In the Garden Behind the Moon: A Memoir of Loss, Myth, and Magic

by Alexandra A. Chan

Alexandra Chan thinks she has life figured out until, in the Year of the Ram, the death of her father—her last parent—brings her to her knees, an event seemingly foretold in Chinese mythology.

A left-brained archaeologist and successful tiger daughter, Chan finds her logical approach to life utterly fails her in the face of this profound grief. Unable to find a way forward, she must either burn to ash or forge herself anew.

Slowly, painfully, wondrously, Chan discovers that her father and ancestors have left threads of renewal in the artifacts and stories of their lives. Through a long-lost interview conducted by Roosevelt’s Federal Writers’ Project, a basket of war letters written from the Burmese jungle, a box of photographs, her world travels, and a deepening relationship to her own art, the archaeologist and lifelong rationalist makes her greatest discovery to date: the healing power of enchantment.

In an epic story that travels from prerevolution China to the South under Jim Crow, from the Pacific theater of WWII to the black sands of Reynisfjara, Iceland, and beyond, Chan takes us on a universal journey to meaning in the wake of devastating loss, sharing the insights and tools that allowed her to rebuild her life and resurrect her spirit. Part memoir, part lyrical invitation to new ways of seeing and better ways of being in dark times, the book includes beautiful full-color original Chinese brush paintings by the author and fascinating vintage photographs of an unforgettable cast of characters. In the Garden Behind the Moon is a captivating family portrait and an urgent call to awaken to the magic and wonder of daily life.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Biography, China

432 pages, Paperback

Published May 28, 2024

Reviews

[Mallory · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok before I get started I think it is important to distinguish that I don’t think this book was ultimately for me. I’m not saying it was poorly written or that it isn’t worth reading, but it didn’t work for me. I think he writing could be found beautiful in a lyrical/poetic way, but to me the writing was a little too stream of consciousness and I found myself drifting along and unable to keep track of where I was in the story. I did like some of the stories and I am sure the author had more worthy stories, but the style just didn’t work well for me. As the book went on (and perhaps a little long and could have been edited) I was able to adjust a little better and follow it a little better, but I never got lost in these pages. I think my favorite part was honestly the pictures. They brought the people in this book that I knew were amazing to life in a way the writing did not for me. I also loved the pictures of the author’s art, it was beautiful. Overall I gave this one 2.5 stars that I rounded up due to the amazing pictures, but the overall goodreads rating is much higher so this experience could totally just be me.

[Faith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

2.5 stars

Okay, I hate to do this, but I could not get on with this book.

It read to me like a stream of consciousness private journal that was never edited. While there were some parts that were lovely, or beautiful, and even informative, for most of it I found myself losing focus. It was as if I was listening to a very long winded acquaintance talk about the dream they had last night and then start complaining about Trump. Don’t get me wrong, I hate Trump too, but I think the author could have focused more on her experience (and also trimmed it down a lot) instead of just saying essentially “it sucked/sucks” in different ways for 50 pages.


The pictures are great. The insights on grief and storytelling are great. If you like stream of consciousness, you will probably love this. If you’re into astrology (I’m not) you might find this fascinating. Certainly the author has an extraordinary family and many valuable stories to tell (as we all do). But…this needs to go through another edit and be at least 150 pages shorter. That’s just my opinion though.

[Susan Gorman · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are those among us who are compelled to articulate their journeys of healing and self-discovery, showing us how insight can be the fuel of self-actualization. Thank goodness Alexandra Chan is one of them! This is as beautifully rendered and potent a reflection as any I have read. Chronicling a chapter of deep loss in Ms. Chan's life and the demands of the resultant grief work, Ms. Chan connects her learning to her family's fascinating history and our country's own recent and painful foundering. Steeped in an understanding of generational trauma and cultural mythology, you will quickly realize the personal discoveries she is making are also an invitation. This is a great read for anyone needing inspiration to create meaning out of the most difficult passages in life. It is the story of a traveler who never turns away from the demands of an authentic life, and who shares generously from her inner work the examples of mystical convergence that have propelled her forward.

[FAITH S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alexandra Chan immediately draws you into this beautifully written and illustrated journey through grief and new beginnings. The book weaves together the stories of past and present showing how one cannot exist without the other. This ancestral journey will leave you wanting to return to the beginning and reread it.

[Victoria J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant!!! What a journey!!!
The artistry and talent is beyond and the energy that surrounds this work is electric!!! This book is going to be huge!!! It felt like discovering a secret box in the attic of humanity. So much to uncover!!! Pure magic!!!

