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zoiejanelle's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
had no idea this middle grade fantasy book would have me weeping at 1am over my mommy trauma and my relationship with grief/death but here i am, covered in tears and snot!
anyway, the newberry award was well-deserved. this book is extremely complex and layered, but perfectly appropriate in plot and style for its intended audience.
i loved the multi-POV, the different perspectives and details that the reader experienced through the larger cast of characters. i loved the overarching themes—which seemed heavy for a MG book, but were handled with care—such as broken families, generational trauma, motherhood, loss, grief, death, identity, adoption, indoctrination, forgiveness, and love.
i somehow came away from this book with a more secure understanding of death and loss, as well as an appreciation for the complexities of parenthood and the trauma that comes with it for both the parent and the child. i did not expect this book to fall so firmly into the “mommy issues” category for me, but damn, it did.
the only flaw was that this was not an “unputdownable” book for me as the reviews suggest. it was definitely a page turner, but only after i got about 60% of the way through it. the beginning was interesting and caught my attention, but i was able to put it down and pick it back up without distress.
this was a perfect example of the MG genre, and i plan to give this book as a gift to all my young reader buddies.
anyway, the newberry award was well-deserved. this book is extremely complex and layered, but perfectly appropriate in plot and style for its intended audience.
i loved the multi-POV, the different perspectives and details that the reader experienced through the larger cast of characters. i loved the overarching themes—which seemed heavy for a MG book, but were handled with care—such as broken families, generational trauma, motherhood, loss, grief, death, identity, adoption, indoctrination, forgiveness, and love.
i somehow came away from this book with a more secure understanding of death and loss, as well as an appreciation for the complexities of parenthood and the trauma that comes with it for both the parent and the child. i did not expect this book to fall so firmly into the “mommy issues” category for me, but damn, it did.
the only flaw was that this was not an “unputdownable” book for me as the reviews suggest. it was definitely a page turner, but only after i got about 60% of the way through it. the beginning was interesting and caught my attention, but i was able to put it down and pick it back up without distress.
this was a perfect example of the MG genre, and i plan to give this book as a gift to all my young reader buddies.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Death, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child death, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment
vibingjaren's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I was recommended this book by a friend, it’s not what I usually read but it wasn’t bad. The beginning is slow to start but the middle of the book is pretty good. I was honestly disappointed at the climax and how they did the time-skip which as a writer I view as a lazy way out instead of actually writing what happened. I loved the middle of the book too so this was a huge disappointment. I also was a bit turned away by the weird relationship with Glerk and Zan at the end of the book. It almost seems like beastiality . Either way this was an okay book. It had good lessons, but I feel like it could’ve been executed better.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Animal death, Emotional abuse, Torture, and Kidnapping
Minor: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, and Abandonment
gemstonejasper's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This is a beautiful fairy tale style story about the power of love over sorrow. It explores themes of family (both found/adopted and biological), love, sorrow, and memory. It especially focuses on the relationship between a mother/grandmother and daughter/granddaughter. I really enjoyed it. I listened to the audiobook while following along in my physical copy. The audiobook is good. I love the voices she does for the characters. I could tell them each apart without paying attention to the "Luna said," "Xan said."
I think this would also be an excellent grandmother/mother/daughter buddy read idea because of the focus it puts on those relationships. I think it would be especially so in families that have one or more adopted members.
I would tell people to consider the content warnings before reading this. It's a middle grade story, so it isn't heavy on gore and violence. But it talks a lot about grief, losing a parent, losing a child, mental illness, kidnapping, confinement, gaslighting, etc. I think these are important themes and topics for kids to learn about (especially in that middle grade range) because if they haven't already, they will experience grief in some form. Just be careful and take care of yourself before anything else.
I think this would also be an excellent grandmother/mother/daughter buddy read idea because of the focus it puts on those relationships. I think it would be especially so in families that have one or more adopted members.
