That being said, not all the characters were given equal depth and substance. The characters all seemed appropriately flawed. Marni learns what happens to young women who WANT to be taken by the dragon of the woods. These chapters in the woods are fascinating in a dark way. Readers also see her come into her own in the woods. They see her being courted by one of the lords. Readers see Marni reclaim her place in the royal family. The novel introduces readers to both settings. Neither choice appeals completely to Marni. She is the daughter of a princess-a murdered princess. Does she belong in the woods? Does she belong at the palace? For you see, Marni is no ordinary village girl. It's what you choose that ought to matter.'Ĭhoices.

As she says so well later in the novel, 'You can want a whole slew of things. There is a hesitant part of her as well, that part keeps her coming home again. There is a part of her that loves the woods, loves the danger and mystery. I wouldn't say she feels absolutely at home in the woods. One of her friends disappeared in the woods. There are stories-new stories, old stories, long-handed-down stories-of young women who entered the woods and were never seen again. In the world Hahn has created, the woods are magical and mysterious and more than a little dangerous. Now that Marni is nearly grown up, men of all classes are beginning to see her as more than a flower girl, more than 'Tulip.' Does this make Gramps happy or worried? And how does Marni feel about it herself?Ī Creature of Moonlight is fantasy. And Gramps, well, he's a lot older than he used to be. Marni, for the most part, is too interested in her garden and the woods. They don't mingle with the villagers as often as one might expect. Marni, the heroine, is being raised by her grandfather (Gramps). Ī Creature of Moonlight is an enjoyable fantasy novel for young adults.

A Creature of Moonlight by Rebecca Hahn