[Pauline Hawkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Update: I just listened to the audiobook as well, and the narrator is brilliant! This is a must read book

I received an ARC of In the Garden Behind the Moon by Alexandra Chan in exchange for an honest review.

This book is truly one of the most beautiful, magical, life affirming, hope-filled, and educational memoirs I’ve ever read. It will stay with me forever. It’s a blend of emotional, intellectual, and spiritual guidance in a beautifully written memoir.

Emotional:
In reading memoir, I expect to read about the author’s life and family, but I don’t expect to find a window that shows where my own wounds are still festering and a path forward for my own healing. Yet, this is exactly what Alexandra Chan’s book did for me.

While reading, I found myself on my own journey of “loss, myth, and magic.” My mother had passed two years earlier, and I too was now an orphan. Through Chan’s family stories and journey, I was able to see the magic in my own life and how I could continue on my own healing journey.

“I don’t have parents anymore who can hug that hurt away. But I can hug the hurt away… So here, then, is another reason why we tell stories. Stories, if told right, can show us where our wounds are. … My vision showed that my destroyed sense of home, belonging, and feeling safe in my own worth could be found again inside myself, and not just as airy metaphor. In that moment, I had literally become a parent to myself, or at least to the wounded part of me who still needs one. … Now I save myself. Just as I hoped I would. At long last, I am neither orphaned nor homeless. That’s the best story ending I have ever told.”

Alexandra didn’t just share “Chan magic” with us, she shared the true source of healing found within each of us.

Intellectual:
Her book is also filled with teachings and philosophies from past and present writers that quenched my need to learn and grow. I particularly loved her section on storytelling from the ancient Greeks, logos and mythos, and what it all means.

“True wisdom, according to the ancient Greeks, lies in seeing both logically and mythologically, enabling deeper perceptions of reality and new and better stories for how to proceed.”

Alexandra Chan seamlessly illustrates logos and mythos through her stories, which helps readers do the same for their own lives.

Spiritual:
In the Garden Behind the Moon is also a beautiful illustration of what a memoir can and should be, if writers truly look for the “why” behind the motivation to lay themselves bare. Writers can help all of us find a way to heal and understand our present situations, but more importantly, help us bring peace to our ancestors and a better way forward for our descendants.

“[I’m] thinking of myself more as ancestor than descendant. Understanding how both pain and healing get passed down through the generations, inevitably leading to the question 'What will my role in that be? Am I living in such a way that my descendants will one day, in pain, sorrow, or trouble, be able to look back to me for a way forward, just as I have looked to my own ancestors?' … Your healing may echo down the centuries.”

Redefining Memoir:
Sharing a healing journey through memoir can truly make the world a better place. Through Alexandra Chan’s beautiful book, we can see the connection of past, present, and future and the importance of setting an intentional path forward.

I hope In the Garden Behind the Moon finds you, as it did me, exactly when you need it most.

[Whitney ✨A River of Books✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an Advanced Copy)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
In the Garden Behind the Moon
*”Parents should never die!”*
In the Garden Behind the Moon is a heartfelt & hear breaking memoir about love, grief, and finding the courage to overcome.
This book made me cry, feel joy, laugh, and encouragement working through the grief of losing parents. It made me question how we as parents can prepare our children for our passing? Is that something that is possible so that our children are not left feeling and filling the void of our absence.
My soul screamed with Alexandra as she found her peace and worked through her grief.
A truly beautiful story.

[Alexa Beaudry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve never wanted to rush through reading something and also savor it so much at the same time.

While I was reading this book my favorite person in the world died and I have been in a puddle of grief ever since.. I was nervous to continue reading as it felt so raw, but my gut told me to and I’m grateful I listened. This book made me feel less alone in my grief and that is not something easily done.

The photos and artwork were such a great added piece.

What a beautiful book. Highly recommend.

[Marc Folger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is no simple memoir of grief and recovery. To begin with, there is also great joy to be found in it. And Alexandra Chan alchemizes her own anguish into literary gold for the rest of us by exploring the interplay between the magic and the mundane, pointing the obsolescent child within us back to a rejuvenating sense of wonder. Using history, archaeology, neuroscience, poetry, psychology, and more, she investigates and reports on other kinds of liminal spaces, in ways that transport, edify, and inspire the reader. The tales of her family’s history and their relationships are cinematic and instructive on their own (and I hope this book may be adapted for screen). But her deep-probing and altruistic effort to use hard-won insights to lighten the load for the rest of us—not just in grief but in all of life—combined with her exquisite paintings that accompany each section, make this a special find. It is, to use a description her son coined in the book, a “mythic rare” reading experience.

