but just enough to stir your imagination and bring the images she paints to life. Although I wasn't overly familiar with the story of the Moon Goddess, Gang'e, and her paramour, the Archer, Hou Yin, I absolutely loved recognising the parallels to the lore. I really enjoyed Pan's take on it and the way she also wove in the Romeo and Juliet forbidden star-crossed lovers aspect as it really amped up the angst and yearning. This story had strong themes of familial love and filial piety and as an Asian, the expectations that were set by both families for their children to follow without question were very familiar to me and in a way made the story more relatable.

I was a little surprised by how many POVs we get in this book and combined with the short chapters, the story moved at a very quick pace. I could've read this in one sitting had I not had things to do. I liked getting such a well-rounded view of what each family was going through and insight into all the secrets that were revealed, and the many views helped spark a little bit of empathy for the characters I struggled to like because parents aren't perfect no matter how much we expect them to be. This still very much Luna and Hunter's story though and they were so easy to root for! As the story progresses, their family lives start to unravel more and the only peace and comfort they can find is with each other. Their romance was achingly sweet and filled with many tender and awkwardly funny moments as they both discover first love and what it means to be another's person. As the tension increased, it was soothing to know that they had each other to figure things out with. I was particularly heartbroken for Hunter and it was difficult at times to read about his situation and relationship with his parents, especially because he had his little brother Cody to think of and much of what he did and endured was for him. The wonderful sibling relationship between Hunter and Cody was one of my favourite aspects of this story—they have such a strong bond and it was incredibly heartwarming to see how gentle and caring Hunter was with his little brother. And Cody really was the most precious little boy. My heart! 🥺

That said, as much as I liked the many POVs and short chapters, I also had issues with it because with so many shifting views, it made it difficult for me to connect to the characters or feel feel invested in their stories. Yes, I did grow to care about them after a while but it still felt very surface level and I didn't get the depth I wanted from their characters. If I'm being honest, it was a bit disappointing because the emotional connection was what I expected the most from this story! There were also elements of magical realism, which I didn't have an issue with but a lot of what happens in town was not very clear to me. It felt like very high stakes with the ever growing cracks throughout town and the increasing feelings of wrongness that seeped from the darkness, but in the end I'm not sure what it meant to symbolise or what it really meant because with how quickly the story wraps up, it was there one minute and the next it's gone. I'd even go so far as to say it felt a little anticlimactic and again, I just wanted that bit more!

Romeo and Juliet meets Change'e and Hou Yi in this romantic YA contemporary fantasy.

Of course the perspective of the main characters, Luna Chang and Hunter Yee, is compelling on its own, made even better by their budding romance. But glimpsing the mystery of the plot through other characters, like Hunter and Luna's parents and Hunter's younger brother, Cody. We also get a glimpse of Hunter and Luna's experience as the children of Chinese and Taiwanese immigrants, as well as their parents varying experiences as immigrants themselves. Emily X.R. Pan has written a bittersweet coming of age story about finding your place in the world as well as within your own family.

Thank you to Little Brown and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an eARC of this lovely book.

As someone who loves Multiple POVs in a book, this one was a DREAM because there were quite a few perspectives but they weren't overwhelming and they moved the story along so well. While Luna & Hunter were the center of the story, my favorite POV was Cory, the little brother. There was something that was special about him to me and I loved seeing things through his eyes. This was such a great take on the Chang'e mythology and I would love to read more from Emily with other mythologies!

I've been talking about my excitement for An Arrow to the Moon since last year's Mid-Autumn Festival, so any attempts to keep my expectations at a realistic level were pretty quickly foiled by my inner fangirl because I love YA contemporary, retellings and the legend of Chang'e. When I finally found a free day, I devoured An Arrow to the Moon and had a pretty good time while I was reading it. It was a fun, quick and enjoyable way to spend an afternoon.

That being said, I can't leave a review without pointing out some areas for improvement. The book just moves at such a clipped pace that it makes the story as a whole feel a bit shallow and underdeveloped. The multi-POV and short chapters certainly don't help, and the almost brusque storytelling makes it hard for readers to really connect with the characters or the story. It almost felt as if I were reading an early draft that just had the key plot points. I'm not sure how much will change between the galley and the final version, but the story needs to be fleshed out a lot more because what I read was just the barebones of a story. Instead of moving from event to event, we need the time to sit with the characters so we could get invested in the story more.

