How Far I'll Go: A Twisted Tale

by Keala Kendall

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • What if Moana broke the heart of Te Fiti?

After a devastating battle with Te Kā, Moana’s worst fears are the heart of Te Fiti is in ruins, Maui is frozen in volcanic rock, and darkness threatens to envelop her beloved home.  Desperate to fix things, Moana stumbles upon an island already crumbling under the blight. All life is gone, save one sole survivor—a young woman named Noe.

Moana is relieved to find another wayfarer, even if this stranger is more than a little intimidating. Better still, Noe has an idea how to fix the using the tears of Te Fiti, gems infused with the goddess’s essence. The catch? The tears are said to be scattered throughout the realm of monsters. 

Banded together, Moana and Noe set a course for an impossible mission to find the powerful lost tears. Will Moana be able to restore the heart amid secrets and monsters? Or will the blight overtake everything Moana holds dear?

Genres: Fantasy, Retellings, Young Adult, Fiction, Audiobook, Fairy Tales, Magic

Kindle Edition

First published September 2, 2025

About the author

Keala Kendall (pronounced: kay-ah-luh) is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of How Far I’ll Go and Nobody Gets Left Behind in Disney's A Twisted Tales series, and That Which Feeds Us: A Hawaiian Gothic. Hapa Native Hawaiian, she is a cofounder of Pacific Islanders in Publishing and a past organizer of the Books for Maui charity auction.

Born in Honolulu, raised on Molokaʻi, she now lives as part of the Native Hawaiian diaspora in Los Angeles. To learn more about Keala, visit her at kealakendall.com or @kealakendall on Instagram and TikTok.

Reviews

[Books_and_Crafts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely phenomenal! Keala Kendall does a stunning job of capturing our Moana and guiding her through this epic journey of self worth! I loved it!

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fav quote!

“How can the ocean connect us if we separate ourselves from it”

OMG y’all don’t know how much I worship this book series. These people that write them are geniuses every last one of them. Going into September 2nd I was like why would you release the tinker bell and this book at the same time. Now I’m like so everyone can enjoy them both tandomly 🥹🥹🥹.

I wasn’t sure how I would feel about this book being a new author and I couldn’t read any previous would cuz it doesn’t exist lol. Let me tell ya Keala didn’t upset me. I LOVED IT 😍. Moana’s tale was so fun. I mean talk about a journey and all the people she met. My fav character her grandma was back guiding her on the way through her journey warmed my heart. Felt very original but still giving credit too the movie and I just love that. I can’t wait for Liz braswells next book in the spring and can’t believe I have to wait that long for the next saga. Now that I have read this one I have nothing but high hopes for kealas next book in fall 2025 I love lilo and stitch

[Sarah Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love all things Moana, and I have been ridiculously excited about this book since the moment I knew it was coming out. Overall, I enjoyed this retelling. You could tell that this author was passionate about tying culture into the novel, and I really liked that you got more on that side of things than you get in the movies. I am SO glad that this book didn't write in a romance for Moana. I was so afraid that they would take it that route, and that's one of my favorite things about Moana-she has passions and goals that have nothing to do with a partner. One major issue for me....I MISSED MAUI. When he finally pops back in toward the ending, I was like "Maui would have added so much to this book!
Thanks to Random House, Disney, and Netgalley for the ARC of this book!

[Bethea Scovic · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first couple of chapters were somewhat boring and repetitive. Being a twisted tale, the amount of backstory reflected on in the beginning was unnecessary. However, once things picked up, the book became more interesting and the twists in the storyline were fun to follow. As an adult, it was easy to figure out things that the main characters couldn’t see, but the clues are perfect for younger readers to piece together more slowly. The setting descriptions were well done and each main character was well developed.

Thank you to #NetGalley for an eARC of #HowFarI’llGo in exchange for honest feedback. 3.5 stars rounded up

[Zach · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall, it was fairly bland. Moana was annoying and Maui was MIA. There went all of the entertainment from the movie.

[Paige Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

"You think you can tell me which way is the right way? You? Don't make me laugh. You don't know your history or your legends, and you barely know how to sail. You are too softhearted to save your people, even when you've been given every opportunity. You think the ocean gave you the heart to return it? Why would it? Why would it need you?"

