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A Creature of Moonlight

Rebecca Hahn (Goodreads Author)

3.61 · Rating details · 2,244 ratings · 396 reviews

A stunning debut novel about a girl who is half dragon, half human, and wholly herself.

As the only heir to the throne, Marni should have been surrounded by wealth and privilege, not living in exile-but now the time has come when she must choose between claiming her birthright as princess of a realm whose king wants her dead, and life with the father she has never known: a ...more

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Hardcover, 313 pages

Published May 6th 2014 by HMH Books for Young Readers

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Nov 12, 2013 Debbie Narh rated it did not like it

Shelves: boring-as-hell, female-pov, debut-authors, i-don-t-even-know, adventure, netgalley-edelweiss, arc, ebook, disappointments, lying-summaries

A Creature of Moonlight is 2% dialogue, 3% interesting stories about the woods, and 95% boredom which is just Marni talking to herself using beautiful prose and similes. Honestly, let's put aside the fact that many adults read young adult novels and stick to the fact that this book is for young people. Slim, very slim are the chances that teenagers want to read a boring story that's lyrically enchanting than anything else. Teenagers want action! Betrayal! and unfortunately sometimes, romance! We A Creature of Moonlight is 2% dialogue, 3% interesting stories about the woods, and 95% boredom which is just Marni talking to herself using beautiful prose and similes. Honestly, let's put aside the fact that many adults read young adult novels and stick to the fact that this book is for young people. Slim, very slim are the chances that teenagers want to read a boring story that's lyrically enchanting than anything else. Teenagers want action! Betrayal! and unfortunately sometimes, romance! We don't want to read something that will almost instantly put us to sleep. If I wanted to sleep I would ask my mom to tell me about school when she was growing up. Somehow, I managed to finish this one but I fell asleep at least ten times along the way.

I can see why some people love the writing style, you really need to be interested in it to actually enjoy it though. However, for others (like myself) the writing is too formal and long. There's an endless line of similes and metaphors and other crap to make the writing pretty pretty but also very boring. I couldn't help but smack myself once I started the second chapter. The writing makes everything so long and pointless and awkward, the story feels far less like a story and more like an essay about some pointless crap no one actually cares about. I also had a problem with the plot itself, it's also pointless and typical. Girl has nothing left, wants happiness, meets her father, blah blah blah, realizes crap and runs, blah blah blah, finds true home. That's the whole story, nothing interesting, I promise. The characters are worse than wet cement, they barely do anything, there's close to no dialogue, and when things are just starting to get good because of an almost-romance, it's taken away and readers are left with boring shit again.

Nonetheless, I did like the stories about the woods. These small stories are well done and will instantly captivate readers which is good but also bad because they are spread out and have tons of boring stuff in between them all.

This book is just bad. I think I knew I was in for something horrible the second I read the second line, but I kept going forward because I was hoping that the writing would get better or at least I would like the main character. I didn't. I barely liked anything about the book and I don't recommend it to anyone. It's tedious, typical, and annoying. I'm tempted to put a hiatus on dragon books for the time being since everyone that I've read has been absolute crap. ...more

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Nov 25, 2013 Tabitha rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, dragons, arc, for-review-received-from-publisher, hmh

My imagination held hostage
The woods are a magical place, one that the people in A Creature of Moonlight have been taught to fear their whole lives. These woods come and go, moving forward and backward gobbling up or giving back land on a whim. It even has a taste for young girls on the cusp of womanhood! Treacherous sounding isnt it? These young girls frequently disappear into the woods never to be seen again. Except once one particular girl does return. Sounds like a place full of magic, My imagination held hostage
The woods are a magical place, one that the people in A Creature of Moonlight have been taught to fear their whole lives. These woods come and go, moving forward and backward gobbling up or giving back land on a whim. It even has a taste for young girls on the cusp of womanhood! Treacherous sounding isn’t it? These young girls frequently disappear into the woods never to be seen again. Except once one particular girl does return. Sounds like a place full of magic, danger and temptation to me – I was all in.

Marni lives in exile at the edge of the wood in a small hut with her grandfather the former king. Learning why these two are in exile is all part of the slowly unfolding mystery in A Creature of Moonlight. With a lush descriptive prose and a vengeful young heroine I couldn’t help but be entranced by this world and most of all its magic. The writing style and tone of this book it quite unlike many of the other young adult books that are coming out today. The pace is slower and the prose style just feels different. It required some thought and there is a lot of inner dialogue and descriptions from Marni as in the first quarter of the book she observes more rather than interacting with people. Some might find it takes a bit of time to adapt to, but I flowed into it with ease as I literally felt Marni was telling me the story rather than I reading it.

Good girls don’t play in the woods
The magic of the woods and the creatures within it remind me very much of elemental or fey spirits. Everything seems to have magic. The trees, the flowers and all of the creatures. Some float on the wind and there is a lady that knits and weaves magic from everything around her and indeed this is something Marni learns to do as well. Pulling moonbeams and light together with pine needles and moss and whatever other bits of the world to create beautiful new creatures or to even knit a vengeance upon her enemies.

Why, hello, tall dark and devious
Marni eventually finds herself in the castle and we see a possible romance developing between her and a powerful but young Lord, Edgar Ontrei. But Marni is determined not to let anyone dictate how she is going to live her life and what she is going to do in order to achieve her goals, not even some ravishing man who makes her laugh, especially when she knows he has ulterior motives. Even though there is some romance I have to stress that this is just a side focus and by no means the main plot at all so you love hungry readers should know that going in – this is not in the teen fantasy romance category. It is very much a coming of age story.

