Review: Water Moon, by Samantha Sotto Yambao

Title: Water Moon

Author: Samantha Sotto Yambao

Publisher: Del Rey

Date of Publication: January 14th 2025

Number of Pages: 384

See it on Goodreads: Water Moon

Summary

On a backstreet in Tokyo lies a pawnshop, but not everyone can find it. Most will see a cozy ramen restaurant. And only the chosen ones—those who are lost—will find a place to pawn their life choices and deepest regrets.

Hana Ishikawa wakes on her first morning as the pawnshop’s new owner to find it ransacked, the shop’s most precious acquisition stolen, and her father missing. And then into the shop stumbles a charming stranger, quite unlike its other customers, for he offers help instead of seeking it.

Together, they must journey through a mystical world to find Hana’s father and the stolen choice—by way of rain puddles, rides on paper cranes, the bridge between midnight and morning, and a night market in the clouds.

But as they get closer to the truth, Hana must reveal a secret of her own—and risk making a choice that she will never be able to take back.

Review - A Whimsical Moon

At the beginning of the year, I was browsing various lists of upcoming books and new 2025 releases. Some of them, immediately sparked my excitement - whether because I loved the authors' previous works or I was already invested in their ongoing series. And then there was Water Moon, a book that grabbed my attention with its gorgeous cover. As the days went on, I couldn't stop thinking about it, so I ended up picking it up almost as soon as it was released.

The blurb of Water Moon gives you a good idea of what to expect from this book. It is a novel that will take you on a whimsical adventure, where anything is possible. You can travel by jumping in a lake, by catching a rumour as it spreads, or by singing a song. Now that I'm thinking about it, many of the magical things that do take place have to do with travelling. And as the story progresses, the settings become even more magical, and paired with an imaginative premise is no wonder that many have compared it to a Ghibli film (even though I have to argue the dreamier and more whimsical Ghibli films). 

Our main protagonists, Hana and Keishin, depart on this journey to find Hana's father. Hana is from this world and knows its ins and outs, so nothing really surprises her. Keishin, on the other hand, comes from our world, and on top of that is a scientist. Therefore, what he sees not only amazes him, but makes him question science as he has studied it. I have to say that I found their instant connection a bit too much, but overall, I enjoyed their chemistry and dynamic. Honestly, I think the book could have worked just as well, if not better, without the romantic undertones.

When it comes to the story, this is where Water Moon somewhat lost me. The book begins with the stakes high for Hana. If she doesn't retrieve the lost choice, then she will face some serious repercussions, the same ones that her mother had faced many years earlier. This urgency kept me engaged at first, but by the end, the tension had all but evaporated. After the big reveals, I felt like what we had established earlier in the story didn't really matter. Hana was in no danger whatsoever, even though she was the pawn shop owner. For this reason, I had a hard time following the story with as much interest as I was expecting to. 

Nevertheless, I was pleasantly surprised that the book revolved around the themes of choices and reflections. The title Water Moon refers to "Kyouka suigetsu", which Keishin translates as Mirror flower, water moon (could the author be a fan of Bleach?). Of course, the concept of reflections is deeply tied to the story’s exploration of longing and unattainability. Hana is someone that has her whole life laid out on her skin, thus being denied the freedom of any choice whatsoever. This leads to many interesting conversations as she wishes that she were as free as Keishin to choose where his own path. And so, reflections in this world represent the things we desire most yet can never quite grasp. As the book itself puts it, "the most desirable things were the ones that you could see, but never touch".

All in all, Water Moon was an interesting and imaginative read, even though it didn't fully deliver on its initial promise to me. Its greatest strength is the worldbuilding and whimsy that sips deep into every aspect of the setting. However, it falls short story-wise, and you have to simply stop thinking too hard about it to enjoy the ride. If you want a cozy read that will take you to a dream-like world, it is definitely worth reading.

Read more of my reviews here.