From the Greek myths of Hercules, Hades and Persephone, today we are going to explore the magic of Asian culture, and particularly the Chinese mythology. Sue Lynn Tan’s Daughter of the Moon Goddess is a refreshing retelling of the Mid-Autumn Legend, and a great addition to your epic fantasy reads.
Tan’s fantasy debut novel is the first installment in The Celestial Kingdom Duology, published in 2022 by Harper Voyager Publications, and explores themes such as maternal love, power politics, and character growth. With its compelling world-building, featuring dragons, demons, and immortal realms, Daughter of the Moon Goddess is a young adult love-triangle romance, book-club worthy, and a great book for beginner fantasy readers.
So let’s take a breather from the reverse Ancient Greek harems, and emerge into the synopsis of this fairy tale-like read.
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Be cautious of spoilers!
For the sake of a bookworm’s wickedness, here is the summary of Blood of Hercules, and a characters’ breakdown with hot fanart. For more books rooted in Asian lore, check our complete summary and character analysis of Poppy War.
Xingyin, the daughter of the Moon Goddess and Houyi, an immortal warrior who slew the firebirds that threatened to burn the mortal realm down to ashes, is born and raised in a palace on the Moon.
Her very existence is forbidden, as her mother actually used to be a mortal, but took the elixir of immortality to save herself and her baby. The elixir is the greatest gift, given only to those who have proven their loyalty to the Celestial Kingdom. Chang’e stole it from Houyi, and her punishment was to ascend to the skies and light up the Moon every night.
Concerned that the Celestial Emperor would take his wrath out on Xingyin, Chang’e contained Xingyin’s powers, and kept her hidden in the palace. Until one day, Xingyuin’s curiosity got the better of her. The moment she touched her magic mind-portal, the power in the kingdom shifted, and a convoy of Celestials, accompanied by the Celestial Empress herself, arrived at the Pure Light Palace to check upon Chang’e.
Dreading the aftermath of such a visit, Chang’e urges Xingyin to flee. She and Ping’er, her governess, and her mother’s maid, fly away on a cloud, planning to make it to the Southern Sea, but soon they get chased away by soldiers of the Celestial Army. In a desperate attempt to escape them, Xingyin jumps off the cloud. However, Ping’er does not make it back to her, so Xingyin finds refuge in a noble household, where she earns her living working.
Keeping her mother’s promise not to reveal her true identity, Xingyin catches the attention of the Crown Prince Liwei, who helps her attend a royal competition and be selected as his study companion. Next to Liwei, Xingyuin learns how to harness her powers and fight. Her skill in archery is so exceptional that General Jianyun invites her to join the Celestial Army.
Knowing that the only way to gain a favor from the Emperor and wish for her mother’s freedom is to win the Crimson Lion Talisman, Xingyin embarks on a series of adventures; slaying beasts, breaking rebellions, and the ultimate one, saving Prince Liwei’s betrothed from the hands of the enemy demon realm.
Her near-death experience wins her the Crimson Tail Talisman, and Xingyin finds herself dreaming of a future next to Captain Wenzhi—a formidable and most loyal man in the Celestial Army, whose special attention to her healed the emptiness Liwei’s betrothal left in her heart.
You guessed it! Xingyin and Liwei had come very close, emotions clouding their better judgment, but reality hit them hard when Liwei’s duty to marry for alliances called. The camaraderie she shared with Wenzhi, and his invitation to join him in his family lands is the greatest escape for Xingyin, who has developed genuine feelings for the captain over the time they served together.
However, when Xingyin has the Talisman in her hands and requests her favor from the Emperor, everything shatters. Her identity is exposed, and the Emperor is unwilling to free her mother due to her great betrayal. Instead, the Emperor suggests completing an impossible task if she wants her wish granted; retrieve four pearls from the Dragons.
Xingyin, Liwei, and Wenzhi travel where the Long Dragon is held under a mountain by the Emperor himself. After, Xingyin frees him, the Dragon reveals to her that the pearls contain the essence of the Dragon’s power, and whoever has them can control them. He is willing to give them to her only if she promises she will not use them for evil.
Well, practically, he proposes the bargain because she is the carrier of the Jade Dragon Bow, and the Dragons are in debt to its former owner…
And then comes a huge twist none had seen coming. Wenzhi abducts Xingyin, takes the pearls, and locks her up in his palace in the Demon Realm. Yep, he is a Demon Prince, serving the Celestian Army as a spy and plotting his great return to impress his father, and be announced as the Crown Prince instead of his older brother.
That betrayal stung, dear bookworm. Xingyin finds herself locked up and chained, her powers contained by the magic of her handcuffs. Her resolve and reckless heart, though, lead her through yet another impossible situation. After she drugs Wenzhi, and outfights his evil big brother, she flies off on the Black Dragon’s back. An exodus made for a queen.
However, Wenzhi has already planned the attack against the Celestials, luring them close to the border. Xingyuin has little time to warn them to retreat, and the demons attack the Celestial Army. Xingyin fights beside her friend, Shuxiao, and Liwei, barely managing to hold the lines.
Xingyin’s trials do not end with this win, though. She has to play the greatest gamble, one that might cost her life—at best half her lifeforce. She sacrifices a great amount of her powers to free the Dragons’ power from the pearls and return it to them. Like that, no one could ever use them for evil deeds.