I would tell people to consider the content warnings before reading this. It's a middle grade story, so it isn't heavy on gore and violence. But it talks a lot about grief, losing a parent, losing a child, mental illness, kidnapping, confinement, gaslighting, etc. I think these are important themes and topics for kids to learn about (especially in that middle grade range) because if they haven't already, they will experience grief in some form. Just be careful and take care of yourself before anything else.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
alex_wordweaver's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail
bookishfoxes's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
The last few months I have been struggling with reading, it kept giving me headaches or pain in my eyes. Most books I started I was unable to finish because I just couldn't read and eventually lost interest or hope. I managed to read a graphic novel and 2 very short books the last few months, but that was about it. Then this book came (along with a new pair of glasses to try) and I ~finally~ was able to finish it!
This book was an easy and quick read - if I had my pre-2022 reading abilities, I would've devoured this book in 2 or less days. The chapters were a perfect mix of medium or short, the occasional longer chapter didn't feel too long. It was easy to follow the switches between POVs, even if there was still some mystery around some characters.
The plot was interesting. When I read the summary, I knew I wanted to read this book. It did not disappoint.
However, at some point not getting answers to the dozen questions I had got a bit annoying. The whole time you're aware you don't know the full story, and I know that's on purpose because the characters suffer from magical amnesia, but it gets frustrating. Even by the end it still feels like there are questions unanswered.
Speaking of the end, it felt kind of rushed to me. The whole book is slow to medium paced, and then the last few pages are suddenly very fast. It didn't really give the ending the story deserved. It was over too fast.
I would still recommend this book. While it didn't become an all time favorite like I had expected, I still had fun reading it. I'll still cherish this book, think back to it with a smile.
My rating: 3.75☆
This book was an easy and quick read - if I had my pre-2022 reading abilities, I would've devoured this book in 2 or less days. The chapters were a perfect mix of medium or short, the occasional longer chapter didn't feel too long. It was easy to follow the switches between POVs, even if there was still some mystery around some characters.
The plot was interesting. When I read the summary, I knew I wanted to read this book. It did not disappoint.
However, at some point not getting answers to the dozen questions I had got a bit annoying. The whole time you're aware you don't know the full story, and I know that's on purpose because the characters suffer from magical amnesia, but it gets frustrating. Even by the end it still feels like there are questions unanswered.
Speaking of the end, it felt kind of rushed to me. The whole book is slow to medium paced, and then the last few pages are suddenly very fast. It didn't really give the ending the story deserved. It was over too fast.
I would still recommend this book. While it didn't become an all time favorite like I had expected, I still had fun reading it. I'll still cherish this book, think back to it with a smile.
My rating: 3.75☆
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping
Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting
Minor: Animal death and Child death
emma_reading_love's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is a fairy tale exploring grief, generational trauma, and coming of age. It’s a bit slow at first, but the payout is great at the end. I closed the book with a sense of beauty and wonder. You’ll like this if enjoy a book with witches, dragons, magical mishaps, and joy mixed in with hard things. My book club loved it. It was very discussable. Note: Even though it’s middle grade, I would recommend HSP readers check the content warnings on StoryGraph.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement and Kidnapping
Moderate: Child abuse
rachelditty's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
My co-worker handed this to me and told me to read it, and I'm so glad she did! What a lovely little book; this was such a great read. I was surprised to find myself almost tearing up at the end.
I was really interested in how all the different stories would come together at the end, and Barnhill did such a satisfying job of doing so. I really loved Antain and Ethyne, and I like that Luna and Adara ended up staying with them--I was hoping Luna and Antain would form some sort of familial bond. Fyrian absolutely stole my heart, was a kind dragon. Xan going into the bog with Glerk really had me at the end, and so did Luna releasing the poem into the world.
I think if anything, I wish we had gotten a little more about Fyrian's mother and the witch who stopped the volcano all those years ago. I know there's another short-story set in this universe, so maybe it goes into more of that aspect of the story. There was also a point where, when everything was getting revealed, that Antain kind of repeated everything that had already been said, and I didn't really understand why we got that information twice in such rapid succession. That happened another time too, with Luna re-explaining something, both times which I didn't really think were necessary. We also never really get into the more detailed history between Sister Ignatia ad Glerk, which I was VERY interested in.
But I loved these characters! I was really interested in seeing how Luna, our titular character, was going to end up being the center of everything happening. I loved all the little families we got to see, and even the side characters we only saw a few glimpses of. Ethyne was incredible, I'm so glad we got those scenes of her and the Grand Elder.
