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A Creature of Moonlight
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 wild dragon who is sending his magical woods to capture her.
Fans of Bitterblue and Seraphina will be captured by A Creature of Moonlight, with its richly layered storytelling and the powerful choices its strong heroine must make.
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 wild dragon who is sending his magical woods to capture her.
Fans of Bitterblue and Seraphina will be captured by A Creature of Moonlight, with its richly layered storytelling and the powerful choices its strong heroine must make.
313 pages, Hardcover
First published May 6, 2014
53 people are currently reading
5207 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Hahn
4 books85 followersRebecca 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 children’s 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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Displaying 1 - 30 of 413 reviews
May 2, 2014
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.
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.
June 22, 2014
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 --and one ought to get acquainted with her-- but this story just sucked for me. It dragged. It lacked purpose. It dallied with my affections. It failed to deliver.
--review copy
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 --and one ought to get acquainted with her-- but this story just sucked for me. It dragged. It lacked purpose. It dallied with my affections. It failed to deliver.
--review copy
February 26, 2014
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.
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.
May 20, 2014
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 life was quiet and slow. Hahn's imagery is otherworldly. It is hard to believe that this is a first novel. Each sentence is near perfection. My only complaint was when Marni would use a double negative. I know that it was used to show that Marni did not speak as the lords and ladies did. It was jarring compared to the sophistication of her speech otherwise. Her sentences and insights were too well spoken to be cancelled out by a couple of double negatives.
In an age where we seek out strong heroines, this book adds another strong protagonist. Marni is no one's puppet, and I enjoyed the fact that she needed no man to make her complete. She negotiates relationships on her own terms. My favorite scene was when she . I chuckled heartily, but it demonstrates Marni's strength.
This book meanders, but it meanders from truth to truth. It doesn't simply wind along without purpose or framework. Some will be frustrated by the lack of action. It just simply isn't one of those books. I found it to be beautiful and evocative of many emotions.
In an age where we seek out strong heroines, this book adds another strong protagonist. Marni is no one's puppet, and I enjoyed the fact that she needed no man to make her complete. She negotiates relationships on her own terms. My favorite scene was when she . I chuckled heartily, but it demonstrates Marni's strength.
This book meanders, but it meanders from truth to truth. It doesn't simply wind along without purpose or framework. Some will be frustrated by the lack of action. It just simply isn't one of those books. I found it to be beautiful and evocative of many emotions.
did-not-finish
November 2, 2014Before 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 can’t get enough of (it’s right there with eating good food and—ahem—other things, you know). Despite having a family to take care of, jobs to do and well, having to live the “real” life, I’m 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 in line at the post office, I read when I have to wait for something/someone (I’m on time while the rest of my world is always late). Sometimes I read while I cook and, the rare times I’m alone during a mealtime, I read even while eating.
I’m saying all this just to make a point: something’s really wrong when I catch myself squishing jellybeans on my smartphone (or checking my Facebook compulsively or doing other kinds of silly stuff).
It’s not that I don’t like reading anymore. I still do.
It’s not that I particularly like playing games on my iphone. I still much prefer reading.
So, what gives?
The answer is simple: I stumbled upon a repellent book.
Repellent books are those books that are so plain, so uninteresting or just so flat-out boring that, without even realizing it, you start doing other things just to keep away from them.
They can get you in a funk if you don’t stop them early enough.
They are sneaky, because it’s hard to recognize them for what they are, they lure you in with all the right arguments (dragons! ballsy heroines! intrigues! magic!).
How can you stop them?
Once you’ve recognized a repellent book, youkill it with fire, before it lays eggs ditch it.
You just have to DNF it, whatever percentage you’ve already read, whatever other people are saying about it. Because repellent books are bad for you.
A Creature of Moonlight is a repellent book.
I had my suspicions when I saw that Kirkus starred it, sprouting one of their incomprehensible adverbs (“cumulatively stunning”— as opposed to what, “partially” stunning?).
I paid no heed to its boisterous claims (“I am the new Seraphina!”) and I paid no heed to some good advice (“Skip it, it’s boring.”).