[C Michaud · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emotionally engrossing, I read this through in one sitting and was taken by Chan's clear-eyed reflections of her experiences, her dedicated exploration of family heritage, and drive to make sense of it all while understanding the beauty and connectedness of the world. She weaves a tapestry of tales from her own life and remarkable family history to confront the loss of her parents while grappling with weighty issues such as existential purpose and race in America. Gorgeously illustrated with her own artwork, and told through a series of intertwined vignettes, the book is eminently relatable, particularly for those of us who have watched a parent pass from this life and needed to seek our own path in the world. Definitely add to your list of reads this year!

[Athena (OneReadingNurse)]

So I didn't finish this book.

While the beginning has a lot of good ideas about myth vs logic, the roots of a family full of close to magical realism, and part travel logue, I have an issue

I'm not going to sit here and pretend like I have a right to judge somebody else's grief, because I don't, but I don't understand how you have catastrophic grief over a 102year old who had been declining . That's a wonderful life and not catastrophic

My dad unfortunately keeled over at a much younger age than 102 and I still felt guilty for not knowing how to process the grief and I feel like when someone has had so much time to prepare, it's a discordant reaction and the author has a deeper rooted issue that is taking too long to come out through the pages. I can absolutely understand feeling unmoored with both parents gone but I don't understand being "catastrophic" with such a long, wonderful life and some time to prepare

So I gave this a hundred pages and think the photos and such are great, it's a lovely book overall, but some of her thoughts are clashing too much against my raw spots if that makes sense

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

“In 2016, I entered a personal Dark Night of the Soul,” Alexandra A. Chan explains. She had lost a beloved father, plus the external world bombarded her with Covid-19, Trumpism, devastating natural catastrophes, and a rise of violence against Black people. Chan began her journey towards healing and individuation using meditation, recalling family stories, learning traditional Chinese art, and connecting with the myths in her personal and the collective unconscious. Chan’s story of her five year journey is informed by the Chinese astrological calendar.

Chan shares her family history. Her grandfather’s progressive politics garnered a death sentence, so he fled China for America. Her brilliant father, whose career was capped by his ethnicity. Her parents’ love story, told in wartime letters. The pages are filled with family photographs. She probes the intergenerational trauma that was passed down.

“Logos” can tell you where you are, Chan ends, but it is mythos that tells you how and where to go from there. Trust the journey. It will bring you home.

Chan offers an alternative way out of darkness, not through medication or logic, but by tapping into the spiritual, probing the unconscious, and finding expression through art and storytelling.

Thanks to the publisher for a free book through Bookish.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book we meet the extraordinary Chan family starting with T’ai Peng who was forced to flee war torn China at eighteen. Finally making it safely to America. Once he arrives he will give up his name becoming Robert Chan. Finding work at the Willie Chin and Co laundry he will marry and have six children sharing with them the myths and stories of China. His fifth born child Robert Earl Chan. Known as Earl Chan as a child and Bob Chan as an adult will go on to live an extraordinary and very long life. He will be many things in his lifetime an athlete ,scholar ,inventor and a spy . He rose to the top in the army he married twice the last time to the love of his life and late in life become a father to his daughters Alexandra and his adopted daughter Mee Ra. His daughter Alexandra herself an accomplished archaeologist. As well as a scholar and writer finds herself feeling lost as she attempts to heal from the loss of her mother and some years later the loss of her father. Guided by her inner voice she finds comfort and healing in travel gardening and meditation. As she goes through her fathers letters and her own memories she learns more about the Chan family and what they call the old Chan magic her father and the importance of the belief in myths and magic as well as knowledge because both teach. But myth and magic feed the soul and heal the heart. She teaches us that healing from loss doesn’t mean letting go of loved ones just letting go of pain. That family lives forever in our hearts and all around us and home is a feeling we carry with us as well as a place.I truly enjoyed this memoir the stories from all the different times in the life of the different generations of the Chan family. This book deals with hard subjects in turbulent times but it does so with grace. This book is written so vividly and beautifully you will feel as if you are seeing the story unfold before you. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves memoirs or just well written non fiction with just a hint of magic.I received this Advanced Readers Copy as bookish first raffle win

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alexandra Chan’s In the Garden Behind the Moon is a beautiful gift to the world. I’m struggling for words to express the intellectual, emotional, spiritual, visual, and magical journey because there’s nothing else like it. Told from her unique perspective cultivated from Chan’s multi-faceted background and interests, the brilliant and heart-felt writing is a personal and relatable story of grief, family history, and love. It is interspersed with art, poetry, lore, history, science, psychology, and so much more that is so skillfully woven together. I can only describe it as healing. It is a mirror for us to see and be seen.

