Scan barcode
A review by moonyreadsbystarlight
The Moth Keeper by K. O'Neill
adventurous
hopeful
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I picked up The Moth Keeper by K. O'Neill because I have read Princess Princess Ever After and liked it, then heared good things about The Tea Dragon Society. So, I expected this would be good but it ended up being even better than I expected.
This is the story of Anya, who has a crucial job in her community but sometimes dreams of something different. While that concise, non-spoilery summary sounds like something that's been done in different ways before, so much of this was not what I expected at all (in the best way). At its core, this book is about community and lonliness - and it permiates parts of the story in ways I could not have anticipated. I have so many thoughts around this, but to articulate many of them would require spoilers.
This book is soft without being primarily fluffy. The characters are well-developed, especially for a middle grade standalone graphic novel. The art is incredible and just so cozy to me in a way I have a hard time really explaining. It was also a neat world and it was cool to see the inspiration for it was based on actual places - and actual plants and bugs with intertwined relationships.
The whole thing just really struck me in my core in a way that, again, I can't articulate verbally yet but rest assured, I was a crying mess by the end (and it's not even a sad story like that).
This is the story of Anya, who has a crucial job in her community but sometimes dreams of something different. While that concise, non-spoilery summary sounds like something that's been done in different ways before, so much of this was not what I expected at all (in the best way). At its core, this book is about community and lonliness - and it permiates parts of the story in ways I could not have anticipated. I have so many thoughts around this, but to articulate many of them would require spoilers.
This book is soft without being primarily fluffy. The characters are well-developed, especially for a middle grade standalone graphic novel. The art is incredible and just so cozy to me in a way I have a hard time really explaining. It was also a neat world and it was cool to see the inspiration for it was based on actual places - and actual plants and bugs with intertwined relationships.
The whole thing just really struck me in my core in a way that, again, I can't articulate verbally yet but rest assured, I was a crying mess by the end (and it's not even a sad story like that).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment and Grief