Oct 23

Oct 23 Daughter of the Moon Goddess (The Celestial Kingdom Duology, #1)

Author: Sue Lynn Tan
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Goodreads | The StoryGraph

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Note: Content and trigger warnings are provided for those who need them at the bottom of this page. If you don’t need them and don’t want to risk spoilers, don’t scroll past the full review.

Cover Description

A captivating debut fantasy inspired by the legend of Chang'e, the Chinese moon goddess, in which a young woman’s quest to free her mother pits her against the most powerful immortal in the realm.

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.

Alone, powerless, and afraid, she makes her way to the Celestial Kingdom, a land of wonder and secrets. Disguising her identity, she seizes an opportunity to learn alongside the emperor's son, mastering archery and magic, even as passion flames between her and the prince.

To save her mother, Xingyin embarks on a perilous quest, confronting legendary creatures and vicious enemies across the earth and skies. But when treachery looms and forbidden magic threatens the kingdom, she must challenge the ruthless Celestial Emperor for her dream—striking a dangerous bargain in which she is torn between losing all she loves or plunging the realm into chaos.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess begins an enchanting, romantic duology which weaves ancient Chinese mythology into a sweeping adventure of immortals and magic—where love vies with honor, dreams are fraught with betrayal, and hope emerges triumphant.

TL;DR Review

Daughter of the Moon Goddess is a fun and exciting story that really just checks all the boxes: magic, action, romance, mythology, a plot twist! Can’t wait for book two.

For you if: You like or want to read more Chinese fantasy drama (epic fantasy rooted in Chinese mythology)

Full Review

The first half of a duology, Daughter of the Moon Goddess has been on my radar since it was published. Book two (Heart of the Sun Warrior) is coming in November, so I figured it was probably about time I finally picked this up! So glad I did; it was a great read.

This book is a Chinese fantasy drama, which is essentially epic fantasy rooted in Chinese mythology. The main character, Xingyin, has a peaceful life as (you guessed it) the daughter of the moon goddess, Chang'e. Except Xingyin is not supposed to exist, and Chang’e cannot leave. When the Celestial Empire starts poking around, she knows she has to go into hiding to protect her mother, but she vows to return and find a way to free her mother from her prison on the moon. Before long, she achieves a place as the Empire’s prince’s companion, learning and training alongside him, and eventually seeks glory in the army. But she never forgets about her ultimate goal of freeing Chang’e.

On the surface, this book has a pretty straightforward magic system and hero’s journey plotline, but Sue Lynn Tan brings them to sparkling life in a way that makes it feel exciting and special. You’ll feel transported to the Celestial Empire of cloud travel, jewels, and palaces. The book is well paced — even though it’s long, I was never bored, and it didn’t take long to read. There’s a great twist that I didn’t see coming at all, but once it was revealed, it felt so natural to the story, which was impressive.

A lot of other reviewers have noted this, but one thing I loved was how romance (note: note steamy) plays an very integral part in the story, and yet never feels like the center of it. There’s a love triangle (one that eventually dissolves itself, for those of us who do not like them lol), but Xingyin’s character development and journey is always the point.

Can’t wait to read the second book!