What do you think?
Rate this book
Moon & Sun #1
The Ruby Key
Mankind is Sunkind
And rules by the light;
Nightlings are Moonkind,
And rule in the night;
Or there will be war.
Human and Nightlings are never to meet, but when Genna and her brother Dan venture into the old forest at night, they encounter a Nightling slave who reveals a terrifying secret: Genna and Dan's village chieftain has made a dangerous deal with Letrin, ruler of the Nightlings, offering the lives of his people in exchange for his own immortality.
To save the villagers and themselves, Genna and Dan strike their own bargain with the Nightling lord, but the stakes are even higher. Now, the siblings must embark upon a journey along the Moonroads, and bring back the key to Letrin's downfall.
Written in haunting, lyrical prose, Holly Lisle transports readers to the twilit realms of the Night Worlds.
Holly Lisle is a native of Salem, Ohio, but she's also lived in Alaska, Costa Rica, and Guatemala. She is the author of many bestselling adult suspense and fantasy novels. She has three children, a handful of cats, and believes writing is the best job a person can have. She currently resides in Georgia, with her family.
361 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2008
39 people are currently reading
2067 people want to read
About the author
Holly Lisle
108 books450 followersHolly Lisle has been writing fiction professionally since 1991, when she sold FIRE IN THE MIST, the novel that won her the Compton Crook Award for best first novel. She has to date published more than thirty novels and several comprehensive writing courses. She has just published WARPAINT, the second stand-alone novel in her Cadence Drake series.
Holly had an ideal childhood for a writer…which is to say, it was filled with foreign countries and exotic terrains, alien cultures, new languages, the occasional earthquake, flood, or civil war, and one story about a bear, which follows:
“So. Back when I was ten years old, my father and I had finished hunting ducks for our dinner and were walking across the tundra in Alaska toward the spot on the river where we’d tied our boat. We had a couple miles to go by boat to get back to the Moravian Children’s Home, where we lived.
“My father was carrying the big bag of decoys and the shotgun; I was carrying the small bag of ducks.
“It was getting dark, we could hear the thud, thud, thud of the generator across the tundra, and suddenly he stopped, pointed down to a pie-pan sized indentation in the tundra that was rapidly filling with water, and said, in a calm and steady voice, “That’s a bear footprint. From the size of it, it’s a grizzly. The fact that the track is filling with water right now means the bear’s still around.”
“Which got my attention, but not as much as what he said next.
” ‘I don’t have the gun with me that will kill a bear,’ he told me. ‘I just have the one that will make him angry. So if we see the bear, I’m going to shoot him so he’ll attack me. I want you to run to the river, follow it to the boat, get the boat back home, and tell everyone what happened.’
“The rest of our walk was very quiet. He was, I’m sure, listening for the bear. I was doing my damnedest to make sure that I remembered where the boat was, how to get to it, how to start the pull-cord engine, and how to drive it back home, because I did not want to let him down.
“We were not eaten by a bear that night…but neither is that walk back from our hunt for supper a part of my life I’ll ever forget.
“I keep that story in mind as I write. If what I’m putting on paper isn’t at least as memorable as having a grizzly stalking my father and me across the tundra while I was carrying a bag of delicious-smelling ducks, it doesn’t make my cut.”
You can find Holly on her personal site:
Hollylisle.com
You can find Cadence Drake, Holly's currently in-progress series, on her site:
CadenceDrake.com
You can find Holly's books, courses, writing workshops, and so on here:
The HowToThinkSideways.com Shop, as well as on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and in a number of bookstores in the US and around the world.
Holly had an ideal childhood for a writer…which is to say, it was filled with foreign countries and exotic terrains, alien cultures, new languages, the occasional earthquake, flood, or civil war, and one story about a bear, which follows:
“So. Back when I was ten years old, my father and I had finished hunting ducks for our dinner and were walking across the tundra in Alaska toward the spot on the river where we’d tied our boat. We had a couple miles to go by boat to get back to the Moravian Children’s Home, where we lived.
“My father was carrying the big bag of decoys and the shotgun; I was carrying the small bag of ducks.