I've been wanting to read this book for months. So you can imagine my surprise when I found this book on the shelves of a my local library nearby my dad's place. I just knew I had to check it out and read it. I thought I knew what I was getting into. But alas, I was wrong.

Similar to Almost There, this AU begins towards the end of the original timeline. Maui and Moana are facing Te Ka and trying to get past her to return the The Heart of Te Fiti. Unfortunately the heart ends up breaking due to a severely impulsive misstep on Moana's part and Maui sacrificing his life to protect his friend. With some help from the spirit of her grandmother, Tala, Moana finds a lone islander named Noe and allies with her. It's a race against time as the two try to save their islands, the ocean and perhaps by extension, the rest of the world.

First off, I like the action and the additional world building. Noe has a lot of skills, being something of a shaman, a Dreamfarer. But pretty early on I noticed a few weird things and I thought to myself, What is Noe hiding? What is she running from? Or perhaps quite possibly, running towards?
I was right to be concerned.

We're also getting a lot of lore for the world of monsters and I'm all for it! From new types of monsters and creatures such as moon and stone sprites to dangerous areas in Lalotai like the Floating Rocks over the Abyss. And some of these monsters even have names and expanded roles; from Nala the Shapeshifter to Kanapi the Spirit catcher, which with their own goals and personalities. Side note, that fruit feast the monsters in the village are eating towards the end of the first act looks pretty good. I might also have to try banana po'e.

But one thing I was not prepared for is just how intense this book would be. I already knew that the circumstances were bad, but damn, they're even darker than I thought. Not only is the fate of the Polynesian islands (and possibly the world itself) at stake, Moana's life is on the line. If she doesn't reverse Te Ka's curse in time, she'll end up just like Maui- trapped in volcanic stone- and stripped of her very soul. Damn that's dark. And it gets worse. Eventually, Noe uses her powers to force Moana's spirit out of her cursed body and banishes her to the Realm of Darkness. But at first, all she sees is her worst nightmare- a future version of Motunui, heavily plagued by the blight and now enclosed with a seawall preventing anyone from leaving. It crushes the heart and the soul in several ways.

This might be the darkest Twisted Tale I've read yet.

However, there is one question I must ask. Did it actually say which wrist and arm Te Ka's Blight gets plagued and marked with when Moana gets marked? I'm not sure it does, but I am imagining that it was the right arm. But maybe it didn't even matter much as it seems that she can still use her arm despite the curse progressing.

One thing I will say though, with the internal doubt that Moana goes through, struggling with her self-esteem and feeling like she has no idea what she's doing, this book hits pretty hard.

However, despite the book having a pretty good plot, I kinda feel that the resolution was a bit forced and that some of the darkness let up a bit too soon.

I'm honestly not sure if Noe really deserved to be forgiven by Moana after her betrayal and allowed to ascend to the spirit realm, and I feel that the Tears of Te Fiti should have been enough to restore the Heart. I'm also a bit surprised that Moana's body wasn't consumed by the Blight, forcing her to finish her quest as a spirit. Plus I feel that a "spirit vs spirit" battle would have been cool to see.

Yet despite all this, the finale was still pretty emotional and I understand why Noe did what she did and how over a thousand years has left her extremely bitter and scorned.

I also would have liked a scene where Moana returns home after successfully restoring Te Fiti, telling her parents she found Afā, and maybe even see using Noe's spirit stone.

But in the end, Moana is still a brave, amazing heroine who was able to conquer the darkness and be the Wayfarer she was always meant to be.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. There are a few things I would have done differently, but I'd still recommend this book for anyone that wants a fantasy outside of the traditional European setting.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars (Rounding up for the book being compelling, lore expansion and good representation of self-esteem issues)

Twisted Tale Rankings so far;
Sally's Lament (5/5)
Reflection (4.6/5)
How Far I'll Go (4.5/5)
Almost There (4.3/5)
What Once Was Mine (3.8/5)

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess I don’t really know what to say about this book because from the perspective of it being related to the Disney movie Moana, it achieves its goal of keeping with the character, setting, and ultimate story conclusion, but I don’t know that it really added much to Moana’s character growth. There are a couple of interesting additional elements of other monsters, spirits, and more exploration of the afterlife, but I just don’t know if it feels like it was worth it for how long and drawn out parts of the story were. Maybe the story will stick with me more over time, but in comparison to some of the other Twisted Tales I’ve read, I don’t think this was as successful in exploring new sides of the character or story.

