Woven in Moonlight is a story about revenge and rebellion, about moonlight and magic—and about discovering who you really are, even if it’s hard, even if it means taking a step back and looking at all the things you believed in for the longest time, just to realise that maybe they’ve been wrong.

I fell completely in love with the vivid world Isabel Ibañez created in Inkasisa. The Bolivian food and traditions, the Spanish names and phrases—all of it turned this into such a bright story and I’m really glad I got to read it. I’ve been kept guessing throughout the entire book: What would Ximena do next? Who is El Lobo? What about the real condesa? There was always another turn, another twist and something unexpected would happen and I loved that. It’s been so long since I’ve been pulled into a story this way and that alone makes me want to recommend Woven in Moonlight. But I also think that it’s important to listen to people in our community, when they talk about things that are problematic in a story. Woven in Moonlight portrays colonialism in a way that can be hurtful and that can’t be something we ignore.

So those are my thoughts: I really enjoyed reading Woven in Moonlight, the vivid characters and colourful world, the magic and the obstacles Ximena had to face, the focus on change, on forgiveness and fighting for a better world—a world in which everyone is treated equally. And yet, I feel like this message is incomplete, because throughout the entire book different groups of people have been oppressed and driven away from their own land by Ximena’s people and it’s not addressed in an adequate way. I realise that Woven in Moonlight is meant to show the reader Ximena’s prejudices and how misplaced they are—and she does change and learn. But the way this was done doesn’t seem right. I’m not an OwnVoices reviewer, though, so I’ll try to find some reviews that better describe this issue. In the meantime I think that it’s important to acknowledge that there might be hurtful themes in books we enjoy and we cannot ignore that; it’s important to talk about things like this and we need to learn to listen to people when they point out that there’s something wrong or problematic.

I quite enjoyed this book. The main character was pretty badass and had a good arc, and it was nice to watch her evolve. The story was essentially a commentary on colonization in my view. It follows the MC as she tries to win back the throne on behalf of her friend, but then realizes the people who "stole" it in the first place only did so after years of being oppressed. I haven't seen much of this kind of discourse in YA fantasy (at least not where the MC is one of the oppressors).

The Bolivian-inspired world, however, fell a bit flat for me. Maybe because most of the book is spent in a castle, but I didn't feel like I was very immersed in the setting. Simply using a bunch of Spanish words unfortunately didn't cut it for me. I felt like most of the world-building happened through things like food, which is fine, but I couldn't *picture* the world at all. It was very self-contained, which is to say that I have no idea what's happening outside the existence of the two sparring groups of people. It's not a deal-breaker, and it might not even matter to most people, but I'm the kind of person who wants a deeper understanding of the world I'm reading about. (I think this might also be easier to read for people from places like the US where they're more likely to learn Spanish: I'm Canadian and don't know even one word of it, which meant I spent a lot of time google-translating stuff until I gave up and just skimmed over the words. Even the chapter numbers are in Spanish, so I never had any idea what chapter I was on, lol. This isn't a *complaint* - I'm sure lots of people will love it - but I'd be aware of it if you're the kind of person who tries to look up every word like me!)

In terms of the relationship between the MC and the love interest, I wasn't sold at first. As the story progressed, however, I started to find him more interesting, and I was pretty happy with the outcome in the end. It was a typical enemies-to-lovers scenario, which I'm a fan of, but he fell slightly flat. He had conflicting motives, which the author explained away at the end, but in my view it was almost too easy a resolution. I kind of wanted the MC to end up with the king's sister, if I'm being honest :) she was complex and badass and interesting and I liked reading about her a lot more.

A brief note about El Lobo, the masked vigilante, while we're on characters - I thought this would be a more interesting reveal. From the moment he was mentioned I was more interested in him than anything else, but it takes him quite a while to show up. When he does, the MC spends a lot of time pondering who he might be, and keeps coming back to the same couple options. As such, I thought there was NO WAY one of them was going to be El Lobo. I thought it was the author's clever distraction. But...uh... no, the person the MC thinks is El Lobo is....drumroll.... El Lobo. And somehow she's still surprised? GIRL, YOU SUSPECTED HIM THE ENTIRE TIME.