“It was getting dark, we could hear the thud, thud, thud of the generator across the tundra, and suddenly he stopped, pointed down to a pie-pan sized indentation in the tundra that was rapidly filling with water, and said, in a calm and steady voice, “That’s a bear footprint. From the size of it, it’s a grizzly. The fact that the track is filling with water right now means the bear’s still around.”
“Which got my attention, but not as much as what he said next.
” ‘I don’t have the gun with me that will kill a bear,’ he told me. ‘I just have the one that will make him angry. So if we see the bear, I’m going to shoot him so he’ll attack me. I want you to run to the river, follow it to the boat, get the boat back home, and tell everyone what happened.’
“The rest of our walk was very quiet. He was, I’m sure, listening for the bear. I was doing my damnedest to make sure that I remembered where the boat was, how to get to it, how to start the pull-cord engine, and how to drive it back home, because I did not want to let him down.
“We were not eaten by a bear that night…but neither is that walk back from our hunt for supper a part of my life I’ll ever forget.
“I keep that story in mind as I write. If what I’m putting on paper isn’t at least as memorable as having a grizzly stalking my father and me across the tundra while I was carrying a bag of delicious-smelling ducks, it doesn’t make my cut.”
You can find Holly on her personal site:
Hollylisle.com
You can find Cadence Drake, Holly's currently in-progress series, on her site:
CadenceDrake.com
You can find Holly's books, courses, writing workshops, and so on here:
The HowToThinkSideways.com Shop, as well as on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and in a number of bookstores in the US and around the world.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 197 reviews
March 6, 2009
This fantasy starts off like many Human vs. Unhuman stories, with the humans making a yearly ritualistic offering to the nightlings in order to maintain an old truce that promises that nightlings won’t harm humans so long as humans give them goods and don’t trespass on nightling territory. Nightlings are a bit like elves – their faces are delicate and ethereal, their skin comes in colors like yellow and blue, their magic is of a higher order than that of humankind, and they can only venture out at night.
It is soon clear that all is not as it seems. 14-year-old Genna and her 12-year-old brother Dan set out at night into the woods to gather magical sap to help their dying mother (horribly risky as this is the time and the territory of nightlings) and are brought by a nightling girl named Yarri to the Kai-Lord, ruler of all the nightlings. He is a tyrant who has made a terrible bargain with the chieftain of Genna and Dan’s village – they, and in fact all humankind, might perish unless Genna and Dan can find and bring a nightling boy named Doyati back to the Kai-Lord.
From this point on, the action is non-stop. Genna and Dan’s journey is mind-bogglingly dangerous, with nasty creatures trying to eat them and various factions pursuing them. They can’t let their guard down for a second, and so the reader can’t either. Luckily, they have two companions – Yarri and a supercilious talking cat (who reminds me of Mogget in Garth Nix’s Sabriel) – who just barely keep them from getting killed over and over. Despite the tension, there is a lightness to the tone and even moments of levity. Several episodes have a very funny Lloyd Alexander-esque quality to them, as when Doyati tries to guess how Genna kills a huge dire-worm.
‘“Enchanted arrows? Spell of exploding flesh? Rain of fire?…Speak up, girl.”
“I hit him with your skillet. A lot.”’
In another scene, the travelers consult an old wise woman. After much mystical and vague proclamations, “she made a broad, sweeping gesture, certainly meant to be ominous or impressive, but in the cramped space, she managed to knock two jars of herbs from the shelves right beside her to the floor. We heard glass shatter, and then twin clouds of powder and dust billowed up from the floor.” Soon everyone is sneezing and the eery mood is quite broken, to everyone’s relief.
The finale is appropriately climactic and tense, with some surprises thrown in. Nothing is predictable, a refreshing thing in a fantasy, and there is still plenty of chaos left to ensure that the next book should be just as thrilling. I just hope we learn more about that mysterious cat.
One final note – this book is printed with dark blue ink rather than black, giving it a special look that is quite easy on the eyes.