I had my confirmation when I realized that this book was not making any sense for me, maybe because I wasn't able to distinguish between metaphors and nonsense:
So here I am, writing something overly lenghty just because I prefer writing a “review” about this book rather than actually keep on reading it.
Off with you, repellent book.
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 can’t get enough of (it’s right there with eating good food and—ahem—other things, you know). Despite having a family to take care of, jobs to do and well, having to live the “real” life, I’m 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 in line at the post office, I read when I have to wait for something/someone (I’m on time while the rest of my world is always late). Sometimes I read while I cook and, the rare times I’m alone during a mealtime, I read even while eating.
I’m saying all this just to make a point: something’s really wrong when I catch myself squishing jellybeans on my smartphone (or checking my Facebook compulsively or doing other kinds of silly stuff).
It’s not that I don’t like reading anymore. I still do.
It’s not that I particularly like playing games on my iphone. I still much prefer reading.
So, what gives?
The answer is simple: I stumbled upon a repellent book.
Repellent books are those books that are so plain, so uninteresting or just so flat-out boring that, without even realizing it, you start doing other things just to keep away from them.
They can get you in a funk if you don’t stop them early enough.
They are sneaky, because it’s hard to recognize them for what they are, they lure you in with all the right arguments (dragons! ballsy heroines! intrigues! magic!).
How can you stop them?
Once you’ve recognized a repellent book, you
You just have to DNF it, whatever percentage you’ve already read, whatever other people are saying about it. Because repellent books are bad for you.
A Creature of Moonlight is a repellent book.
I had my suspicions when I saw that Kirkus starred it, sprouting one of their incomprehensible adverbs (“cumulatively stunning”— as opposed to what, “partially” stunning?).
I paid no heed to its boisterous claims (“I am the new Seraphina!”) and I paid no heed to some good advice (“Skip it, it’s boring.”).
I had my confirmation when I realized that this book was not making any sense for me, maybe because I wasn't able to distinguish between metaphors and nonsense:
I knit with pine needles I’d picked from the ground and held in my hand as they drew out long and strong. […] I’m wondering how fast I could knit myself a vengeance.What the hell is that supposed to mean? What the fuck is a knitted vengance? Is she knitting a scarf to use as a garrote?
So here I am, writing something overly lenghty just because I prefer writing a “review” about this book rather than actually keep on reading it.
Off with you, repellent book.
May 12, 2014
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.
4.5 stars
Highly recommended.
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.
April 6, 2014
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 endangering the kingdom.
Exiled to a humble cottage at the edge of a village, along with the former king, she has grown up as the 'flower girl,' gardening and selling her wares to curious or sympathetic nobles. But the Woods, and the magic there, always calls to her.
However, as she comes into womanhood, the men of the court begin to show interest in more than just her flowers. Not only is she lovely, but she is also, technically, the heir to the kingdom.
A delicate touch slowly reveals a multi-layered book about decisions, maturity, and the complexity of responsibility.
Highly recommended for all fans of Patricia McKillip, and all timeless fantasy.
Advance copy provided by NetGalley. Thanks to them...
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 endangering the kingdom.
Exiled to a humble cottage at the edge of a village, along with the former king, she has grown up as the 'flower girl,' gardening and selling her wares to curious or sympathetic nobles. But the Woods, and the magic there, always calls to her.
However, as she comes into womanhood, the men of the court begin to show interest in more than just her flowers. Not only is she lovely, but she is also, technically, the heir to the kingdom.
A delicate touch slowly reveals a multi-layered book about decisions, maturity, and the complexity of responsibility.
Highly recommended for all fans of Patricia McKillip, and all timeless fantasy.
Advance copy provided by NetGalley. Thanks to them...
June 29, 2014
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
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
August 23, 2014
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 voice, and amazing scenario.
"So I stopped listening, and I stopped looking. It’s been many years now since I followed whenever the voices called from the woods. I no longer talk back to birds with people’s faces, or watch as misty creatures dart through the brooks."
My only fear for this story is that, in a market saturated by new releases, it has become increasingly difficult to find gems _like this one _ amongst the more common and usual YA stories that sell so much.
