A review by booksblabbering
Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao

3.25

This was a mix of a Studio Ghibli movie and Before the Coffee Gets Cold. 

Hana inherits a pawnshop that collects choices. She has never stepped out into the outside world, but when her father goes missing, she is forced to venture outside her comfort zone to search for answers.

She is joined by physics major Keishin who is curious about everything, and when he stumbles into Hana, he is deeply intrigued and wants to help.  

This is whimsical, nothing makes sense, and each scene is almost scene where they venture into a new location, dimension, or memory. 

<b>“Why did you do it?” 

“For the same reason all fools give up good things. We look at our hands and wonder what we could hold if they were empty.”

</b>

I think this tried to be philosophical and melancholic, yet was too magical and simplistic and predictable for it to fully achieve this. I love magical realism, but this one felt like it was written to be a Japanese movie rather than a flowing book. 

The romance was hard to buy in to and I wasn’t a fan of any of the ‘twists’ per se. 

It was a book that felt soft, whimsical, and pondering. I typically don’t tend towards these books, but it was a nice change of pace. 

It was sweet and reflective. 

Physical arc gifted by Transworld.