[Leanne Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up. This was going to be a 3 for the majority of the book but the last 100 or so pages saved it for me. Before that, I had found the book to be so descriptive, that I couldn’t really follow it and I found it really hard to picture the settings that were being described. There were more descriptions than plot and interactions for me, and this made me not really connect to the story which is a shame. The last part of the book had more action and this picked up a lot for me. One of my least favourite Twisted Tales.

[Bek Bound By Books 💖 · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ I didn’t expect How Far I’ll Go to have such a deep and nuanced message about forgiveness, identity, and generosity. What starts as a typical Twisted Tale, quickly transforms into something new. We are introduced to a new character, Noe.

Immediately I was able to recognize Noe’s significance to the plot making her appearance feel slightly predictable until about the 60% mark. She was an enjoyable character and added some resistance to the plot throughout the first half, questioning Moana’s optimism. She was incredibly well-developed throughout the book and I enjoyed her and Moana’s back and forth. She is an amazing counterpart to Moana’s journey.

For Keala Kendall’s first entry in the series, I was very impressed and I hope to see more. I thought she did an amazing job representing the overall message of Moana but adding a little more with Noe and what Moana was able to teach her and vice versa. The journey was a great one, and I whole-heartedly recommend this book! It’s a great entry to dive into the Twisted Tale series as a whole.

[Valerie Contreras · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting twist to Moana. I did not expect the plot to go the direction it did. I’m gonna be honest and say that this was probably 100 pages too long. It felt like a lot of it was filler information that was not needed. I think it’s misleading to say “ What if Moana Broke the Heart of TeFiti”. There was a wholesome scene with Moana teaching how to wayfind to someone, I really wish a scene like that was included in the movie. This will definitely suit early teens especially because it was pretty easy to guess the twist from very early on.

I was interested enough to finish this story but I think most teens and Moana fans will enjoy this the most.

Thank you to the author, Random House Children’s, and NetGalley for this e-ARC.

[SmileyJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ☆

After all life has disappeared, it is up to Moana to fix a devastating mistake - with the help of a mysterious wayfinder, Noelani. The new character stood out with her rich backstory and complex motivations, making her more compelling and engaging, compared to Moana, whose character shift from brave and adventurous to insecure and indecisive felt frustrating. The story’s cultural authenticity added depth, and the cryptic elements kept the narrative interesting. While the plot was well-paced and full of action, the writing style lacked vivid description, which made it harder to visualize the story. The setting maintained a tense, magical atmosphere, leading to a satisfying read.

RELATIONSHIPS & CHARACTERS -
Moana - While it is certainly understandable to have self doubt after the potentially world-ending event that she had just caused, it seemed like Moana’s entire character transformed into one of insecurity and indecision. Compared to the previously established character who was brave, adventurous, and willing to go farther than anyone has ever dreamed, this characterization quickly became irritating. She did maintain her care for others, but it would have been nice to see some of that self-confidence again.

Noelani - The main contrary character, and new to the story, was actually my favorite. She had a completely elaborate backstory, history, and motivations that added so much to the story. The clues about her throughout were easily picked up on in regards to her big reveal, but I enjoyed her character no less. Her complications and selfish determination impressed me far beyond Moana, even though this is the wrong character to root for.

ENGAGEMENT & ENJOYMENT -
It is wonderful again that these stories are written by someone who is from the culture, and it is clear that Kaela Kendall shared many insights needed to maintain an authentic feel for the lifestyle and folklore. As for most of these Disney retellings, they are simply a unique twist on a well-known story. It is a quick read that relies on a travelling quest to gather items, and it was interesting for what it is. The inclusion of Noelani certainly increased the engagement due to her mysterious nature and all of the questions surrounding her, as well as the stories she was able to tell. The spirits and the ancestral stories were a fascinating idea, and I would have liked to see them explained more because of how great they were! Toward the end, there were a lot of initially small, glossed over details that were given new meanings (the boat’s name, the friend) that were genius and added a spark of interest. I personally prefer a more descriptive writing style, and had difficulty picturing the majority of this book, and I think that would have added to my enjoyment. There were moments of this eloquence, but I wish it was consistent throughout the book.

