Author: Rina Olsen
Publisher: Atmosphere Press
Publication Date: 14 June 2023
Pages: 388
Format: eBook - PDF
Genre: YA Fantasy
Source: ARC via NetGalley
“Men cannot live without gods, Chansol,” he said quietly, “but gods cannot live without men, either.”
Five years ago, the mountain god’s daughter and the dragon of the Han River caused a terrible accident. Now, they decide to set things straight—by calling on two human girls that are somehow at the heart of it all. As a result, the shaman’s rebellious daughter Daseul, along with the scholar’s tomboy Wolhwa, are both thrust from their lives in Haedong Village and into the realm of the gods. But with an ominous curse, hidden enemies, and the rapid approach of aggressive Western forces, will the girls—and the gods—be able to discover the secrets of their entangled past before it’s too late?
In Third Moon Passing , Rina Olsen presents a world where ancient folk tales become a reality, where gods and humans alike walk the earth, and where history can change its course with the flick of a dragon’s tail.
Third Moon Passing is the debut work by a teenage author and it certainly shows a lot of promise. I generally enjoyed the story, which was based heavily on Korean folklore and mythology, and it held my interest from start to finish. Two minor complaints would be that the characters' voices were not very distinctive, and with a large cast of characters this sometimes made one character blend in too much with another, but that is something I am sure the author will improve on with time and experience. Also, while the inclusion of full retellings of some folktales was perhaps necessary for readers not already familiar with them, for those of us who know the stories, it made the pacing drag as we paused to go through them, and the pacing overall could have done with some tweaking here and there. But that did not hinder my overall enjoyment of the piece, and I would certainly like to see how the author continues to develop. Recommended for fans of folklore-inspired fantasy stories. I am giving this book four stars.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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