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Night Shine #2
Moon Dark Smile
The fate of an Empire lies with a headstrong Heir and a restless demon in this lush YA fantasy for fans of Laini Taylor and Girl, Serpent, Thorn.
Ever since she was a girl, Raliel Dark-Smile’s best friend has been the great demon that lives in the palace. As the daughter of the Emperor, Raliel appears cold and distant to those around her, but what no one understands is that she and the great demon, Moon, have a close and unbreakable bond and are together at all times. Moon is bound to the Emperor and his two consorts, Raliel’s parents, and when Raliel comes of age, she will be bound to Moon as well, constrained to live in the Palace for the rest of her days.
Raliel is desperate to see the Empire Between Five Mountains, and she feels a deep kinship with Moon, who longs to break free of its bonds. When the time finally arrives for Raliel’s coming of age journey, she discovers a dangerous way to take Moon with her, even as she hides this truth from her travel companion, the beautiful, demon-kissed bodyguard Osian Redpop. But Osian is hiding secrets of his own, and when a plot surfaces that threatens the Empire, Raliel will have to decide who she can trust and what she’ll sacrifice for the power to protect all that she loves.
Ever since she was a girl, Raliel Dark-Smile’s best friend has been the great demon that lives in the palace. As the daughter of the Emperor, Raliel appears cold and distant to those around her, but what no one understands is that she and the great demon, Moon, have a close and unbreakable bond and are together at all times. Moon is bound to the Emperor and his two consorts, Raliel’s parents, and when Raliel comes of age, she will be bound to Moon as well, constrained to live in the Palace for the rest of her days.
Raliel is desperate to see the Empire Between Five Mountains, and she feels a deep kinship with Moon, who longs to break free of its bonds. When the time finally arrives for Raliel’s coming of age journey, she discovers a dangerous way to take Moon with her, even as she hides this truth from her travel companion, the beautiful, demon-kissed bodyguard Osian Redpop. But Osian is hiding secrets of his own, and when a plot surfaces that threatens the Empire, Raliel will have to decide who she can trust and what she’ll sacrifice for the power to protect all that she loves.
432 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 30, 2022
13 people are currently reading
929 people want to read
About the author
Tessa Gratton
81 books1,965 followersTessa Gratton is the author of adult and YA SFF novels and short stories that have been translated into twenty-two languages, nominated twice for the Otherwise Award, and several have been Junior Library Guild Selections. Her most recent novels are the dark queer fairy tales Strange Grace and Night Shine, and queer the Shakespeare retelling Lady Hotspur. Her upcoming work includes the YA fantasy Chaos and Flame (2023), and novels of Star Wars: The High Republic. Though she has lived all over the world, she currently resides at the edge of the Kansas prairie with her wife. Queer, nonbinary, she/any.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
November 29, 2022
➽ 1.) Night Shine ★★★★★
i have loved everything tessa has ever written, but sadly the possession in this one just did not work for me at all... i thought it was going to go in another direction, and it didn't and... ahhh, i dont know but i just was not vibing with it... even if i loved every other aspect of this story.
tw/cw: parental abuse, animal death (bird), misgendering (always in a negative light), possession + unwilling possession, blood depiction, getting blood for a spell/magic, drowning depiction, assault, loss of a loved one.
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November 27, 2020I genuinely thought Night Shine was a standalone...
September 11, 2024
A generation after the events of Night Shine, Kirin Dark-Smile, the Emperor With the Moon in His Mouth, has married his demon-kissed bodyguard The Day the Sky Opened--or just Sky--and Elegant Waters. We now follow his daughter Princess Ralieil. From a young age, Raliel bonds with Moon Caught in the Tide, the great demon whose house is the palace of the imperial family. However, both Raliel and Moon want something more. They want to see the rest of the Empire Between Five Mountains, to learn more about aether and magic. But most of all, they both want Moon freed from the confines of the palace, for an empire cannot rule based on the subjugation of one.
However, what happened in Night Shine is still remembered by many. Syra Bear Mistress, wife the sorcerer of the Fourth Mountain who was slain by Shadows Between Hearts--formerly The Sorceress Who Eats Girls--wants vengeance. So she disguises her trans son Osian Redpop as a demon-kissed warrior and sends him off to the palace. But Syra is not the only one who has her nefarious eyes on Raliel, Moon, and the imperial family.
Moon Dark Smile isn't perfect, it's got some flaws that make it a bit weaker than its predecessor, but overall it's an excellent sequel and good closing out of this little duology. I am sadden that there are only two books in this series; as I said in my review of Night Shine this series is like Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea Cycle, but imagine if it was written by Tanith Lee instead. It's such a unique queer YA fantasy, written with such beautiful prose and care with a different look at magic and a refreshing take on the true names trope. Speaking of Le Guin and Lee, this book is interestingly reminiscent of both The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas and The Birthgrave. No idea if Tessa Gratton actually took influence from either one of those, but they just seemed similar to me. YA fantasy often has a lot of lukewarm titles in its fields these days, so this duology was just such a treat for me to read. I hope this series gets more attention.
Whereas Night Shine dealt with demons and spirits in this world, Moon Dark Smile puts the focus on an actual human character, and other human characters, and her place in the world. It also gives focus to sorcery, which is the magic system (it's a very loose magic system, and I'm fine with that) that has both the most power and change. In the previous book, sorcery was emphasized because it was within the liminality, the place between two or more states and beyond them. The place of change. Raliel is the Heir to the Moon and is expected to follow in Kirin's footsteps. Kirin has made some changes to the empire since his ascension. For one: he let Raliel choose her own name when she became of age; and two, he, being genderfluid, is less strict about gender which Osian comforts in--more on that later. However, things are not all peachy-king. This is a an empire, remember. The imperial family still derives its power and status from Moon, the great demon of the palace, who is actually quite mad that Night Shine left it for Shadows Between Hearts and is jealous of her for becoming her own person without needing a house. As Raliel grows closer to Moon and learns about the fragments of its past, she learns that it wants freedom.
And she agrees.
This is where I see "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas" connection. Moon, although an ever-shifting and occasionally incorporeal being, is very similar to the child in that story, albeit its suffering is not as apparent or visible as the child's. Nevertheless, the entire empire's stability, or at least the imperial family's, rest on Moon's place within the palace. Spirits, demons, great spirits, and great demons have wants and desires as well (reminder that the spirits and demons here are not like those traditionally seen in Western cultures) and it doesn't sit well with Raliel that Moon should be denied its freedom. This puts her in an interesting contrast to her father who, in the previous book, was struggling with his own freedoms but definitely had a habit of keeping who and what he wanted metaphorically leashed to him. Kirin has only changed somewhat since his ascension. Thus, Raliel devises a secret way to sneak Moon out with her on her Heir's Journey, along with Osian as her bodyguard.
