An Arrow to the Moon might be my most anticipated book of 2022. Having absolutely adored The Astonishing Color of After, I’ve been eagerly awaiting Pan’s next book. And I was not disappointed at all. What a book! Keep reading this book review for my full thoughts.
Summary
Hunter Yee has perfect aim with a bow and arrow, but all else in his life veers wrong. He’s sick of being haunted by his family’s past mistakes. The only things keeping him from running away are his little brother, a supernatural wind, and the bewitching girl at his new high school.
Luna Chang dreads the future. Graduation looms ahead, and her parents’ expectations are stifling. When she begins to break the rules, she finds her life upended by the strange new boy in her class, the arrival of unearthly fireflies, and an ominous crack spreading across the town of Fairbridge.
As Hunter and Luna navigate their families’ enmity and secrets, everything around them begins to fall apart. All they can depend on is their love…but time is running out, and fate will have its way.
Review
Honestly, I don’t even have the words necessary to talk about how much I loved An Arrow to the Moon. Pan weaves a gorgeous, lyrical, and masterful story of love, mystery, and fantasy. This Romeo & Juliet retelling is grounded in the ways Luna and Hunter feel misunderstood by their family and the ways they are able to see to the essence of each other. There’s this spark, this indescribable feeling connecting their ability to see each other. Their relationship is tender, emotional, and precious.
I was rooting for them before this book even began. And Luna and Hunter as individual characters are compelling. Luna and the ways her family expects her to just do what they expect, in this status quo, was heart rending. But equally emotional is this deep misunderstanding Hunter’s parents have of his and his strong relationship he has to his brother. I love them both so much and so together they make my heart complete. Combined with these characters, Pan’s An Arrow to the Moon weaves in multiple perspectives.
This only strengthens this current of tension and suspense. We see, before Luna and Hunter even realize it, the echoes of secrets their parents are hiding. The picture develops in front of our eyes as the actors enter the stage. The mystery, combined with the short chapter lengths, make it impossible to stop reading. We need to find out what is being hidden from Hunter and Luna. What connects them all in this spiderweb. And then Pan sprinkles the fantasy and mythology into An Arrow to the Moon.
Overall,
(Disclaimer: Some of the links below are affiliate links. For more information you can look at the Policy page. If you’re uncomfortable with that, know you can look up the book on any of the sites below to avoid the link)
Like a current, the fantasy only begins to grow almost together with the mystery. So we become even more wrapped up. The secrets beginning to unravel, while the magical elements grow into something nebulous, whimsical, and dangerous. It is fantastical and stunning to witness. An Arrow to the Moon is an emotional journey from start to finish. It’s about a past tied with thorns and two teens quests to unravel the the threads that bind them. Find An Arrow to the Moon on Goodreads, Amazon (US)(UK), Indiebound, Bookshop.org & The Book Depository.
Glad you enjoyed this book so much. I love fantasies and mysteries so I will check this one out. Thanks. Natalie @ Literary Rambles