Read Your Heart Out: “Daughter of the Moon Goddess”

Author: Sue Lynn Tan
Genre: Fantasy
Page count: 512
Price: $27.99 (hardcover)

What better way to start off the new year than with a debut novel? “Daughter of the Moon Goddess,” Sue Lynn Tan’s debut novel, just hit shelves Jan. 17.

If you love legends and mythology, this is definitely a book you want to add to your collection. 

Tan was inspired by the stories she was told as a child, so she wrote a novel that was based on the legend of Chang’e, the moon goddess. Only, what if Chang’e had a daughter, and she had to go on a mission to save Chang’e? 

That is what Xingyin is tasked to do when she is forced away from her home on the moon. Making her way down to the Celestial Kingdom, she is quick to realize just how dangerous her quest will be. Yet, she is not alone as she gains the help of the emperor’s son, learning beside him as she becomes a master of archery and magic. 

Will she be able to free her mother? Will love strike a match in her heart along the way? Just what exactly will it take to get back to her family? 

While this story is a duology and the second book does not have a release date, most of these questions are answered within the first book. That’s right, the first book is not left on a cliffhanger that has you anticipating the next book. This is something I really came to appreciate, as endings are usually difficult to wrap up for authors, especially when there is an expected sequel to come out.

Overall, the book was well written and kept me engaged in the plot at all times. I finished the novel within two days, as the story’s descriptive locations and plot twists were just that intriguing. 

There were only a handful of moments where it seemed as if the book jumped from one moment to the next too quickly. But, for a debut fantasy novel, it was put together quite nicely. I look forward to the sequel that will continue Xingyin’s story and what perils she will have to face next.