Blood is sweet and vengeance bitter
A Creature of Moonlight has some overtones of darkness to it that I really loved. I always think of anything reminding me of fey as something that cannot be trusted and here I got to see Marni as she learns all about who she is, what she really wants, the truth and who can be trusted. An excellent read and the author says it was written as a standalone folks so snatch it up and enjoy because you get some actual freaking closure for once at the end of a YA novel! ...more

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Feb 26, 2014 Dark Faerie Tales rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed-by-kaitlin

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Hauntingly beautiful, raw, and powerful, this story stays with you even after you turn the last page. I cant stress enough how gorgeous and eerie this novel is.

Opening Sentence: All summer long the villagers have been talking of the woods.

The Review:

This connected to me on an emotional level, and I dont remember the last time I left a story with such pleasant feelings. Delirium? Twilight? Harry Potter? Wow, just wow. A Creature of Moonlight Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Hauntingly beautiful, raw, and powerful, this story stays with you even after you turn the last page. I can’t stress enough how gorgeous and eerie this novel is.

Opening Sentence: All summer long the villagers have been talking of the woods.

The Review:

This connected to me on an emotional level, and I don’t remember the last time I left a story with such pleasant feelings. Delirium? Twilight? Harry Potter? Wow, just wow. A Creature of Moonlight is about Marni, a princess who lives with the King in a flower selling hut a little ways from a village. Gramps (the King) gave up his place at the throne in order to take care of Marni and spare her life, because her uncle was going to kill her, right after he killed her mother. She isn’t fully human, either. Her mom, just like other girls, was lured by the magical presence of the woods, except unlike the rest she came back, pregnant. And only strange, mystical creatures live in the woods . . . the most strange and mystical of all, the rumored dragon. Marni isn’t immune to the trees and creatures and magic, but her fragile life is about to be uprooted much like the flowers she sells, and it is time for her to fight to right herself again.

The style of writing is like nothing I’ve heard before. It’s simple, and yet intricate. It looks at the deeper meanings of things that are yet to be understood, and grasps at every detail in colorful storytelling. Marni is the most introspective character I have ever known, other than Lena of Delirium, and that’s saying a lot. I adore her and her personality, strengths and weaknesses, mistakes and emotions. She is, quite bluntly, a fabulous character.

Lord Edgar is the supposed love interest, cocky, confident, and charming. He had me wondering whether they’d end up together or not, because for all the pros about him, there were signs that they could end up apart. I kept changing my mind about what would happen, and in the end, I was surprised (and I’m not telling you how, you’ll have to read and find out)!

The lure of the woods was ever there. It was always a ghostly pull in Marni’s head, and I felt myself actually wanting to follow it. If I could rate top 10 settings, along with Hogwarts, there would be the woods. If you’ve read Splintered and loved Wonderland, don’t deny yourself the pleasure of reading this book. It’s almost physically painful to read and want to know how everything ends up, and I was tempted quite a few times to skip ahead, but I am an honorable reader and stayed true to the course of the chapters.

Young or old, I think anyone will love this. Period. It was amazing to me; it will be amazing to you. A Creature of Moonlight has my highest recommendations, and I swear to you that after reading you will have no regret that you did so! Sometimes when reading this I physically smiled, or laughed, or covered my mouth with my hands and gasped, and I haven’t felt this close to a book in a while. It sounds cheesy, but a real reader will know the feeling when you find a book that will grow to be a favorite. Don’t wait any longer than necessary to pick this up!

Notable Scene:

It’s our choices. It’s our changing, every day, into creatures who might do something completely different from the day before. It’s our stupid stubbornness and our constant unpredictability, and the irrational way we have of holding on to our love, our anger, our hate, letting them grow within us until they’re a part of us as sure a s our hands and feet, as sure as the laughter that catches on our breath, the moonlit tears in our eyes.

It’s magic too, in a way.

FTC Advisory: HMH Books for Young Readers provided me with a copy of A Creature of Moonlight. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. ...more

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May 03, 2014 Pam ☼Because Someone Must Be a Thorn☼ Tee rated it it was ok

A CREATURE OF MOONLIGHT is beautifully written from a wordsmithing point of view. However, I couldn't get into the story. It was the weirdest thing. I loved reading about Marni's experiences in the woods and with her grandfather. Couldn't care less about the whole go-to-the-castle thing. Loved her as a strong woman; meh about the struggles to 'find herself'.

I can totally understand the 5-Star reviews. And I would recommend this book based on the fact that Rebecca Hahn's writing is quite charming ...more

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May 12, 2014 Jo rated it really liked it

If you are a fan of pulse pounding action on every page, this is probably not the book for you. But if you like strong characters, beautiful prose, and a heart-warming story, I would suggest this book for you. The language is gorgeous and poignant. Marni's voice is so well developed and so achingly beautiful that you want to continue on just to hear her words. I think we need books like this. Books that cause you to stop and enjoy a well turned phrase. Books that evoke a different time, when ...more

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Oct 14, 2014 Sabrina marked it as did-not-finish · review of another edition

Shelves: standalone, ive-seen-kirkus-stars

Before reading:

Comparing yourself to Seraphina, aren't you, book?
Those are quite very large breeches you're trying to fill.

DNF @ 32%.

