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val_theburrowofstories's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Mental illness
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
drtx_bwt's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Murder, and Abandonment
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
Minor: Xenophobia and Violence
ann_cathrin's review against another edition
Mmh… I don’t know what I expected… but I was missing a bit of lightness to feel more connected with the characters. It started quite melancholic, depressing and serious to warm up with the story.
The German narrator didn’t really help, since I’m quite familiar with his voice - in psycho thriller settings.
Maybe I need to pick up the book at some other time in the future.
The German narrator didn’t really help, since I’m quite familiar with his voice - in psycho thriller settings.
Maybe I need to pick up the book at some other time in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment
kshertz's review
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I thought it was extremely cute. I rooted for the good characters, I was happy to see the bad ones fail. There’s a ton of life lessons. I fell in love with a dragon. I think it’s a great really young YA book ❤️ It’s not my typical read but I still enjoyed it and it was light enough to bring joy overall. I loved the message.
Content Warnings
Minor: Abandonment, Gaslighting, Misogyny, and Violence
jasmineslibraryy's review
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
this book was magical and whimsical. i loved the characters and the lessons about love, grief, sorrow, and family. so many people undermine fantasy, especially children’s fantasy, as books that can inform and teach and be learned from, but this one left an impact on me and i don’t think i’ll forget it.
luna is chaotic and funny and emotional and is everything a teenage girl should be, i’m so glad young kids (and us older people too) have her to read about!
luna is chaotic and funny and emotional and is everything a teenage girl should be, i’m so glad young kids (and us older people too) have her to read about!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment and Death
Moderate: Child death
madetofly's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Forced institutionalization, Abandonment, Mental illness, and Confinement
Moderate: Death
bookwormcat's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Abandonment, and Grief
Minor: Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Blood, and Death
a_alves00's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Confinement
town_scar's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Animal death, Medical trauma, Animal cruelty, Death, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, and Injury/Injury detail
rachelditty's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
My co-worker handed this to me and told me to read it, and I'm so glad she did! What a lovely little book; this was such a great read. I was surprised to find myself almost tearing up at the end.
I was really interested in how all the different stories would come together at the end, and Barnhill did such a satisfying job of doing so. I really loved Antain and Ethyne, and I like that Luna and Adara ended up staying with them--I was hoping Luna and Antain would form some sort of familial bond. Fyrian absolutely stole my heart, was a kind dragon. Xan going into the bog with Glerk really had me at the end, and so did Luna releasing the poem into the world.
I think if anything, I wish we had gotten a little more about Fyrian's mother and the witch who stopped the volcano all those years ago. I know there's another short-story set in this universe, so maybe it goes into more of that aspect of the story. There was also a point where, when everything was getting revealed, that Antain kind of repeated everything that had already been said, and I didn't really understand why we got that information twice in such rapid succession. That happened another time too, with Luna re-explaining something, both times which I didn't really think were necessary. We also never really get into the more detailed history between Sister Ignatia ad Glerk, which I was VERY interested in.
But I loved these characters! I was really interested in seeing how Luna, our titular character, was going to end up being the center of everything happening. I loved all the little families we got to see, and even the side characters we only saw a few glimpses of. Ethyne was incredible, I'm so glad we got those scenes of her and the Grand Elder.
Some quotes I liked:
"Yes, child. This is a true story. What other kinds of stories are there?" (p. 58)
"'Death is always sudden... even when it isn't.'" (p. 80)
"'Curiosity is the curse of the Clever. Or perhaps cleverness is the curse of the Curious. In any case, I'm never lacking for either, I'm afraid, which does keep me rather busy.'" (p. 122).
"Anger buzzed through Luna's body, from the top of her head to the bottoms of her feet. This is how a tree must feel, she thought, as it is hit by lightning." (p. 231).
"The material is less consequential than the intention." (p. 372).
"And she drifted away, loving everything." (p. 379).
"The heart is built of starlight/ And time./ A pinprick of longing lost in the dark./ An unbroken chord linking the Infinite to the Infinite./ My heart wishes upon your heart and the wish is granted./ Meanwhile the world spins./ Meanwhile the universe expands./ Meanwhile the mystery of love reveals itself,/ again and again, in the mystery of you./ I have gone./ I will return." (p. 383).
"She belongs to us, but one day her magic will fade and she will wander back into the Bog and we won't have a witch anymore. Only stories. Perhaps she will find the Beast. Or become the Beast. Or become the Bog. Or become a Poem. Or become the world. They are all the same thing, you know." (p. 386).
Really great read from Barnhill! I will definitely be finding time for the sequel/prequel.
I think if anything, I wish we had gotten a little more about Fyrian's mother and the witch who stopped the volcano all those years ago. I know there's another short-story set in this universe, so maybe it goes into more of that aspect of the story. There was also a point where, when everything was getting revealed, that Antain kind of repeated everything that had already been said, and I didn't really understand why we got that information twice in such rapid succession. That happened another time too, with Luna re-explaining something, both times which I didn't really think were necessary. We also never really get into the more detailed history between Sister Ignatia ad Glerk, which I was VERY interested in.
But I loved these characters! I was really interested in seeing how Luna, our titular character, was going to end up being the center of everything happening. I loved all the little families we got to see, and even the side characters we only saw a few glimpses of. Ethyne was incredible, I'm so glad we got those scenes of her and the Grand Elder.
Some quotes I liked:
"Yes, child. This is a true story. What other kinds of stories are there?" (p. 58)
"'Death is always sudden... even when it isn't.'" (p. 80)
"'Curiosity is the curse of the Clever. Or perhaps cleverness is the curse of the Curious. In any case, I'm never lacking for either, I'm afraid, which does keep me rather busy.'" (p. 122).
"Anger buzzed through Luna's body, from the top of her head to the bottoms of her feet. This is how a tree must feel, she thought, as it is hit by lightning." (p. 231).
"The material is less consequential than the intention." (p. 372).
"And she drifted away, loving everything." (p. 379).
"The heart is built of starlight/ And time./ A pinprick of longing lost in the dark./ An unbroken chord linking the Infinite to the Infinite./ My heart wishes upon your heart and the wish is granted./ Meanwhile the world spins./ Meanwhile the universe expands./ Meanwhile the mystery of love reveals itself,/ again and again, in the mystery of you./ I have gone./ I will return." (p. 383).
"She belongs to us, but one day her magic will fade and she will wander back into the Bog and we won't have a witch anymore. Only stories. Perhaps she will find the Beast. Or become the Beast. Or become the Bog. Or become a Poem. Or become the world. They are all the same thing, you know." (p. 386).
Really great read from Barnhill! I will definitely be finding time for the sequel/prequel.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement and Abandonment
Minor: Death, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Animal death, Blood, Grief, and Kidnapping