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Third Moon Passing

By: Rina Olsen
Publisher: Atmosphere Press
Publication Date: June 18, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-639889051
Reviewed by: Kathy Stickles
Review Date: July 24, 2023

Third Moon Passing is the debut novel from teenage author Rina Olsen and it is one that is definitely going to put this young writer on the literary map. Everything about the story is riveting, from the legends of the Korean culture, to the characters, to the attack by US soldiers, and it is all pulled together in such a perfect way that it will appeal to a broad range of readers.

Third Moon Passing is the story of Chansol, the daughter of a God, and Moonsoo, the dragon of the Han River. These two young people, both facing futures that become more and more confusing and uncertain, were the catalyst of a terrible accident years ago. They now have to find a way to fix things from back then and, in order to do that, they will have to work with not only the Gods, but with two "normal" girls from their village. As these two girls, Daseul and Wolhwa, are all of a sudden pulled into a world of Gods, curses, new friends, and many villains who do not want to see them succeed, their lives are changed forever as they try to figure out the secrets of their pasts in order to change their futures.

This story is set in a mythical and magical world full of powerful Gods and strange creatures who are all there to either help Daseul and Wolhwa or find a way to hinder them as they travel to the underworld to break a curse and save all of those that they love as their own world is under the threat of a real military attack. Third Moon Passing is full of lots of twists and turns as these two characters, as well as Chansol and Moonsoo, try to navigate all of the issues thrown at them as ancient stories become their own truth. Can they accomplish what they have set out to do? For that answer, you will have to pick up the book to discover for yourself what happens.

Rina Olsen, a teenager herself, has given readers a story that is filled with vivid descriptions of a beautiful world. The story is written so well and it combines many different outlooks as we read about what is happening from many different characters. The author shows such skill in her writing by being able to seamlessly pull all of this together into a descriptive story that flows so easily. It is very impressive.

The characters in Third Moon Passing, every single one of them, are very well-developed. From Moonsoo’s attitude to Chansol’s fear and confusion over becoming a leader after her father becomes ill, to Daseul and Wolhwa attempting to get along, the author shows us not only her characters attempts to do what needs to be done but also all of the emotions that they are feeling as they face what needs to be faced. In addition, this is a story that gives the reader very strong female leads who step up and take on a lot of responsibility and, as a reader, I love these types of characters. This group is truly remarkable, especially given the fact that all of the main personalities in this story are so very young.

This book is an exceptional example of storytelling and I recommend it to everyone. There is simply no way to read Third Moon Passing and come away not a fan of the plot, the characters, or the mind-blowing teenager who wrote it. I sincerely hope to see more from this author in the future.

Quill says: Third Moon Passing is a vividly written and captivating novel and amazing in the fact that the young author who wrote it is only sixteen years old. It really makes one stop and think about how much young people can accomplish if they really want to, and that is such a lovely thing for readers to find in the literary world.

For more information on Third Moon Rising, please visit the author's website: rinaolsen.com/

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