As much as I was here for the contemporary take on Chang'e, I have mixed feelings about its actual execution. I'm not a big fan of magical realism, but I was surprised by how quickly Pan got me on board with the fantastical elements of the story. Unfortunately, that aspect of the world was never fully developed, and we're left with a lot of unexplained loose ends by the end of the book. If you ignore a few confusing aspects, the actual reinterpretation of the legend was pretty creative and an interesting take, but the legend only really came together at the climax and felt a bit disjointed from the rest of the book. I wish elements from the legend had been weaved into the story earlier on.

In terms of the actual story, there's a lot going on and the different subplots are a bit disjointed and confusing. There's a lot of build up about the Yee family secret and the family rivalry, but the big reveals are strangely anticlimatic.

An Arrow to the Moon is an ambitious novel that just missed the mark for me. Did I have fun spending a few hours reading the entire thing? Yes. Do I think it has the potential to be so much more? Yes, a thousand times yes.

Thank you so much TBR and Beyond Book Tours for allowing me to participate in the An Arrow to the Moon Tour! I am deeply honored to read it and give my honest thoughts about it! Thank you Little Brown Books Publishing and Netgalley for sending me an eARC!

"'But I agree with you,' said Luna, surprising him. 'Fairy tales make it sound like everything in life is designed to fall into place. You just have to walk in the right direction, drink the right potions, fall in love with the right person . . .'
'And bingo,' he finished. 'Happily ever after.'"

*3.75 stars*

5 Reasons to read An Arrow to the Moon:
1. Romeo and Juliet retelling; although this was one of the downfalls of this book, it was also one of its strengths? I felt pretty meh about Romeo and Juliet when I first read it, and other retellings I've read put too MUCH emphasis on the characteristics of such a classic tale. It was not the main focus of the story and the bits of it were either very minuscule/hard to find or felt unrealistic (like the "rivalry" between the Yees and Changes). I say this is both a benefit and a disadvantage because while it did actually ADD to the story (allowed the readers to take a breather, relax, and just enjoy the book), it did also make this book feel not so much a Romeo and Juliet retelling.
2. Lighthearted contemporary romance; the romance between Hunter and Luna was sweet and most importantly, BELIEVABLE. I appreciate that Pan didn't make it where it was love at first sight, rather, she allowed the characters to take the time to get to know each other before starting their official romance. I also didn't expect this book to be so contemporary but it was refreshing after the MANY fantasies I've been reading recently.
3. Chinese/Taiwanese mythology & culture; the stories of the Archer (aka Houyi) and the goddess (whom I believe to be the Moon Goddess - after fact-checking, I am correct! The goddess was Chang'e) were cool. How Pan incorporated them through Cody's book was also an interesting touch! I love learning about other cultures and their beliefs, as well as their food and clothing, which this book gave to me.
4. The readability; it was really hard for me to put this book down. In fact, I read it in one sitting. Pan wrote this book so well - the words flowed and even the multi-POV didn't confuse me.
5. Relatable and discussed current issues; I felt like Luna was a mirror image of myself. We are both hard workers, have semi-strict parents, and feel like we have the weight of the world on our shoulders. My parents, like Luna's, expect me to go to a top-tier college, but we are both unsure (her, thanks to Hunter, and me, thanks to my best friends) if that is the right option (but neither of us has considered OTHER options). Also, both Hunter and Luna had their own family drama and they were
imperfect themselves. So, thank you so much Pan for writing such relatable characters. Additionally, the topics of the Taiwan-China debate, feminism, and others.

My biggest issue (besides the fact that I wanted MORE Romeo & Juliet elements) was the POV. While I did enjoy the multi-POV, I think the third-person POV of this book took away from it. As a reader, I feel so much more connected to characters in books when the story is told from first-person POV, which I think would've allowed us, not only to get to know the characters better but also to see how each scene through different eyes and how the characters reacted. I also disliked the main "conflict". The whole crack in the earth thing, while I understand its purpose in the long run (with the ending; which was utterly cruel, Pan! How could you??), seemed so unrealistic.

Overall, though, this is an enjoyable read! I'd recommend this for fans of These Violent Delights.

With An Arrow to the Moon, a retelling of Romeo and Juliet, comes heartaches, forbidden loves, and an age-old hatred between the families. Emily X.R. Pan once again brought me into a world with characters I want a perfect happy ending for. I’ve been wanting a story of Houyi and Chang’e last year, and this is a dream come true.

