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  • Daughter of the Moon Goddess

  • Celestial Kingdom, Book 1
  • By: Sue Lynn Tan
  • Narrated by: Natalie Naudus
  • Length: 15 hrs and 1 min
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (291 ratings)

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Daughter of the Moon Goddess cover art

Daughter of the Moon Goddess

By: Sue Lynn Tan
Narrated by: Natalie Naudus
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Summary

The best-selling debut fantasy inspired by the legend of the Chinese moon goddess.

A young woman’s quest to free her mother pits her against the most powerful immortal in the realm, setting her on a dangerous path where those she loves are not the only ones at risk....

The instant top five Sunday Times best seller

There are many legends about my mother....

Raised far away on the moon, Xingyin was unaware she was being hidden from the Celestial Emperor–who exiled her mother for stealing the elixir of immortality. But when her magic flares and reveals her, Xingyin is forced to flee her home, leaving her mother behind.

Alone, powerless and afraid, Xingyin makes her way to the Celestial Kingdom, a land of wonder and secrets. In disguise, she trains alongside the emperor’s son, mastering archery and magic, despite the passion that flames between them.

Vowing to rescue her mother, Xingyin embarks on a quest, confronting legendary creatures and vicious enemies. But when forbidden magic threatens the kingdom, Xingyin must challenge the ruthless emperor, leaving her torn between losing all she loves or plunging the realm into chaos....

Inspired by the legend of Chang’e the Moon Goddess, this captivating debut weaves Chinese mythology into a sweeping adventure of love and family, immortals and magic.

©2022 Sue Lynn Tan (P)2022 HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Critic reviews

“Sue Lynn Tan has written a breathtaking debut novel that will sweep readers away to the moon and back. I can’t remember the last time a book surprised and delighted me as much as this one. Epic, romantic, and enthralling from start to finish. I love this book.” (Stephanie Garber, number one NYT best-selling author of the Caraval series)

“This vivid, unputdownable debut effortlessly whisks us into the celestial realms of Chinese high fantasy. Tan magnificently conjures the romantic yet dangerous dazzle of this immortal world, but never loses track of the shining human heart of her tale. A captivating treat for lovers of Chinese fantasy dramas and newcomers alike.” (Shelley Parker-Chan, best-selling author of She Who Became the Sun)

“A lush, dreamy gem of a novel.” (Shannon Chakraborty, best-selling author of The City of Brass)

“Strikingly evocative, tense, and heartfelt, Daughter of the Moon Goddess leaves you dreaming of dragons.” (Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard Daughter)

What listeners love about Daughter of the Moon Goddess

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Amazing story, poor characters.

Listening to this book was a sensory experience. The settings and the way the author writes is, for the most part, beautiful. The story, based on Chinese myth, was also interesting and dense. However, the protagonist isn’t as complex and I lost count at the number of times I rolled my eyes at her. She is motivated by her love for her mother and then later by her love for men. I say motivated but actually mean obsessed as it’s all she thinks about, all she talks about and all she does anything for. She has magical powers but there is no exploration of this in any detail and her use of them seems weak and vague. Her internal monologue is repetitive and actually becomes quite annoying. If there were a prize for most rhetorical questions in a novel, this one would win. She questions things the reader already knows and quite frankly she should know the answers as well. By the end of the book I was happy for it to be finished as if I had to listen to the verb ‘spill’ one more time I might have died from irritation. The lover turned antagonist of the plot held promise yet he quickly became a cliche. The love triangle was also a banality, as if choosing the ‘good’ guy was ever particularly enthralling. All in all, the book was okay, if the characters had been more complex, the concepts of magic fully developed and the narrative less repetitive it would have been a masterpiece.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

This book is AMAZING

It's been some time since I liked the book so much. I know nothing about Chinese myths, so I had no reference for this retelling. Is it accurate? No idea. But I loved every minute of it!
Writing - so beautiful.
Characters - vivid, complicated, amazing.
Esthetic of this book brings to mind Crouched Tiger, Hidden Dragon (my favorite movie of all time), with beautiful Mandarin names, reserved but powerful manner.
I just wanted to stay there forever. Thank you, author, for this extraordinary experience.

Many thanks to the narrator. Her beautiful voice only enhanced all the emotions. She was perfect for this role, and I am going to seek out her other performances.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Unbearable to listen to...protagonist sucks!

The overall story and concept had so much promise. Eastern mythology and magical creatures intrigue me. I thought the book had so much promise.

Unfortunately the characters suck. The protagonist has no character development whatsoever. She is supposed to be a a teenager( a baby celestial) yet she's just so talented and good at everything without really working too hard for it. All the good looking guys just have a thing for her and it's all she thinks about! It's written in first person perspective so I understand that it's all based on her thoughts and experience. The way she thinks about things, her decisions, brash actions and temper is understandable given her age and lack of previous interactions with people but what annoys me is the fact that everything just works out for her! She never learns anything!
It doesn't help that the story reader is unbearable to listen to.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A well crafted story

Well written and brilliant narration this unique story will transport you to a mythical yet believable world full of action and twists. I’ve bought the next book - can’t wait !!

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Recommend this book

I had read a previous review and decided to give this book a try. I was not disappointed. Is a lovely story that held my interest and was full of interest from beginning to end. I have now bought the second book. Give it a try.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

BRILLIANT!

I couldn’t stop listening… so compelling, so magical, so beautiful. The narration was also flawless. I cannot wait to listen to the next book.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

good read

How lovely is this telling of the daughter of the moon goddess. Xingyins having to leave the only home ahe knows because her magic has come into power. Her mother tried to conceal her from the celestial kingdom. He goes to remain hidden and starts working a job as a servent in a house. Then comes across the celestial prince. She then ends up in the celestial army.

She ends up in a love triangle. But finds her seld in a postion to ask for her mothers freedom. I love the way this story plays out. Through everything, she keeps her hopes she always finds a way to get what she wants to help her mother. To free her from her prison on the moon. She found away to iver cime and conquer everything.

If you've not already give it a read

brilliant to listen to

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

An Incredibly Beautiful and Well-Performed Story

This story had me gasping, laughing and crying all the way through. It is so full of depth and beauty at every corner. The characters will captivate you and the world itself is mind-blowing. Dragons, merfolk, celestial worlds - a fantasy lovers dream! The narration was also done impeccably, pulling you into the story and its world.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Captivating

Great performance by the narrator, and the story is captivating. It is a YA storyline, so romance and love triangles are to be expected.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Epic of love and loyalty

Beautiful and engrossing this story is a multi layered gem. At its heart is love, the love of a Daughter for her Mother. She is aided and sometimes thwarted by the two Men who love her.
The performance is superb.

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  • Michael Ferguson
  • 28-01-23

A highly enjoyable emotional rollercoaster

I wish I had listened to this books sooner. It’s a beautiful tale of love, loss, family and honour steeped in rich and beautiful Chinese mythology. Sue Lynn Tan has done an amazing of weaving a tale with ancient roots for a modern audience. Action packed, beautifully written and clever, this book is a must-read for any mythology lover.

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