Some quotes I liked:
"Yes, child. This is a true story. What other kinds of stories are there?" (p. 58)
"'Death is always sudden... even when it isn't.'" (p. 80)
"'Curiosity is the curse of the Clever. Or perhaps cleverness is the curse of the Curious. In any case, I'm never lacking for either, I'm afraid, which does keep me rather busy.'" (p. 122).
"Anger buzzed through Luna's body, from the top of her head to the bottoms of her feet. This is how a tree must feel, she thought, as it is hit by lightning." (p. 231).
"The material is less consequential than the intention." (p. 372).
"And she drifted away, loving everything." (p. 379).
"The heart is built of starlight/ And time./ A pinprick of longing lost in the dark./ An unbroken chord linking the Infinite to the Infinite./ My heart wishes upon your heart and the wish is granted./ Meanwhile the world spins./ Meanwhile the universe expands./ Meanwhile the mystery of love reveals itself,/ again and again, in the mystery of you./ I have gone./ I will return." (p. 383).
"She belongs to us, but one day her magic will fade and she will wander back into the Bog and we won't have a witch anymore. Only stories. Perhaps she will find the Beast. Or become the Beast. Or become the Bog. Or become a Poem. Or become the world. They are all the same thing, you know." (p. 386).
Really great read from Barnhill! I will definitely be finding time for the sequel/prequel.
I think if anything, I wish we had gotten a little more about Fyrian's mother and the witch who stopped the volcano all those years ago. I know there's another short-story set in this universe, so maybe it goes into more of that aspect of the story. There was also a point where, when everything was getting revealed, that Antain kind of repeated everything that had already been said, and I didn't really understand why we got that information twice in such rapid succession. That happened another time too, with Luna re-explaining something, both times which I didn't really think were necessary. We also never really get into the more detailed history between Sister Ignatia ad Glerk, which I was VERY interested in.
But I loved these characters! I was really interested in seeing how Luna, our titular character, was going to end up being the center of everything happening. I loved all the little families we got to see, and even the side characters we only saw a few glimpses of. Ethyne was incredible, I'm so glad we got those scenes of her and the Grand Elder.
Some quotes I liked:
"Yes, child. This is a true story. What other kinds of stories are there?" (p. 58)
"'Death is always sudden... even when it isn't.'" (p. 80)
"'Curiosity is the curse of the Clever. Or perhaps cleverness is the curse of the Curious. In any case, I'm never lacking for either, I'm afraid, which does keep me rather busy.'" (p. 122).
"Anger buzzed through Luna's body, from the top of her head to the bottoms of her feet. This is how a tree must feel, she thought, as it is hit by lightning." (p. 231).
"The material is less consequential than the intention." (p. 372).
"And she drifted away, loving everything." (p. 379).
"The heart is built of starlight/ And time./ A pinprick of longing lost in the dark./ An unbroken chord linking the Infinite to the Infinite./ My heart wishes upon your heart and the wish is granted./ Meanwhile the world spins./ Meanwhile the universe expands./ Meanwhile the mystery of love reveals itself,/ again and again, in the mystery of you./ I have gone./ I will return." (p. 383).
"She belongs to us, but one day her magic will fade and she will wander back into the Bog and we won't have a witch anymore. Only stories. Perhaps she will find the Beast. Or become the Beast. Or become the Bog. Or become a Poem. Or become the world. They are all the same thing, you know." (p. 386).
Really great read from Barnhill! I will definitely be finding time for the sequel/prequel.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement and Abandonment
Minor: Animal death, Death, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, and Gaslighting
captainoliimar's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Stalking, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Blood, Medical content, and Kidnapping
Minor: Violence
skudiklier's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
This book was really sweet, and I loved the way it was written. It touches on some really important ideas and I'm glad I'll get to talk about it with others in my book club. I'd recommend this to fantasy fans, and people who want a complicated but mostly heartwarming story about love and found family.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Death, Kidnapping, and Grief
Moderate: Child death, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Murder, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Self harm, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
charmingreads's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
3.5
it’s a very cute book with lovable characters and a great storyline! it’s definitely slow paced which is basically the only reason it’s not a 4 star, however, it’s absolutely worth it in the end! i recommend it if you want a new middle grade to read!
age rating: 10+
age rating: 10+
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping and Abandonment
Minor: Animal cruelty