This was the most interesting part of the book for me, Moon residing in Raliel's body and the working and using of aether within her. The descriptions of Raliel feeling Moon in her body are both detailed and beautiful, and in some moments sensuous. She feels every trill against her bones, skin, arms, neck, and organs. Sometimes Moon is curious, sometimes playful, and sometimes intimate. In at least one moment, Moon actually overtakes Raliel and pilots her body and feels everything that she feels and everything it's wanted to feel. It so weird and beautiful all at once! This book got comped with Venom and I can definitely see why now. In the previous book, Night Shine struggled to understand what and who she was ontologically, discovering that her body was the liminality as a great demon. In Moon Dark Smile, Raliel, as a human, experiences the in-between within her body and learns to make her body create change and the in-between both with her body itself and through the aether to the rest of the world. It's quite an interesting theme to explore at different angles.
However, Moon inhabiting Raliel's body and her being able to hear its thoughts and interact and feel with it also reminds me of Lee's The Birthgrave. In that book, the amnesiac main character is guided by an androgynous voice called Karrakaz which, spoilers, is revealed to be her own mind, herself. Again, not saying Gratton drew directly from that book or "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas," I have no evidence that she did or didn't, but if you've read them both before reading this book, you can see the similarities. Anyway, this long period of Moon being in Raliel's body is when Raliel is the safest and feels the most comforted. Throughout the book, Raliel presents a cold and stoic fron to those around her, even to her parents who she loves the most. She does this to keep to her regal duties and destiny, but also to not lose herself in anything unnecessary. We see different ways, taught to her by her mother Elegant Waters, in which she keeps this façade up and restrain her emotions. Biting her lip slighting, clenching her fists out of sight, etc. However, when Moon starts residing in her body, she begins to let go of these restraints because she feels so close to Moon. She even loves it, quite deeply even! However, it is also another example of Gratton subtly showing us the in-between and liminality. When Moon is within Raliel, she is both human and great demon. Not quite a witch, not yet quite a sorceress, not quite a dawn priest, nor not quite the Heir to the Moon. Raliel is at peace in the in-between.
Raliel's character is an interesting one, and she's a better example of a female YA protagonist who acts cold on the outside, but more sensitive on the inside. Another thing I enjoyed is that despite her privileged upbringing, the many talents and feats she could do, and her special relationship with Moon, there was never this hint of "I'm not like the other girls" with her. She's a sensitive girl who tries to amend what her father couldn't and try to make what's best for everyone, even though she learns in some moments that it isn't always possible. Her arc from a hopeful but naïve girl to a more learned and conscious young woman was a fascinating one. I wish there were more YA protagonists like her and Tarisai from Raybearer. She has hopes and dreams that she wants to obtain, but learns that she cannot get all of them. And those that she does are often obtained through difficult means, including those she cares for her, and herself, getting gravely hurt. She learns, as she does when she finally confronts Osian's mother and the twin sorcerers who wish to take Moon for themselves, that not everyone seeks a balance or truce. And the results of these harsher lessons, some much bigger than the others, doesn't bring harsh revelations to only Raliel herself. Sometimes those revelations are for us the readers and the rest of the empire.
Speaking of the other characters, this is where some of my criticisms come in. Raliel and Moon are the most fleshed-out characters in the book. The book mostly follows Raliel's perspective, but Moon's is there occasionally followed by Osian's two chapters and characters from the previous books. It was great to see characters from Night Shine get involved with the machinations of the plot without them overtaking said plot. That being said, the efforts of Night Shine and Raliel's parents to try and magically bring Moon back to the palace was only shown once. It felt like they just did it once and gave up despite what we were being told. Additionally, it's a bit unfortunate that we only get Osian's perspective twice. The book opens with his childhood and his mother preparing him to infiltrate the palace and to eventually avenge his father, but we don't see him again until just before Raliel leaves for her journey and his last perspective isn't until toward the middle end of the book when Moon, Raliel, and him fight a great demon from the sea. This weakens the book some because Osian reveals that he was hesitant to assassinate Raliel and her family because the acceptance he felt as a trans boy within Kirin's court and army. Gratton should've shown us this rather than just telling us that it happened off page. That being said, I found it interesting that Osian and Raliel did not end up a couple, though there is some sort of affection between them. Raliel truly did love Moon, even when it took Osian's darker and changed form.
I will say that the pacing in this book is about the same as the previous book. It did drag in some places, but overall I wasn't bothered because, again, the prose and learning about this mystical, strange world. Gratton does reexplain certain things in regards to the magic system and world-building, but doesn't do it with heavy info-dumping. If you haven't read Night Shine, I still think you can read Moon Dark Smile just fine, but it will be a richer experience if you've read the first book. Other than the different angle of which liminality and sorcery are explored here, the major difference between the two books is that Moon Dark Smile is about change on a more political level. There isn't a massive empire-wide reform or anything like that after the events of the book, but, again going back to the "Omelas" influence, Night Shine in the previous book had learned that she specifically was change itself to bring herself identity and happiness and love, but Raliel in this book has to make the change happen to not only liberate herself and feel true to herself, but to lift the shackles that was placed on one being who truly never given any benefit.
There is a brief chapter where we see Moon's birth as a great demon. We don't see what great spirit it once was, but it's irrelevant nonetheless. We see Raliel's ancestors bargain with the demon, and at first it seems like a just and fair trade to prevent all aether and life from being drained away. But once you really think about it, the whole deal seemed one sided. As we've seen in these books, not all demons or great demons are necessarily evil, they just drain a lot of aether because they don't have a constant source. Even Moon in its "infancy" was not truly evil, just wild, hurt, and unable to comprehend what to do. Imprisoning something that was just (re)born that still can't quite comprehend what it is might stall the effects of its aether-draining, but as we saw between Night Shine and Shadows Between Hearts it's not the right way. Again, Moon Dark Smile doesn't go to the lengths and events that the aforementioned Raybearer did, and empires are always formed through unjust ways, to put it very lightly, but it will give readers food for though.
The novel ends with Raliel embracing a path. I won't spoil what that path is, but it's one where she can be in-between and be with herself. Nonetheless, hope still blooms on the horizon.
This was a great final read of 2023. I really do hope that someday, maybe, Gratton can write more in this series.
However, what happened in Night Shine is still remembered by many. Syra Bear Mistress, wife the sorcerer of the Fourth Mountain who was slain by Shadows Between Hearts--formerly The Sorceress Who Eats Girls--wants vengeance. So she disguises her trans son Osian Redpop as a demon-kissed warrior and sends him off to the palace. But Syra is not the only one who has her nefarious eyes on Raliel, Moon, and the imperial family.
Moon Dark Smile isn't perfect, it's got some flaws that make it a bit weaker than its predecessor, but overall it's an excellent sequel and good closing out of this little duology. I am sadden that there are only two books in this series; as I said in my review of Night Shine this series is like Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea Cycle, but imagine if it was written by Tanith Lee instead. It's such a unique queer YA fantasy, written with such beautiful prose and care with a different look at magic and a refreshing take on the true names trope. Speaking of Le Guin and Lee, this book is interestingly reminiscent of both The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas and The Birthgrave. No idea if Tessa Gratton actually took influence from either one of those, but they just seemed similar to me. YA fantasy often has a lot of lukewarm titles in its fields these days, so this duology was just such a treat for me to read. I hope this series gets more attention.
