Daughter of the Moon Goddess

About When Chang'e was banished to the moon, no one knew that she brought her secret daughter with her. Xingyin has lived on the moon all her life, unaware that her very existence is an affront to the Celestial Emperor. When her magic flares and almost gives away her secret, she has no choice but to flee the moon and seek out a life hidden away in the Celestial Kingdom. But when an opportunity to study alongside the prince arises, she finds herself moving ever closer to being discovered. And ever closer to being in love.

Thoughts I should probably open with the fact that I typically hate love triangles. They are not my vibe for SO many reasons that I won't bother to get into. So when I say that this is a great love triangle, please understand that I am saying it grudgingly, because I can't believe I actually liked this one. A lot. All three characters involved were well-rounded, fun to read, and the chemistry between the lead and both suitors was genuine. Time moves fast in this book. Months can pass between chapters, or in the span of a paragraph. That leaves the readers to imagine a lot of the space in between, but the scenes we do get make it easy to connect the dots, and none of it feels too rushed. Action sequences are exciting and easy to follow, and Xingyin's growth as a warrior feels very natural. I admit I was kind of disappointed that Xingyin our POV character kept referring to citizens of the opposing forces as "demons" after learning that it was largely just propaganda. Seeing as she has no love for either side of the conflict, it was a strange choice for her character to make. Still, a great adventure with a determined lead and a really believable romance triangle.

The worldbuilding unfolds slowly, with early mentions of the various kingdoms supplemented later on by more detailed descriptions once Xingyin actually travels there. The descriptions are evocative but not overwhelming, tending to focus more on her thoughts about what she observes. There’s a strong focus on Xingyin’s internal life, as her relationships get more complicated but she’s still keeping her parentage a secret. She’s the daughter of the moon goddess, having grown up in secret since her mother was exiled to the moon after claiming the immortality meant for her husband, Xingyin’s father. 

I like the first third and I love the second half, in between those sections the pacing gets a little weird though it’s still pretty good. Mid-book events which in some other story might be a training montage instead are collapsed into a very brief mention as several years are skipped at once. Xingyin ends up in the Celestial palace, surrounded by people who despise her for her class and who would detest her if they knew who her mother really was. After spending several years as the prince’s companion, she tries to make her own way by excelling at arms, becoming a formidable archer. Her goal is to earn a favor from the emperor in order to request her mother’s freedom. 

Once place where this excels is in relationships, specifically the way that Xingyin’s relationships with Prince Liwei and Captain Wenzhi change over time. It is a love triangle, but one which at each stage feels like there are good reasons for the choices Xingyin is making. She proceeds as well as she can while figuring out who she wants, if anyone. I love the ending, it pulls things together in a fantastic way and lays the ground for what the sequel might cover while still letting this first book feel complete.