Review of Moon of Change

[Obinna Chima Agoms]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Moon of Change" by Laureen Giulian.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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In Moon of Change by Laureen Giulian, Kiera Clark moved back to Turtle Island after she had obtained her arts degree. She bought a cottage close to her grandmother's place. Her grandmother, Mavis Deerfoot, was a peculiar woman whom Kiera had always thought to have a sixth sense. On the night of the 'Buck Moon,' Kiera followed a deer trail to a hot spring in the woods. There, she experienced a 'Vision Quest,' which she had imagined was only for men. The experience opened her up to more profound and stranger things. On another part of the island, a farm owner, Joshua Marshall, was having 'otherworldly' encounters with his trusted mustang, 'Nightsong,' by his side. The string of the happenings that unfolded in Joshua's life entwined three lives for a purpose that must be figured out by all three together, even as they faced an imminent threat.

If you have ever wondered what it felt like to be dropped in the middle of ancient mythology, the beginning pages of Moon of Change will deliver this experience. The book started on a solid note and weaved a strong web of suspense and anticipation. The tone of the storytelling was filled with intrigue. The author was very descriptive and detailed with her narration, and it would be easy for readers to conjure a mental picture of scenes in the book. The book would further appeal to the reader's sense of sight and hearing, as the story was punctuated with songs, giving it a poetic vibe.

The book had a strong spiritual message. For one, it seemed to have highlighted one of the significant divides and causes of conflicts between the many religions of the world. This divide could be found in a lack of understanding that we all serve the same God, irrespective of nomenclature. Some refer to this creator as Jesus, the Christ; others use the title, Great Creator, while some, like the Blackfoot tribe, use the title Apissstotoke. Still, these are all the same. Kiera's grandmother was used as a symbol to show this sameness of religion.

The book personified 'Mother Earth,' and her voiced lamentations were reminiscent of nature's call for humanity to take better care of nature's gifts. This particular theme was significant in light of the ever-increasing need to protect the environment and nature from the debilitating effects of human activities. The plot of this book was authentic, and the creative way the author adopted to convey an essential message was refreshing. In terms of characterization, the significant characters in this book had a simplicity that made them relatable.

The story seemed to have dragged on a bit toward the middle. The plot became almost a cycle of similar scenes. Readers might get a little impatient to get to the main gist of the story. The author failed to create an exciting and worthy conflict. What the book created as the conflict was rather feeble and easily concluded. However, the story was still a good read overall. It was different, and the plot was authentic. I'd recommend this book to readers who enjoy mythologies and stories about the supernatural. The editing was okay. Regardless of the minor concern, I’d rate Moon of Change four out of four stars.

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Moon of Change
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[Amy Luman]

I don’t know what to make of this book. I like the idea of the three people working together to solve a problem, but I am confused by Kiera’s feelings about her grandmother and her world.

[Hari Shan]

. I like the idea of ​​three people solving a problem together. But I was confused by Kiera's grandmother and her feelings about the world.