A Nearer Moon by Melanie Crowder

Luna lives on the river where the water is said to be cursed. She doesn’t believe in magic and curses, but when her sister, Willow, becomes sick Luna goes in search of a cure.

Meanwhile, the water sprites prepare to leave for a new home with no humans. But Perdita is unwilling to leave without exploring this world fully, causing her to wander further and further away from the magical door.

Benny pushed a slow breath through his teeth. “Is it so terrible to believe in something?”

A Nearer Moon is a short book packed with atmospheric world building and rich description. It is an experience to read this story, which relies on the beautiful writing technique rather than a complex plot. There is action, comedy, and sweet characters, but the main thing drawing you through the journey is really the world and exploring all of the details along the way.

 The villagers marked the time in two ways: before the swamp and after.
What came before was good. And all that came after was not.

A nice additional takeaway for me was how the characters acted their age. Luna and Benny approached the issues they faced with an innocence that swept me up with their enthusiasm, but usually flopped unromantically. However, their small attempts to fix a big problem ended up being really endearing.

I’d highly reccomend to word lovers and people who like detailed settings to really soak into. A Nearer Moon requres a more leisurely reading pace to fully appreciate the ambiance.

⬢ ⬢ ⬢   THREE STARS
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