L.S. Popovich's Reviews > Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

“Where the Mountain Meets the Moon” is an excellent story with a universal message.
A collection of Chinese folktales woven into an overarching story. If you have any interest in folklore this a must. What elevated this story to a true work of art is the author’s mastery of storytelling. The narrative often pauses to tell a Chinese folktale. At first this seems like only a texture for the characters and world but as the story unfolds it becomes apparent that each tale is woven into the tapestry of the plot - exposing either backstory, motivation, or what may come.

Grace Lin never explicitly states this is what she is doing, but once the folktales within folktales is revealed and everything begins to connect, the experience changes. It makes one want to reread past tales within the narrative and sift through each new one looking for the crumbs of story within.

The storytelling is further enriched by the writing. Most of the sentences are straightforward, with simple language for younger readers. However the images that are used are beautiful, and the succinct writing keeps the pace going smoothly. This easy writing style puts the focus on what is happening and being said more than how it is said.

Where this story really shines is its theme. I will not spoil it here since the slow reveal of the point of this story lends the narrative a good deal of strength. But the ultimate ending is well worth the journey and the themes are a good reminder for everyone. Though the characters are often one-note they feed into the theme well. Most of them reflect the ideals of these central themes, showing their good and their evil. From style to characters, this is a masterful lesson in how to make a meaningful story where all the different elements come together to form an emotional and impactful journey.

The only real issue with this work is also its greatest strength: its stories. All of them are engaging but there are quite a few. Though they add rather than subtract from the whole, there is enough of them that pacing can feel bogged down at times. Especially in the middle, rapid fire stories interrupt the main plot.

“Where the Mountain Meets the Moon” should be on everyone’s reading list. For parents and children, and for authors as a great example on how to tell a story, and for everyone else as a heartfelt and important reminder of life's values.