Grades 5 - 8
May 12, 2008
It felt very loose -- the book. The pacing is off due to many "mini-expositions" -- whenever Genna meets a new character or a new situation, a long winded explanation ensues and none of the elements really feels belonging to quite the same world. There are all kind of "standard fantasy characters": the fortune-teller, the cat, the fairies, etc. but feeling very "pieced together." The whole time I read it, I felt like I was watching someone knit a multi-colored and patterned sweater -- and the knitter keeps dropping stitches and has to start from the beginning again or retrace her step to make-up for the missing parts. It was a bit tedious -- and I have to confess that I really scanned/skipped the second half of the book since I just couldn't bear the boredom. And, this is, *gasp*, the first book of a series, obviously: since the "enemy" turns out to not be the "real enemy" after all. So, vanquishing him did not end the story. I will not passionately wait for the second installment.. for sure.
June 24, 2013
I have no idea how to rate this book.
I read it long ago and thought it was original and exciting. But that was when I had no literary sense and thought Eragon was good.
So, here's what I can tell you:
- the plot is rather unoriginal (basically, three teens look for a magical person to save their families from an evil king.)
- the adventure takes place in an exciting world; while reading it, I felt like I was exploring a mysterious place, as if down Alice's rabbit hole. The cover art helps set the mood for this adventure: our heroes travel down moonroads and use mystical magic.
- the characters are common archetypes: the mysterious guide, the loyal younger brother, the spunky heroine, the evil uncle, the evil king, etc.
- true literature usually explores meaningful themes or characters or ideas, and Sturgeon's Law says that 90% of all things published is crap. In that case, The Ruby Key might be considered as a part of that 90%, as it isn't particularly meaningful, but it is well-written and entertaining.
I think the reason I really liked this is because it makes you feel like you're in another world, experiencing all these magical things, and that wherever you turn, there is going to be a new surprise.
So, recommended? Only for escapism, which this is perfect for.
However, I'm not sure I conveyed well that I love this book; the thing is, I do, I really do. I love being lost in otherworlds, and I am eagerly awaiting book 3!
Please finish soon, Holly Lisle!
I read it long ago and thought it was original and exciting. But that was when I had no literary sense and thought Eragon was good.
So, here's what I can tell you:
- the plot is rather unoriginal (basically, three teens look for a magical person to save their families from an evil king.)
- the adventure takes place in an exciting world; while reading it, I felt like I was exploring a mysterious place, as if down Alice's rabbit hole. The cover art helps set the mood for this adventure: our heroes travel down moonroads and use mystical magic.
- the characters are common archetypes: the mysterious guide, the loyal younger brother, the spunky heroine, the evil uncle, the evil king, etc.
- true literature usually explores meaningful themes or characters or ideas, and Sturgeon's Law says that 90% of all things published is crap. In that case, The Ruby Key might be considered as a part of that 90%, as it isn't particularly meaningful, but it is well-written and entertaining.
I think the reason I really liked this is because it makes you feel like you're in another world, experiencing all these magical things, and that wherever you turn, there is going to be a new surprise.
So, recommended? Only for escapism, which this is perfect for.
However, I'm not sure I conveyed well that I love this book; the thing is, I do, I really do. I love being lost in otherworlds, and I am eagerly awaiting book 3!
Please finish soon, Holly Lisle!
April 14, 2015
This is a brilliant book! It's one of the best children's books I have ever read. It's fresh, thoughtful and full of suspense. The characters face and have to made hard decisions, are bound by tribal laws which they always bend to and torn between family and duty. I like the idea of the moon roads, slipping between worlds during the hours of moonlight and searching for places you have to go. But traveling them is not for free. What you need of the moon road might not be given and the moon roads will still take as much of you as they can get, leaving you changed and unaware of what you have lost. I can't wait for the next book in the Moon & Sun series!
December 30, 2010
This is the first book in Lisle's Sun and Moon trilogy. I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. I had read a couple of Lisle's older books back when I was in high school and remember liking them. Well I am glad I picked this up because it was a great book!
Gennadara and Daneth live in a small village called Hillrush and along with the other villagers struggling to maintain peace with the Nightlings, a race that can only emerge at night that is ruled by the evil and immortal Letrin. When Gennadara and Dan find there mother has caught a wasting illness, they seek to make a bargain with Letrin to save their mother's live. Little do they know that bargain they make will take them on a great adventure and force them into an age old struggle beyond their imagining.