Whereas Night Shine dealt with demons and spirits in this world, Moon Dark Smile puts the focus on an actual human character, and other human characters, and her place in the world. It also gives focus to sorcery, which is the magic system (it's a very loose magic system, and I'm fine with that) that has both the most power and change. In the previous book, sorcery was emphasized because it was within the liminality, the place between two or more states and beyond them. The place of change. Raliel is the Heir to the Moon and is expected to follow in Kirin's footsteps. Kirin has made some changes to the empire since his ascension. For one: he let Raliel choose her own name when she became of age; and two, he, being genderfluid, is less strict about gender which Osian comforts in--more on that later. However, things are not all peachy-king. This is a an empire, remember. The imperial family still derives its power and status from Moon, the great demon of the palace, who is actually quite mad that Night Shine left it for Shadows Between Hearts and is jealous of her for becoming her own person without needing a house. As Raliel grows closer to Moon and learns about the fragments of its past, she learns that it wants freedom.
And she agrees.
This is where I see "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas" connection. Moon, although an ever-shifting and occasionally incorporeal being, is very similar to the child in that story, albeit its suffering is not as apparent or visible as the child's. Nevertheless, the entire empire's stability, or at least the imperial family's, rest on Moon's place within the palace. Spirits, demons, great spirits, and great demons have wants and desires as well (reminder that the spirits and demons here are not like those traditionally seen in Western cultures) and it doesn't sit well with Raliel that Moon should be denied its freedom. This puts her in an interesting contrast to her father who, in the previous book, was struggling with his own freedoms but definitely had a habit of keeping who and what he wanted metaphorically leashed to him. Kirin has only changed somewhat since his ascension. Thus, Raliel devises a secret way to sneak Moon out with her on her Heir's Journey, along with Osian as her bodyguard.
This was the most interesting part of the book for me, Moon residing in Raliel's body and the working and using of aether within her. The descriptions of Raliel feeling Moon in her body are both detailed and beautiful, and in some moments sensuous. She feels every trill against her bones, skin, arms, neck, and organs. Sometimes Moon is curious, sometimes playful, and sometimes intimate. In at least one moment, Moon actually overtakes Raliel and pilots her body and feels everything that she feels and everything it's wanted to feel. It so weird and beautiful all at once! This book got comped with Venom and I can definitely see why now. In the previous book, Night Shine struggled to understand what and who she was ontologically, discovering that her body was the liminality as a great demon. In Moon Dark Smile, Raliel, as a human, experiences the in-between within her body and learns to make her body create change and the in-between both with her body itself and through the aether to the rest of the world. It's quite an interesting theme to explore at different angles.
However, Moon inhabiting Raliel's body and her being able to hear its thoughts and interact and feel with it also reminds me of Lee's The Birthgrave. In that book, the amnesiac main character is guided by an androgynous voice called Karrakaz which, spoilers, is revealed to be her own mind, herself. Again, not saying Gratton drew directly from that book or "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas," I have no evidence that she did or didn't, but if you've read them both before reading this book, you can see the similarities. Anyway, this long period of Moon being in Raliel's body is when Raliel is the safest and feels the most comforted. Throughout the book, Raliel presents a cold and stoic fron to those around her, even to her parents who she loves the most. She does this to keep to her regal duties and destiny, but also to not lose herself in anything unnecessary. We see different ways, taught to her by her mother Elegant Waters, in which she keeps this façade up and restrain her emotions. Biting her lip slighting, clenching her fists out of sight, etc. However, when Moon starts residing in her body, she begins to let go of these restraints because she feels so close to Moon. She even loves it, quite deeply even! However, it is also another example of Gratton subtly showing us the in-between and liminality. When Moon is within Raliel, she is both human and great demon. Not quite a witch, not yet quite a sorceress, not quite a dawn priest, nor not quite the Heir to the Moon. Raliel is at peace in the in-between.
Raliel's character is an interesting one, and she's a better example of a female YA protagonist who acts cold on the outside, but more sensitive on the inside. Another thing I enjoyed is that despite her privileged upbringing, the many talents and feats she could do, and her special relationship with Moon, there was never this hint of "I'm not like the other girls" with her. She's a sensitive girl who tries to amend what her father couldn't and try to make what's best for everyone, even though she learns in some moments that it isn't always possible. Her arc from a hopeful but naïve girl to a more learned and conscious young woman was a fascinating one. I wish there were more YA protagonists like her and Tarisai from Raybearer. She has hopes and dreams that she wants to obtain, but learns that she cannot get all of them. And those that she does are often obtained through difficult means, including those she cares for her, and herself, getting gravely hurt. She learns, as she does when she finally confronts Osian's mother and the twin sorcerers who wish to take Moon for themselves, that not everyone seeks a balance or truce. And the results of these harsher lessons, some much bigger than the others, doesn't bring harsh revelations to only Raliel herself. Sometimes those revelations are for us the readers and the rest of the empire.
Speaking of the other characters, this is where some of my criticisms come in. Raliel and Moon are the most fleshed-out characters in the book. The book mostly follows Raliel's perspective, but Moon's is there occasionally followed by Osian's two chapters and characters from the previous books. It was great to see characters from Night Shine get involved with the machinations of the plot without them overtaking said plot. That being said, the efforts of Night Shine and Raliel's parents to try and magically bring Moon back to the palace was only shown once. It felt like they just did it once and gave up despite what we were being told. Additionally, it's a bit unfortunate that we only get Osian's perspective twice. The book opens with his childhood and his mother preparing him to infiltrate the palace and to eventually avenge his father, but we don't see him again until just before Raliel leaves for her journey and his last perspective isn't until toward the middle end of the book when Moon, Raliel, and him fight a great demon from the sea. This weakens the book some because Osian reveals that he was hesitant to assassinate Raliel and her family because the acceptance he felt as a trans boy within Kirin's court and army. Gratton should've shown us this rather than just telling us that it happened off page. That being said, I found it interesting that Osian and Raliel did not end up a couple, though there is some sort of affection between them. Raliel truly did love Moon, even when it took Osian's darker and changed form.
I will say that the pacing in this book is about the same as the previous book. It did drag in some places, but overall I wasn't bothered because, again, the prose and learning about this mystical, strange world. Gratton does reexplain certain things in regards to the magic system and world-building, but doesn't do it with heavy info-dumping. If you haven't read Night Shine, I still think you can read Moon Dark Smile just fine, but it will be a richer experience if you've read the first book. Other than the different angle of which liminality and sorcery are explored here, the major difference between the two books is that Moon Dark Smile is about change on a more political level. There isn't a massive empire-wide reform or anything like that after the events of the book, but, again going back to the "Omelas" influence, Night Shine in the previous book had learned that she specifically was change itself to bring herself identity and happiness and love, but Raliel in this book has to make the change happen to not only liberate herself and feel true to herself, but to lift the shackles that was placed on one being who truly never given any benefit.