Anyway. That was my main qualm. The rest of the book is truly pretty good, but it was one of those reads where the few things that annoyed me *really* annoyed me, you know? I just felt like it could have been better executed, and there was opportunity for more depth that was kinda... missed. 3.5 stars for an enjoyable read nonetheless, because I did like it. I just probably won't remember much of it.

Unfortunately I wasn't able to read this book due to the formatting. I am looking forward to reading this book once it is published and will keep it in mind when doing reader's advisory.

I absolutely loved this book! I described it to a friend as "if Game of Thrones was set in South America and centered the voices of young women." I loved the magic, the Bolivian touches, and the complex characters.

Ximena is a decoy Condesa, trained to stand in for her friend Catalina, the real Condesa. But things get complicated when she is thrown into enemy territory and engaged to marry the tyrant king her people are determined to overthrow. This high stakes political fantasy is steeped in unique magic and will keep you on the edge of your seat.

In the beginning of the book I felt that Ximena could be kind of aggravating. She complains a lot about how she doesn’t feel like she can be herself because she’s a decoy, obligated to pretend to be someone else. But I think once you get further into the story, you start to empathise and understand Ximena’s feelings. I appreciated that you didn’t just see her complaining about wanting to be her own person, but actually taking control and becoming her own person. She has to make difficult decisions throughout the book and it was nice to see her develop her own opinions, and sense of right and wrong.

I loved the magic in this book. Ximena is able to weave moonlight into tapestries and make beautiful creations– it was something I’ve never seen in fantasy before. There were also other more common magical abilities like healing powers. But then there were others like blood magic that could twist and torture with just a look. Magic was an everyday fact of life in this book, and it was interesting to see when characters decided to utilize or ignore it.

The romance was also something I wasn’t expecting to enjoy as much as I did. When Ximena meets Rumi, Juan Carlos and El Lobo, I thought there would be lots of agony over which boy she liked best and there would be some sort of Love Square situation going on. But Ximena wasn’t there to fall in love, and she focused more on discovering the identity of the masked vigilante El Lobo and determining who she could trust to help her. This made it feel even more meaningful when she did fall for one of the characters. Ximena knew who she wanted to be with and that was that. There was no fighting over her and she continued to have healthy friendships with the characters she didn’t have feelings for. I really enjoyed that.

In the author’s own words, “Woven in Moonlight is very much a revolution story, filled with politics and inspiration from events that have happened in Bolivia.” Honestly, I really appreciated the violent, cut throat nature of this story. So often in YA fantasy, the high stakes don’t come with any consequences and everyone lives happily ever after. Given that Woven in Moonlight is inspired by a real life, ruthless leader, I felt that the brutality and lack of safety for the characters was fitting. It also helped open my eyes to the true terrible nature of the political unrest in Bolivia, which I think is important. That being said, this content is not for everyone so here are CONTENT WARNINGS: graphic violence, death, executions.

Overall, there were very few things that I disliked about this book. I thought the magic was captivating and the plot was intriguing. I kept feeling like I knew how it would end, but it never really happened the way I expected. I would definitely recommend giving it a try, especially because it can be read as a standalone and that’s something we don’t often see in fantasy.

My Rating: ★★★★

I Would Recommend This To:
- Readers who enjoy fantasy worlds inspired by history.
- Readers who like to see characters face real danger.
- Readers who want a world full of casual, beautiful magic.

Ximena is the decoy Condesa, a stand-in for the last remaining Illustrian royal. Her people lost everything when the usurper, Atoc, used an ancient relic to summon ghosts and drive the Illustrians from La Ciudad. Now Ximena’s motivated by her insatiable thirst for revenge, and her rare ability to spin thread from moonlight.

First can we just appreciate how beautiful this cover is?! I enjoyed the author's writing style and the world building was fascinating. The descriptions of Bolivian culture, food, clothing architecture and setting were so lush. You could really picture everything perfectly. The MC, Ximena, is a strong female character who can handle herself and the supporting characters are likeable enough though no one else really stood out to me.
There are tense moments, twists you didn't see coming and a lot of action as Ximena tries to defeat Atoc and help the Illustrian people! Overall, this story was very enjoyable!

Thank to Netgalley and PageStreet Publishing for my advanced copy!

This was absolute perfection. I loved the storytelling, the world-building, and the characters were just amazing. Isabel has an amazing debut, and I cannot wait to read more.

