Water Moon
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Em
⭐⭐⭐⭐ (3.75 Stars) - But LISTEN. It’s beautiful.
This is a whimsical dreamscape of a book. Anyone who has trouble picturing a scene in their head might have trouble connecting with this book. But for those of us with wild imaginations and that visual in your mind gene, the world depicted in Water Moon is gorgeous and complex.
Completely original story that explores and touches on several very deep emotional concepts — of how impactful our choices really are to the trajectory of our lives, of how every moment should be savored, of how easy it is to let our fears dictate our next steps.
I listened to the audiobook for this one, and if I could do it again I would definitely recommend reading the physical or Kindle book. I would take my time and really savor each scene as the story progresses. There are so many layers to this book that I’m certain I didn’t catch them all.
I have a love / hate relationship with just how many totally new ideas and concepts are introduced as our main characters travel. On the one hand it was always unique and the writing style was beautiful; on the other it was sometimes hard to follow and felt gratuitous at times. A lot of the scene mechanics throughout didn’t feel necessary to progress the story.
I also think I would have liked a little more even pacing throughout the book. The revelations and more urgent parts of the story all seemed to happen at the same time towards the last 80 pages or so. And then the ending was so abrupt—I felt like I needed an entire other book about Hanna’s journey in the 5 year gap to feel fully satisfied.
This book would make a fantastic studio ghibli film. It would be a feast for the eyes.
I might like to actually read the physical book again some day. And when I do, I might come back to this review.
This book won’t be for everyone, but I found it to be a beautifully written story with both whimsy and depth.
Get your highlighters out for this one — it has some really though provoking and stunning quotes.
Lib
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.5 Stars) - 4.5 rounded up! This book was meant to be a Studio Ghibli film!
For how much whimsy and silliness this book had, it also contained so much depth. The conversation on choices and regrets and the ways in which they shape your being was done so masterfully. I loved how artfully she formed concepts and ideas into “concrete” things or places. Fear of not having control over the outcomes in life, and that fear becoming the very monster that controls us: gorgeous.
The chapters were so succinct and poignant in uncovering the idea they were revealing. I both appreciated it because of how it kept the story going, but also at times wanted more time in less places to get to sit in the depths and think through all the analogies rather than briefly step in a puddle then rush to the next.
My main criticism is in regard to the ending. So much was unanswered and the conclusion was brought about far too simply in my opinion.
Favorite quotes:
“It’s funny how the mind finds ways to fill itself up with worthless things as though it was afraid of being empty.”
“Life is about finding joy in the space between where you came from and where you are going. I may never get to where I want to go, but I can look back on my life and say that I did not waste a second of it being bitter that I was not someplace else. Happiness does not exist in a place. It lives in every breath we take. You need to choose to take it in, over and over again.”