“The stories we are told, which we eventually tell ourselves, influence the way we show up in the world. Stories become everything we think we know about our universe, others, and ourselves. Personal mythology is our horizon, where the sun rises and lights the world, where it sets and creates shadows and dark corners. It reflects us back to ourselves, shows us where we have been, where we fear to tread, and all the places we could yet go.”

Make yourself a cup of ginger tea and prepare to travel the Moon Road.

[Kayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I read the sneak peek I didn’t expect what the story would be about I honestly thought this was a mythological book with beautiful illustrations. However, I really loved that it was a true story with not just beautiful illustrations but pictures from a close knit family. It was heartwarming and so touching. I found the structure of the book a little confusing. Each stage of the book was represented by one of the Chinese zodiac symbols. That aspect I found strange but overall I loved the story. I loved finding out that she is an archaeologist. She got to explore some really fascinating places. As for her father and their relationship it was again so heartwarming. It was so heartbreaking reading about her pain when she lost both of her parents especially her dad. The scene when her father was injured due to his older age and had to go to rehab and he called her in a panic was so very sad. There was another scene when her father had to defend her and was livid. I won’t describe it in detail because it was absolutely disgusting. I loved her dad in that moment. I devoured this wonderful story about the great love between a father and his daughter.

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's difficult to put into words how much I adored this book. It is a memoir filled with deep grief and loss, but also so much love, hope, and beauty. The adoration that Alexandra Chan has for her family, and specifically her father, jumps off the page. She writes lovingly about all of her family, going back generations, but the majority of the book focuses on her magnificent father and his life.

There is magic in these pages, not just in the stories themselves, but in the way in which the author describes them. Chan has a gift for storytelling, and she makes you feel as though she is sitting with you, knee to knee, sharing secrets and happy moments.

Chan does not shy away from the adversity her family experienced throughout their lives. Racism and persecution play a major role in her family's past, and Chan approaches these subjects with honesty and boldness.

I cannot wait for readers to experience this special book for themselves. I am enlightened, delighted, and changed for having read it.

[MGMGMG · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you for the surprise Advance Review Copy of this excellent book!! It was such a heart-breaking exploration of grief, and yet so much beauty and joy as well--it really captures the wide range of emotions that you experience as you learn how to process grief and begin figuring out how to live going forward with a life that has changed into something unrecognizable and yet something that we all know we will eventually face. It is such a moving book, and powerful in its unflinching portrayal of what grief is like--a topic that is far too hidden in our society. We need more books like this one, that own it and bring it into the light so that the rest of us can know we are not alone and there's no shame in the struggle just because we cannot immediately "move on". This is a very deep and magical book, and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to explore new ideas in a truly beautiful way.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story of finding yourself through grief? Because of grief? Whichever it is, however you find yourself, as long as you do find yourself.

This story is magical in the way that makes you believe our ancestors before us helped to weave the pattern of who we are today through stories and experience. It's about not finding the magic but remembering the magic. Alexandra is speaking to my heart through her own magical transformation.

The author weaves her story of loss and finding herself and weaves historical facts throughout. We all have the magic in us, we just need to balance it with the literal side of ourselves. It's not one or the other.

The photos are a wonderful addition to help us get to know the real characters in the book. Alexandra's art is beautiful as well. This is one book that should be judged by the cover!

[Gracelaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this warm and engaging memoir, Alexandra Chan employs an array of resources to explore her grief at losing her beloved parents. Weaving a tapestry of mythology, genealogy, history, poetry, the Chinese zodiac, family photos, and original artwork, the author recounts tales of thrilling adventure alongside heartwarming memories of familial love, always with deep introspection and an openness to the magic in everyday life. Her writing is graceful, and she shares her journey and all she's learned with simple generosity.

I received an ARC of In the Garden Behind the Moon by Alexandra Chan in exchange for an honest review.

[Karina Quintans · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading Alexandra Chan's "In the Garden Behind the Moon," and loved it. Her memoir is like a warm hug that explores several themes we can all relate to after experiencing loss and grief.