The main character Ximena has a passion for weaving beautiful tapestries and the ability to weave moonlight into her creations, but she isnt the best at planning ahead. She barely did any strategizing before meeting the King even after doing something she should have known would upset him. Shes even given a book so she could learn more about her enemy, but decides to ignore it. Not to mention she drop kicks a woman in the head instead of using her sleeping dust and hopes the woman won't remember. I didnt enjoy seeing Ximena alone and mistreated without being able to change her situation. I know her actions arent unrealistic, but I dont enjoy reading about characters who are put in powerless situation for extended periods of time. I wish it hadn't taken her so long to use her time at the palace wisely. I wanted her to scheme more by trying to gain allies and finding leverage against the King so she could negotiate for better treatment.

It didnt make sense to me how the King threw away all his leverage against Ximena. The reason he convinced her to come to the palace to begin with was totally gone. He was so determined to leave a legacy behind that he literally shut down most food production to grow drugs and treats his own people terribly. I couldn't believe that after every horrible thing the Kings done the guards watching over Ximena were baffled when she didnt want to give him gifts and compliment him. Did they expect her to lie and manipulate the King to get her way or were they hoping she would actually be receptive to him. I did like her developing friendship with some the Llacsan and how it opened her eyes to their struggle. She was open minded enough to question if her Condesa was fit to rule when she would do things like give all their food away instead of rationing it.

I was happy to see Ximena taking initiative and smarter risks in the second half, but I never truly got the sense that revenge was her priority despite what the summary claimed. Her main goal was to accept the Kings demands of marriage as the Illustrian Condesas decoy in order to go into the palace to spy and steal the artifact that helped the King win the revolt. One plot hole I wish was explained was how the King knew about what happened to his messenger. Ximena could have been holding him hostage for all the King knew. It's what she should have done to gain some leverage. Even though I didnt enjoy how Ximena was treated at the palace, the danger and stress she was constantly under made for an engaging pace. Not knowing who would make a good ally added a sense of mystery to the plot that I found compelling. I appreciated the way the writing drew me into the story and the banter between characters.

The world drew inspiration from Bolivian politics and history, but Im not sure how closely it follows actual events since I'm not familiar with it. Either way I love seeing different cultures in fantasy books. The Spanish words used did add to the reading experience and I found myself understanding most of it. The magic system was interesting but not well defined. I dont know if everyone has powers, but we dont see many people using them. It only happens when its convenient for the plot. I also wanted more information about the Moon Goddess and the Sun God. I liked seeing how both sides of this war were at fault but that also meant I didnt want either of them in charge unless they were willing to make some significant changes. I fully acknowledge that this book and the representation within was not written with me in mind. I'm sure it will resonate with the right reader.

This book felt like a warm hug all the way through. Everything about the world created in Woven in Moonlight is unique to any YA Fantasy I’ve read before—and you could feel the strong history, love, and culture in all of its pages! The growth shown by Ximena as she learned more about the world around her felt natural and unforced, which is something that I often hear as a complaint about the heroines we love in fiction.

The World Building was a really good and positive thing about the book. It was exactly as described- lush. The descriptions were beautiful and all the food and places described was simply amazing. The idea of Ximena weaving tapestries from moonlight was really beautiful and I really loved the magic system in the book. I just hoped the other elements would fall into place just as well but since they did not do that for me, I ended up rating it three stars.

Overall, Woven in Moonlight was an average read for me and I did not like it as much as I expected it too. It was a book with a really good world building and magic and I really hoped to like it more. This wasn’t for me but I would suggest you’ll read about this book and read it if you like!

Ten years ago, the Llacsans overthrew the Illustrians and took over La Ciudad with an ancient relic filled with powerful magic. Now, as the food stores for the last remaining Illustrians runs dry and their general is missing, the Llacsan king sends a bleak message: the Condesa must marry him, or all Illustrians will die.

It seems bleak, but there is one trick left up their sleeve: Ximena, the decoy Condesa. She will infiltrate La Ciudad, find the relic, and return her people to glory.

This was a pleasantly surprising YA fantasy, that took many of the tropes of YA and turned them on their heads!