ATMOSPHERE & SETTING -
The book had an underlying sense of danger and mystery at all times, which added an edge to this adventurous tale. The magicality of the folklore, spirits, and monsters was gripping to read about. The added hurriedness due to the blight and curse kept everything in suspense. I wish the curse played a bigger role for Moana, because while it was mentioned and it did progress, there was little effect on her.

DEVELOPMENT & PLOT -
The progression of the plot was steady and there were no times where it felt like the story had come to a standstill or lingered unnecessarily. An action-packed quest, gathering items required to save the world, and travelling between realms and other parts of the island created a solid pace.

Thank you Kaela Kendall, Random House Children's Books, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for my thoughts and review!

[Marian · Rating 5 out of 5]

How Far I’ll Go is another amazing installment in the A Twisted Tale series — a story that balances nostalgia, emotional depth, and creative reimagining beautifully. This retelling explores what could have happened if Moana’s actions had led to very different consequences than in the movie we know and love, and it does so in a way that feels natural, heartfelt, and deeply meaningful.
What stood out most to me was the character growth. Moana is already such a strong, determined character in the film, but in this version, we get to see even more of her vulnerability, her doubts, and her strength as she faces the outcomes of her choices. It gives her a very human depth and reminds readers that courage isn’t about never making mistakes — it’s about how we respond to them.
I also really enjoyed the new characters introduced along Moana’s journey. They added fresh perspectives and challenges that helped her grow, while also expanding the sense of community and connection that’s always been a central part of her story. The way they were woven into the existing lore felt seamless — like they had always been part of Moana’s world, just waiting to be discovered.
Another highlight was the worldbuilding. Instead of changing the familiar settings from the movie, the story builds upon them, adding layers of mythology and culture that make the islands and ocean feel even more alive. It was exciting to explore new areas and revisit old ones with new understanding. The imagery was rich and immersive, making it easy to get lost in the world.
What really struck me, though, were the themes. This isn’t just a Disney retelling; it’s a story about self-discovery, redemption, and the power of choice. It reinforces the idea that our mistakes don’t define us — it’s how we learn from them that matters. We can always choose to grow, to try again, and to decide who we want to be.
By the end, I was completely caught up in the emotion of it all. The final chapters definitely had me “cleaning up my allergies” (if you know, you know). It’s heartfelt, hopeful, and everything a Twisted Tale should be — familiar enough to feel like coming home, yet new enough to surprise and move you.

[Lizbeth Martinez Rivera · Rating 3 out of 5]

⛰️ℍ𝕆𝕎 𝔽𝔸ℝ 𝕀’𝕃𝕃 𝔾𝕆 𝔹𝕐 𝕂𝔼𝔸𝕃𝔸 𝕂𝔼ℕ𝔻𝔸𝕃𝕃⛰️
⭐⭐⭐.5 ⓈⓉⒶⓇ

Favorite Quote:“𝖄𝖔𝖚 𝖔𝖓𝖈𝖊 𝖙𝖔𝖑𝖉 𝖒𝖊 𝖔𝖚𝖗 𝖒𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆𝖐𝖊𝖘 𝖆𝖗𝖊𝖓'𝖙 𝖕𝖊𝖗𝖒𝖆𝖓𝖊𝖓𝖙, 𝕹𝖔𝖊. 𝖄𝖔𝖚 𝖈𝖆𝖓 𝖆𝖑𝖜𝖆𝖞𝖘 𝖗𝖊𝖙𝖚𝖗𝖓 𝖙𝖔 𝖜𝖍𝖔 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖜𝖊𝖗𝖊 𝖒𝖊𝖆𝖓𝖙 𝖙𝖔 𝖇𝖊.”― ꪑꪮꪖꪀꪖ

“𝓓𝓲𝓭 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓶𝔂 𝓭𝓪𝓭 𝓷𝓪𝓶𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓫𝓸𝓪𝓽?”, “𝓦𝓮 𝓭𝓲𝓭." 𝓐𝓯ā 𝓵𝓸𝓸𝓴𝓮𝓭 𝓪𝔀𝓴𝔀𝓪𝓻𝓭𝓵𝔂 𝓪𝓽 𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓯𝓮𝓮𝓽. "𝓦𝓮 𝓷𝓪𝓶𝓮𝓭 𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓜𝓸𝓪𝓷𝓪.”― ꪖᠻā