Weird magical things are happening around Hunter and Luna. Hunter never misses a target with his bow and arrow. His impeccable aim is a mystery in itself. Luna kept seeing little fireflies floating around her, trying to convey some sort of message. Even Cody, Hunter’s brother, owns a book that doesn’t always have a story within it.

Although their parents are constantly on bad terms with one another, Hunter and Luna didn’t care. As time passed, the two started to gain feelings and sneak around knowing that their parents would disapprove vehemently. The two families are always vying for the same tenure, career goals, and mysterious artifact.

While they were falling in love, Hunter and Luna were both dealing with individual struggles when it comes to their parents. Due to his affinity with the wind, what seems like pranks by him got Hunter expelled and his parents blamed everything on him without finding out the truth. Meanwhile, Luna has no idea about the turmoil and dissatisfaction within the family.

In my opinion, Emily X.R. Pan did a fantastic job in recreating the Moon Goddess and the Lord Archer’s legend that I know and love. I’ve been waiting for a new book by Emily X.R. Pan for years after reading The Astonishing Color of After. Feel so blessed it’s my long-awaited Chang’e and Houyi’s retelling.

I loved THE ASTONISHING COLOR OF AFTER so when I caught news that Emily X.R. Pan was writing a retelling of not just ROMEO AND JULIET but also the Chinese myth of Chang'e and Hou Yi, I couldn't get my hands on a copy of AN ARROW TO THE MOON fast enough. Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Books for letting me read and review an e-ARC prior to publication.

While I didn't fall head over heels in love with AN ARROW TO THE MOON the same way I did with THE ASTONISHING COLOR OF AFTER, the former is still a wildly creative retelling that reads much more like a modern fairy tale. Despite being familiar with the source material for both stories being retold, I could never predict how the story would develop. Pan kept me guessing right from the beginning. That being said, the novel as a whole is really more of a retelling of the myths of Chang’e and Hou Yi than of Romeo and Juliet. Aside from the feuding families, there isn’t much that ties AN ARROW TO THE MOON to Shakespeare’s play.

I love that the two main characters’ names allude to the Chinese myth: Luna Chang (moon goddess–Chang’e) and Hunt Yee (Hou Yi–who was also a hunter). And the fact that Cody’s rabbit is named Jadey is just perfect. The story also deals with sex and consent in a positive way without being graphic. My chief complaint is that I wish the chapters had been a little longer. I didn't feel like we ever got to spend enough time in each of the characters' heads, so the story did feel a bit too episodic for me.

Despite my reservations, I will definitely be incorporating AN ARROW TO THE MOON into curriculum and recommending this story to readers. I’m sure that many, many, adolescents out there will adore this novel.

1.5 stars

Emily XR Pan’s debut, The Astonishing Color of After was one my top 5 books I read in 2019, so I’ve been desperately awaiting her sophomore novel ever since. Perhaps my expectations were too high, but I could not get into this book.
An Arrow to the Moon is pitched as a contemporary fantasy Romeo and Juliet retelling with inspiration from Chinese mythology.
It sounds incredible, and I’m so disappointed that I wasn’t able to enjoy it.