Home: Her book is an amazing journey during which she rediscovers what "home" means to her after having lost both parents—a theme that really resonates with me and my own life path. She wrestles with feeling out of place and goes on this soul-searching adventure to rediscover her roots and rediscover home. At one point, she arrives at an understanding on how home is not just about the physical structure; but rather about the spirit that inhabits that structure that makes it special and feel like "home"—a reflection that really resonated with me.

Grief: I loved the clever way in which Alexandra wove in symbolism, myth, magic, art, and travel to help her overcome grief and find herself again. Grief is really at the heart of the book and a timely theme for me because I recently lost my dad. The point at which she reflects on the idea that you can't fully go back to who you were before loss was yet another moment in the book that resonated deeply with me.

Story: Myself a writer, I appreciated that the book was not only about her journey but also a celebration of storytelling. Her ability to write in such detail about the lives of her ancestors, elders, as well as her own life is admirable, all of which was complemented by beautiful old photographs (and who doesn’t love old photographs?!).

Lastly, the cultural perspective from her Chinese roots found throughout the book added this rich layer, making it feel uniquely personal. Not to mention that the inclusion of her gorgeous Chinese art is not just a perfect complement, but frankly, just really cool!

All in all, it’s a beautifully written memoir that has helped me to think anew about the healing journey we go through after losing a parent. I now have a new lens with which to see the world through my own journey with grief—myth and magic!

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part memoir, part family biography, part visually stunning drawings and photography, this book is a fascinating and at times heartbreaking read as it’s a story about grief and love, which when felt so deeply are the same emotion. The author beautifully takes you on her journey to understand where her identity begins and where her father’s ends - how to grieve and live without the person that makes you feel seen, special, and the most like “you.”

“His presence in my life was planetary; I was but one of his moons.”

In addition to being a love letter to her father and gift to her children, this book is an inspiring call to those who have become “unstoried” and are living a life with too much logic and not enough magic or mythos. “…becoming chronically unstoried has separated us from our very nature… we have, as a collective and as individuals, lost our context. Thinking we have nothing essential to learn, we end up having nothing meaningful to give.”

“Embodied” is a word that kept ringing in my ears while reading this. Those of us that have been to therapy often tell the joke that a therapist will say - “stop intellectualizing your emotions, you have to FEEL your emotions” but then never tells you HOW to do this and be more embodied.

This is how. The physicality of gardening, taking art classes, writing, collecting and retelling your stories, meditating, traveling, anchoring in nature; giving your body the time it needs to break, breathe, and move through the turmoil that lives in you physically much longer than your rational mind thinks it should or could.

I also adored the structure of the book, organized by Chinese zodiac and starting with the year of the Ram and ending with the year of the Tiger. It anchors, uplifts, and contextualizes this tale in ancestral storytelling and meaning making.

[Abby Schneider · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the Garden Behind the Moon: A Memoir of Loss, Myth, and Magic by Alexandra A. Chan is a beautifully written memoir and biography focusing around the author and her father. The book focuses on themes of loss and grieving of family and loved ones, while also tying itself together with mythology and magic.

The beginning of this book was a bit slow. The writing was gorgeous, but it was too much and felt like the same idea was being repeated over and over again. This gets better after the first chapter and the book takes on a more storytelling feel. I loved hearing the stories of Chan’s father and grandfather and felt like I learned a lot from them. There are undertones of magic and mythology throughout the whole memoir and it ties everything together so nicely. Each of the different “books” within the memoir focuses on a different year in the Chinese zodiac, and talks about some of the different characteristics of that zodiac sign. Overall, I felt like I really learned a lot from this memoir, while also enjoying the stories offered.

There are also great pictures that help give more to the story. I can picture the characters and it really brings the actual events to life. I loved how they were incorporated into the book.

Overall, I would give this memoir 3/5 stars, but I feel like someone who reads memoirs more often would rate it much higher. The writing was gorgeous and so well done. I would really recommend this book to anyone who loves memoirs. They are not my typical genre, and so I sometimes found the book to be a bit slow paced for my liking, but I still enjoyed it and felt like I learned a lot.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Chelsea Hancock · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and Alexandra Chan for this free ARC!
I will say first and foremost that this book is written beautifully. Alexandra’s prose is quite lovely and paints a vivid picture. The stories about her father were profound and sometimes unbelievable, but isn’t that how most extraordinary people’s stories sound? I am truly happy for her experience. It seems like she grew exponentially from her challenges and is still continuing that growth today.
I, however, am giving this book 3 stars because often times I found her choice of words to be a bit pretentious. Perhaps it is simply that I lack the spiritual enlightenment to follow such a journey. 🤷🏻‍♀️
I found myself skim reading until she talked about her father again. Not just completely uninterested in her meditation mantra and vision, but wholly skeptical. I recognize (in myself) that this sounds a bit harsh. I do not meditate. I do not have spiritual awakenings. I do not have a rich ancestral background that I’m aware of. And thus, this review could quite possibly be the ramblings of a non-believer.
I will say, that if you are aligned with meditation, yoga, spiritual guidance, etc then you will probably like this book quite a lot.
It just was not necessarily for me. Once again, I am happy for her journey. She sounds very accomplished and her paintings were stunning (definitely will be checking out her work if I can afford it). I loved everything except the meditation parts and the lecture on Mythos vs Logos; which was essentially the first 18% of the book.