This was a really well done book. All of the characters are engaging and interesting. Gennadara is especially intriguing; she is a somewhat timid girl with a core of strength and determination that is admirable. The world Lisle creates is interesting and immense; just the surface of this world is touched in this book with hints showing the larger struggle humanity faces against the Nightlings. Lisle does an excellent job describing the surroundings in a way that really conveys the dark and dank mood of the settings. In general the book is very well-written and Lisle shows great skill in creating a readable and intelligent writing style with excellent plot weaving.
There aren't a ton of action scenes, the majority of this book focuses on adventuring, but both the adventuring and action scenes are very well done. The whole time you are left wondering if Gennadara and Dan will make it in time to save their mother and this really propels the story forward making it hard to put down. You never know what fantastical creature will appear around which corner or what a character will do next. Lisle also adds a thread of humor into both Gennadara's and the Cat's personality that keeps the story from taking itself too seriously.
The best thing about this book is that it reminds me a lot of a good old classic fairy tale or folktale, with a bit more added. At first the story seems contained, but then it is broadened to deal with all of humanity. I just really, really, enjoyed it and couldn't find a single thing about it I didn't like. My biggest complaint is that now I want to read the next book in the series RIGHT NOW! It was a great book, suited for younger children as well as young adults and adults.
Gennadara and Daneth live in a small village called Hillrush and along with the other villagers struggling to maintain peace with the Nightlings, a race that can only emerge at night that is ruled by the evil and immortal Letrin. When Gennadara and Dan find there mother has caught a wasting illness, they seek to make a bargain with Letrin to save their mother's live. Little do they know that bargain they make will take them on a great adventure and force them into an age old struggle beyond their imagining.
This was a really well done book. All of the characters are engaging and interesting. Gennadara is especially intriguing; she is a somewhat timid girl with a core of strength and determination that is admirable. The world Lisle creates is interesting and immense; just the surface of this world is touched in this book with hints showing the larger struggle humanity faces against the Nightlings. Lisle does an excellent job describing the surroundings in a way that really conveys the dark and dank mood of the settings. In general the book is very well-written and Lisle shows great skill in creating a readable and intelligent writing style with excellent plot weaving.
There aren't a ton of action scenes, the majority of this book focuses on adventuring, but both the adventuring and action scenes are very well done. The whole time you are left wondering if Gennadara and Dan will make it in time to save their mother and this really propels the story forward making it hard to put down. You never know what fantastical creature will appear around which corner or what a character will do next. Lisle also adds a thread of humor into both Gennadara's and the Cat's personality that keeps the story from taking itself too seriously.
The best thing about this book is that it reminds me a lot of a good old classic fairy tale or folktale, with a bit more added. At first the story seems contained, but then it is broadened to deal with all of humanity. I just really, really, enjoyed it and couldn't find a single thing about it I didn't like. My biggest complaint is that now I want to read the next book in the series RIGHT NOW! It was a great book, suited for younger children as well as young adults and adults.
March 9, 2009
This is more a young adult book but I think most fantasy readers would enjoy it. The world is shared by humans and nightlings. They are at peace but the peace can easily be disrupted. Genna and her brother Dan are worried. Their father is missing and most presume him dead. Their father's friend, Bantris, is acting as Caer. Their mother has an illness they aren't able to cure. So they decide to sneak out an tap the tantru tree for its curative sap. Since nobody will let them do this during the day, they decide to do it at night although it is forbidden by the peace treaty. While out, they get approached by a nightling who talks them into seeking a boon from the King of the Nightlings. This starts their great adventure.
November 24, 2011
This is one of the most interesting and creative worlds I have seen in a middle grade book. It ranks right up there with Suzanne Collins Gregor series and Garth Nix Keys to the Kingdom and Seventh Tower books. I love the dichotomy of the humans amd the nightlings, the magic that feels both earthy and otherworldly at the same time, and the sense that there is more going on than we are being told. The characters are real and engaging and though their outlook is appropriately straightforward there are surprisingly complex layers underlying everything that happens. Holly Lisle is a fantastic storyteller and this series promises to be one I pass on to my friends young and old.