My wish for this story is that it finds its intended audience. The right audience who I know will love it madly. Maybe a more mature audience, instead of the expected YA one. People who want to read about magic, while keeping both feet firmly on the ground.
You see, I'm perfectly aware that this book will not be loved by everyone. This is not a story filled with action and heartbreaking romance. Two ingredients that are, today, common marks for a story's success.
This is a story that takes its own time to get where it needs to go. Sometimes it feels as if it meanders a little, and for that I gave it 4 stars (a very strong 4 with sparks of 5 star ratings), only because of that.
This is a story of a sixteen year old girl: Marni; who lives with her grandfather at the edge of the woods. Magical, scary woods. Woods in which girls disappear, woods that are slowly taking the place of all the Land in the Kingdom.
Marni's background is one filled with sorrow and blood, and it seems that her life is once again in peril.
Mostly this is a story about family ties, vengeance, and growing up.
About trying to find your place in life and be content about it.
And, most importantly, Marni's struggle to keep being her own independent self.
Girl power over and over.
Finally!
Definitely recommended, and a book that I will be buying for future re-reads.
Truly amazing, for an author's first work.
January 24, 2014
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...
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.
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.
July 31, 2016
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 - She goes back to wanting to just live with her Grandpa. As you can see the ending part didn't really do anything. With the authors wonderful writing style I can definitely see her becoming a great writer some day and maybe I will enjoy her other books more.
May 10, 2016
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.
June 2, 2014
Originally posted at http://www.shaelit.com/2014/05/review...
Chances are, if you’re anything like me, you’re interested in this story for the dragon on the cover. Dragons are awesome. I can’t 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. (I’m looking at you, Seraphina.) So maybe, despite being inexorably drawn to A Creature of Moonlight, you’re also scared to actually start it. Well, let me help you out by telling you that this isn’t actually a dragon book, but instead one of the more beautiful fairytales I’ve ever read that happens to have a dragon in it.
I started to write a paragraph telling you who and what the story is about, but I’m not sure it matters. Technically, the story is about Marni, a girl who lives in exile on the edge of a forest with her grandfather and grows flowers. But it’s also about the way the trees all over the kingdom are gobbling up land and the way Marni can coax flowers to grow and see creatures in the woods. It’s about the rumors that surround Marni’s dead mother and her unnamed father and how her grandfather was crippled and the way the nobles from the palace always walk around their small home into the garden but never through. It’s about wishes and choices and free will and deciding where (or who) home is.
Guys, Rebecca Hahn can write. The start of this story is slow, mostly consisting of Marni talking about this or that as if we were both sitting on her front porch as her grandfather rocked in his chair. Not much happens, but I didn’t care. Even if I wasn’t doing, I was learning, and everything was presented wrapped in this glorious, soft prose and cradled in a gentle, soothing cadence. It felt like a classic fairytale in the truest sense, which is something I haven’t experienced since Shannon Hale’s Princess Academy.
After the above paragraph, I sat staring at my computer screen in an attempt to decide what to praise next. I don’t know where to start. Marni? Marni is fantastic. She’s such a silent, stubborn thing in the beginning, content to ignore the guilty nobles and temperamental king and shy villagers in exchange for a peaceful, reclusive life with her grandfather. She doesn’t give out her smiles freely and is very firm on what she wants, but she also has moments of fear and insecurity. As the story progresses and her world expands, Marni remains quietly stubborn with flashes of insecurity and doubt, but she also learns to stand her ground. Being able to mark such concrete growth warms my heart.
The supporting characters? Gramps and Marni’s aunt are pitch perfect. I don’t want to give away too many details, because I think that might spoil the journey a bit, but they’re such refreshingly nonstereotypical characters. Actually, all of the characters defy most of their presumed tropes and stereotypes. No one—from Marni to the king to her father to Lord Ontrei—in a strictly predictable manner. Instead of playing their roles, they act like human beings with all of their inconsistencies and flaws.
The timeless fairytale setting? I loved that this story couldn’t be pinned down to one place. We are given very few proper nouns. I can think of only four names given in the whole of the book. We never learn the name of Marni’s homeland or its neighboring countries. We don’t even learn what Marni looks like. Marni could literally represent any girl from any race, and her homeland could be any land with a decent-sized forest and some mountains, albeit one populated by phoenixes, griffins, and one lonely dragon.
