School Library Journal - Audio
08/01/2022
Gr 9 Up—Pan melds east and west in a hybrid fantasy/reality novel inspired by two sets of star-crossed lovers: China's Houyi and Chang'e (the Archer and the Moon Goddess) and Romeo and Juliet. In 1991, Hunter Yee and Luna Chang are 17-year-old seniors at Fairbridge High. Both are children of Taiwanese immigrants, their families hiding a vitriolic rivalry unknown to the teens as sparks fly. Both families have elevated expectations: Hunter's unforgivably expect perfection; Luna's (just) presume Stanford. Love isn't allowed. Secrets revealed will explain—but also devastate. The unbalanced cast take uneven turns: Natalie Naudus as Luna is too often overwrought, Shawn K. Jain as Hunter is more convincing, David Shih reliably moonlights as parents and strangers. VERDICT Following the bestselling success of Pan's The Astonishing Color of After debut, demand will be high for her sophomore effort. Libraries will want multiple formats.
JUNE 2022 - AudioFile
Two star-crossed lovers erase their parents' bitter rivalry in this audiobook performed by Natalie Naudus, Shawn K. Jain, and David Shih. Steeped in Chinese culture and mythology, this contemporary fantasy seamlessly weaves multiple points of view. Luna Chang and Hunter Yee are two of a kind; each possesses a magical ability and a damning family secret. In resolving the Yees' secret, Luna and Hunter alter their destinies, along with the histories of both families. The narrators maintain raw energy as Hunter helps his family evade a longstanding enemy, and project emotion as Luna stands up to her controlling parents. This magical moonlit journey will linger long after it is finished. S.D.B. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
Publishers Weekly
02/14/2022
Pan (The Astonishing Color of After) twines Chinese folklore—the story of Houyi and Chang’e—and Romeo and Juliet to deliver a unique contemporary novel about two star-crossed lovers. Luna Chang and Hunter Yee, both 17 in 1991 America, feel pressured by their Taiwanese emigrant parents: Luna’s supportive folks expect her to attend Stanford; Hunter’s tense family expects perfection following his father’s past mistakes. Both born on a night during which a star fell “in reverse,” then cracked in half before landing, the teens’ initial encounter seems clearly destined, leading quickly to budding attraction. But as they learn about their families’ feud, and subsequent meetings reveal that their physical interactions cause inexplicable phenomena, the strange appearance of fireflies, a supernatural wind, and an ominous crack that spreads across Fairbridge only bring them closer together, much to the horror of their parents. Expansive, third-person chapters—including some from the adults’ perspectives—and snippets of lore create a contemporary telling with an otherworldly, age-old feel in this cleverly conceived novel. Ages 14–up. Agent: Michael Bourret, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret. (Apr.)
From the Publisher
* "This novel is as elegant as it is mesmerizing."—VOYA, starred review
* "Pan offers an extraordinary journey that proves real, surreal, and wholly magical."—Shelf Awareness
* "[The novel] pushes the readers' expectations in beautiful and interesting ways."—School Library Connection, starred review
"An evocative novel that captures the uncertain, unmoored feeling of existing between worlds—culturally, linguistically, ethnically, romantically, and existentially—it is also about seeking hope and finding beauty even in one's darkest hours."—Kirkus Reviews
"I am sure I will return to this book every year, just as I am sure that there will always be something new for me to find in its pages."—BookRiot
"In her debut book, Pan communicates what seems many lifetimes of wisdom: the intricacies of grief, how mental illness ripples through families and what it means to find love in the midst of so much loss."—The Daily Beast
"The story is centered on a heart-wrenching mystery, yet Pan's prose is as warm and free-flowing as Waipo's oolong tea, making this story a surprisingly uplifting one."—BookPage
"A hypnotic narrative."—Horn Book
"This is a lush page-turner of a book that blends a straightforward teen coming-of-age and tragic family drama with the legends and stories surrounding the Chinese Ghost Month. It's an exquisite novel with an irresistible narrator and beguiling mystery. Pan has accomplished so much with The Astonishing Color of After; her writing shimmers on every single page."—Locus
"An Arrow to the Moon will blend romance, emotional storytelling, Chinese mythology and fantastical elements for an unforgettable combination.”—Bookpage
School Library Journal
★ 05/01/2022
Gr 8 Up—Chinese folklore, star-crossed lovers, identity, and filial piety come together in Pan's latest novel. Luna Chang comes from an affluent family; Hunter Yee from a struggling one. Their families are constantly at odds, and their realities couldn't be more different in their small Asian American community in a largely white town. Luna is on an upright trajectory to Stanford. She's a free spirit, but a goody-two-shoes. Fireflies keep following her, even in the dead of winter. Hunter is the troubled eldest Yee boy, always disappointing his parents, and the latest insult is losing his private school scholarship. He has a special connection with the wind, and an impossibly accurate aim with his bow and arrow. Luna and Hunter don't like each other, can't stand one another even, until it all changes. However, Hunter's family is hiding, afraid of a threat, a man who has been looking for them. Can a hexagonal-shaped rock contain the answers to their problems? Seamlessly weaving Chinese lore, elements of fabulism, and family dynamics, this story takes readers on an enchanted tale of love, loss, expectations, and identity, including a compelling exploration of Taiwanese and Chinese heritage. VERDICT A first purchase for all high school collections, especially for libraries serving AAPI communities. This novel is a work of art.—Carol Youssif
JUNE 2022 - AudioFile
Two star-crossed lovers erase their parents' bitter rivalry in this audiobook performed by Natalie Naudus, Shawn K. Jain, and David Shih. Steeped in Chinese culture and mythology, this contemporary fantasy seamlessly weaves multiple points of view. Luna Chang and Hunter Yee are two of a kind; each possesses a magical ability and a damning family secret. In resolving the Yees' secret, Luna and Hunter alter their destinies, along with the histories of both families. The narrators maintain raw energy as Hunter helps his family evade a longstanding enemy, and project emotion as Luna stands up to her controlling parents. This magical moonlit journey will linger long after it is finished. S.D.B. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
2022-01-26
A tale of two star-crossed young lovers that ends with an unexpected twist.
When Hunter Yee is expelled from his prep school and transfers to Fairbridge High, he is drawn to Luna Chang, another senior, who was born on the same day as he was 17 years ago. They share more than a birthday; both have overbearing immigrant parents from Taiwan with high expectations of their offspring. In Hunter’s case, it is to be a perfect, trouble-free eldest son, while in Luna’s, it is to get into Stanford. The two fall in love before realizing that their parents have been engaged in a long-standing feud. As Hunter and Luna navigate their illicit relationship, mysteries abound: Why is the earth cracking open so frequently? Why is Luna being followed by fireflies? Why do their parents despise each other so much? And what is it that Hunter’s parents fear so greatly that the entire family must live fearfully, always trying to stay under the radar? Answers come in a reveal that is rooted in Chinese lore. Alternating third-person narration is skillfully deployed throughout the novel, allowing immersion into each protagonist’s painful struggles, such as Hunter’s worries about his family’s financial vulnerability or Luna’s discovery of her mother’s secret. The switch in tone at the book’s end is abrupt, bringing about a surprising and bittersweet (if perhaps too swift) resolution.
A lovely, lyrical exploration of how a poignant Chinese myth might play out in a contemporary setting. (Fiction. 14-18)
