Daughter of the Moon Goddess

Synopsis

Xingyin has lived hidden on the moon with her mother Chang'e, who was condemned to light lanterns in the Moon Palace garden each night after drinking an immortality elixir meant for her husband Houyi. When Xingyin's magic flares upon coming of age, it alerts the Celestial Court, forcing her to flee and separate from her mother. Arriving anonymously in the Celestial Kingdom, she enters palace service and privately vows to free her mother. Her archery skill draws Crown Prince Liwei, and they become close friends while training together.

Xingyin earns a place in the Celestial Army, undertaking missions across the immortal realms including the Eastern Sea, the Winged Kingdom, and the Demon Realm. Her feelings for Liwei create political tension with the Celestial Emperor and Empress, while she navigates a friendship with Captain Wenzhi, whose loyalty becomes questionable.

She fights mythological beasts and lifts curses, learning the truth behind her parents' downfall. A final mission to earn the Emperor's favor leads to a battle in the Celestial Palace, where Xingyin reveals Wenzhi's hidden identity. She frees her mother at great personal cost, altering her relationships with Liwei and Wenzhi forever.

Inspiration

Sue Lynn Tan reimagines the Mid-Autumn Festival, a Chinese tradition celebrating harvest and family reunion on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month. Tan has cited her personal connection to Asian mythology and childhood memories of the festival as influences. The multiplicity and regional variations of the original Chang'e myth gave her leeway to explore blank spaces in the story, such as why Chang'e took the elixir. Tan weaves the festival's significance through imagery of lanterns, which hold cultural value in China symbolizing fertility and often drawing from nature or local mythology.

The themes of longing, separation, and connection in the festival mirror the relationship between Xingyin and her mother, as Xingyin's journey is driven by hope for reunion. Lanterns are central to Chang'e's punishment: each night she must light every lantern in the Moon Palace gardens so the mortal realm sees the moon's illumination.

Failure would violate the Emperor's terms and bring harsher punishment. Confined to the moon, Chang'e often gazes past the lanterns toward the mortal realm, chasing memories of Houyi. The moon's light becomes both a literal beacon and a representation of enduring hope.

Reception

The book was ranked among the most anticipated books of 2022 by Polygon, PopSugar, Book Riot, and Tor.com. It received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and BookPage. Publishers Weekly called it a riveting page-turner that leaves fantasy lovers satisfied.

Library Journal described it as an exquisitely detailed fantasy with a strong, vulnerable protagonist and an immersive experience. Kirkus Review called it a standard court fantasy unique in its expansion on the Mid-Autumn Festival story. BookPage noted its intricate world building, heartbreaking romance, and mind-bending intrigue, calling it an all-consuming work of literary fantasy.

Did You Know?

• The direct sequel, Heart of the Sun Warrior, was published on August 29, 2023.
• A companion novella, Tales of the Celestial Kingdom, was published on February 6, 2024, and is divided into three sections: Dusk, Twilight, and Dawn.
• The novella contains nine individual stories from the perspectives of different characters.