[S.M. Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am now convinced that magic exists, and it is comforting.
"In the Garden Behind the Moon" is one of the most powerful things I have read, and is moving in ways that are hard to put words to. A typical reading list for me contains copious amounts of fantasy and science fiction, so this work is a different breed than my normal fare–and I found it refreshing.
Chan's words are open wounds that she lays bare, and invites you to join in her healing as we span decades and continents, explore ancestral magic, and experience the small human moments that make life both wonderful and heart-breaking. If you'd like to know the moment that really broke me, look no further than chapter 7, pg. 87 as part of the "Unraveling" sequence.
It's not just a book or even a memoir: it feels like a manual for unlocking a deeper side of human existence that not many of us are privy to.
Through every aspect of the book, both visual and textual, Chan is casting a spell–a spell of loss, myth, and magic.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poignant, and introspective, this memoir weaves an intricate story of the past with very present and relatable emotions.

The strength of this work lies in Chan's ability to navigate a delicate balance between vulnerability and incredible resilience. The world we are invited into welcomes us with universal experiences of growth, grief, and transformation. The pedestals we put parents on, and what happens when their time to journey where we can not yet go occurs.

"In the Garden Behind the Moon," not only serves as a tribute to the beauty, pain, and complexities of life, but also the ability of the spirit to find meaning and fullness in life amidst sorrow. This memoir will prompt readers to reflect on their own journeys and find solace in the magic that is around us even in moments of loss.

[Emily Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not alone in approaching this book with trepidation- having lost both my parents (the last fairly recently) and on the heels of the traumatic loss of a young family member- wondering if I was in the right head space to read the words of more loss. I needn't worry- as this book was more about the celebration of life and unraveling the magic of the past. Alexandra Chan is a master storyteller- taking the reader on a journey of self-realization and acceptance- anchoring her families past with her present. The sad is balanced by the joy. Her ability to transport her reader through the life events of her family- as if looking through their eyes- is a true narrative feat. At times I felt as if I was watching, instead of reading- a memoir that shouldn't be overlooked.

[Marni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Throughout In The Garden Behind the Moon, the author weaves an intergenerational tale of "Old Chan Magic" and the wonder to be found in unexpected moments. Though a central premise of this book is a journey through "loss," you'll enjoy a full range of emotions — it's at times heartbreaking, but at times joyful and entertaining — and always insightful. Written in prose as lush and expressive as the author's own artwork that illustrates the book, but grounded with thorough research and detailed observations (whether about puffins, family anecdotes, or the state of modern politics, and many topics in between!). A very engaging, broadly imagined story.

[Joanna C · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was beautifully written. Starting off with three year of the Ram (2015)and ending with the year of the Tiger (2022). Each section of the book coincides with one of the animals of the Chinese zodiac. We get to learn about the Chan family especially Alexandra’s father Robert Earl Chan. Who was a magnificent person. I laughed and cried with the stories about how he overcame obstacles at a time when segregation was still very prevalent. I laughed and even cried and the artwork made it even more special.

I’ll have to buy a final copy when it’s released! Thanks to Bookish First for the ARC copy.

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the great storytellers of our time! Alexandra paints a thought-provoking beautiful image for the mind's eye throughout this book. Personable and relatable; discovery and rebuilding after loss. The incredible spirit of her family and its rich history is both admirable and enviable. The author is a gifted writer who creates and tells her story that intricately weaves together the fabric that represents resilience and family values. We all need the magic of Bob Chan in our lives, this memoir is well told by Alexandra. One of the great reads of my lifetime.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Storytelling magic from start to finish! You won’t want it to end and you’ll want to buy a copy to share with everyone you know. This memoir teaches us the importance of storytelling and how we live on by sharing them. I absolutely loved the book!!