Review – Starry River of the Sky by Grace Lin (4/5 stars)

Reading Level: Middle Grade
Genre: Fantasy/Folklore
Length: 320 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: February 11, 2014
ISBN-13: 978-0316125970
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: Bought
Rating: 4/5 stars

“The moon is missing from the remote Village of Clear Sky, but only a young boy named Rendi seems to notice! Rendi has run away from home and is now working as a chore boy at the village inn. He can’t help but notice the village’s peculiar inhabitants and their problems.

But one day, a mysterious lady arrives at the Inn with the gift of storytelling, and slowly transforms the villagers and Rendi himself. As she tells more stories and the days pass in the Village of Clear Sky, Rendi begins to realize that perhaps it is his own story that holds the answers to all those questions.”

I read and absolutely loved “Where the Mountain Meets the Moon” and was very excited to pick up another book by Lin. This book was very similar to “Where the Mountain Meets the Moon” theme wise. I didn’t like this book quite as much as that book, but it was still very good.

This book follows a young boy named Rendi who has run away from home and is working as a chore boy in a small village. A mysterious lady arrives and, through stories, helps both the village and Rendi find their way.

There is excellent storytelling in here and interesting folklore. I continue to really enjoy the way the book is put together with beautiful illustrations and full color plates throughout.

I didn’t think this story was as engaging and fluid as “Where the Mountain Meets the Moon”. This book does weave a lot of stories within stories but they weren’t as adventurous..

Overall I enjoyed this beautifully done Asian-themed folklore story. Although not as stunning as “Where the Mountain Meets the Moon” it still has a lot of the qualities that made me love that book. I recommend to those who enjoy folklore and fairy tales.