This is a book that defied my expectations. It’s a dragon book where the dragon is barely shown but often felt. It’s a fairytale with creatures and danger but no epic battles. It’s a story of love and sacrifice and tragedy, but also holds a discussion on what happens when one doesn’t love enough or the love professed isn’t the kind needed. It’s gentle, shimmering words threaded with a subtle, dry humor that’ll nip at you and make you laugh with surprise. It’s a book about power and permission, choices and free will. It’s a book like pine needles—soft, quiet, but (as we learn) filled with a special danger that can turn sunlight into vengeance and vengeance into something else entirely. It is a book that neatly ducked all my expectations for its ending and still left me satisfied. It is a creature like no other.
Favorite Non-Spoilery Quotes:
She knew, as I knew, that you don’t stop a story half done. You keep on going, through the 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.
---
“Tell me I may dream of knowing you better.”
“It’s kind of you to say those things.”
“No kindness, lady, when I speak but the truth.”
“Yes. Well. I appreciate it, still. But you haven’t the slightest hope, I’m afraid. You’ll always know me as much as you do now, and that’ll have to be enough for you. Good day.”
---
“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.”
---
“As my princess commands,” he says, “I shall now cease to worry about her uncle chopping off her head.”
Points Added For: Pretty much everything.
Points Subtracted For: Pretty much nothing.
Good For Fans Of: Princess Academy by Shannon Hale, fairytale creatures, characters who defy expectations.
Notes For Parents: None, other than a remembered death.
Note: I received a digital review copy of this title from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Chances are, if you’re anything like me, you’re interested in this story for the dragon on the cover. Dragons are awesome. I can’t 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. (I’m looking at you, Seraphina.) So maybe, despite being inexorably drawn to A Creature of Moonlight, you’re also scared to actually start it. Well, let me help you out by telling you that this isn’t actually a dragon book, but instead one of the more beautiful fairytales I’ve ever read that happens to have a dragon in it.
I started to write a paragraph telling you who and what the story is about, but I’m not sure it matters. Technically, the story is about Marni, a girl who lives in exile on the edge of a forest with her grandfather and grows flowers. But it’s also about the way the trees all over the kingdom are gobbling up land and the way Marni can coax flowers to grow and see creatures in the woods. It’s about the rumors that surround Marni’s dead mother and her unnamed father and how her grandfather was crippled and the way the nobles from the palace always walk around their small home into the garden but never through. It’s about wishes and choices and free will and deciding where (or who) home is.
Guys, Rebecca Hahn can write. The start of this story is slow, mostly consisting of Marni talking about this or that as if we were both sitting on her front porch as her grandfather rocked in his chair. Not much happens, but I didn’t care. Even if I wasn’t doing, I was learning, and everything was presented wrapped in this glorious, soft prose and cradled in a gentle, soothing cadence. It felt like a classic fairytale in the truest sense, which is something I haven’t experienced since Shannon Hale’s Princess Academy.
After the above paragraph, I sat staring at my computer screen in an attempt to decide what to praise next. I don’t know where to start. Marni? Marni is fantastic. She’s such a silent, stubborn thing in the beginning, content to ignore the guilty nobles and temperamental king and shy villagers in exchange for a peaceful, reclusive life with her grandfather. She doesn’t give out her smiles freely and is very firm on what she wants, but she also has moments of fear and insecurity. As the story progresses and her world expands, Marni remains quietly stubborn with flashes of insecurity and doubt, but she also learns to stand her ground. Being able to mark such concrete growth warms my heart.
The supporting characters? Gramps and Marni’s aunt are pitch perfect. I don’t want to give away too many details, because I think that might spoil the journey a bit, but they’re such refreshingly nonstereotypical characters. Actually, all of the characters defy most of their presumed tropes and stereotypes. No one—from Marni to the king to her father to Lord Ontrei—in a strictly predictable manner. Instead of playing their roles, they act like human beings with all of their inconsistencies and flaws.
