Review by Booklist Review
The Yee and Chang families have always hated each other, their distaste the result of a rivalry that spun into enmity after David Yee and Hsueh-Ting Chang competed for the same professorships. As the Changs found success and the Yees struggled, their loathing spread to each family's children. Hunter Yee and Luna Chang were born on the same day in 1974 at the same time, when a falling star struck the earth; now, in 1991, they're both finishing high school, suffering from mysterious ailments, and drawn to each other despite their parents' troubled histories. But those histories are more fraught than either Hunter or Luna knows; as they fall rapidly in love, dangers and secrets from their parents' respective pasts threaten to spin their future out of control. Pan (The Astonishing Color of After, 2018) blends Romeo and Juliet with Chinese folklore, flooding her sophomore novel with the strange and subtle magic of a myth: Hunter, a preternaturally gifted archer, is guided by the wind, while fireflies are drawn to Luna. A well-executed high-concept reimagining.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Pan (The Astonishing Color of After) twines Chinese folklore--the story of Houyi and Chang'e--and Romeo and Juliet to deliver a unique contemporary novel about two star-crossed lovers. Luna Chang and Hunter Yee, both 17 in 1991 America, feel pressured by their Taiwanese emigrant parents: Luna's supportive folks expect her to attend Stanford; Hunter's tense family expects perfection following his father's past mistakes. Both born on a night during which a star fell "in reverse," then cracked in half before landing, the teens' initial encounter seems clearly destined, leading quickly to budding attraction. But as they learn about their families' feud, and subsequent meetings reveal that their physical interactions cause inexplicable phenomena, the strange appearance of fireflies, a supernatural wind, and an ominous crack that spreads across Fairbridge only bring them closer together, much to the horror of their parents. Expansive, third-person chapters--including some from the adults' perspectives--and snippets of lore create a contemporary telling with an otherworldly, age-old feel in this cleverly conceived novel. Ages 14--up. Agent: Michael Bourret, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret. (Apr.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 9 Up--Pan melds east and west in a hybrid fantasy/reality novel inspired by two sets of star-crossed lovers: China's Houyi and Chang'e (the Archer and the Moon Goddess) and Romeo and Juliet. In 1991, Hunter Yee and Luna Chang are 17-year-old seniors at Fairbridge High. Both are children of Taiwanese immigrants, their families hiding a vitriolic rivalry unknown to the teens as sparks fly. Both families have elevated expectations: Hunter's unforgivably expect perfection; Luna's (just) presume Stanford. Love isn't allowed. Secrets revealed will explain--but also devastate. The unbalanced cast take uneven turns: Natalie Naudus as Luna is too often overwrought, Shawn K. Jain as Hunter is more convincing, David Shih reliably moonlights as parents and strangers. VERDICT Following the bestselling success of Pan's The Astonishing Color of After debut, demand will be high for her sophomore effort. Libraries will want multiple formats.
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Review by Horn Book Review
High school seniors Luna Chang and Hunter Yee keep crossing paths, and they soon realize that they both have bizarre abilities. Luna can attract fish and fireflies; Hunter has perfect aim, and gusts of wind inexplicably bring money to his feet. While they fall for each other, a strange series of events takes hold of them and their township -- beginning with a massive crack that appears in the street one night when the two are alone on a late bus home. As their feelings for each other deepen, they uncover secrets that span generations; most of the third-person narration alternates between Luna and Hunter's points of view, but interspersed chapters from other perspectives provide insight into a longstanding feud between their families. In lush prose, Pan (The Astonishing Color of After, rev. 3/18) retells both the Chinese legend of Chang'e and Houyi and Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. The seemingly ordinary setting of "1991, in Fairbridge, Where We Lay Our Scene" opens up to a world full of mystery and magic. Gabi K. Huesca May/June 2022 p.152(c) Copyright 2022. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A tale of two star-crossed young lovers that ends with an unexpected twist. When Hunter Yee is expelled from his prep school and transfers to Fairbridge High, he is drawn to Luna Chang, another senior, who was born on the same day as he was 17 years ago. They share more than a birthday; both have overbearing immigrant parents from Taiwan with high expectations of their offspring. In Hunter's case, it is to be a perfect, trouble-free eldest son, while in Luna's, it is to get into Stanford. The two fall in love before realizing that their parents have been engaged in a long-standing feud. As Hunter and Luna navigate their illicit relationship, mysteries abound: Why is the earth cracking open so frequently? Why is Luna being followed by fireflies? Why do their parents despise each other so much? And what is it that Hunter's parents fear so greatly that the entire family must live fearfully, always trying to stay under the radar? Answers come in a reveal that is rooted in Chinese lore. Alternating third-person narration is skillfully deployed throughout the novel, allowing immersion into each protagonist's painful struggles, such as Hunter's worries about his family's financial vulnerability or Luna's discovery of her mother's secret. The switch in tone at the book's end is abrupt, bringing about a surprising and bittersweet (if perhaps too swift) resolution. A lovely, lyrical exploration of how a poignant Chinese myth might play out in a contemporary setting. (Fiction. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
