(Review) SHADOWS ON THE MOON by Zoë Marriott



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Title: SHADOWS ON THE MOON
Author: Zoë Marriott
Release Date: Out now in the UK (July 07, 2011/Out April 24, 2012 in the USA/Canada)
Publisher: Walker Books (UK)/Candlewick (USA)
Received: Purchased/Imported from Book Depo!

SUMMARY:

Trained in the magical art of shadow-weaving, sixteen-year-old Suzume is able to recreate herself in any form - a fabulous gift for a girl desperate to escape her past. But who is she really? Is she a girl of noble birth living under the tyranny of her mother's new husband, Lord Terayama, or a lowly drudge scraping a living in the ashes of Terayama's kitchens, or Yue, the most beautiful courtesan in the Moonlit Lands? Whatever her true identity, Suzume is destined to capture the heart of a prince - and determined to use his power to destroy Terayama. And nothing will stop her, not even love.

Also check out today's interview with the brilliant Zoë Marriott right HERE!

I'm pretty sure my mind is still full of mush from SHADOWS ON THE MOON.  I'll warn you now that this review is a pale imitation of how zomg amazingly intricate Zoë Marriott's latest novel is.While yes, this is Cinderella, no, it's not any version of the tale you've read before.  While Marriott does keep various Cinderella elements intact while writing, she also opens up a world full of her own unique idea, creating a fantasy that is often brutal and raw.  A happy Cinderella story, this is not.  It's raw and gritty; Marriott paints a powerful picture with her elegantly woven prose.  This is the darkest version of Cinderella I've ever read, but I wouldn't not read it for anything.  But if you're in the mood for a straightforward fairy tale romance with little heartache, this isn't the book for you at this moment in your life.

The book trailer is beautiful and sums up just a taste of what this amazing book encompasses.  It gives me shivers watching it again now, and I want to read SHADOWS ON THE MOON all over again!





From the start, readers hearts will go out to Suzume, the book's main heroine and our Cinderella character.  She lives in a country called 月の光の国 (Tsuki no Hikari no Kuni/The Moonlit Land), which incorporates the feel of Feudal Japan and mixes it with a few Chinese elements while creating her own unique time period.  She also creates her own story mythology, building a world where Kage Oribito, or shadow weavers who "can weave illusions from the threads of the world" (pg. 63, UK first edition), live and prosper.  As the novel opens, Suzume and her cousin Aimi see Tsuki no Ouji-sama/The Moon Prince's horsemen come up to their dwelling and slaughter the household.  Even Aimi succumbs, but Suzume is unknowingly a shadow weaver and manages to shield herself with magic as she flees for her life.  She's later saved by her mother, with whom she has a cold relationship, and discovers that even as her father's blood remains freshly spilled on the ground, her mother has decided to seek shelter with a greedy, powerful man that she's now promised herself to.  Terayama-san is a man whose danger lurks beneath the surface; only Suzume can see him for what he is, especially when he tries to push her off a boat.  Suzume winds up fleeing for her life twice more, once from Terayama-san, when she hides in the kitchens as a serving girl named Rin, and again when she is saved by Akira and becomes Yue, in honor of the moon and her shadow weaving abilities.  Akira teaches her the ways of shadow weaving and gives her the tools needed to avenge her family and destroy Terayama-san once and for good.  All she has to do is become a Shadow Bride for the Moon Prince, but in doing so, she'll turn her back on her own chance at happiness.

The characters in SHADOWS ON THE MOON are strong and endearing.  I really felt for Suzume and often wanted to hug her.  She goes through so much and is obviously suffering through both PTSD and survivor's guilt.  She cuts and burns herself in order to feel emotions.  She's been emotionally abandoned by her mother, who is the only family member she has left, and is terrified of her new stepfather.  Even when she escapes Terayama-san's grasp during a tense scene and becomes Rin, life is never easy for her, especially when she escapes for the second time.  When she meets Akira and becomes Yue, the novel gains a second wind.  Akira is a brilliant character full of surprises you never see coming.  She's a bright, lovely soul, and I love how openly she takes Suzume under her wing.  She might not always approve of Suzume's decisions, but she encourages her and helps her on her quest for revenge.  My other favorite character was Otieno, a young man from Athazie who has come to Tsuki no Hikari no Kuni in order to trade.  He's from a world where the men "had a pattern of scars on [their] face[s].  On the closest I could just make out dots and whirls and long, straight lines thar scored foreheads and cheeks, and glowed dark blue against warm brown skin" (pg. 83, UK first edition).  Otieno is light where Suzume is dark.  She cares for him, but feels she doesn't deserve happiness, especially after something horrendous happens.  Suzume carries a lot of weight on her shoulders and hates herself.  She's willing to destroy herself and her happiness in order to avenge her family.  Her plight is somber and sad, and I found myself intensely rooting for her and hoping she'd find her way out of her grief and learn to truly live.  Marriott has created a lush, extraordinary world that grows better with every delicate layer she peels away.  I would love to see another book focusing on shadow weavers, perhaps one that takes place in Athazie, because I would love to learn more about this unique country.

COVER DESIGN:

This is a really pretty cover.  I love the sakura (cherry blossoms) blooming around the edge of the book.  They fit in well with the opening scene and also show potential readers that the novel has Asian influences.  I also applaud Walker Books on refusing to white-wash their model to sell more copies.  Suzume is Japanese and should be reflected as such on the cover!  Job well done :-) 


I also like the bold use of a dark, shiny embossed red on the cover; it really stands out!  The red can represent so many things in this novel, including blood, death, and revenge.  No, this certainly isn't your normal Cinderella!


The cover continues on the back.  I love the way you can't really tell what the model's expression is when looking at half her face, but when the cover is spread apart, she appears to have an enigmatic smile:










Comments

  1. That is such a nice trailer. I love the softness of it. Check out this trailer for Agent 6 by Tom Rob Smith too.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AHH!! I SO need to read this one!! Seriously! It's KILLING me that I haven't been able to read this one yet! Makes me want to cry a little :P

    Glad you liked it though!! Zoe freaking rocks my face!!

    ReplyDelete
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