The timeless fairytale setting? I loved that this story couldn’t be pinned down to one place. We are given very few proper nouns. I can think of only four names given in the whole of the book. We never learn the name of Marni’s homeland or its neighboring countries. We don’t even learn what Marni looks like. Marni could literally represent any girl from any race, and her homeland could be any land with a decent-sized forest and some mountains, albeit one populated by phoenixes, griffins, and one lonely dragon.
This is a book that defied my expectations. It’s a dragon book where the dragon is barely shown but often felt. It’s a fairytale with creatures and danger but no epic battles. It’s a story of love and sacrifice and tragedy, but also holds a discussion on what happens when one doesn’t love enough or the love professed isn’t the kind needed. It’s gentle, shimmering words threaded with a subtle, dry humor that’ll nip at you and make you laugh with surprise. It’s a book about power and permission, choices and free will. It’s a book like pine needles—soft, quiet, but (as we learn) filled with a special danger that can turn sunlight into vengeance and vengeance into something else entirely. It is a book that neatly ducked all my expectations for its ending and still left me satisfied. It is a creature like no other.
Favorite Non-Spoilery Quotes:
She knew, as I knew, that you don’t stop a story half done. You keep on going, through the 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.
---
“Tell me I may dream of knowing you better.”
“It’s kind of you to say those things.”
“No kindness, lady, when I speak but the truth.”
“Yes. Well. I appreciate it, still. But you haven’t the slightest hope, I’m afraid. You’ll always know me as much as you do now, and that’ll have to be enough for you. Good day.”
---
“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.”
---
“As my princess commands,” he says, “I shall now cease to worry about her uncle chopping off her head.”
Points Added For: Pretty much everything.
Points Subtracted For: Pretty much nothing.
Good For Fans Of: Princess Academy by Shannon Hale, fairytale creatures, characters who defy expectations.
Notes For Parents: None, other than a remembered death.
Note: I received a digital review copy of this title from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
August 27, 2016
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.
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.
May 5, 2014
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
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
April 26, 2014
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.
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.
November 17, 2015
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
book 2
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.
My Website
Find me on Facebook
My YA fantasy series:
book 1
book 2
June 3, 2014
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)
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)
April 6, 2016
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 Bitterblue and Seraphina will be captured by A Creature of Moonlight, with its richly layered storytelling and the powerful choices its strong heroine must make.") Sometimes I wondered if the whole point of the story was to describe how trapped young women are and how much they want to flee the cages of their lives, even if it means giving up their personalities to do so (unless, like the queen they are too pragmatic). But the most disappointing feature of this story was the plot! Oh heavens, the "literary" plot was horribly unsatisfying. In a novel where personal relationships eventually become the whole source of conflict and plot resolution, the ending made me seriously regret that I had given up any sleep to read it. However, if you like "strong" heroines who end up doing nothing but proving to themselves that every male relationship in their lives is twisted, by all means, pick this one up.
December 25, 2017
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 the character, UGH. She literally would start out saying she walked into her living room, see a chair and then describe it to us. Than she would go on and on about it and connect the chair to some memory of her' s that isn't even relevant to the story. So then we would end up with like, 5 pages about a chair, that has no importance. While I do understand the need for detail and imagery, I also imagine readers, in general, do not like reading 5 pages about a lame chair.
In conclusion, while this book might interesting for other people, it just wasn't for me. Good plot, but bad writing style and misleading cover.
(I feel as though I need to clarify what I mean when I say misleading cover. It's not that the dragon in the night is not relevant to the story, but do not get hooked just because of its shiny metallic-ness.)
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 the character, UGH. She literally would start out saying she walked into her living room, see a chair and then describe it to us. Than she would go on and on about it and connect the chair to some memory of her' s that isn't even relevant to the story. So then we would end up with like, 5 pages about a chair, that has no importance. While I do understand the need for detail and imagery, I also imagine readers, in general, do not like reading 5 pages about a lame chair.
In conclusion, while this book might interesting for other people, it just wasn't for me. Good plot, but bad writing style and misleading cover.
(I feel as though I need to clarify what I mean when I say misleading cover. It's not that the dragon in the night is not relevant to the story, but do not get hooked just because of its shiny metallic-ness.)
