Ms. Hen reviews An Arrow to the Moon

 

An Arrow to the Moon

Emily X. R. Pan

Hatchett Book Group

2022

Ms. Hen picked this book up at a Little Free Library near where she lives. She knew nothing about this book, but she read the back, and learned that it is a young adult fantasy, and a reimagining of Romeo and Juliet, which is the type of book she loves. The novel is also based on Chinese mythology.

Ms. Hen learned that this novel is based on the myth of Chang'e, the Chinese goddess of the moon. This is a well-known legend, but Ms. Hen had never heard of it. The astronauts in Apollo 11 landing on the moon mentioned her before they landed, and the lunar probes from China were named after Chang'e. When Ms. Hen finished this book, she watched the Netflix film, OVER THE MOON, which was based on the same myth. The film is a musical, and Ms. Hen thought it was like a Disney movie, and at times is psychedelic.

AN ARROW TO THE MOON is about Luna and Hunter, two high school students, and how they meet and fall in love, and the problems that surround them. Their families don't like each other because their fathers competed for the same professorship at the university in their town, and Luna's father got the job. A crack appears in the town when Luna and Hunter meet at a party. She doesn't want to like him, because she knows her parents don't approve, but they can't help being drawn together.

Magical things happen. Hunter's asthma is cured when he breathes Luna's breath, fireflies appear in the winter, and Hunter's brother, Cody, finds a book that has writing that changes ever time he opens it. Luna doesn't want to do what her parents want, and Hunter's family is on the run, because they owe money, and are in hiding. Like Romeo and Juliet, Luna and Hunter are star-crossed lovers.

Ms. Hen thinks this novel reminds her of other young adult fantasy, such as the Harry Potter series, but one of the things that make it different is the characters are Asian, which makes it more diverse. Issues that face Asian children are addressed in this novel, such as overbearing parents who plan their children's futures for them.

This novel is also based on mythology, but it's taken from that, and is not the identical story, which Ms. Hen thinks is charming. Ms. Hen thinks that all these stories are around somewhere, and are waiting to be found and retold again in new, unique ways.

Ms. Hen likes this novel. It's difficult for her to imagine what it's like to be a teenager these days, but this novel doesn't seem to take place in any point of time. Technology is almost nonexistent here, which Ms. Hen admires. Ms. Hen recommends this novel if you want to believe in magic, but are willing to face sadness.