Reading is one of those activities that I cant get enough of (its right there with eating good food andahemother things, you know). Despite having a family to take care of, jobs to do and well, having to live the real life, Im able to read a decent amount of books in a year. I do it by reading every spare moment I can get. I read on the train, I read while waiting ...more

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Apr 07, 2014 Olga Godim rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy-scifi

I received this ARC through NetGalley from the publisher, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

This novel is like a myth, mysterious and dreamy, elusive and multilayered, open to different interpretations. I dont think simple like or dislike could cover it. Everyone will see in its pages something that belongs exclusively to them, something close to their heart.
What did I see? What is close to my heart? I saw a sixteen-year-old girl longing for freedom the freedom to choose and the freedom to belong. But I received this ARC through NetGalley from the publisher, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

This novel is like a myth, mysterious and dreamy, elusive and multilayered, open to different interpretations. I don’t think simple like or dislike could cover it. Everyone will see in its pages something that belongs exclusively to them, something close to their heart.
What did I see? What is close to my heart? I saw a sixteen-year-old girl longing for freedom – the freedom to choose and the freedom to belong. But those two freedoms are exactly the opposites, and their demands rip her soul apart. If she wants to belong, she has to conform. If she wouldn’t conform, she can’t belong, unless she is strong enough to make her own rules, to create her own world, but that’s the hardest road of all.
The book starts slowly. The entire first part of it is broody and misty like an impressionist’s painting. Marni, the heroine, doesn’t belong anywhere except in a hut with her grandpa. She is a daughter of two worlds. Different. Alone.
Her mother was a princess from the human realm, but Marni’s uncle, the king, rejected her before she was born. When Marni was a baby, the king killed his sister, Marni’s mother, and only her grandfather’s protection keeps Marni alive now.
Her father is from the realm of magic. He is a dragon, commanding an enchanted forest, sending his trees and his fey creatures after his daughter. But Marni doesn’t know what she wants. Should she stay in the human kingdom and avenge her mother by killing her murderous uncle? Or should she go into the magical forest and surrender her human self?
Her journey of self-discovery is painful and fraught with doubts. In the king’s court, she encounters love but she wouldn’t succumb to it. She stays alone and aloof, rejecting love because it makes her soft, happy, forgetful of her bitterness and animosity towards her uncle. She doesn’t wish to forget or forgive. Hatred dominates her being, defines her. Its venom slithers into Marni’s heart and takes control, transforming the girl into a cold, merciless avenger. Almost…
Of course, her uncle hates her too. He hated her first. He had started this endless circuit of loathing. Between him and Marni, the hatred festers, feeds on itself, grows into a huge and ugly monster, bigger than the dragon, bigger than the kingdom. It almost destroys them both. That part of the book reads like the etymology of hatred, a study so intense it poisons the readers too.
When Marni finds herself in the dragon’s world, the emotional intensity drops, and the bitterness dissipates. The narration becomes fluid like magic, but the reader’s concern for Marni’s well-being doesn’t ebb. Would she abandon her humanity for the easy, sweet allure of magic? Would she let go of being a mortal woman? Would she relinquish her rights to choose?
Every character in this book has his own color, his own personality, but Marni is the focus that binds them all. The author follows her on her voyage of self-discovery to the very end, and her exploration puts everyone through an emotional wringer, the readers as well as the characters.

…you don’t stop a story half done. You keep on going, through heartbreak and pain and fear, and times there is a happy ending, and times there isn’t. Don’t matter. You don’t cut a flower half through and then wait and watch as it slowly shrivels to death. And you don’t stop a story before you reach the end.

Does Marni find her happy ending? Does she find a place to belong? I’m not sure. But I know that this book will stay with me long after I finished the last page.
4.5 stars
Highly recommended.
...more

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Apr 01, 2014 Althea Ann rated it it was amazing

I finished this book last night, and this morning woke up convinced that I had another book by the author on my Kindle: I'd dreamed that I got a targeted ad asking me to buy it; and I was delighted to find out she had another book.
Of, course, she doesn't, yet. 'A Creature of Moonlight' is Hahn's debut. But that dream does show how much I liked it.

The story is pure fairy tale: a young woman, half-princess, half-fey. She is rumored to be the dragon's daughter, and her mother was slain for ...more

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Aug 14, 2014 Natasha Rosca rated it did not like it

Shelves: 2014

"Not just because I'm avoiding trouble. Not just because I don't want to scare him, neither, though those are both good reasons."

"So I stopped listening, and I stopped looking."

"When they've gone, though, I see my Gramps sigh. I see him look sideways at me where I'm leaning against the porch rail, as if I won't notice that way. As if I don't already know he frets more than he'd ever let on."

"Since I was small, since we lived here and made ourselves the flower people to keep from getting our "Not just because I'm avoiding trouble. Not just because I don't want to scare him, neither, though those are both good reasons."

"So I stopped listening, and I stopped looking."

"When they've gone, though, I see my Gramps sigh. I see him look sideways at me where I'm leaning against the porch rail, as if I won't notice that way. As if I don't already know he frets more than he'd ever let on."

"Since I was small, since we lived here and made ourselves the flower people to keep from getting our heads chopped off, Gramps has warned me not to wander into the trees that push up right against our place- out back, beyond the flowers and paths and bushes, over the low stone wall that rings around our garden."

Holy crap... where is this chic's editor. Or reviser? Or proof reader? You would get alcohol poisoning for every shot you took for the same words repeatedly being said in the same paragraph. Or for every run-on sentence being read. Or for every that, I, and or commas. Or even for every sentence that just does not make any sense. I would bold every comma in these quotes, but that would take way too much time. Maybe the author believes she is adding emphasis or drama to every word she repeats. Or perhaps she believes the longer the sentence is, the better it sounds. Or maybe she is purposely trying to make her character seem illiterate. However, coming from an honest reader, this does not look or sound appealing in any way. Her alliterations do not even sound natural. I'm giving two stars because there are some good parts so far through these seven pages (Seven pages! And I'm already complaining.) but even then I feel that is a bit generous. Most likely it may change as I continue to read on.