There is a brief chapter where we see Moon's birth as a great demon. We don't see what great spirit it once was, but it's irrelevant nonetheless. We see Raliel's ancestors bargain with the demon, and at first it seems like a just and fair trade to prevent all aether and life from being drained away. But once you really think about it, the whole deal seemed one sided. As we've seen in these books, not all demons or great demons are necessarily evil, they just drain a lot of aether because they don't have a constant source. Even Moon in its "infancy" was not truly evil, just wild, hurt, and unable to comprehend what to do. Imprisoning something that was just (re)born that still can't quite comprehend what it is might stall the effects of its aether-draining, but as we saw between Night Shine and Shadows Between Hearts it's not the right way. Again, Moon Dark Smile doesn't go to the lengths and events that the aforementioned Raybearer did, and empires are always formed through unjust ways, to put it very lightly, but it will give readers food for though.
The novel ends with Raliel embracing a path. I won't spoil what that path is, but it's one where she can be in-between and be with herself. Nonetheless, hope still blooms on the horizon.
This was a great final read of 2023. I really do hope that someday, maybe, Gratton can write more in this series.
September 11, 2024
There is something that just works for me with Tessa Gratton's YA fantasy that they write on their own. The end of this book hit me like a gut punch, but in a good way. To know what I mean by that, just think of the movie The Last Unicorn and you will kind of get the vibe.
Up until the end, it was a dark yet playful book (imo). Raliel, child of Kirin Dark-Smile, is the princess of the empire who is accomplished at everything she attempts, but somewhat empty inside and has the palace demon, Moon, as her only friend. Moon expresses an interest to not be bound to the palace, to explore, and since Raliel has a bit of that feeling herself, plus a sense of the injustice to keep the demon where it doesn't want to be, she agrees to help. Into this mix gets thrown Osian, who's ostensibly there to protect Raliel, but actually was meant to be a tool of revenge and harm Raliel, even though it goes against his core personality. (This is introduced right at the start of the book so it's not a spoiler. Also that Osian is trans.)
Although this is the second book in a duology, it can be read as a standalone. I would only recommend that if you're the type of person who prefers a bit of darkness and melancholy in their coming of age tales, otherwise please read the first, Night Shine. It is much more exuberant in tone, yet brilliant in its own way, and reading it will provide an important basis for secondary characters in MOON DARK SMILE.
Raliel's journey is far more intense. It really begs the question, "how far will you go for something you said you'd do?" and "how far would you go if you're not entirely sure you can trust the person with you on the journey?" Literally true for both Moon and Osian.
It is pretty darn sexy for a book with really only one kiss in it. Again, Gratton brings a trio into the mix, and the dynamics are SO different than any of the other triads they've ever written. Just to give a little taste, Moon sometimes takes on the physical appearance of Osian. And sometimes Moon inhabits Osian's body.
The journey the three have is weird and wonderful and full of drama, and there's also some tension between Raliel and her parents, of course. Gratton attempts to shove a lot into this story! Like NIGHT SHINE, I sometimes got the sense that pieces were missing or it could have been longer, but again, that might have been me wanting more story.
Because I am a super fan, and I get their newsletters, I know that Gratton struggled while writing this book, which happened during the beginning of the pandemic. And yet I don't see much evidence of that in the final book. I finally get why they wrote a whole newsletter about the color blue.
I freaking loved this book. And here again I find myself wondering WHY Tessa Gratton's YA fantasy books are not insano bestsellers. (See also their United States of Asgard series, starting with The Lost Sun.) I suppose they are kind of niche, but they just do it for me every time.
Up until the end, it was a dark yet playful book (imo). Raliel, child of Kirin Dark-Smile, is the princess of the empire who is accomplished at everything she attempts, but somewhat empty inside and has the palace demon, Moon, as her only friend. Moon expresses an interest to not be bound to the palace, to explore, and since Raliel has a bit of that feeling herself, plus a sense of the injustice to keep the demon where it doesn't want to be, she agrees to help. Into this mix gets thrown Osian, who's ostensibly there to protect Raliel, but actually was meant to be a tool of revenge and harm Raliel, even though it goes against his core personality. (This is introduced right at the start of the book so it's not a spoiler. Also that Osian is trans.)
Although this is the second book in a duology, it can be read as a standalone. I would only recommend that if you're the type of person who prefers a bit of darkness and melancholy in their coming of age tales, otherwise please read the first, Night Shine. It is much more exuberant in tone, yet brilliant in its own way, and reading it will provide an important basis for secondary characters in MOON DARK SMILE.
Raliel's journey is far more intense. It really begs the question, "how far will you go for something you said you'd do?" and "how far would you go if you're not entirely sure you can trust the person with you on the journey?" Literally true for both Moon and Osian.
It is pretty darn sexy for a book with really only one kiss in it. Again, Gratton brings a trio into the mix, and the dynamics are SO different than any of the other triads they've ever written. Just to give a little taste, Moon sometimes takes on the physical appearance of Osian. And sometimes Moon inhabits Osian's body.
The journey the three have is weird and wonderful and full of drama, and there's also some tension between Raliel and her parents, of course. Gratton attempts to shove a lot into this story! Like NIGHT SHINE, I sometimes got the sense that pieces were missing or it could have been longer, but again, that might have been me wanting more story.
Because I am a super fan, and I get their newsletters, I know that Gratton struggled while writing this book, which happened during the beginning of the pandemic. And yet I don't see much evidence of that in the final book. I finally get why they wrote a whole newsletter about the color blue.
I freaking loved this book. And here again I find myself wondering WHY Tessa Gratton's YA fantasy books are not insano bestsellers. (See also their United States of Asgard series, starting with The Lost Sun.) I suppose they are kind of niche, but they just do it for me every time.
June 18, 2023
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
I am now a Tessa Gratton fan possibly forever. This is probably my favourite fantasy read of 2023 so far. Although Moon Dark Smile is a sequel, I went into this without having read the first one and it was very accessible. Moon Dark Smile is very hard to talk about without spoilers, but all I can say is that I can't believe more word hasn't spread about this series.
The magic system is intricate and deftly woven, the world-building thoughtful, and it's my favourite kind of fantasy where gender and sexual diversity is the norm.
Our main character is Raliel Dark Smile, and her journey of loneliness, isolation and identity was so thoughtful, and so delicate. I could feel her pain radiating off the page, and the way this author built in all different types of love and relationships to counteract her darkness was achingly wonderful.
It's hard to talk about this too much more without spoiling it, so I'll just finish by saying that this book also has two of my favourite things of all time, which is demon possession - and a main throuple pairing.
I'm very, very excited now to go back and read the first one.
I am now a Tessa Gratton fan possibly forever. This is probably my favourite fantasy read of 2023 so far. Although Moon Dark Smile is a sequel, I went into this without having read the first one and it was very accessible. Moon Dark Smile is very hard to talk about without spoilers, but all I can say is that I can't believe more word hasn't spread about this series.
The magic system is intricate and deftly woven, the world-building thoughtful, and it's my favourite kind of fantasy where gender and sexual diversity is the norm.
Our main character is Raliel Dark Smile, and her journey of loneliness, isolation and identity was so thoughtful, and so delicate. I could feel her pain radiating off the page, and the way this author built in all different types of love and relationships to counteract her darkness was achingly wonderful.
