Early Book Review: The Moth Keeper by K. O'Neill

The Moth Keeper by K. O'Neill is a graphic novel currently scheduled for release on March 7 2023. Being a Moth Keeper is a huge responsibility and a great honor, but what happens when the new Moth Keeper decides to take a break from the moon and see the sun for the first time? From the author of the beloved Tea Dragon Society comes a must-read for fans of the rich fantasies of Hayao Miyazaki and the magical adventures of Witch Hat Atelier. Anya is finally a Moth Keeper, the protector of the lunar moths that allow the Night-Lily flower to bloom once a year. Her village needs the flower to continue thriving and Anya is excited to prove her worth and show her thanks to her friends with her actions, but what happens when being a Moth Keeper isn’t exactly what Anya thought it would be? Night after night, it is lonely in the desert, with only one lantern for light. Still, Anya is eager to prove her worth, to show her thanks to her friends and her village. But is it worth the cost? And yet something isn’t right. When Anya glimpses the one thing that could destroy what she’s meant to protect, her village and the lunar moths are left to deal with the consequences.

The Moth Keeper is a coming of age graphic novel for middle grade and older readers. First off, I loved the artwork and thought it did a wonderful job of capturing the emotion and details of the story. I thought the book shared a wonderful story of self exploration, community, and friendship as well as how we sometimes put more expectations and duty on ourselves than others would. I liked the world building and that we got to see pieces from a variety of lives in the story- although I would have liked more of everything since I enjoyed it all so much.  I will admit that there were a couple pages that I had to look at more than once to get exactly what was happening from, and I did still have some questions about Anya's past and the other characters when I finished the book. I will honestly be thinking about these characters and the book for awhile now that I have finished it, which is unusual for me. I think many other readers will experience the same.  I think the story will speak to a wide range of readers.

The Moth Keeper is an engaging graphic novel that I think will become a favorite for many.