"Yet I don't stop going completely, neither. When Gramps is sleeping the sun away, or when I've worked so hard at digging out and pruning back bushes and hauling water to and from the well that I can't stand one minute more, or when I get to thinking on things just so, I hop over our garden wall and go walking out there, breathing in the pine and the damp, dark places of the forest."

In the end this book honestly felt like a long drag to finish. And not the kind of drag from a Clove cigarette when all you crave is nicotine. Or the long drag of a cold beverage when you are parched and liquid is all you dream of. No, this drag was the kind where you're carrying a 20 pound boom box that only plays the history of toilet paper, or whatever bores you to death. There were some good moments (like maybe when the audio goes about fetishes involving toilet paper) and then there were a lot of moments (and sentences) that never seemed to end. If it were not for the alright moments such as, "My Lord of Ontrei," I say, and again I'm pleased, because my voice is steady, without a trace of fear. "I don't know who you think you are, but I'm the king's niece, and the closest blood he has left, and you'll keep a civil tongue or I will cut it out.", then I wouldn't have even considered handing this book two stars. But as I said earlier, I feel that is a bit generous for there were even questions I had that were not answered such as why didn't the King have any children? Why was this niece the only blood-related family other then his father? I feel you don't get enough detail about the other characters let alone the main character; but maybe she's suppose to be reserved with her own feelings. I would not recommend a book to anyone in which I only looked forward to finishing because I have already reached my point of no return. And this book was one of those because the only enthusiasm I had from, "A Creature of Moonlight," was how close I was getting to page 313. ...more

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Apr 16, 2014 Susana rated it really liked it

Shelves: favorites, fantasy, arc, netgalley, 2014, 2014-favourites

Arc provided by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children Books through Netgalley

This is a review that I simultaneously want to write and one that, at the same time, fills me with a healthy dose of dread.

The reason is very clear: I loved this book to bits, and if I could, I would make sure everyone with whom I spoke would get a chance to read it.

Truth is, it's because of books like these that I will never stop reading. It pulled at my heart strings with its beautiful language, it captured me with its ...more

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Jun 20, 2014 L A Lucia rated it it was ok

The stars you see at the top of this review are because this book started off so, so beautifully. The reason there are only two stars is because the book didn't just go south after about the first half - it dropped off the globe altogether. UGH.

Ugh. Really!

So. Three parts of a book: the writing, the characters and the plot.

The writing here is lyrical, practically poetry. It is gorgeous stuff, and beyond. This is a fairytale, and it captures the essence of what we love about fairytales The stars you see at the top of this review are because this book started off so, so beautifully. The reason there are only two stars is because the book didn't just go south after about the first half - it dropped off the globe altogether. UGH.

Ugh. Really!

So. Three parts of a book: the writing, the characters and the plot.

The writing here is lyrical, practically poetry. It is gorgeous stuff, and beyond. This is a fairytale, and it captures the essence of what we love about fairytales brilliantly. The mystery, and the fear, and the longing for a wildness that lies beyond our ability to categorize and comprehend. Ms. Hahn writes it extraordinaily well.

But you know, even lyrical poetry needs to be about something.

The characters are not very likable. The main character - the dragon's daughter - is not, in the end, much of anything. Her grandfather gives up his kingdom in order to raise her. He also gives up anything resembling female companionship at the same time. (this once, but not future king abandons his people and his throne, and sex too apparently without a blink, and takes up changing dirty diapers as well as cooking and cleaning without any kind of assistance. Just one day the castle, and the next day poopy pants. What?) I am trying to write something about Marni (our heroine) but the thing that I remember most about her is that even though she is 16/17 in the story she seems to have zero interest in boys - she barely sees them, and although there is a handsome young Lord who seems to be genuinely interested in her, the author has him regularly saying the WRONG thing which justifies her rejection - her endless rejection - of his suit.

The plot .... well, there isn't much of a plot. The author's interest is clearly Marni Finding Out Things. The net result being that she goes over here and then she goes over there. Does that sound like an "on the road" sort of story? It's not. She travels from her hut, to the castle, to the city, to the woods - all within maybe a mile? Two miles? No great distance anyway.

Taken all together, A Creature of Moonlight is a heartbreaking Could Have Been.

Read instead:
Arafel's Saga by C.J. Cherrhy
Any of Robin McKinley's faerie tales
and of course, any/all of the classics from the Brothers Grimm, and Hans Christian Anderson ...more

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Jan 15, 2014 anna rated it liked it · review of another edition

I loved the writing. It's very beautiful and lyrical and paints a vivid world. I particularly loved the descriptions of the various mythical creatures - beautiful, strong and dangerous. Unfortunately, the story itself is a bit meandering...(view spoiler) I loved the writing. It's very beautiful and lyrical and paints a vivid world. I particularly loved the descriptions of the various mythical creatures - beautiful, strong and dangerous. Unfortunately, the story itself is a bit meandering...(view spoiler)

Still, I liked the book. I liked that throughout this book, there were many different versions of women - just as there are in real life - and all of these women ultimately chose their own paths and accepted the responsibilities of their choices. They chose duty to their people, love of family, independence and freedom, and followed through. And that is a very good message for a YA book, especially when these days all YA books seem to be about action and romance.

If this is the debut novel of Rebecca Hahn, I look forward to more of her writing. I think there are a few things she could still improve on - tightening up a few plot points, adjusting the pace - but on the whole, her writing is lovely. ...more

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May 13, 2014 Tammie rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy, stand-alones, high-fantasy, ya-fantasy, favorite-covers, owned-hard-cover

A Creature of Moonlight is a slow moving, beautifully written, character driven story that drew me in from the very beginning. It reminded me in some ways of Janet Lee Carey's books, namely Dragonswood and Dragon's Keep, and also Seraphina by Rachel Hartman. It was nice that it was a stand-alone too. I will be looking for more books from this author.