June 9, 2014
I feel like I read a different book than the other reviewers! I didn't think the language was beautiful. Actually, I thought this was poorly written. I thought the language was standard. In fact, I remember specifically thinking the vocabulary was a bit bland while in the middle of the book.
I also don't think the characters were deep. At all. They were extremely one-dimensional, even the main character. I didn't connect with the main character at all. Often her reactions to things surprised me because I had no idea what she was feeling or where those reactions stemmed from. She confused me. She'd go from loving to hating someone with little explanation. Also, I feel like the climax wasn't that climactic. I didn't feel the the "catch" was that big or surprising at all. It was just sort of...meh, for lack of a better description.
I think the author was trying to give the main character a bit of a dialect, but it was so half-assed that it didn't add anything to the book or character, and ended up just looking like poor English on the author's part.
I also don't think the characters were deep. At all. They were extremely one-dimensional, even the main character. I didn't connect with the main character at all. Often her reactions to things surprised me because I had no idea what she was feeling or where those reactions stemmed from. She confused me. She'd go from loving to hating someone with little explanation. Also, I feel like the climax wasn't that climactic. I didn't feel the the "catch" was that big or surprising at all. It was just sort of...meh, for lack of a better description.
I think the author was trying to give the main character a bit of a dialect, but it was so half-assed that it didn't add anything to the book or character, and ended up just looking like poor English on the author's part.
December 21, 2014
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 noticing how the stories told in the book mixed with Marni's story, and looking at the novel through the lens of the way it, too, will be told in the future. I think that speaks well for the worldbuilding.
But this is a wonderful, quiet book until then. My favorite part of reading it was noticing how the stories told in the book mixed with Marni's story, and looking at the novel through the lens of the way it, too, will be told in the future. I think that speaks well for the worldbuilding.
August 12, 2014
I really wanted to like this book. The story was intriguing and I liked the premise and I thought it was beautiful. The problem was, I found no joy in it. I didn't really like or connect with the main character. I kept thinking at some point she would make changes that made her more interesting. It just never happened. I kept wanting there to be romance but what was there didn't really count as romance in my book. The best word I can use to describe this book is melancholy. Not really the feeling I like to have when I am reading a book, especially not when I close the cover at the end. There was not redemption in it for me.
August 15, 2014
It looked really good from the outset with good reviews and critics remarks. But you get started and you realize that the author is definitely from Iowa because absolutely nothing happens. Proposals happen- they are rejected, the woods call- they are rejected. Just do something Marni! I am a native Iowan and books are a good way to escape the boredom of life here but definitely not this one. Argg! Disappointing. Well I did give it two stars because the one part of book I enjoyed- the part about the woods was interesting. So if you want a book about wishy-washy person who does nothing unless she's forced to and a creepy woods I recommend this one.
March 23, 2015
2-1/2 stars.
Interesting concept and I did like the idea of the story, but just found this book to be really boring. Marni reminded me of a child who really wants something...until they get it and then no longer want it. I also wish there would have been more to the storyline involving Edgar. Really feel as if that was a missed opportunity that would have drawn this reader in and made me feel more invested in the story.
Although it was a beautifully written book, I wish more time had been spent on making the story more exciting than flowery prose.
Interesting concept and I did like the idea of the story, but just found this book to be really boring. Marni reminded me of a child who really wants something...until they get it and then no longer want it. I also wish there would have been more to the storyline involving Edgar. Really feel as if that was a missed opportunity that would have drawn this reader in and made me feel more invested in the story.
Although it was a beautifully written book, I wish more time had been spent on making the story more exciting than flowery prose.
April 3, 2016
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!
August 6, 2016
[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.
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. 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.
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.
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. 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.
June 4, 2014
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.
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.
June 10, 2014
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 girl named Marni who's been living with her grandpa, away from the village, her whole life. There is woods outside her house and she goes there and meets one magical lady from time to time without her grandpa knowing. There are also lots of lords and stuff going over to their house. Also, apparently, she's a flower girl. And that's about 20% of this book. Marni talks to her granpda, Marni goes to the woods and thinks how she would like to run away, Marni does some knitting, Marni goes to the woods, Marni talks to her granpda or keeps quiet when there are guests... and that's it. Nothing. Absolutely. Fucking. Nothing. Then her grandpa dies and she goes to live at the court because, you know, she's actually a princess. There we have more knitting, new dresses, more gossiping, and pretty people. And that's as far as I go because more than 100 of pages with just that is not working for me.
