The Nine Moons of Han Yu and Luli out now from Allida; 432 pages
Content Warning: Physical aggression, mentions of blood and death
About the Author: “Originally from California, Karina came to New York City for college and has stuck around for over twenty years. She has had a varied career teaching and implementing literacy programs in family homeless shelters and recruiting healthcare professionals to volunteer in under resourced areas around the world. Now as a mother, one of her proudest achievements is raising two kids who can’t go anywhere without a book. She lives in Harlem with her husband, two teenagers, two dogs, and three cats” (Bio from author’s website).
Find Karina Yan Glaser on the following platforms:
The lives of Han Yu—a young boy living in ancient Chang’An and selling steamed buns—and Luli—a young schoolgirl in New York’s 1931 Chinatown—could not seem more different. Separated by vast swaths of time and space, they appear to live in two entirely separate worlds. However, people are far more intertwined than one might think. When the familiar routines and patterns of their lives are suddenly disrupted by uncontrollable forces, Han Yu and Luli are both forced to find ways to rescue what, or who, they love most. Han Yu must make a grand, terrifying journey outside of his home city all on his own, while Luli must undertake the tremendous task of helping her family keep their beloved home and restaurant. As they both venture out into the world, they discover their inner strength and the connective power of art.
Though I originally signed up for the magical tigers and mouth-watering descriptions of dim sum, what I got was so much more than that. In The Nine Moons of Han Yu and Luli, Karina Yan Glaser tells a beautiful tale of family, friendship, culture, and personal growth. With fable-like prose and charming interior illustrations, Glaser gracefully guides her characters (and readers) through trials and tribulations, sharing Chinese art and culture in accessible ways as she does so. I was impressed with Glaser’s ability to educate without becoming stiff or didactic, and enjoyed the genuine humor interspersed throughout the narrative. I also appreciated the fact that she paid respect to all careers and skills, and that the characters slowly came to love their own unique (non-magical) abilities, recognizing the ways they can effect change in the world no matter how insignificant they may feel. Speaking of the characters, their determination despite their struggles made me greatly admire them. Han Yu makes a miraculous journey across mountains and deserts, but he does it scared. He’s always worried about making a mistake, failing his family, etc., but he perseveres nonetheless. Luli creates a mini museum from scratch, starts selling food from a pushcart all on her own, and brokers a deal with an art dealer at the MET, but isn’t confident in her ability to do any of that until the end of the story; she lets her love of her family and their community outweigh her fear. Together, Han Yu and Luli left a warm impression on my heart and are sure to do the same for every other reader who encounters them.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and Allida for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Melia Gemrose, Pine Reads Review Lead Editor and Co-Assistant Director