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Jun 03, 2014 Selena Yukino (The Lioness: hear me roar) rated it did not like it

I'm so very disappointed.

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Oct 17, 2013 Shae McDaniel rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy, cover-love, need-to-own, delectable-prose, read-2014

Originally posted at http://www.shaelit.com/2014/05/review...

Chances are, if youre anything like me, youre interested in this story for the dragon on the cover. Dragons are awesome. I cant think of anything off the top of my head that would beat a dragon. But dragons are also hard. There have been some awful dragon books in the past, as well as some dragon books that are so great that they make the rest of the genre pale in comparison. (Im looking at you, Seraphina.) So maybe, despite being ...more

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Jan 14, 2014 ~Tina~ rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, netgalley-edelweiss, arc, read-2014

3.5 stars

Long ago, a princess of her realm, was lured into the shadowy woods, but unlike most of the girls who venture there, she came back, but she wasn't alone. She was pregnant and the child she carried was presumed to be the dragons daughter. Her brother the prince, could not condone her existence and killed her for her unspeakable crime, but their father, begged his son to spare the child. And so he did. Ever since the day her gramps whisked her away, Marni lives by the borders of the woods 3.5 stars

Long ago, a princess of her realm, was lured into the shadowy woods, but unlike most of the girls who venture there, she came back, but she wasn't alone. She was pregnant and the child she carried was presumed to be the dragons daughter. Her brother the prince, could not condone her existence and killed her for her unspeakable crime, but their father, begged his son to spare the child. And so he did. Ever since the day her gramps whisked her away, Marni lives by the borders of the woods in a small hut with her gramps (the former king) and lives a quiet life tending her flowers and being at peace. But as time passes, Marni grows into a beautiful women and the village lords and lads are taking notice. But they are not the only ones. The woods are moving in, silently but forcefully trying to lure Marni back home. An alliance is suggested, for not only is Marni half-human/half-dragon, she is also the only heir to the kingdom. But she is torn as to where her rightful place should be. Is it with her uncle and his court who never wanted her or with the father she's never meet. Marni must choose her own path and her own fate in this magical tale of two worlds pulling her apart, but where does her heart truly belong?

After reading this story, I had very conflicting emotions. A Creatures of Moonlight, is a fantasy fairytale with a very pretty story and is solely about one girls self-journey to find a place in between two worlds, the kingdom and the woods, who both want her for their own selfish gain. The writing is beautifully captured and quite lovely, but it lacked a dire-effect that I crave for this particular genre. That spark, that moment where I'm completely captured and connected into this world and emotionally dedicated with the characters wants and hopes and needs. This book was like a soothing lullaby, quaint, charming and hauntingly beautiful, but it never had any real adventure, suspense, intrigue or even romance, which quite frankly I was expecting given this featured dragons and other mythical creatures, and while they were all stunningly descriptive, It still felt like the story was hidden underneath all the pretty words and any action took a back-seat. I needed something more tangible for that heart-pounding factor and a challenge for my imagination. I was moved by the surroundings, was touched by the sad stories and even lost myself within the dream-like world, but I was never fully affected by Marni's true purpose. Never felt the emotional impact of all that she lost or how alone she felt. I could grasp what she wished for herself and even found the unfairness of her entire situation. After all, she never asked to be an heir or even a dragon's daughter, but in the end it still felt like it was missing something, even though the story comes to a full circle and nothing more could have been resolved.

With that said, I still very much enjoyed this book for what it had to offer. Which was the stunning writing style. This is Rebecca Hahn's debut novel, and you can tell that she was truly born to write. The pacing and flow could have been more even and the plot could have been more exciting, but her words were like reading poetry in motion, especially when describing the whispering woods. Everything was so crisp and alluring and yet you could still feel the dangers and darkness lurking in the same breath. I only wish I could have seen it. I also enjoyed that Marni is extremely strong willed and knows exactly what she's always wanted. She's bitter and jaded but she still held herself with dignity and grace. This was especially noticeable when she dealt with her uncle or Lord Edgar's persistence and then later when she confronts her father. She has fire in her veins and she decides her own fate. I was also glad we got to spend a little time in the woods, the entire story felt like a fairytale, but being in the woods made it feel like fantasy and I couldn't help wish I got to spend more time in that space. It was fantastical and I wanted more.

All in all, I rather enjoyed this book, it may not have been the escape I was expecting, but it still had some moments that left an impression. If I take away anything from this experience it would be Rebecca Hahn's writing. This is definitely one author to look out for and I look forward to reading her next book. ...more

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Apr 23, 2014 Dianne rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, netgalley, own, arc-read, coming-of-age

Im still reeling from this three part fairytale that tells of the journey a young girl must make to find not only herself, but the role she is destined to play in her magical world as she learns who she really is and what it means. A Creature of Moonlight by Rebecca Hahn is magical, veiled in a feeling of leaving reality behind and entering a world filled with creatures of all sorts, evil, loving, trustworthy and filled with deceit. It is for Marni to discern her path, who to trust and who to I’m still reeling from this three part fairytale that tells of the journey a young girl must make to find not only herself, but the role she is destined to play in her magical world as she learns who she really is and what it means. A Creature of Moonlight by Rebecca Hahn is magical, veiled in a feeling of leaving reality behind and entering a world filled with creatures of all sorts, evil, loving, trustworthy and filled with deceit. It is for Marni to discern her path, who to trust and who to beware of. Young Marni lives with her loving grandfather, who has given up his life to raise her in relative safety after the murder of her mother at the hands of her uncle, the king. The daughter of a dragon and a human, Marni is fated for great things and so her journey begins. Will she feel the pull towards her father, the dragon? Will she learn the evil machinations of the King’s court and deftly avoid any traps? What of the young man who seems smitten with her? Is there time for romance or must that wait until her journey is over?