Feisty Girl About to Topple Cruel Government

While it started off as somewhat stereotypical, with a former ruling elite forced from power and striving to return to their past positions of glory, this was more a critique of Bolivian political history than anything else. I know absolutely nothing of Bolivian history, but there were some things that made me go, "hmm, I bet this is a call-out to something specific." This was one reason that made the "Girl Goes Revolution" trope a lot different—because instead of bland girl-power-against-evil, this had personal and cultural history and pain written all over it, along with the nuance of real life.

Ximena is feisty and gung-ho about freeing her people, but after meeting a masked vigilante, a captive princess and other Llacsans, she starts to listen and realizes that the Illustrian rule wasn't great for all people—just Illustrians. And that while the Llacscans were colonizers (they had run out the previous indigenous peoples hundreds of years previously), the Illustrians were no better—they had unseated the Llacsans from power and had systematically removed Llacsan culture, language, art and way of life over four hundred years of rule.

The juxtaposition of Illustrian white-ness (literally, everything in Illustrian culture is white—from their clothes to their art to their architecture to their religion) to the Llacsan over-saturation of color, was so symbolic of previous eradication and colonization in Bolivia. Literal nothingness overtaking and wiping out abundance.

Back to Ximena and the trope. Anywho, because of all of this history, Ximena begins to realize that there is no strict good vs bad in this fight—someone is going to win in the end, but is Catalina (the real Condesa) really the best person for the job? Would Catalina just replace one bad ruler with another, and retake the Illustrian throne without any consideration of the Llacsan peoples and their well-being? What makes a government? Can two cultures with lots of painful history coexist?

The Killings, Or, This Book Goes There

While a lot of YA seems to refrain from death of named characters or death in general (or the pristine heroine actually killing someone), this book goes there. Right away, two seemingly very important characters die.

And don't get attached, because this is war and revolution and things happen.

It's YA Game of Thrones, and I loved it.

The Boy

Okay, what YA book doesn't have The Boy? Fine, the sapphic ones, but my point still stands. The Boy™ is one of my least favorite YA tropes, because 1) that is how he is referred to all the time and 2) it perpetuates the false idea that you're gonna find your soulmate at 17.

Granted, this book falls into that trap, but at least the dude is kinda interesting? Although I had hoped that it would have been the other choice instead of who was chosen at the end, because I did not like him and I was totally voting for another character to win Ximena's heart. Or there to not be a romantic love interest at all.

Anywho, the romance aspect felt shoe-horned in and was kinda there just to be there and make it a YA fantasy.

Because the Rules of YA Fantasy state that there cannot be a heroine without The Boy™ (exceptions made for sapphic relationships).

Other Things I Liked

The worldbuilding. Previously mentioned above so I'll keep this short, but it felt real, with real history and meaning and nuance. 100% because it is #ownvoices and based on real history, but it was done very well. I also spent 90% of the book hungry because the food all sounded delicious.

Things That Could Have Been a Little Better or Just..Not Been There At All

Ximena as decoy. Damn this girl is a terrible decoy Condesa. For someone who has been the decoy for about ten years, she lacks any hint of subtlety, leadership (people skills—she's got the logistics down pat) or refinement. From the minute she gets to La Ciudad, I was like, "She's going to be discovered in a heartbeat." But, nope.

El Lobo. Did he have to be this dude? Really? Really? I was hoping he'd be someone else who was mentioned a bajillion times but never made an appearance, but it wasn't him.

The characters. This is a huge cast with lots of different peoples and cultures and everything else, and there is some politicking about other countries and whatnot and how the Big Bad has transformed farmland into drugland, but not a whole lot of other countries waiting to pounce on a kingdom in a weakened state, or seeking external allies. Also, there were a couple of characters who weren't developed fully or at all (Catalina), characters who were Super Important and died right away to further Ximena's growth and reliance on Llacsan characters, and characters who were Super Important but never appeared at all on page.

The magic. Chiefly, Ximena's magic. Her ability to weave moonlight was awesome, but the extra bits seemed extraneous and also mostly just padding and fluff to increase word-count and make it more Disneyfied. "See kids? Cute animals! Ignore the beheadings and death! Cute snakes!"

Also, I felt like there should have been more focus on the king and his blood mage and all of that business. Primarily, the king's motivations? I just didn't get it.

