The narration attempts to be mysterious, but it’s mostly a narration that attempts to be more than what it is.

Because Tan is using existing source material, however, the beginning section about Xingyin and Chang’e comes off a bit trite, as if Tan wants to explain that this is a story of mythological proportions without showing the reader. There’s a well-written sense of Xingyin’s internal voice and a fantastic rendering of the world. This is a very character-driven novel, in which Xingyin’s struggle is mostly a product of background circumstances. From then on, the plot becomes wrapped up in political and magical corruption with merfolk, dragons, demons, and Mind magic. Her overarching goal is to save her mother and bring her down from the moon. After winning the competition, she begins spending time at the palace and developing a romantic relationship with the prince, without revealing her true identity. One day, she encounters Crown Prince Liwei of the Celestial Kingdom, who offers her the chance to compete to be his companion. Xingyin is forced to flee the moon after the Celestial Empress becomes aware that Chang’e has violated the terms of her stay by hosting someone else, Xingyin, during the goddess’ imprisonment on the moon for drinking the immortal elixir.Īfter her departure from home, Xingyin ends up working as an attendant at a mansion. Tan pays tribute to the original myth of moon goddess Chang’e with insight as she tells the story of the daughter of Chang’e, Xingyin.

Sue Lynn Tan’s debut novel Daughter of the Moon Goddess has much to live up to, given that it derives its name from a Chinese legend.

Daughter of the moon goddess book