𝔻𝔼𝕊ℂℝ𝕀ℙ𝕋𝕀𝕆ℕ: 𝑰𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒌𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝒖𝒑 𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒊𝒔 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒏𝒐 𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒔𝒂𝒍𝒗𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏. 𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝑴𝒐𝒂𝒏𝒂 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒄𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑴𝒂𝒖𝒊 𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝑻𝒆 𝑭𝒊𝒕𝒊 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒄𝒓𝒖𝒎𝒃𝒍𝒆𝒅, 𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒖𝒑 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒄𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒅, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒎 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔. 𝑺𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒗𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒈𝒊𝒓𝒍 𝒍𝒆𝒇𝒕, 𝑵𝒐𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒊, 𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑳𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒕𝒂𝒊. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝑴𝒐𝒂𝒏𝒂 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒊𝒓𝒍 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒂𝒍𝒗𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏? 𝑶𝒓 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝑵𝒐𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒊 𝒅𝒐 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒕 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇? 𝑾𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝑴𝒐𝒂𝒏𝒂 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒔?

ᠻꪖꪜꪮ𝕣ⅈ𝕥ꫀ ᥴꫝꪖ𝕣ꪖᥴ𝕥ꫀ𝕣: ꪖᠻā & 𝕜ꪖꪶꪖ

𝕣ꫀꪜⅈꫀ᭙: 𝕎𝕙𝕖𝕟 𝕀 𝕤𝕒𝕨 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕨𝕖 𝕨𝕖𝕣𝕖 𝕘𝕖𝕥𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒 𝕥𝕨𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕥𝕒𝕝𝕖 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕄𝕠𝕒𝕟𝕒, 𝕀 𝕨𝕒𝕤 𝕖𝕔𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕔 𝕥𝕠 𝕤𝕒𝕪 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕥. 𝔼𝕤𝕡𝕖𝕔𝕚𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝕤𝕚𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕄𝕠𝕒𝕟𝕒 𝕚𝕤 𝕚𝕟 𝕞𝕪 𝕥𝕠𝕡 𝟝 𝕗𝕒𝕧𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕖 𝔻𝕚𝕤𝕟𝕖𝕪 𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤. 𝔸𝕟𝕕 𝕚𝕗 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕝𝕠𝕠𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕒 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕙𝕒𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕖 ℍ𝕒𝕨𝕒𝕚𝕚𝕒𝕟 𝕄𝕠𝕒𝕟𝕒 𝕧𝕚𝕓𝕖𝕤 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕒 𝕕𝕖𝕖𝕡𝕖𝕣 𝕛𝕠𝕦𝕣𝕟𝕖𝕪 𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕠 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕞𝕠𝕟𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕨𝕠𝕣𝕝𝕕, 𝕓𝕦𝕥 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕒 𝕤𝕚𝕞𝕚𝕝𝕒𝕣 𝕠𝕦𝕥𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕖 𝕒𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕞𝕠𝕧𝕚𝕖, 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕤𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕪 𝕚𝕤 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕪𝕠𝕦. ℍ𝕠𝕨𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣, 𝕀 𝕡𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕠𝕟𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝕕𝕚𝕕 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕧𝕚𝕓𝕖 𝕒𝕤 𝕞𝕦𝕔𝕙 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕡𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕠𝕟𝕒𝕝𝕚𝕥𝕪 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕪 𝕘𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕄𝕠𝕒𝕟𝕒 𝕒𝕤 𝕀 𝕨𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖𝕕. 𝕀𝕥 𝕤𝕠𝕣𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕗𝕖𝕝𝕥 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖 𝕤𝕙𝕖 𝕨𝕒𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕒𝕞𝕖 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕘𝕟𝕒𝕟𝕥, 𝕔𝕝𝕦𝕖𝕝𝕖𝕤𝕤, 𝕘𝕦𝕝𝕝𝕚𝕓𝕝𝕖, 𝕥𝕣𝕦𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕡𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕠𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕨𝕙𝕠𝕝𝕖 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝, 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕟𝕠 𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕘𝕣𝕠𝕨𝕥𝕙/𝕕𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕝𝕠𝕡𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕦𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕝 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕖𝕟𝕕. 𝕋𝕙𝕦𝕤, 𝕀 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕪 𝕓𝕦𝕥 𝕕𝕚𝕕 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕝𝕠𝕧𝕖 𝕚𝕥. 𝕀 𝕨𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕤𝕒𝕪 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕒𝕕𝕕𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕒𝕦𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕣 𝕡𝕦𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕗𝕒𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣'𝕤 𝕓𝕖𝕤𝕥 𝕗𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕕 𝕨𝕒𝕤 𝕒 𝕙𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕥-𝕨𝕒𝕣𝕞𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕠𝕟𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕. ℕ𝕠𝕨, 𝕛𝕦𝕤𝕥 𝕓𝕖𝕔𝕒𝕦𝕤𝕖 𝕚𝕥 𝕨𝕒𝕤 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕓𝕖𝕤𝕥 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕞𝕖 𝕕𝕠𝕖𝕤 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕞𝕖𝕒𝕟 𝕚𝕥 𝕨𝕠𝕟’𝕥 𝕓𝕖 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕪𝕠𝕦. 𝕊𝕠 𝕞𝕒𝕜𝕖 𝕤𝕦𝕣𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕘𝕚𝕧𝕖 𝕚𝕥 𝕒 𝕥𝕣𝕪 𝕒𝕝𝕠𝕟𝕘 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕠𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕥𝕨𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕥𝕒𝕝𝕖𝕤 𝕔𝕠𝕝𝕝𝕖𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟.

