Reflecting on Water Moon: A Journey Through a Magical Ghibli-esque World
Galaxies and Goddesses: A Sci-Fi & Fantasy BookcastShow Notes
Andrea and Elizabeth dive into their December book pick, Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao. This listener voted book pick made it to the second round of the Goodreads Choice Awards, is discussed in detail, including its synopsis and thematic elements. The story follows Hana Ishikawa, the new owner of a mystical pawn shop in Tokyo, as she embarks on a journey to find her missing father. The hosts analyze the book's Ghibli-esque charm, poetic writing, romantic subplot, cultural references, and philosophical themes. They conclude with their ratings and comparisons to similar works, recommending it to fans of Japanese cozy fantasy and those intrigued by magical realism.
Spoiler Alert: We do go into spoilers mid-episode! Content Note: This episode discusses themes of regret, reproductive choice (including implied abortion), and pregnancy/childbirth.
02:35 Meaning of the Title 05:49 Romance Sub-plot 10:15 Fictional Folklore 12:01 Japanese Vocab 14:26 Dreamlike Reflections of the Real World 18:47 Well, What About? 22:49 Spoilers and Interpretations 25:15 Flying Paper Birds 26:44 Folding the Cover 28:34 Ratings 29:53 Other Similar Books 31:16 Closing Remarks
Similar Book Recommendations Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern The Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki
Similar Movie Recommendations Spirited Away Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Inception
Other Books with Flying Paper Birds The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A Parker
What is the Super-Kamiokande? https://www-sk.icrr.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/sk/about/outline/
No Face from Spirited Away https://ghibli.fandom.com/wiki/No-Face
Kitsune from Japanese folklore https://www.britannica.com/topic/kitsune
The Art of Japanese Ceramics Repair - Kintsugi https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kintsugi
Water Moon themed Playlist on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/playlist/25kdPSzyM0b9w6v0T7LYEV?si=DqPUE3jaSyefSQVK_PRDzQ
Barnes and Noble Monthly Pick - Guest Post by Samantha Sotto Yambao https://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/samantha-sotto-yambao-guest-post/
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