It's hard to talk about this too much more without spoiling it, so I'll just finish by saying that this book also has two of my favourite things of all time, which is demon possession - and a main throuple pairing.
I'm very, very excited now to go back and read the first one.
April 21, 2024
This was such a great read and a great sequel, I loved the developments, and I had a great time reading it!
July 21, 2022
it’s like 7am and I just finished this and still have tears in my eyes but this book was so beautiful
December 11, 2024
*
Raliel is the daughter and only child of Emperor Kirin. She forms a special bond with her family's demon, Moon, the source of the royal family's power. Raliel becomes convinced that the creature should be free, although she risks all she loves to do so. She sets off on a journey while possessed by the demon, the two sharing a body, accompanied by Osian, a warrior who secretly wants Raliel dead.
Neither Raliel or Osian are particularly interesting, and Raliel especially seems not very bright. She risks everything- the health and safety of her family, and her own life, on an extremely dangerous venture, that she- neither a great scholar or sorcerer- just happened to think of. Of course, all of her magical attempts turn out fine. And even when Osian's true intentions are revealed, Raliel doesn't run off her traveling companion.
Moon, on the other hand, was interesting. A demon through and through, he never seems trustworthy, and I kept waiting for him to turn on Raliel
I really did not care for Night Shine (which did not need a sequel), but somehow this book was worse.
Personal history: Borrowed from library.
Night Shine:
1. Night Shine
Raliel is the daughter and only child of Emperor Kirin. She forms a special bond with her family's demon, Moon, the source of the royal family's power. Raliel becomes convinced that the creature should be free, although she risks all she loves to do so. She sets off on a journey while possessed by the demon, the two sharing a body, accompanied by Osian, a warrior who secretly wants Raliel dead.
Neither Raliel or Osian are particularly interesting, and Raliel especially seems not very bright. She risks everything- the health and safety of her family, and her own life, on an extremely dangerous venture, that she- neither a great scholar or sorcerer- just happened to think of. Of course, all of her magical attempts turn out fine. And even when Osian's true intentions are revealed, Raliel doesn't run off her traveling companion.
Moon, on the other hand, was interesting. A demon through and through, he never seems trustworthy, and I kept waiting for him to turn on Raliel
I really did not care for Night Shine (which did not need a sequel), but somehow this book was worse.
Personal history: Borrowed from library.
Night Shine:
1. Night Shine
June 8, 2022
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
August 27, 2022
HIGHLIGHTS
~let’s steal a demon
~nonbinary emperors are an inspiration
~unicorns always know
~never go swimming without your gills
~names are everything
Moon Dark Smile is the standalone sequel to Night Shine, aka one of my favourite books of 2020 (and of the last decade, for that matter). You don’t need to have read Night Shine to enjoy Gratton’s latest exquisite fantasy, but I strongly recommend you do – both because it gives you the backstory of and insight into many of Moon Dark Smile’s characters, and because it’s an objectively wonderful book.
But we’re not here to talk about Night Shine.
Raliel is the Heir to the Moon – daughter of the Emperor, one day to be Empress herself. Unlike her three parents, she isn’t able to take off the cool poise of her public self at the end of the day – it’s not a mask for her, but all she has. Which is maybe part of the reason her only real friendship is with Moon, the Great Demon of the palace. And that friendship is a big part (but not the only part) of why she steals Moon away to try and find out how to set it free from its binding to the royal family.
(Demons and spirits in Raliel’s world have nothing to do with good or evil, btw, or any kind of heaven or hell. A spirit is a being of aether – feel free to think of it as magic or energy – and demons are just spirits whose ‘house’ – their anchor to the material world – has been destroyed. A Great Spirit is one who is extremely powerful; a Great Demon is created when a Great Spirit’s house is destroyed. They have differing abilities, but superficially aren’t hugely different.
I say this so you understand that while Moon is extremely unhuman, it isn’t evil, and what Raliel does involves no Satanic bargains or whatever. Toss those kinds of preconceptions aside for this book.)
I went into Moon Dark Smile expecting to love it – it was one of my most anticipated books of the year! – and Gratton MORE than delivered. Between the elegantly shining prose, the expanded look at one of my favourite fictional realms, a plot whose twists and turns I completely failed to predict, and a trio of main characters who defied convention, I was swooning by the time I reached chapter three.
Superficially, the plot sounds fairly conventional; Raliel goes on a quest seeking a magical goal, even if it’s not an object. It is, in large part, a journeying story, both in the literal sense and in the personal growth sense – Raliel goes questing under the cover of the traditional Heir’s Journey, and one of her goals is to figure out who she is, find a sense of self, become more. She doesn’t really know who she is, and she wants to learn. We’ve seen this character arc before.
But it stands out from typical journeying plotlines in a few ways. The first is that Raliel (and Moon, and Raliel’s guard/companion Osian) do not have a set destination, or a specific quest object they’re looking for. Raliel and Moon genuinely do not know how to alter or end the binding between Moon and the imperial family, and they don’t have a single wise individual they can set out to talk to about it. This could have resulted in a very vague, lacking-direction kind of plot, but it didn’t; it felt very believable to me, and made Raliel and Moon even more sympathetic. It’s too easy to imagine being in their shoes and just having absolutely no idea where to even start, despite all their passion and determination to accomplish their goal.
The second thing is the emotional journey aspect, the development of the characters and the dynamics between them over the course of their travels. I adored all three of the main cast – Raliel, Moon, and Osian – but the way the relationships between them evolved? I didn’t see any of it coming. Things I expected or took for granted – because things always go That Way, especially in YA – didn’t happen at all, and I was completely blindsided (albeit delighted!) by other developments. I can’t emphasise enough how much I love to be surprised, how much I appreciate it when storytellers don’t take the expected, conventional approach or route – and I should have known better, because Gratton’s stories are always packed full of the best kind of surprises.
Read the rest at Every Book a Doorway!
~let’s steal a demon
~nonbinary emperors are an inspiration
~unicorns always know
~never go swimming without your gills
~names are everything
Moon Dark Smile is the standalone sequel to Night Shine, aka one of my favourite books of 2020 (and of the last decade, for that matter). You don’t need to have read Night Shine to enjoy Gratton’s latest exquisite fantasy, but I strongly recommend you do – both because it gives you the backstory of and insight into many of Moon Dark Smile’s characters, and because it’s an objectively wonderful book.
But we’re not here to talk about Night Shine.
Raliel is the Heir to the Moon – daughter of the Emperor, one day to be Empress herself. Unlike her three parents, she isn’t able to take off the cool poise of her public self at the end of the day – it’s not a mask for her, but all she has. Which is maybe part of the reason her only real friendship is with Moon, the Great Demon of the palace. And that friendship is a big part (but not the only part) of why she steals Moon away to try and find out how to set it free from its binding to the royal family.
(Demons and spirits in Raliel’s world have nothing to do with good or evil, btw, or any kind of heaven or hell. A spirit is a being of aether – feel free to think of it as magic or energy – and demons are just spirits whose ‘house’ – their anchor to the material world – has been destroyed. A Great Spirit is one who is extremely powerful; a Great Demon is created when a Great Spirit’s house is destroyed. They have differing abilities, but superficially aren’t hugely different.
