Creature of Moonlight
by Rebecca Hahn
♦publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
♦release date: May 6th, 2014
♦hardcover, 313 pages
♦intended audience: Young adult
♦stand-alone
♦source: from publisher for honest review
A stunning debut novel about a girl who is half dragon, half human, and wholly herself.
As the only heir to the throne, Marni should have been surrounded by wealth and privilege, not living in exile-but now the time has come when she must choose between claiming her birthright as princess of a realm whose king wants her dead, and life with the father she has never known: a wild dragon who is sending his magical woods to capture her.
Fans of Bitterblue and Seraphina will be captured by A Creature of Moonlight, with its richly layered storytelling and the powerful choices its strong heroine must make.
As the only heir to the throne, Marni should have been surrounded by wealth and privilege, not living in exile-but now the time has come when she must choose between claiming her birthright as princess of a realm whose king wants her dead, and life with the father she has never known: a wild dragon who is sending his magical woods to capture her.
Fans of Bitterblue and Seraphina will be captured by A Creature of Moonlight, with its richly layered storytelling and the powerful choices its strong heroine must make.
Review: If you’re in the mood for a fairy tale, not a retelling, but a wholly unique creation with as much darkness, mystique, and wonder as a story straight from Grimm, Creature of Moonlight is what you want. With dozens of odd little creatures leering out of the woods, a lady with the knowledge of how to knit pine needles into pure vengeance, and girls who run off into the woods to escape their fears never to be seen again, Rebecca Hahn’s debut spares no creativity to spin Marni’s magical story. On the contrary, readers looking for a fast-paced action-heavy adventure will not find it here. This story takes it’s time relinquishing all of its secrets and fleshing itself out, and I was completely mesmerized by the language, the intrigue, and the mystery.
The sincerity of all the characters is what really engaged me here. Even inhabiting such a world of fantasy doesn’t stop each and every one from feeling completely genuine in their actions and emotions, from Marni who just seems to want to find freedom and a place of belonging, to her Grandfather who lovingly made incredible sacrifices to protect her, to the Lord who persistently tries to win her over, the Queen who unexpectedly befriends her, and even the King who will never let her live in peace because of who she is. They just all struck me a completely sure in what they were doing and why.
Marni was an incredible character with a heaping share of determination, stubborn attitude, and strength of heart. She’s the only girl who is lured into the woods and doesn’t disappear, but she’s torn between letting herself be taken for good, and living in a world that seems to have nearly forgotten her. When she finds herself at court, she seems pulled toward the small happinesses she finds there, too. She’s constantly trying to find a place where she belongs, where she feels free, and what it is that will define “home” for her.
It’s a really gorgeous story, and so beautifully told. It ambles off into so many curious corners and is so far off the usual plotting paths. I really enjoyed this one and highly recommend to all lovers of fairy tales.