Like any awe inspiring fairytale, this world is brilliantly colored and populated by wonderfully created magical beings, from Dragons to Kings and of course, a mysterious and magical woods surrounding the small village Marni lives in. With simply drawn characters and a plot that is easy to follow, Rebecca Hahn uses the beauty of her words to tell this tale of the coming of age of a young girl against the odds in a world she must quickly learn to understand and assimilate into. Character driven, this tale does not fall prey to the fast pace of an action-filled plot, but rather flows along with grace. Ms. Hahn has given strength to her heroine that is admirable and sets a powerful example for others to follow. I do believe it is the talent of the author that pulls this story together and creates a feeling of being among true magic and myth. 4.5 Stars

I received an ARC edition from HMH Books for Young Readers in exchange for my honest review.

Publication Date: May 6, 2014
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 9780544109353
Genre: Children's Fiction
Print Length: 224 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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Apr 25, 2014 Lucinda rated it it was amazing

A truly remarkable story containing a hauntingly surreal dreamlike quality to it

Rebecca Hahns exquisitely beautiful, passionate novel is a rarity among its genre as it makes you believe in all infinite possibilities. This truly special book captures dreams and the essence of our subconscious, whether that is a memory or a path of prospect or even a poignant sound calling out to you. Capturing the coldness of winter, the wide sky and the whispering of the Trees the evocative prose interlaced A truly remarkable story containing a hauntingly surreal ‘dreamlike’ quality to it

Rebecca Hahn’s exquisitely beautiful, passionate novel is a rarity among its genre as it makes you believe in all infinite possibilities. This truly special book captures dreams and the essence of our subconscious, whether that is a memory or a path of prospect or even a poignant sound calling out to you. Capturing the coldness of winter, the wide sky and the whispering of the Trees the evocative prose interlaced with metaphorical resonance ensnares the senses and broadens the mind!

In ’A Creature of Moonlight’ main protagonist Marni escapes to the Woods in search of an individual’s most precious gift: freedom. Similarly to master mythmaker JRR Tolkien the forests of the world speak of such magic and memory, as inspiration for a spellbinding fantasy story with strong links to nature. Voices call out to her from the Trees and whispers carry along the wind…as the heir to the throne and Princess of a powerful realm, Marni must accept her responsibilities that rest upon her shoulders as she grows into adulthood. As retrospectively childish naivety and simple thought are left behind, she is unable to ignore the voices continuously rising in volume that calls out to her.
Set within a richly atmospheric medieval backdrop wherein archaic magic, fire-breathing Dragons and domineering rulers remind me of ’A Game of Thrones’ for the YA reader.

Rebecca Hahn’s accomplished masterwork is an impressive literary gem, which transcends boundaries with inspired vision, panache and profundity. The detailed narrative is full of symbolic mythical elements that compliment the fantastical world that the author has convincingly captured on the page, bringing wholly her story to life. If dreams were like wishes then I would ask for this book, as a tempting treat of supreme supernatural nuance and fairytale-esque quality. The detailed descriptive passages paint an elaborate picture of the extraordinary settings, colourful characters and opulence within the kingdom.

Lost within a mesmerizing fantasy world of wondrous delights and enchantment, I can honestly state how intoxicatingly impacting this incredible book was. I would therefore like to thank the author for providing me with an ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of her sublime novel to read and review, as it was an unforeseen astonishing read! I am overwhelmingly impressed by this YA high/ epic fantasy story that’s packed full of reflective connotation and inspired concepts.

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Apr 12, 2014 Yzabel Ginsberg rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult, arc-netgalley, magic, dragons

[ARC courtesy of NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.]

This novel was a delightful read, with enchanting prose that kept me enthrallednot too little description, not too much, and lyrical enough without diving head-first into purple prose. It was permeated with an eerie atmosphere, and there was something definitely haunting to that world encroached upon by nature and strange creatures from the woods. The latter were appealing, intriguing, making me thinkg that I, too, would want to see [ARC courtesy of NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.]

This novel was a delightful read, with enchanting prose that kept me enthralled—not too little description, not too much, and lyrical enough without diving head-first into purple prose. It was permeated with an eerie atmosphere, and there was something definitely haunting to that world encroached upon by nature and strange creatures from the woods. The latter were appealing, intriguing, making me thinkg that I, too, would want to see what was hidden in them. And I enjoyed the depiction of "sorcery", the concept of knitting spells and/or creatures sent to do one's bidding. I don't think I've seen that in a story yet, so it was quite new for me, and I found the idea interesting, even though it didn't turn out as it was meant at first.

I appreciated how women in general were shown here as people with the power to choose. Even though at first, some may seem powerless, drawn into an unwanted existence, or used as pawns, in the end, they want to exert their own power of choosing, and don't hesitate to state it. Marni doesn't necessarily know where she's going, but at least she knows she doesn't want someone else to decide for her. She could've given in easily to pressure. (view spoiler)

Marni's also a character who grows up and learns. She'd have had many opportunities and reasons to enact revenge on those who failed and/or hurt her, but she didn't act with too much haste, she pondered her decisions, and she seemed to me like a level-headed enough person.