I say this so you understand that while Moon is extremely unhuman, it isn’t evil, and what Raliel does involves no Satanic bargains or whatever. Toss those kinds of preconceptions aside for this book.)
I went into Moon Dark Smile expecting to love it – it was one of my most anticipated books of the year! – and Gratton MORE than delivered. Between the elegantly shining prose, the expanded look at one of my favourite fictional realms, a plot whose twists and turns I completely failed to predict, and a trio of main characters who defied convention, I was swooning by the time I reached chapter three.
Superficially, the plot sounds fairly conventional; Raliel goes on a quest seeking a magical goal, even if it’s not an object. It is, in large part, a journeying story, both in the literal sense and in the personal growth sense – Raliel goes questing under the cover of the traditional Heir’s Journey, and one of her goals is to figure out who she is, find a sense of self, become more. She doesn’t really know who she is, and she wants to learn. We’ve seen this character arc before.
But it stands out from typical journeying plotlines in a few ways. The first is that Raliel (and Moon, and Raliel’s guard/companion Osian) do not have a set destination, or a specific quest object they’re looking for. Raliel and Moon genuinely do not know how to alter or end the binding between Moon and the imperial family, and they don’t have a single wise individual they can set out to talk to about it. This could have resulted in a very vague, lacking-direction kind of plot, but it didn’t; it felt very believable to me, and made Raliel and Moon even more sympathetic. It’s too easy to imagine being in their shoes and just having absolutely no idea where to even start, despite all their passion and determination to accomplish their goal.
The second thing is the emotional journey aspect, the development of the characters and the dynamics between them over the course of their travels. I adored all three of the main cast – Raliel, Moon, and Osian – but the way the relationships between them evolved? I didn’t see any of it coming. Things I expected or took for granted – because things always go That Way, especially in YA – didn’t happen at all, and I was completely blindsided (albeit delighted!) by other developments. I can’t emphasise enough how much I love to be surprised, how much I appreciate it when storytellers don’t take the expected, conventional approach or route – and I should have known better, because Gratton’s stories are always packed full of the best kind of surprises.
Read the rest at Every Book a Doorway!
December 28, 2022
Again, Tessa Gratton leaves me with a book hard to rate as she is so exceptionally creative and provides really unique concepts especially in this series but then veers into questionable directions and/or gets lost in the detailed descriptions and explorations of her magic systems. Here, she excels in visual ideas as fantastic as "Strange The Dreamer" while making it ten times more queer. Indeed, I love how being queer and especially genderfluid is tied to working magic.
"'You move away from binary existence. Refuse either/or. Resist all dual thinking. Then you make magic.'" (p. 199)
Mostly, I enjoyed the first section still in the palace where we meet again the genderfluid Kirin Dark-Smile, now emperor and dedicated father. The visual ideas are a striking joy though I have to admit, they're often demanding to read as they request a lot of focus to imagine.
Tessa Gratton just shines at writing royal extra-ness and the poly-amorous parents. One extra royal is the main character Raliel, the emperor's daughter and heir. I could feel her isolation and yearning for more along with her. She is like the perfect princ*ess, controlled, calm, distant and yet longing to be known, but while her family is so caring (I love how Gratton shows the royals as aloof from others but deeply caring for each other as a family), her only personal connection she finds in the demon Moon.
Now, I have a high tolerance for monster friends and lovers but I have to be honest, I found the relationship here toxic. Raliel seems too isolated, too focused on Moon to think of other ways to find herself and actually, I think her looking for ways to help free Moon from its magical bindings appears more like she projects her wish to find herself on Moon, meaning she ignores her own needs in truth. This is shown when she has to provide Moon with her own energy or even blood and constantly risks herself and others for its sake. Beings die because of their trials, including people close to them who only survive because of plot armour. Moon isn't human and doesn't share our ethics so I wouldn't call it manipulative (like EG a groomer) but it still implies Raliel needs other support to rethink her fixation on Moon.
And that she doesn't get while I think this is what the book could've focused on - Raliel realizing their relationship has problems, unlearning the unhealthy dynamics, grieving and recovering, and finally going on the difficult every day discovery of herself. Yet this is covered in one short chapter while we have tons of pages of Raliel and Moon studying magic or admiring local architecture. It feels very off-balanced.
And last but not least is there the completely unsued potential of Osian, a young trans man sent by his mother to take revenge on the imperial family but becoming Raliel companion instead. He is done so dirty. One would expect an enemies to lovers romance or at least a friendship given the way Osian is introduced but all in all, he is just ... there - and put in danger because of Raliel and Moon. His development to disengage from his mother's indoctrination, his own discovery of himself - making a beautiful foil to Raliel's - and starting to trust "the enemy" happens freaking off-page and is told in two pages instead, can you believe it?
"'You move away from binary existence. Refuse either/or. Resist all dual thinking. Then you make magic.'" (p. 199)
Mostly, I enjoyed the first section still in the palace where we meet again the genderfluid Kirin Dark-Smile, now emperor and dedicated father. The visual ideas are a striking joy though I have to admit, they're often demanding to read as they request a lot of focus to imagine.
Tessa Gratton just shines at writing royal extra-ness and the poly-amorous parents. One extra royal is the main character Raliel, the emperor's daughter and heir. I could feel her isolation and yearning for more along with her. She is like the perfect princ*ess, controlled, calm, distant and yet longing to be known, but while her family is so caring (I love how Gratton shows the royals as aloof from others but deeply caring for each other as a family), her only personal connection she finds in the demon Moon.
Now, I have a high tolerance for monster friends and lovers but I have to be honest, I found the relationship here toxic. Raliel seems too isolated, too focused on Moon to think of other ways to find herself and actually, I think her looking for ways to help free Moon from its magical bindings appears more like she projects her wish to find herself on Moon, meaning she ignores her own needs in truth. This is shown when she has to provide Moon with her own energy or even blood and constantly risks herself and others for its sake. Beings die because of their trials, including people close to them who only survive because of plot armour. Moon isn't human and doesn't share our ethics so I wouldn't call it manipulative (like EG a groomer) but it still implies Raliel needs other support to rethink her fixation on Moon.
And that she doesn't get while I think this is what the book could've focused on - Raliel realizing their relationship has problems, unlearning the unhealthy dynamics, grieving and recovering, and finally going on the difficult every day discovery of herself. Yet this is covered in one short chapter while we have tons of pages of Raliel and Moon studying magic or admiring local architecture. It feels very off-balanced.
And last but not least is there the completely unsued potential of Osian, a young trans man sent by his mother to take revenge on the imperial family but becoming Raliel companion instead. He is done so dirty. One would expect an enemies to lovers romance or at least a friendship given the way Osian is introduced but all in all, he is just ... there - and put in danger because of Raliel and Moon. His development to disengage from his mother's indoctrination, his own discovery of himself - making a beautiful foil to Raliel's - and starting to trust "the enemy" happens freaking off-page and is told in two pages instead, can you believe it?
June 10, 2022
I was lucky enough to read an ARC of Moon Dark Smile from NetGalley. I'm so grateful I got approved, and once I started, I read the book over just two days.
