Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan
Published by HarperCollins
Age Group: Young Adult
Format: Fiction
Genres and Categories: Asian Authors, Asian Characters, OwnVoices Representation, Deity Characters, Magic Users, Royalty Characters, Dragons, Action, Adventure, Dragon Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Xianxia, Various Magic, Asian Mythology, Chinese
Series: The Celestial Kingdom Duology #1
My Rating:
Published on: 11th January 2022
Pages: 512
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A captivating and romantic debut epic fantasy inspired by the legend of the Chinese moon goddess, Chang’e, 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. 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 duology which weaves ancient Chinese mythology into a sweeping adventure of immortals and magic, of loss and sacrifice—where love vies with honor, dreams are fraught with betrayal, and hope emerges triumphant.

This book was provided for free by NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book!

Content Warnings:

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I always struggle to write reviews for books that I fall in love with, and this one is no exception. Daughter of the Moon Goddess is a story woven from the strands of Chinese mythology, casting the moon goddess Chang’e as a mother and her husband, the Lord Archer Hou Yi, as a father. In the original myth, Chang’e steals the pill of immortality from her husband and flees his wrath. Tan has changed things up a bit, casting the Celestial Emperor as the wrathful figure and the moon as a prison rather than Chang’e’s place of solitude. As for the pill of immortality, that too has been changed slightly, too, and I’ll let you read Daughter of the Moon Goddess for yourself to find out more about the story 😉

Thrown into a world that she has never known, Xingyin begins an extraordinary journey that challenges everything she knows about herself. She struggles to learn about who she is, making up for years of lost time spent alone on the moon with just her mother and a servant for company, while dealing with the guilt of leaving them behind. This is very much a story of a young woman finding her place in the world, and of finding oneself while struggling with outside responsibilities (whether chaffing or not).

Tan deftly weaves a multilayered story with characters that are beautiful to behold in their emotional vulnerability.  I connected with the protagonist Xingyin on a personal level, and Tan’s writing made that easy to do. Her characters, despite their immortality, are so very human. The magical world-building in Daughter of the Moon Goddess never lets us forget just how powerful they are, while her writing reminds us that, beneath power and riches, there is always a person.

Everything about this book blew me away, from the stunning descriptions of the celestial kingdom that were so vivid you felt as though you walked alongside Xingyin, to the visceral fight scenes where this archer fan (you can blame Disney’s Robin Hood for the lifelong obsession) loved seeing a female archer in action. Daughter of the Moon Goddess is a book about love, loss and learning, and readers young and old will appreciate how accurately Tan approaches these subjects through Xingyin’s journey.

I can’t wait for book two of The Celestial Kingdom Duology!

About Sue Lynn Tan

ue Lynn Tan writes fantasy inspired by the myths and legends she fell in love with as a child. Born in Malaysia, she studied in London and France, before settling in Hong Kong with her family.

Her love for stories began with a gift from her father, her first compilation of fairytales from around the world. After devouring every fable she could find in the library, she discovered fantasy books – spending much of her childhood lost in magical worlds. When not writing or reading, she enjoys exploring the hills and reservoirs of Hong Kong, the temples, beaches and narrow winding streets here.

Her debut, Daughter of the Moon Goddess, will be published by Harper Voyager in early 2022, with a sequel to come. It is an enchanting fantasy of love and family, immortals and magic – inspired by the beloved Chinese legend of Chang’e flying to the moon upon taking the elixir of immortality.

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Thanks for reading my review for Daughter of the Moon Goddess, the first book in The Celestial Kingdom Duology. If you hadn’t guessed from my review, go read this book! You will not be disappointed 🙂

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