Rating: 4 Stars
Release Date: June 14, 2022
Format: Audiobook (Borrowed from Library)
Publisher: Rick Riordan Presents (Disney-Hyperion)
Riley and Hattie’s bond was a highlight of the story. The idea of family has been a central theme throughout the course of the series, and it’s what propels most of Riley’s actions. All she wants to do is fix what she feels she has broken in the first book, and feel like she belongs again. Like a stereotypical teenager, she tries to set off to do things alone but Hattie won’t let her. It was nice to get to see them work together, whereas in the first book that wasn’t possible. A mixture of big and small emotional moments (and some new family and friends) really helped emphasize the importance of family throughout the story.
In contrast to the first book (which mostly takes place in the mortal realm), Riley’s adventures in The Last Fallen Moon mostly take place in the Spirit Realm (which is totally awesome). In Korean mythology, the Spirit Realm is where souls head after death and remain while they await rebirth. Part of the picture that Graci Kim painted seems like it’s straight out of the original stories, other factors seem like comedic reimaginings (roller coasters!) I’m limiting the details because I don’t want to spoil anything, but this was one of my favorite parts of the book and I hope you have as much fun reading it as I did.
While readers are introduced to many figures straight out of Korean mythology, there is also an introduction to Korean culture. The biggest Korean boy band in history, BTS, earned multiple references. The importance of family that’s emphasized throughout the book is a pillar of Korean culture, and Riley quickly learns how the quest for perfectionism is a double-edged sword. I also want to note how the food references in the first book were fantastic, and I’m so happy that the author included them once again. Yum yum! I got hungry while I was reading this.
The Last Fallen Moon is another stellar book from Graci Kim (no sophomore slump to speak of), and a great release from the Rick Riordan Presents imprint overall. I enjoyed this installment in Riley’s story, and I’m looking forward to seeing how things will end up in the last installment after how this book ended (talk about a cliffhanger). Suzi Yeung did a great job with the audiobook narration. If you are on the hunt for a fun fantasy book to introduce yourself or a young reader to Korean culture and mythology, the Gifted Clans series would be a great choice!
About the Book
Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents the second book in Graci Kim's New York Times best-selling Gifted Clans trilogy.
Graci Kim does such an amazing job of blending Korean mythology into the modern world, I am now wondering how I ever lived without knowing all this cool information.--New York Times #1 best-selling author Rick Riordan
For Riley Oh, life as the Godrealm's last fallen star is not all it's cracked up to be. Her new divine heritage doesn't even come with cool magical powers; half of her friends and family (including her parents) can't remember her; and to top it all off, the entire Gom clan is mad at her for killing the Cave Bear Goddess and stripping away their healing abilities.
But when their anger boils over and a group of witches curse Riley's home, she knows it's up to her to restore magic back to her clan - even if it means sneaking into the Spiritrealm.
Luckily, Riley has some backup. Along with her sister, Hattie, Riley meets Dahl, a heaven-born boy with shockingly white hair and a fondness for toilets who might not be telling the whole truth about who he is. Together they'll fight vicious monsters, discover dark underwater worlds, and race to save the land of the dead from a fate that no one could have foreseen.
And this time, Riley won't let anything get in her way. Because she can't shake the feeling that something terrible is coming their way - and the gifted community is going to need all the powers they can get.
Graci is also one of the authors of The Cursed Carnival and Other Calamities short story collection, published by Rick Riordan Presents (Disney Hyperion), which became an instant New York Times bestseller.
In a previous life, Graci was a diplomat for the New Zealand foreign service, a cooking show host, and once ran a business that turned children’s drawings into cuddly toys. She lives in New Zealand with her husband and daughter. You can find her sometimes on Twitter (@gracikim), more often on Instagram (@gracikimwrites), and always at her website (www.gracikim.com).
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