Moon Dark Smile takes place a generation after Night Shine. The main character Raliel is the daughter of characters from book one, Kirin, Sky, and their wife Elegant Waters. Raliel is best friends with the great demon of the palace, who goes by Moon. Raliel and Moon have some dangerous goals, and will do whatever they can to accomplish them. They are accompanied on their mission by a demon-kissed boy named Osian who has secrets that the reader knows but Raliel and Moon don't. I don't want to say much more about what happens so that I don't spoil the book (since it doesn't come out until August).
I will say that I absolutely loved Raliel and Moon as main characters. Raliel can be cold and ruthless, but she does it because she feels so much. It's the way she copes with the rest of the world. How she visualizes ice in her body kinda reminds me of Iseult in the Witchlands books (in a good way). We also get some great cameos from characters of Night Shine. You definitely want to have read that first before reading Moon Dark Smile.
As you might have expected from the first book, Moon Dark Smile plays with gender and sexuality in interesting ways. Not only to the characters have queer identities, gender fluidity is almost built into the magic system. I think the book does a really good job handling the topic, and hope that genderqueer readers will find pieces of themselves in the characters.
This is all to say, I loved the book and think you will too when it comes out in August!
Moon Dark Smile takes place a generation after Night Shine. The main character Raliel is the daughter of characters from book one, Kirin, Sky, and their wife Elegant Waters. Raliel is best friends with the great demon of the palace, who goes by Moon. Raliel and Moon have some dangerous goals, and will do whatever they can to accomplish them. They are accompanied on their mission by a demon-kissed boy named Osian who has secrets that the reader knows but Raliel and Moon don't. I don't want to say much more about what happens so that I don't spoil the book (since it doesn't come out until August).
I will say that I absolutely loved Raliel and Moon as main characters. Raliel can be cold and ruthless, but she does it because she feels so much. It's the way she copes with the rest of the world. How she visualizes ice in her body kinda reminds me of Iseult in the Witchlands books (in a good way). We also get some great cameos from characters of Night Shine. You definitely want to have read that first before reading Moon Dark Smile.
As you might have expected from the first book, Moon Dark Smile plays with gender and sexuality in interesting ways. Not only to the characters have queer identities, gender fluidity is almost built into the magic system. I think the book does a really good job handling the topic, and hope that genderqueer readers will find pieces of themselves in the characters.
This is all to say, I loved the book and think you will too when it comes out in August!
July 5, 2022
Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Publishing for providing this ARC.
Moon Dark Smile has all the elements of a great fantasy: expansive and intriguing magic system, a young Heir to the throne on a journey of self discovery, and absolutely stunning writing. This book also explored gender and gender expression, which was really great to see in a YA book. I loved the concept of wearing specific rings to denote gender (or lack of) and that it was standard practice to heed to the corresponding pronouns (if any.)
With all of the great and interesting aspects of this book being said, it just wasn't for me. Though the characters were 18 (I think?) they felt a little young to me and perhaps in the old age of my 20s I have more trouble identifying with them. I'm still giving Moon Dark Smile 3-3.5 stars; I think readers, especially if they were fans of Night Shine, will love this book. I also think the gender expression aspect is so unique and lovely to see that I would hate to turn readers off simply because this book isn't for me.
Moon Dark Smile has all the elements of a great fantasy: expansive and intriguing magic system, a young Heir to the throne on a journey of self discovery, and absolutely stunning writing. This book also explored gender and gender expression, which was really great to see in a YA book. I loved the concept of wearing specific rings to denote gender (or lack of) and that it was standard practice to heed to the corresponding pronouns (if any.)
With all of the great and interesting aspects of this book being said, it just wasn't for me. Though the characters were 18 (I think?) they felt a little young to me and perhaps in the old age of my 20s I have more trouble identifying with them. I'm still giving Moon Dark Smile 3-3.5 stars; I think readers, especially if they were fans of Night Shine, will love this book. I also think the gender expression aspect is so unique and lovely to see that I would hate to turn readers off simply because this book isn't for me.
December 15, 2025
This book feels like it was (poorly) writing by AI. There’s a suspicious amount of end dashes, which is something AI loves to use in story telling. Some points are overly explained and some things are completely glazed over. It feels like the author wanted to spend more time discussing how most of the characters are trans/gender fluid/ non-binary, etc, and how they like to style their hair and outfits more then world building/ magic system explanations/ actual plot or character development. There are probably at least 5 pages worth of dialogue total in the book discussing how the emperor likes to chose their rings to show people their gender for the day, and maybe a page’s worth (if that) discussing what a “demon house” is. It’s great this series is queer/ trans/ etc friendly but it’s disappointing that the actual story is lack luster and possibly AI?? It feels incredibly performative and icky. Like the focus wasn’t on trying to write a story, but in a cash grab to market a book in a genera that is popular with LGTBQ+ people.
Read
June 19, 2023rep: queer protagonist, trans guy side character, queer polyamorous parents, various queer side characters
So this book is the sequel to Night Shine, about the child of Kirin (now Emperor), Sky (their former bodyguard and now first consort), and Elegant Waters (their second consort). Its plot is simple but I enjoyed it! I loved that she had three parents that were amazing, especially because I loved Kirin and Sky in the first book. We also catch up on the main character from the first book and her wife. The book introduces another character that is a trans guy and I also liked them as well. To be honest, I'm not sure if he was a love interest, or if the love interest was just the demon best friend of the main character, but I would’ve been fine with all three of them together. This book is more character-driven and there was hardly, if any, romance but I liked all three of them enough to read a bonus chapter to see where all three of them are after the book’s ending.
So this book is the sequel to Night Shine, about the child of Kirin (now Emperor), Sky (their former bodyguard and now first consort), and Elegant Waters (their second consort). Its plot is simple but I enjoyed it! I loved that she had three parents that were amazing, especially because I loved Kirin and Sky in the first book. We also catch up on the main character from the first book and her wife. The book introduces another character that is a trans guy and I also liked them as well. To be honest, I'm not sure if he was a love interest, or if the love interest was just the demon best friend of the main character, but I would’ve been fine with all three of them together. This book is more character-driven and there was hardly, if any, romance but I liked all three of them enough to read a bonus chapter to see where all three of them are after the book’s ending.
May 15, 2023
According to Hoopla, I got 38% through but did not finish. This book is high fantasy and just did not resonate with me but maybe it would for some?
The world-building did not appeal to me as it seemed like it needed too much exposition. I applaud the author for trying to make genders and names fluid in this world but I found it too confusing for people and spirits to be in a near-constant state of flux w/ their shapes/genders/names. There was some consensual spirit/demon possession going on but it started feeling a little too sexual so I would just recommend this for adults. And for the purposes of the YABA committee, the fact that this seems to be a sequel or companion book makes it a NO since we really want the first in a series.
The world-building did not appeal to me as it seemed like it needed too much exposition. I applaud the author for trying to make genders and names fluid in this world but I found it too confusing for people and spirits to be in a near-constant state of flux w/ their shapes/genders/names. There was some consensual spirit/demon possession going on but it started feeling a little too sexual so I would just recommend this for adults. And for the purposes of the YABA committee, the fact that this seems to be a sequel or companion book makes it a NO since we really want the first in a series.