Final Thoughts

Yes, this wasn't perfect, but it was much more nuanced than most YA fantasy of late, with a biting critique on an all-or-nothing, black-or-white morality and Bolivian politics that I wasn't expecting to be so...biting.

There were a lot of threads left dangling in the wind, so I hope that this gets a sequel (which it looks like it will be!). Hopefully the sequel ties everything together neatly.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibañez. I've voluntarily read and reviewed this copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wow. Woven in Moonlight is an incredible, mesmerizing, magical and original read. Isabel Ibañez writes beautifully and very detailed. Her characters are real and multi-layered. The story is rich with culture and history and the realization that nothing is just simply black and white. From the first page you're fully transported into this world and rooting for the characters. Ximena, El Lobo, Rumi and Juan Carlos will capture your heart. You will turn the pages so fast in your quest to find out who's behind the mask of El Lobo.

In short, Woven in Moonlight is a real page turner and must-read. Amazing, strong female characters, realistic character development, a strong premise, humor and dept and an incredible captivating story in general.

Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibañez is described as "A lush tapestry of magic, romance, and revolución, drawing inspiration from Bolivian politics and history."  and to be honest, I have never come across such a perfect and accurate synopsis/description of a book. Everything is lush and gripping—from the writing style, to the characters, the immersive plot, and the incredible world-building. I absolutely loved it!

The writing style was great. I loved how the author narrated to the story from the littlest of details to the grander perspective. As a reader, I was shown a rich culture, a complex history of land and people, a harmful game of war and politics, a slow-burn romance, the process of learning to overcome judgment, and more. It was so good and I was hooked the moment I read the first page. 

I loved the characters in this book! Ximena is a strong-willed character full of hope and heart, she's also intelligent and brave. I loved reading the story through her perspective. I also found her very interesting, especially her struggle to be her true self. She's a decoy, a stand-in, and as a result, she needs to act like the Condesa, think like the Condesa, not herself. I have to say, it was incredibly satisfying to see her finally show her true self. 

Rumi is a charmer. He seems aloof at first, but we get to see more of him and know more of his agenda, is desires, and his loyalty as the story progresses. The minor characters are memorable as well! There's Juan Carlos, Tamaya, El Lobo, Catalina, Suyana, the priest, and even the woolly animals! For me, they helped build the story and it really wouldn't be the same without them. 

Here's what I really like about the plot of Woven in Moonlight: it's entertaining, it's compelling, and best of all, it's cohesive—everything makes sense and the flow of the story was just smooth and well-written. There were some plot twists I didn't see (but loved), and there were some that were just obvious (but I still loved!).

I also love how the story provokes an inner battle in choosing between right or wrong and knowing the different shades of morality when it comes to war and politics.

As for the romance, I loved it! It was not rushed, which is something I really appreciate when it comes to romantic pairings in books. And although the romance affected the plot, it's not the main part of the story. It didn't steal the show, nor did it become something that will badly impact the characters or the story.

The world-building in Woven in Moonlight is nothing but incredible. From the food, to the language, to the culture, to the politics and history, the author really managed to show the readers the bad, the good, and the beautiful sides of a Bolivian-inspired world.

Inkasisa is unstable. The Illustrians have been pushed out of power by the false King Atoc of the Llacsans in a bloody war that killed many including Ximena and Catalina’s families. Our story begins ten years after the event with King Atoc demanding the Illustrian Condesa’s hand in marriage or he will kill the Illustrian spies they captured. Ximena, who is now the decoy Condesa, finds herself in this impossible situation but with revenge on her mind she willingly heads off to live in enemy territory to find the Estrella, a deadly relic that Atoc uses to summon his ghost army.

Ximena also has a special gift. She can turn moonlight into thread. She uses her abilities while locked up to weave hidden messages into tapestries that only the Illustrians can understand. Things become complicated for Ximena the longer she is behind enemy lines. Learning about the Llacsans and understanding the history between the tribes leads her to a conflict of the heart. Ximena does not want war. She does not want anyone else to die. However, in order to avoid and more bloodshed she would have to betray her Condesa.

Woven in Moonlight is such a beautifully written story. Honestly it is just so good and should be at the top of your TBR pile. I loved reading Ximena’s journey through her prejudices and how she was able to take in new knowledge and adjust her feelings. It wasn’t easy for her but she is human and not perfect.