When she presents the empty-from-dragons-essence to the Emperor, he is quick to strike her with his deadly Sky Fire. In truth, the Emperor has asked for the pearls, not revealing the powers they contained. So, Xingyuin has practically honored their deal. Many people stood by her; Liwei, General Jianyun, Shuxiao, and the Celestial Army, coercing the Emperor to oblige.
And just like that, Xingyin returns to her mother and frees her with the Emperor’s seal. Bonus information before we say our happy endings; Liwei asks to step down from his betrothal, and Wenzhi visits Xingyin’s dreams to tell her he misses her, and he will wait for her to love him again.
A lot of drama coming up in the next book. Run to add the second book in the Celestial Kingdom series, Heart of the Sun Warrior, to your Goodreads or any other alternative library asap!
The Daughter of the Moon Goddess herself, she is forced to run away from home when the Celestial Kingdom threatens her mother. Her resolve and cleverness guide her through the perils of serving the very enemy who punished her mother. Xingyin receives great respect for her skills, becomes First Archer in the army, and she has everything planned for her mother’s freedom, but her devastating feelings for the Crown Prince. Her young heart breaks when Liwei confesses his love for her, and then accepts a betrothal with the daughter of a friendly kingdom. Thankfully, Xingyin has friends to rely on, except Liwei, like Shuxiao, and Wenzhi, who will manage to melt the frost in her heart. She is very goal-oriented, proud, and sharp-tongued.
The Crown Prince of the Celestial Kingdom has Dorian Havilliard vibes. Very noble, kind, and humble, he is intrigued by Xingyin’s determination and no-filter personality. Being the most respectful guy, he does not pry on her past, nor does he care for her low upbringing—that is what he knows, at least. His duty as a Crown Prince, though, holds him back from giving himself fully to Xingyin. He gets jealous when she becomes closer with Wenzhi, but he always runs to her aid when she needs it. He does not hesitate to share his true feelings, even if he knows he has chosen duty over her.
The most respected and renowned captain in the kingdom is a fraud! A demon right under the Emperor’s nose. Second son to the Demon King, Wenzhi wants to become the Crown Prince of the Demon Realm, so he made a deal with his father to find an asset that would give the demons an advantage over the Celestials. The Dragon pearls. His feelings for Xingyin are true—though he kidnaps her and spreads the word that she betrayed the Emperor, took the pearls, and gave them to Wenzhi because she loved him. Well, his love is kinda twisted, but he regrets his actions in the end. He is hoping for a second chance with Xingyin. Good luck, buddy!
Xingyin’s unwavering love for her mother is the core of the story. Xingyin’s journey is propelled by her commitment to her family and her need to free her mother from exile. She is willing to sacrifice many parts of herself in order to fulfill her personal mission. Her own desires are put aside when it comes to love and duty.
Xingyin’s quest may be to save her mother, but in the meantime, she has the chance to explore the depths of her power; mental, physical, and magical. By training body and mind, she becomes a young woman with a spirit of steel, while she develops her own ethics around notions like love, duty, honor, and forgiveness.
Both Xingyin’s love interests are problematic. Practically, both Liwei and Wenzhi are her enemies. One is the Emperor’s son, and the other is a Demon Prince. Xingyin, like a true teenager, can feel the effect of strong emotions like love, clouding her better judgment, but she learns to navigate them and trust her instinct.
Inspired by the legend of Chang’e, the Moon Goddess, the novel richly incorporates elements of Chinese mythology. This infusion of cultural heritage adds depth to the narrative, offering readers a glimpse into ancient tales reimagined through a contemporary lens.
Daughter of the Moon Goddess may have shyly made their appearance on BookTok, but is worth a read either way. If you need a break from the heavily trope-based fantasy novels, this one is a great opportunity to go back to the purest fantasy tales with a romantic subplot. It is as epic as Throne of Glass, and as well-written a retelling as The Song of Achilles. Read our Throne of Glass summary, and The Song of Achilles book review, and come to your own conclusions.
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No, the Daughter of the Moon Goddess is not steamy. It is a young adult fantasy book with a romantic subplot that plays a part in the protagonist’s development, but it is not thoroughly explored. Apart from some kissing scenes, briefly described, the author explores the emotional depth that the romance between two people can reach.
No, the Daughter of the Moon Goddess does not end on a cliffhanger. Actually, it has a great happy ending, when Xingyin returns and frees her mother, and Liwei visits her to announce he has stepped down from his betrothal, leaving the innuendo that Xingyin and Liwei can be together at last.
Nikki Sheryee insists that she’s “up to no good” whenever she’s in the company of books. Armed with a degree in English Language and Literature, she wields the power of words like a mischievous wizard. Her lifelong dream? To be the editor who sprinkles magic dust on manuscripts! To Nikki, a book is more alive than a caffeinated squirrel on roller skates. Readers nurture it, cuddle it, scold it, and occasionally challenge it to a duel! But in the end, a book does its own thing, pulling at our heartstrings and revealing our inner human-ness. Nikki’s favorite pastime? Well, it’s none other than the noble art of daydreaming! And she wears her daydreamer’s badge with pride, sharing this delightful delusion with the crème de la crème of her friends.