June 19, 2022
Thank you Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing/Margaret K. McElderry Books for allowing me to read and review this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Moon Dark Smile is a continuation of Night Shine which came out a few years ago. I didn't realize this when I first requested to read Moon Dark Smile but it didn't hinder my reading experience too much. Though it probably would have enhanced it.
Tessa Gratton always writes such beautifully written characters. This story is lush with LGBTQ representation and exciting world building.
I'm going to go back and read Night Shine.
4 stars
Moon Dark Smile is a continuation of Night Shine which came out a few years ago. I didn't realize this when I first requested to read Moon Dark Smile but it didn't hinder my reading experience too much. Though it probably would have enhanced it.
Tessa Gratton always writes such beautifully written characters. This story is lush with LGBTQ representation and exciting world building.
I'm going to go back and read Night Shine.
4 stars
August 13, 2022
I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I wanted to like this book. It was a bit of a welcome surprise to me that the main character was transgender, but the further in the book I got, the more I realized that it just wasn't for me. The writing, while relatively clear, was juvenile in the way it was written. There was a lot of weak, passive writing, and the style made it difficult to enjoy.
There will be people out there that enjoy this book far more than I did, but I really struggled with it, and in the end, decided to put it aside.
I wanted to like this book. It was a bit of a welcome surprise to me that the main character was transgender, but the further in the book I got, the more I realized that it just wasn't for me. The writing, while relatively clear, was juvenile in the way it was written. There was a lot of weak, passive writing, and the style made it difficult to enjoy.
There will be people out there that enjoy this book far more than I did, but I really struggled with it, and in the end, decided to put it aside.
June 22, 2022
Moon Dark Smile by Tessa Gratton
“With a name, one could remake oneself.”
~~~
I first would like to thank Tessa Gratton, Simon & Schuster, and Netgalley for the eARC. I loved the genderfluid and nonbinary characters and names. The details for the world and plot were really vivid; it made it easy to imagine what was happening in the book. I also loved the different names that Gratton came up with for the characters, it was a little difficult to tell who was who sometimes.
Overall, it was a very interesting book and absolutely great representation; with an amazing storyline.
“With a name, one could remake oneself.”
~~~
I first would like to thank Tessa Gratton, Simon & Schuster, and Netgalley for the eARC. I loved the genderfluid and nonbinary characters and names. The details for the world and plot were really vivid; it made it easy to imagine what was happening in the book. I also loved the different names that Gratton came up with for the characters, it was a little difficult to tell who was who sometimes.
Overall, it was a very interesting book and absolutely great representation; with an amazing storyline.
September 4, 2023
This was a compelling follow up to Night Shine. I struggled a little to connect with the main character, which made it hard to fully immerse myself in the story, and there were a few times when the romance got SERIOULSY creepy and I couldn't tell if it was on purpose or not (I think it was...?), but overall I enjoyed it. I really liked Osian, which I think was part of the problem - it opens with him and I wanted to see more of him! But Raliel was a complex character with a lot going on, and I really loved Moon's journey over the course of the book. And great writing from Gratton, as always.
November 23, 2022
I knew I would love this the moment I heard the sequel was coming, and I was right. Gratton's books always have such inspiring themes to them, and this Night Shine duology in particular has hit home hard. Writing is beautiful as ever: lush and clear, and makes me feel the snow and cold Raliel tries to make herself be.
Gender is excellently explored also; I always enjoy that in this duology. Identity and names and different ways of existing, too.
Can't wait what else the author has in store.
Gender is excellently explored also; I always enjoy that in this duology. Identity and names and different ways of existing, too.
Can't wait what else the author has in store.
abandoned
August 21, 2022DNF @ 57%
I liked Night Shine well enough to want to check out this sequel/companion, however it's really not for me. I was interested in the plot point set out even with the slow pacing, but honestly this book has just gotten too sexual for me to enjoy. The relationships here make me uncomfortable, as do things like kissing a boy while he's possessed by a demon who knew you as a child.
I liked Night Shine well enough to want to check out this sequel/companion, however it's really not for me. I was interested in the plot point set out even with the slow pacing, but honestly this book has just gotten too sexual for me to enjoy. The relationships here make me uncomfortable, as do things like kissing a boy while he's possessed by a demon who knew you as a child.
October 6, 2022
when i saw the names of the characters i thought they were silly so i opened the book in order to heckle it. The first paragraph and i was done for, this book was written beautifully and the names and the meaning are something i fell in love with. i will now go and read the first book. i adored this story and its characters
November 11, 2022
EEEEEEEeeeeeeeeee. This is such a lovely book, about change and figuring out who you are and what drives you, and it's also so profoundly intimate. Not necessarily in a sensual way (although there's that!), but in its portrayal of a deep and close friendship, someone who knows you (literally!) inside and out.
July 30, 2023
I listened to this book as an audiobook.
I didn't realize this was the second book in a series, didn't seem like it. This story was different. With demons and less dangerous peaceful spirits, this story has some danger for the characters. I didn't like this story, a bit too much fluff and detail about unrelated things.
I didn't realize this was the second book in a series, didn't seem like it. This story was different. With demons and less dangerous peaceful spirits, this story has some danger for the characters. I didn't like this story, a bit too much fluff and detail about unrelated things.
December 14, 2023
This was an interesting follow up to book one Night Shine. I think that those who really enjoyed book one will fall for this one hard. I really enjoyed the continuing story of these people. The story was strange and that just played into my love of the overall plot. I can not wait to see what else this author has in store for this world and its characters.
December 20, 2023
I had a really hard time getting into this book. The story was slow and the writing style wasn't entirely my taste. I did appreciate the diversity of the characters, the MC being trans and the demons being nonbinary or agender. The story had potential and was a good idea, but I think it needed to be developed more.
February 28, 2024
Not as good as night shine but it has some moments. Similar pacing issues to night shine but the finale grabs you by the heart.
I definitely feel like there's influence of the ones who walked away from the omelas here.
I definitely feel like there's influence of the ones who walked away from the omelas here.
August 14, 2022
A whimsical and dark installement to the Nightshine series. A princess leaves on her coming of age journey....and takes the palace demon with her. Raliel, naming herself after a long dead dragon, pockets the demon away to use her journey to find a way to free the demon, Moon from it's prison in the palace. We see how Moon came to be, who he became and slumbered as, and was awoken by a fellow demon, reborn named Nighshine, and a young princess named after a dragon. This work is about naming, and choices. The inherent right to chose for one's self, and for a creature that was deemed unable to love, to give one of the most difficult aspects of love, Sacrifice for his human. The parameters don't feel hard, but rather ephemeral and squishy, which I suppose, is the point. The magic we make rarely is easily defined. The path we set for our lives is one we have to journey through, mostly alone, unless we are blessed enough to have a companion who will walk that journey alongside us. This is a work unlike anything else you'll read, rest assured.
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October 28, 2022This one I barely started and then I forgot to come back. Maybe someday I 'll try again.
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