This book was a stand alone but there is plenty in this world that can be explored. On my wish list is a companion novel focused on Catalina. I would also love to read about the Llacsans and their life with Atoc during the ten years between wars.

Thank you to Netgally and Page Street Publishing for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to love this book and I still think that this cover is absolutely stunning. However the depiction of certain groups of people made me really uncomfortable given the real life counterparts/ situations they are based on. I don't think the main character was given enough depth for her actions to make sense within the context of the plot. I was a little bit confused on the message the story was trying to get across -- at times it felt anti indigenous. I don't think the author was doing this on purpose, but I feel that further detailing was needed to really make that come across in the narrative.

Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibañez. Influenced by Bolivian culture and politics this YA fantasy is filled with betrayal and love. This book really transports you into this magical world. I’m still process my full thoughts but know that this book and characters will stick with you for a long time. Thank you, Page Street Publishing, for gifting me this DARC via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Well... I am disappointed in myself 😫 I really wanted to love this book with my whole heart, but it was not for me. It was just bleh to me. Nothing special, nothing terrible, just right in the middle.

A solid 3 stars!

The first time I laid eyes on the gorgeous cover I just knew I had to read this book! I was not disappointed because this novel is just as lovely and lush as the cover promised it to be. It’s a story of two different communities fighting for justice, and tells of a long history of war and revenge that goes too far back in the past that the lines blur between the victims and the oppressors. Final rating: 3⭐

I talked about this in length on my blog as part of an intl blog tour: https://princessandpages.wordpress.com/2020/01/10/intl-blog-tour-woven-in-moonlight-by-isabel-ibanez-arc/

You know that feeling when you open a book for the first time and read the first few sentences and you already know that this is going to be awesome? Yes? That’s how I felt with Woven in Moonlight. Somehow, the writing captured me from the first page, the scenario getting me right into the story. Long story short, I read this book in 3 days, ignoring responsibilities but it was just that good. Basically, when I wasn’t reading, I was thinking about it. And when I wasn’t thinking about it, I was telling my friends about it. So yeah, I guess I enjoyed this book very, very, very much. You probably wonder why.

I already mentioned the writing. It was just beautiful. So rich and detailed, I could feel and smell and taste the things described. Especially food descriptions made my stomach grumble. I also loved the Quechuan and Spanish words and names, it made everything so much more realistic and better.

And the characters! Ximena is such a great protagonist, thrust into a world of revolutions and corruptions, she sees the world in black and white, in Illustrian and Llacsan. But then the time is at her enemy’s court is different from how she imagined it to be. Ximena is strong and willing to learn, she is a good fighter, both with her mind and with blades. And Isabel Ibañez really manages to let the reader feel close to her, to learn and develop with her. She grows so much during this story and somehow it made me feel better too? I don’t even know why, I just felt like I found a friend in this book and especially in Ximena.

Then there are the characters at court. The most important being Rumi, a healer and relative to the king. He usually has a scowl on his face. You can guess it. He appeared and I got instant heart eyes. I swear, I can smell that enemies-to-lover and enemies-to-friends from 500m away. This! Is! My! Jam! I really, really liked Rumi and I loved his discussions/talks/arguments with Ximena even more.
Other important characters are Ximena’s maid and guards whom she gets to know better and better. Their relationships are developing so well.
Another character that shouldn’t be left out, is El Lobo, a masked vigilante. Nobody knows his identity and Ximena can only guess about his goals and plans. He is a variable neither Ximena nor the reader really knows how to categorize which leaves room for speculations.
And, of course, the king. Atoc is cruel and powerful and way too sure of his throne and his actions. He sees himself atop everyone else, losing sight of what it means to be a good ruler.

I also need to talk about the setting. The book is inspired by Bolivia, its politics and history and culture. It was amazing to read a fantasy book that was so different from the often used European Middle Ages setting. Woven in Moonlight is a book that talks about political issues, corruption and revolutions, both bloody and non-violent. It shows that the book is not black and white and it really explores the characters in depth and shows why they became the way they are. This story is also about friendships and love, principles and revenge and about learning and listening. It truly was an amazing book and this review will surely not be the last thing you’ve heard from me about it.

