Moon Chosen by PC Cast

Published by Pan Macmillan on November 2016
Genres: Action & Adventure, Fantasy & Magic, Fiction, Young Adult, Young Adult Fiction
Pages: 600
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
DNF

Mari is an Earth Walker, heir to the unique healing powers of her Clan; but she has cast her duties aside, until she is chosen by a special animal ally, altering her destiny forever. When a deadly attack tears her world apart, Mari reveals the strength of her powers and the forbidden secret of her dual nature as she embarks on a mission to save her people. It is not until Nik, the son of the leader from a rival, dominating clan strays across her path, that Mari experiences something she has never felt before…

Now, darkness is coming, and with it, a force, more terrible and destructive than the world has ever seen, leaving Mari to cast the shadows from the earth. By forming a tumultuous alliance with Nik, she must make herself ready. Ready to save her people. Ready to save herself and Nik. Ready to embrace her true destiny…and obliterate the forces that threaten to destroy them all.

PC Cast is a big name in YA fantasy and I was curious to read Moon Chosen, the first book in her Tales of a New World trilogy. It’s an interesting concept with teenager Mari being caught between the world of her mother which she was raised in and the mysterious magical inheritance of her father’s people.

Mari never really felt like she belonged in her Clan. Her skin marks her as an outsider and despite her mother being the leader, Mari knew she wasn’t truly the heir. Mari’s feelings of isolation despite were palpable as the story opened and despite her differentness, I loved how close she was to her mother. Their bond is evident from the first page and that was what held my attention but it just wasn’t enough.

At 600 pages, Moon Chosen is a long novel. Set in a unique world with their own magic, customs and races, there is a lot of world building necessary to set the scene. But I found myself becoming disconnected from Mari and her story. There were different tribes who we were introduced to as the novel began but the switching between them was slightly confusing. There was a lot of information being delivered and after 120 pages, I decided not to continue with Moon Chosen.

There’s a lot of promise but it wasn’t for me.

If you like books with a lot of world building and interesting magic – try Moon Chosen. It’s a mixture of high fantasy with a post apocalyptic twist. I’ve not read anything quite like it. The writing is solid – PC Cast is a great fantasy writer and her character did feel authentic to me.

Despite my not finishing this particular novel, I’m going to pick it up again in a few months and see if it clicks better with me in the future. It has a lot going for it.