The one thing that prevented me from liking this book more was how it kept meandering after a while, as if Marni's thoughts were somewhat running in circles. It left me feeling that there was little sense of urgency to the story, that things "happened" in a slow way, and not to the extent they should've been happening. Considering Marni's circumstances, for instance, I found it strange that events at court weren't more intense. (view spoiler) So the story was beautiful, but there were a few moments when I wished it would go a tad bit faster.

3.5 stars. In spite of my qualms, this is a book I'd recommend. ...more

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May 13, 2014 Kat Heckenbach rated it really liked it

The writing immediately grabbed me. I loved the voice, the flow of the words (other than the use of double negatives--I understood their purpose in this story, but it still jolted me every time). The premise is something that is both old and new--the idea of someone being half-human, half-dragon--with lots of traditional fantasy elements, but all presented in a rather unique way. I really don't want to give much away about the story line, because honestly, that's quite simple and The writing immediately grabbed me. I loved the voice, the flow of the words (other than the use of double negatives--I understood their purpose in this story, but it still jolted me every time). The premise is something that is both old and new--the idea of someone being half-human, half-dragon--with lots of traditional fantasy elements, but all presented in a rather unique way. I really don't want to give much away about the story line, because honestly, that's quite simple and straightforward. This book is mostly character-driven, with Marni having to decide how she is going to deal with the many directions she is being pulled.

There were parts I thought got wandery in the middle, and I found a few of Marni's reactions to be a little over-the-top, but for the most part I really enjoyed this book. Even the parts that bothered me a bit were short-lived and I quickly found myself being sucked back into the story. And the ending built in a satisfying way--I can't say the things I loved about it, because, well, spoilers, but let's just say there was one character I was so happy to see step up and play an important role.

One other thing I have to say--for a while I was afraid the story was going to go from something really unique and interesting to another typical YA romance...but it does not. Hallelujah! This is not a love story--not in a romance novel way at all. Thank you, author :).

Anyway, yes, this is a bit slow-paced, but stories can be wonderful without being action-packed, dangerdangerdanger. The only thing I can really complain about is there were parts that the author sort of skimmed past, and I wanted to get more submerged in the story world at those specific parts. I was torn between being overjoyed that this seems to be an actual honest-to-God standalone novel in a world filled with too many series, and wishing the author had slowed down and told the story longer and deeper even if it meant making it a series. Either way, I'll be looking for more novels by Rebecca Hahn.

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My YA fantasy series:
book 1

Finding Angel (Toch Island Chronicles, #1) by Kat Heckenbach

book 2

Seeking Unseen (Toch Island Chronicles, #2) by Kat Heckenbach

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Feb 01, 2014 Rebekah rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, ya-addiction

Not much of a description, I know but I LOVED this book! I had a blast reading it and fell in love with Rebecca Hahn writing. Her writing style alone was magical and mystical for this story I just loved ever word she wrote. I felt the woods around me I could hear them singing, it was THAT good. I'm telling you, the writing alone I just loved.

The tale is not one that think it is about which is great! Because when it comes to dragons we've gotten plenty of stories of people changing INTO them but Not much of a description, I know but I LOVED this book! I had a blast reading it and fell in love with Rebecca Hahn writing. Her writing style alone was magical and mystical for this story I just loved ever word she wrote. I felt the woods around me I could hear them singing, it was THAT good. I'm telling you, the writing alone I just loved.

The tale is not one that think it is about which is great! Because when it comes to dragons we've gotten plenty of stories of people changing INTO them but not one quite like this one which is even better.

Marni is a girl kept as a flower keeper's daughter where she spends her days growing flowers to sell to those who come for them. All Marni has is her grandfather to take care of and who tries to take care of her. It's a unique relationship one you really come to understand as the story progresses. Marni is drawn to the magical woods that sits just behind the house and garden where she lives and it constantly calls to her. She is warned to stay out and away from these woods because those enter never come back out, except one, her mother, who went it one day and months later comes back out...pregnant. To save the child's life the father of this girl takes the child and hides in the woods to raise the child alone, and safe from her Uncle who wishes to kill the child. Marni lives a very simple life but one she loves as she is near the woods she loves and the flowers she loves to tend plus a grandfather whom loves her and she loves him. I really enjoyed the strength of Marni, she is amazing and I truly loved her character. She is smart, resourceful, has wisdom that helps her through situations she never thought she find herself in.

Without giving too much of this story away I would HIGHLY recommend this story. It's not what you think it's about, there are some amazing twists and turns you do not see coming. A nice underlining of possible romance that keeps you guessing-which I like. And a magical and mystical story that will keep you reading.

Sexual Content: mild
Language: mild (I think)
Violence: moderate (some fight scene, a character getting killed)
Drugs/Alcohol: mild (wine passed around at the dinner table) ...more

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Nov 21, 2017 Andrea rated it it was ok

This book was just NOT my thing. I had been drawn to the cover, because hello!
a. It's shiny
b. IT HAS A DRAGON SHADOW WITH A MOON THE BACKGROUND

So yeah, started out pretty excited but the book was, in my opinion, really boring. I didn't find the character interesting, especially because she was the 'suffer in silence' type. When characters are angry, I want to see some action, some revenge. I'm a sucker for scandal.
I also wasn't a fan of the writing style. It was 1st person, which was nice, but ...more

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Jan 16, 2015 Rebecca rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy

This book was weird. It started out really great and the concept I thought was kind of cool, but than it got weird when talking about how the main characters father is the dragon on the mount. Ok so that idea is not totally weird in itself all the way although it is still kind of weird but what really got me was it started talking about her mother and how she was a lonely princess that always wanted adventure and fled to the mountain to see the dragon and the dragon fell in love with her and ...more

