****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
There are many new children's books these days, but this is one of the few with Asian-ish characters (even though it is a fictional worId and not really Asian, they do eat dumplings and other Asian deliciousness!) I wanted my kids to read it so I started to see what it was about, and I could not put it down. Except I had to sleep and then go to work, but I contemplated skipping work to finish! The second night I was so looking foward to settling down with a drink and this treat of a book under a bright light, to finish this fantastical tale. I loved the relationship btwn Usagi and her sister Uma, and the easy comradery btwn the Heirs, and I ached for them having lost their parents and living under such a harsh regime. The super powers linked to zodiac signs seems somewhat like a given, but searching my head I cannot think of another set of stories where this concept exists, like this, except maybe for the stories of the animals in the zodiac themselves. This book is unique, brilliant, beautifully written, and a valuable contribution to diversity in children's literature. I can't wait for its sequel!.
