BLOG 02 : Where the Mountain Meets the Moon | Sandy

   

    Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, a fantasy novel written by Grace lin, details the story of Minli as she ventures to find the Old Man in the Moon. Picking up this book, I went in not knowing what to expect, but I soon realized that this book would be one to keep in my collection. The book includes a captivating story as well as occasional illustrations to help the reader visualize the novel in their imagination. The numerous elements of fantasy make the novel interesting to read, and it gives a unique aspect to enjoy. From front to back, this book maintains engaging storytelling which made this book one of my favorites.

    At the beginning of the book, we meet a young girl, Minli, who is struggling with poverty alongside her family. In addition to this, her village is unfortunately located on land that has gone dry, earning the name "fruitless mountain." After hearing her father's tales of the Old Man in the Moon, Minli becomes inspired and embarks on a journey to meet him for herself, hoping to bring fortune and prosperity to her family. On her journey, she meets a dragon who is unable to fly. They become friends, and the dragon decides to accompany Minli. They weave through many cities, looking for the Never-Ending mountain, where the mountain the Old Man in the Moon resides.

    Through hardships, such as injuries and quick-witted problem-solving, they finally reach the mountain. Since the dragon cannot fly, they use a kite to fly up to the old man. He tells her to take a stone off the dragon's head, revealing the stone was the reason the dragon couldn't fly. Once Minli returns home, she finds out the stone was actually a dragon pearl, worth a fortune. Her entire village is brought out of poverty and are now able to live wonderful lives. The dragon's body rejuvenates the village, and it brings fertility to the land around Minli. Minli's journey saved her village, and it brought a great future for generations in her village.

    Where the Mountain Meets the Moon told a story of initiative, with Minli being the center of it. She courageously set off to acquire advice from the Old Man in the Moon in order to save her village from poverty. She decided to take matters into her own hands, despite it being a tiresome and difficult journey. Minli's courage is also evident through her and the dragon. Even though dragons are at times honestly terrifying, Minli wasted no time saving the dragon. Her generous actions earned her a new friend to accompany her on her journey. This experience of Minli's shows a caring aspect of her, and it sets an example to be kind to everyone despite who they are.

    Grace Lin shows Minli's fearless personality wonderfully, intertwining endearing touches of Minli's character into the story. Throughout the novel, Minli never thought twice when it came to helping others time and time again, and it evidently paid off as she saved her entire village from poverty. In addition to saving her village, she also helped the dragon, someone who she previously did not know at all. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a truly inspiring book, and I think it sets a great example of leadership for others to use.