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Feb 05, 2015 ☆☆Hannah☆☆ rated it it was ok

I wasn't really sure how to rate this book. I will agree with many others and the author is a wonderful writer. However, the story was a little weird and I felt the ending wasn't very satisfying. The book was split into 3 parts. Part I - Is Marni and her life with her Grandpa. She doesn't want to get married or anything like that. She just wants it to be the two of them forever. Part II - She meets her father who is the dragon. Apparently he can change into either a human or Dragon. Part III - ...more

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Dec 20, 2014 Beth rated it really liked it

Shelves: reviewed

This is so beautifully atmospheric. I'd go so far as saying I see shades of Erin Bow, with that part eerie, part sad vibe. The writing is quiet and the voice subtle, and the story is slow and meandering. It's not directionless, though, at least not until the very end, which hits a reset button. Quite frankly, the end is so pat that it's a little insulting, and it's also frustrating in terms of character growth.

But this is a wonderful, quiet book until then. My favorite part of reading it was ...more

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Jan 02, 2014 Anya rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: dragons

Loved the writing and heroine and creepy woods! Things get a bit slow when there is a lot of court politics, but all the time in the woods and with the dragon was a delight!

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Nov 27, 2013 Tasha rated it it was amazing

Shelves: teen

Marni lives with her Gramps on the edge of the woods where they grow flowers that the wealthy lords and ladies from the castle come to buy. The woods is not just a normal woods, it is filled with small creatures and a lady who has sung and knitted with Marni since she was a child. Marni doesnt speak with the creatures of the forest anymore, but she had spent many hours as a child with them. Marni is not just any peasant girl, she is the daughter of the sister of the king, and her Gramps was once Marni lives with her Gramps on the edge of the woods where they grow flowers that the wealthy lords and ladies from the castle come to buy. The woods is not just a normal woods, it is filled with small creatures and a lady who has sung and knitted with Marni since she was a child. Marni doesn’t speak with the creatures of the forest anymore, but she had spent many hours as a child with them. Marni is not just any peasant girl, she is the daughter of the sister of the king, and her Gramps was once king himself. The current king, her uncle, killed her mother and now may be turning his attentions to Marni. After all she is not just human, she is half dragon, and her dragon father is expanding his woods to find her.

A large part of the delight of this book is uncovering secrets along the way. Hahn plays with this in her many-layered story, slowly revealing things that the reader may have guessed at. Startling readers with revelations at other times, ones that make perfect sense and click into the story with a neat precision. Told in a series of parts, the book takes place in three distinct locales. There is the hut that Marni lives in with Gramps and their odd but also stable life together. There is the king’s court where Marni is not only out of place but also targeted and unsafe. Finally, there is the world of the dragon, the lure of the woods and its dangerous beauty.

At the heart of all of this is Marni, also called Tulip, who finds herself a princess raised as a pauper. She is separate from the royal court but not entirely, still connected through her flowers and through her mother and the violent act that killed her. She is a girl who is strong enough to deny the fairies in the woods what they want, smart enough to survive at court without understanding the politics, and determined enough to find her father when she needs to. She is one of those heroines who is vulnerable and real but also startling and incredible.

Complex and rich, this debut novel gives us a new voice in high fantasy for teens. One who is definitely worth exploring and reading. Get this into the hands of fans of Seraphina. Appropriate for ages 14-17. ...more

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May 12, 2014 Patricia Lynne rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: dnf, arc, kindle-galley, could-ve-been-better, 2014-reads

DNF at the page 116.

I can't read any more of this. It's boring. It's so, so boring that I've almost fallen asleep every time I'd get back to reading this. You'd expect that, from the book that involves the girl that is half dragon, there will be some action and fast-paced storyline and whatnot, but no! Instead, we get details, some attempt at a plot twist, and more details! In this 36% I've read, nothing remarkably happens. it's just lost of thoughts and lots of details and details.

We have a ...more

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May 10, 2014 Leah rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fiction, ya, fantasy, local_author

I don't just rate this five stars because I have the privilege of counting the author among my friends. This is a fabulous story, fresh and subtly surprising, beautifully told.
I felt echoes of Robin McKinley, especially Deerskin and Rose Daughter. The diction reminded me somewhat of Charles DeLint.
What pushed this story over to the fifth star for me was the unapologetic voice of Marni, the protagonist, telling her own tale. She feels emotions deeply, but there's also a calm acceptance of the ...more

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Apr 06, 2016 Heidi J. rated it it was ok

Shelves: ya, fantasy

2.5 stars. I'm struggling with how to review this book. It is well-written. It has an interesting premise and a world that pulled me in enough to stay up late to finish it. However, I realized about three quarters of the way through that there was a good possibility that I was going to hate this book. It tried too hard. It felt like the author was shooting for some kind of literary prize, with the emphasis on language and on making her heroine "strong." (Note the blurb, which states "Fans of ...more

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About Rebecca Hahn

Rebecca Hahn

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Rebecca Hahn grew up in Iowa, attended college in Minnesota, and soon afterward moved to New York City, where she worked as an editorial assistant at a childrens book publisher and wrote her first novel, A Creature of Moonlight, on the side. Her fate has since drawn her westward, first to Minneapolis, and then to the San Francisco Bay area, where she currently resides.
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“Sometimes, when a person is about to tell you something that's going to change your life, or make you cry, or make you leap for joy - sometimes you know it before they say a word.

It's in the way they look at you and the way they open their mouth. It's in the tilt of their head, the tension in their hands, or the slump of their shoulders.

Times are, you don't need words to hear a thing.” — 13 likes

“We've no need to worry about forever. Just today, and tomorrow, and the next.” — 4 likes

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