[Cindya · Rating 5 out of 5]

“‘Maybe’ is a whole lot better than this.”

The amount of negative reviews this book has baffles me. It hardly feels like a Twisted Tale at all - in the best way. If you were to change the name of the Disney characters to other ones, this would feel like its own original story. And a very mature one at that. I did not expect this books to deal with themes like life and courage and self worth the way it does. Keala Kendall's writing is not only good but also exceptionally immersive - her undeniable pride for her native culture oozes from every page of this book. Reading it truly felt like seeing through Moana's eyes, experiencing her own heritage like she would. And the new characters felt just as compelling, especially Noelani - with Kala being a close second. I strongly disagree with the complaint many reviewers seem to have that the titular character questions her worth way too much during this journey - although she did that aplenty in the original movie, seeing it even further here added extra depth and continuity to the character. I especially liked Moana coming to consider being a chosen one like a curse rather than a blessing, which is something more fictional characters should start doing if you ask me.
If I were to make a complaint about this book it'd be for Maui to have a bigger role in it. I'd love to see how Keala could further explore his character through her writing. Also, it would have been nice to witness Moana's return to Motunui. But it's minor things, really. I'll be looking forward to any new book this author writes from now on.

[Josh Epp · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars!

Okay, so don’t hate me but this was my least favorite twisted tale thus far. I love Moana. Her story, the journey, the sadness and the vigor to succeed and uplift her people is a beautiful thing. This book tried way too hard and had a lot of clunkiness around it. I understand these books are YA and they read that way sometimes BUT there are some that are well paced and have a great story. Sadly, this author tried to deliver so much information and feelings into the work that it was all over the place and was lacking Moana’s development. It felt like incomplete thoughts being crammed together within a 9 hour audio that went no where and then everywhere by the end.

The narrator was one of the worst I’ve ever listened too. I didn’t enjoy the delivery at all. I did switch to immersive reading and that made it worse. This could just be a me thing.

This edition to the twisted tales was paced poorly and the dialogue between characters was really cringey. I found myself eye rolling and just stoping the audio and re reading the conversations with my eyes. It was very inorganic and felt forced. Moana’s inner dialogue wouldn’t sound the way it did by what the reader may know about her from the movies.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Moana and the story. I think the idea and concept were there but the execution really left me wanting more and disappointed in the work. This one I would consider skipping but if you are of the younger audience, this does really integrate cultural moments and concepts that are really lovely.

[Horizon Littéraire · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ As a big fan of Moana and the Disney universe, I couldn’t resist diving into How Far I’ll Go by Keala Kendall (Twisted Tale). 🌊 And let me tell you—I absolutely loved revisiting this familiar world with such a completely fresh twist.