Inspired by Bolivian culture and history, Isabel Ibañez spins a glittering and richly drawn story in her young adult fantasy debut, Woven in Moonlight. A tale of revolution, loyalty, and identity, it begins with a shaky show of leadership by heroine Ximena Rojas, giving her questions about her ability to rule over her people, the displaced Illustrians.

Her self-doubt has roots. Unknown to all but a few within their circle of refugees, Ximena is not the true condesa of the Illustrian people, but a decoy for the actual queen, Catalina. Ximena has been dedicated to her stand-in role since being selected in childhood based on her resemblance to the last Illustrian royal. Now an adult, she fully understands the necessity of such a scheme to protect the physical safety of the condesa, the last hope of their people. And though falsely holding the power of condesa may give a less moral character a craving for the real crown, our heroine’s greatest desire is not to rule, but to stop playing the pretending game:

It’s an honor to protect Catalina. To give up my life for hers should it come to that. And despite my duty, despite the long years of living as somebody else, I love her. As a sister, as my future queen. Sometimes, though, that kind of love just isn’t comfortable.

Fake or not, the condesa is summoned by the Llacsan king Atoc to La Ciudad Blanca, the capital of Inkasisa that he claimed years prior using the dark magic of an ancient artefact called the Estrella. As usual, Ximena takes Catalina’s place in a journey to the castillo, hoping to find some way around the false king’s demand for her hand in marriage after she arrives. In the meantime, she begins putting together a plan to get her own hands on the Estrella to exact Illustrian revenge and put the real Catalina on the throne.

She may be battle-trained, but Ximena is still unprepared for the dangers lurking around every corner of the castillo. The Llacsans at the king’s side don’t take kindly to who they believe to be the queen of the opposing faction and Atoc’s rage, easily provoked, triggers violent powers. He’s particularly prickly about a masked vigilante, El Lobo, repeatedly causing trouble for the crown yet remaining at large. Ximena hopes this stranger can be an ally, should their paths cross.

The decoy condesa has little hope for any additional assistance in the castillo, as her outrage over the suffering of the Illustrians during Atoc’s uprising nips at any Llacsan in her path. But as she lets her guard down with those charged with her care as Atoc’s intended, she begins to learn more about her enemy and the root of the revolution that saw her people cast out of the city. The longer she resides in the castillo alongside the Llacsans, the more it seems that matters may not be as clear-cut as she once thought.

Though she’s stand-in royalty in title, Ximena as a heroine is the genuine article. Although her devotion to Catalina does prove to have its blind spots, her focus is always on the good of her people. This loyalty even lies at the heart of what makes up both her artistic expression and magical gift. We’re told that the Illustrians, serving Luna, Goddess of the Moon, each have unique powers granted by the moonlight. Ximena is an expert weaver and by night, she can incorporate threads of moonlight into her ornate woolen tapestries:

I work the incandescent thread, over and under again, building a scene of the night sky. The moonlight turns to moondust as I weave, fluttering to the stone floor like falling snowflakes. In what feels like minutes, a new tapestry winks back at me. A glittering silver work of art that lights up the small room. Pools of moondust gather at my feet, as if I’ve wandered into winter.

Ximena uses this skill to attempt to communicate with her people while imprisoned at the castillo, which gives her some surprising advantages but also unintended drawbacks. Besides its plot usage, the weaving aspect also enriches the story with Bolivian heritage and brings it to life with Ximena’s passion for the craft. Readers will half expect to look up and see a finished tapestry, shimmering with moonlight, after they finish a passage detailing her handiwork.

Though some of the heroine’s internal strife could, at times, belabor the point, the story moves at a steady pace and provides ample food for thought, fitting for palettes of all ages. The author keeps a command of the writing, direct and purposeful, as well as the reader’s attention. Natural slower periods in the storytelling are equally as entertaining with skillful worldbuilding, mouth-watering food writing, and, of course, Ximena’s beautiful weaving.

Truly, this novel is full to the brim with heart. Ximena’s touch can’t only spin moonthread, but also encircles the whole story with authenticity. True bravery can be found in admitting there are things one may have gotten wrong and Ximena’s willingness to keep an open ear to things that may change her perspective makes her not only an engaging guide through this story, but also an admirable young woman, herself worthy of emulation.