AAttM is told in third person with the POV character shifting every chapter. There are 115 chapters in this 400 page book. 65% of the book is told from Hunter or Luna’s POV, while 40 chapters intersperced are told by Hunter’s brother, Cody, both teen’s respective parents, or the antagonist, Rodney Wong.
Now, I prefer short chapters, but when the POVs are switching every chapter and each chapter is an average of 3.5 pages, it’s hard to connect with the characters or the story. The constant change of POV was choppy, and none of the other character’s POVs were necessary for the story. They didn’t add anything to it.
There was just so much going on, it was hard to follow any one strand of plot. If every chapter except for Hunter and Luna’s were removed, the book would read virtually the same.
The writing itself was pretty, though it was a bit too flowery at times. I had a hard time getting into the heads of the characters and feeling what they were feeling, because I was so bogged down in the writing.
When it comes to plot, I’m not sure I could tell you what it was. Weird, magical things happened, we never fully learned why. Why did the ground crack? What was the “bad energy” seeping from those cracks? What was the point of the fireflies? The indigo kiss-spots? The only magical part of this book that made any sense was Hunter’s archery skills. The money, the wind, the fireflies, the cracks, the peaches, the rabbit, and everything else was given no explanation. Half the time I couldn’t tell what was “good” magic and what was “bad” magic, though I was given the impression it was supposed to be apparent.
For star crossed lovers, Luna and Hunter didn’t have much chemistry. Maybe this goes back to my inability to connect to them, but there have been plenty of books where I couldn’t connect to the characters but still enjoyed the apparent chemistry between them.
The entire subplot with Luna’s parents’ marriage—what was the point of that? It wasn’t resolved, it didn’t add anything to the plot. It felt awkwardly plunked into the narrative solely for the shock factor of Luna walking in on her mom in a… compromising position. I kept thinking it was somehow going to tie into some aspect of the magic, or the triad, or <i>anything</i> especially after we got a few chapters from Luna’s mom’s POV talking about the affair. But no. It was there, and then it gets lost in the mess of the plot.
The end, too, was wholly unsatisfying. I knew there wouldn’t be a happily ever after. It is a Romeo and Juliet retelling, after all. But there was no closure to any of the story lines. They float up into space, never able to touch. Eternally alone, just plucked out of their lives with no warning, and we know absolutely nothing about how they feel about it. If it were a sacrifice they willingly made to save the world/their families/each other, that would be one thing, but Luna just eats a rock because some fireflies told her to and floats to the moon with Hunter chasing behind.
No one ever has any reactions to the absolutely insane things that happen in this book, and it’s so boring. Yes, things happen, but they’re just glossed over. Never explained, never resolved, never felt. The book is resolved by simply erasing everyone’s memory, so there is no impact.
The whole book just lacks emotion or any kind of driving force to keep it interesting.
I wanted to enjoy this book, but I couldn’t. I was so bored while reading, it was physically painful, but I forced myself to finish it. I can’t say I’m glad that I did.
All in all, the biggest disappointment so far this year.

I'm so, so sad that I didn't enjoy this more. I absolutely adored The Astonishing Color of After so to find out Pan was coming out with a new book, I was intrigued.

Marketed as a take on Romeo x Juliet with additions of Chinese mythology and magical realism, An Arrow To The Moon focuses on our main characters, Hunter and Luna and the conflicts surrounding their warring families. Initially, I was drawn to Hunter and Luna and the whole star-crossed lovers aspect but as I got further into the story, everything fell so flat and I started losing interest quick.

One of my main issues is the short chapter format writing style. It didn't give much of an opportunity to really connect with the characters or fully grasp the scenarios they were in and their backstories. Once it did feel like we were getting somewhere and getting more substance and context, the story would immediately jump to another character's POV leading to more questions and less answers. The multiple POVs were rather strange at times. I would say why but it would be a spoiler to the story but for me, as a reader it left me confused as to where the story was trying to go and what points it was trying to get across. The Chinese mythology and magical realism aspect didn't work for me. It's not typically the kind of writing that I enjoy so that's just more personal preference. It felt like too much added together where I feel like the story would've been much more impactful if it focused on just one thing and honing in on that.

I could appreciate the fact that Hunter and Luna were each other's safe place from the expectations their families put upon them. That's a common struggle a lot of adolescents go through so having that relatability on the page will definitely draw in a lot of readers. I also liked getting to see the POVs of their parents to understand why the feud between their families came to be what it was.

I know this was a deeply personal one for Pan to write and I commend her for it, Although this one didn't become a new favorite, I'm still very much looking forward to seeing what Pan comes out with in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was both beautifully written and bittersweet.
Clearly a riff on Romeo and Juliet, with all the little Easter eggs sprinkled throughout, i really liked how it combined that classic story with the folklore of Chang’e and her lost love. The story of Luna and Hunter was beautiful.

I think that for me personally, the overall plot with the evil antagonist looking for a crystal, etc was ended in a way that fell flat for me. There was this big buildup and then…it just missed the mark, in my opinion. I loved the cast, the two “warring” families and the struggles and pain they went through. Cody was my favorite character, and that last chapter at the end tying his arc together was great.





Thank you to a Netflix and the publisher for an early e-copy of this title. Opinions are my own.

A delightful book full of adventure, action, and thrills. Fun to read, engrossing world building, and very descriptive imagery made it feel like it was cinematic. It's hard to resist the story as it drives forward. Would recommend.