Right from the first pages, I was struck by the darker tone: Moana fails to save Te Fiti, Maui is frozen, and the island is left in danger. This narrative choice instantly sets a more dramatic mood and kept me hooked. The introduction of Noe, a mysterious survivor, was one of my favorite parts: their unlikely duo works perfectly, mixing strong bonds with little clashes that make the reading experience even more engaging.

The Monster Realm is described so vividly that I felt like I was right there. It carries Disney’s rich visual essence, but magnified through the novel’s imagination. The trials they face are not only mythological and physical but also deeply personal. I loved seeing Moana doubt herself, stumble, then rise again with even greater strength.

In the end, this book made me travel, dream, and reflect on what it truly means to “restore balance.” A wonderful success that will captivate younger readers (ages 9–15) as well as adults who, like me, enjoy rediscovering Disney heroes through a new lens. 💙🌺

—Sandrine 🌻

💞 Tropes & Tensions
🎭 What if / Twisted Reality
👑 Mythological Quest
🐚 Unlikely Allies
🌊 Save the World Arc
👹 Monster Realm Adventure
🌺 Identity & Heritage

[Ariel K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Children’s Books and Keala Kendall for allowing me to review the ARC/DRC of How Far I’ll Go.

For readers that are familiar with the Twisted Tale Disney series, this book/author writes an alternative version of Moana; except in this tale when Moana and Maui go to fight TeKā, they fail and the heart of Te Fiti is broken and Maui is turned to stone. Moana’s ‘gramma’ comes to her rescue at sea once more and helps her discover that she’s been cursed and she must continue on her voyage to find a way to break the curse and save her people, who have also been frozen as stone!

I enjoyed the new wayfarer Moana meets up with and their voyage into the Realm of Monsters that they must travel through to find the Tears of are Fiti.

I really love and appreciate the Twisted Tale series publishers continue to find culturally connected authors like Keala who are able to show their ability to extend creatively on the original Disney story, while also being culturally relevant.

I have a lot of readers in my classroom who enjoy these series and I know How Far I’ll Go will be the next book they all love to read and share!

I’d rate this book a 4.5 and recommend it to any young preteen-teen who loves any of the previous Twisted Tales.

[Courtney Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a new and deeper exploration into Moana’s character! I really enjoyed the cultural exploration in this book and the depth it played in Moana’s journey. I think she may have even found a deeper meaning within herself than we saw in the movie.

Noe’s character was full circle. If you pay attention to all the little clues, you can figure out the twist of her character before it’s ever revealed to you. I wasn’t completely sold on her character, but her final acts of the book redeemed her in my eyes.

We also got the character of Afā. I really wish his character could’ve been explored more, especially his interactions with Moana. They taught each other great lessons in their limited time, so I can only imagine what would happen if Afā would continue to see Moana.

This book gave a whole new perspective to the Te Fiti and Te Kā dynamic as well. I enjoyed exploring that relationship with Moana.

If you’re a Maui fan, he’s only in the book for a few pages. Moana thinks of him throughout the book, but he definitely takes a backseat in this book.

[Sydney Wilt · Rating 5 out of 5]

How Far I’ll Go: A Twisted Tale by Keala Kendall reimagines Moana’s story with a darker twist, What if she failed to restore the heart of Te Fiti? The result is an emotionally charged and vividly written adventure that explores guilt, redemption, and courage in the face of failure. Moana’s journey through the monster-filled realm of Lalotai is rich in mythological depth and beautifully reflective of Polynesian culture, while the story’s higher stakes and introspective tone make it both thrilling and heartfelt. Though heavier and more serious than the original Moana, Kendall’s version offers a fresh, powerful take that will captivate readers who enjoy darker fantasy and complex character growth. Highly recommended for fans of Disney’s Twisted Tales series and readers who love imaginative, emotionally resonant retellings.

[Maura Proser · Rating 2 out of 5]

I could have enjoyed this book so much more, and I wanted to, but it was bad. Not engaging from the very beginning. I didn’t even care when my time was up at the library and I had to return it and wait to get it back. I almost didn’t finish.
I didn’t like that it started at the end. To me, that’s not a retelling, it’s just a different ending. It basically was a sequel, not a retelling. And it just kept going - way longer than it needed to be. Felt like scenes and conversations were added just for the sake of adding them and making it longer. Moana was pretty annoying and did not seem to be the same Moana who had made it to a battle with Te Ka. The writing wasn’t so great either.
Overall I was super disappointed. This is the third of these twisted tales I’ve read and the first two were phenomenal so maybe I just had too high expectations.

[Kelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, I think this was a great twist on Moana and fit well into the feel of the original movie. It was probably a little longer and more convoluted than it needed to be but it never got boring. At first I thought this author was going to drive me crazy, in the first 50 pages she used the term “chicken skin” for goosebumps about 10 times! But it got a lot better and I got really into the story. I liked how Moana ran into multiple people who were able to help her, both on her quest and with her confidence in herself. It was kind of a bummer to not have Maui in it but the new characters were fun and interesting.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are a fan of What Ifs or Twisted Tales, you need to get this book immediately! Keala Kendall takes on the story of Moana if she had been the one to break the heart of Te Fiti. She struggles to right the wrongs that are destroying her island. After meeting up with Noe, she starts on the path to find the tears that could restore the heart. But things are never as they seem and Moana faces a journey she didn’t expect. I cannot wait to add this beautiful story to my classroom collection. My students are going to love it!

[my library · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book. This is one of my favorite Disney movies an I love how true to the story of the move they stayed flashing back to scenes that were in the film. They dint mention the chicken till the end unless I can’t recall him being mentioned in the beginning of the story. They said chicken skin a lot referring to goosebumps. Not sure why but that word stuck out to me and was mentioned a lot in my opinion. I thought the little plot twist was great and was almost able to visualize Moana going on this journey herself.

[Gretchen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher for this free eARC! All opinions are my own.

This book explores what would have happened if Moana and Maui failed to return the heart of Te Fiti and it was destroyed instead. Maui is turned to stone, and Moana is cursed by Te Ka. Her grandmother guides her to another lost girl who failed to save her island from the spreading blight. Together, Moana and Noe traverse the realm of monsters to find Te Fiti's tears to restore the heart. #NetGalley #HowFarIllGo

[Katelyn Peel · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who adores this series from a Disney adult point of view: Moana did NOT disappoint. I really love that it took place for Moana and not Moana 2. The heart of Te Fiti is so special so to see what could have been was so interesting. Never once was I annoyed by the way the book went, Noe kept me on my toes the whole damn time! And meeting Dad’s best friend was so meaningful if you know anything about the storyline between the Chief and the water. This book was so beautifully written!

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded up.

This was a quick, easy read that I finished in only a couple of sittings. However, Moana felt somewhat out of character and Maui was barely in the story. Moana came off as very naive at points but the story was overall cute. I’ve read most of the Twisted Tales at this point and this one falls somewhere in he middle — definitely not the best one but also not the worst.

[Elle V · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love these little Twisted Tales as quick reads and palette cleansers.

Moana is one of my favorites, so joining her on a darker adventure through the ocean and the monster realms was so much fun.
We got more on the Hawaiian myths and legends which I loved.
There were also some really beautiful takeaways about honoring your light and dark side, but not letting grief and rage consume you when you're in emotional pain.

Enjoyable quick read, loved this dark spin on Moana.

[Amber (Orcabelle) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an incredible story of self discovery, acceptance, overcoming shame and guilt, and honoring our past and future all in one. I adore Moana's selflessness and compassion extending through the book and how it is a lesson of honoring the parts of ourselves we don't always admire. Accepting we are both good and bad, but we can focus on the good more so than the bad.

Beautifully told story, beautiful lessons, heartfelt & emotional.

[FANNI · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Okay Liz, you took Moana and gave her a darker, moodier glow-up loved that for her. The vibes? Immaculate. The twists? Deliciously messy. But ma’am… you dragged that canoe ride just a little too far. I was paddling in circles waiting for the big waves. Still, the girl power and ocean drama had me hooked. Four stars, because I’d totally sail again, just with a stronger tailwind.

[Dorothy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to love this, but I should have dnf'd it. There was no getting past the number of times they said Moana had chicken skin for me. I'm not sure why it bothered me so much, but it was completely distracting, and after being mentioned constantly in the first few chapters, I couldn't get back to enjoying the book.