From some books, I expect a slow plot and even hope for it, but this? No, I expected action, not boring details and hearing a MC moaning about how she wants to run away but has no guts to do so. Just, give me a fucking break because no. I wanted to like this. I really did because high fantasy and dragons and man, I love this things usually, but sadly not here.
I don't know if the plot gets better from here but I'm not intrigued enough to continue and I couldn't honestly care less about this story. I'm sorry, maybe this is just me, but it's not working. I really wish it was.
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 girl named Marni who's been living with her grandpa, away from the village, her whole life. There is woods outside her house and she goes there and meets one magical lady from time to time without her grandpa knowing. There are also lots of lords and stuff going over to their house. Also, apparently, she's a flower girl. And that's about 20% of this book. Marni talks to her granpda, Marni goes to the woods and thinks how she would like to run away, Marni does some knitting, Marni goes to the woods, Marni talks to her granpda or keeps quiet when there are guests... and that's it. Nothing. Absolutely. Fucking. Nothing. Then her grandpa dies and she goes to live at the court because, you know, she's actually a princess. There we have more knitting, new dresses, more gossiping, and pretty people. And that's as far as I go because more than 100 of pages with just that is not working for me.
From some books, I expect a slow plot and even hope for it, but this? No, I expected action, not boring details and hearing a MC moaning about how she wants to run away but has no guts to do so. Just, give me a fucking break because no. I wanted to like this. I really did because high fantasy and dragons and man, I love this things usually, but sadly not here.
I don't know if the plot gets better from here but I'm not intrigued enough to continue and I couldn't honestly care less about this story. I'm sorry, maybe this is just me, but it's not working. I really wish it was.
May 14, 2014
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 world as it surrounds her -- even when she feels rage and bitterness at her situation, she is grounded in the details as they are.
At the launch party I asked if it was difficult to let go of the drafts that were, the ways that the book might have grown. Annel poses a question so similar on page 13 I laughed aloud when I read it, and when I read Marni's answer: unsentimental and to-the-point practical about making the garden work as a whole. Becca answered my question in the same vein; she loves to cut back and pare down until the frame of the story shines through, simple and plain and full of beauty. This book showcases her ability to leave just enough evocative detail to take me into the world she created without getting mired by needless descriptions. The words are carefully cultivated and grown like the flowers in Marni's garden, planted and tended with such attention that they live side by side as though they grew naturally together (not constrained to individual beds and artificial boundaries as the plants in the castle gardens were) but without weeds, and well pruned of the dead material. (Unlike this rambling review.)
The physical book itself is beautiful and a pleasure to handle. I removed the dust jacket to keep the elegant scrollwork on the spine visible. It's echoed on the part-marker pages and the illuminated-styled initial letters of each chapter.
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 world as it surrounds her -- even when she feels rage and bitterness at her situation, she is grounded in the details as they are.
At the launch party I asked if it was difficult to let go of the drafts that were, the ways that the book might have grown. Annel poses a question so similar on page 13 I laughed aloud when I read it, and when I read Marni's answer: unsentimental and to-the-point practical about making the garden work as a whole. Becca answered my question in the same vein; she loves to cut back and pare down until the frame of the story shines through, simple and plain and full of beauty. This book showcases her ability to leave just enough evocative detail to take me into the world she created without getting mired by needless descriptions. The words are carefully cultivated and grown like the flowers in Marni's garden, planted and tended with such attention that they live side by side as though they grew naturally together (not constrained to individual beds and artificial boundaries as the plants in the castle gardens were) but without weeds, and well pruned of the dead material. (Unlike this rambling review.)
The physical book itself is beautiful and a pleasure to handle. I removed the dust jacket to keep the elegant scrollwork on the spine visible. It's echoed on the part-marker pages and the illuminated-styled initial letters of each chapter.
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