March 1, 2011
Decent fantasy series. Ms. Lisle knows how to write a story and how to craft characters. Overall it kept me reading quickly through this first book in the series. Should be very appealing to middle grade readers and has a strong female protagonist who struggles to succeed and save her family and people. Obviously, the story isn't done yet, but this first book has a decent conclusion that satisfies. I'll likely pick up the next book. My main complaint may be that the plot gets a little convoluted at times and there is a large cast of characters and motives to keep track of.
August 3, 2010
Reading the back cover, this book sounded like it had a very good story tucked away. However...it was not to be. This book definably had promise, but the author didn't EXPLAIN ANYTHING. At least, not very good. On the spine of the book, it clearly said "Book 1", however it might have been book 4 of a 8 book series. It started too abruptly. In fact I never got past page 15.
I might come back to it someday....However, not now. Defiantly not now.
I might come back to it someday....However, not now. Defiantly not now.
March 15, 2023
I read this book a long time ago as a kid and I remember loving it. As an adult though… woof. I can’t decide if this was supposed to be 200 pages longer and got ruthlessly edited down to a ghost of the author’s vision, or if there never was much of a vision to start with.
Things happened and changed so quickly, and new ideas were constantly getting thrown at me, to the point that I consistently kept thumbing back to make sure I hadn’t MISSED something. Nope… that’s just the pacing.
Very strange reading experience, though not entirely unpleasant. There’s a lot of cool ideas here, they just feel like they didn’t get the opportunity to be what they were meant to be.
Things happened and changed so quickly, and new ideas were constantly getting thrown at me, to the point that I consistently kept thumbing back to make sure I hadn’t MISSED something. Nope… that’s just the pacing.
Very strange reading experience, though not entirely unpleasant. There’s a lot of cool ideas here, they just feel like they didn’t get the opportunity to be what they were meant to be.
June 13, 2021
Very unique world building and, therefore, engrossing. The author had a pattern all her own that I caught on to about halfway through, but it was so refreshing to read about a different type of world. My library cataloged it with middle grade books, but it's dark enough that I would move it to teen. Plus, there's so little to ground readers (because it's so deep) I feel like teens would enjoy the unbounded creativity more than younger kids.
January 24, 2009
I was initially drawn to this due to its lovely cover art (hey, I'm not immune!), but quickly discovered that it is a thrilling, fully-realized fantasy, set in a world that I absolutely cannot wait to learn more about. Lisle combines traditional lore about humans and faeries with her own imagination, and gives us a land where humans and Nightlings (inhuman creatures who are fair or frightening depending on their nature and glamour) exist in an uneasy truce. After a bloody war, a pact was struck between the humans and the Nightling race; humans own the daylight hours, and the Nightling own the darkness. Both sides pay tribute to each other, but humans must never be caught outside during the night, lest they disappear forever.
This system has worked for hundreds of years, but in Genna and Dan's village, it seems to be breaking down. Their father, who once led the village, took ill with a strange wandering illness and has disappeared, and their mother shows more signs every day of following him. Meanwhile, their uncle has taken over the village and rules much less wisely -- not to mention that he is pressing Genna and Dan's mother to marry him, in order to further secure his power. With an eye toward healing their mother, Genna and Dan do the forbidden: they slip into the forest at night, hoping to secure a cure. There in the forest, they meet a young Nightling slave, and end up striking a dangerous deal with Letrin, the lord of the Nightlings, which may spell either freedom or disaster for humans and Nightling both.
Both Genna and Dan are engaging and believable characters, who make mistakes and foolish decisions, but who ultimately are driven by their love for each other and their dedication to their village. While this book appears to be the first in a projected series, it is completely satisfying on its own, and deserves to be counted as among the best YA fantasies of 2008.
This system has worked for hundreds of years, but in Genna and Dan's village, it seems to be breaking down. Their father, who once led the village, took ill with a strange wandering illness and has disappeared, and their mother shows more signs every day of following him. Meanwhile, their uncle has taken over the village and rules much less wisely -- not to mention that he is pressing Genna and Dan's mother to marry him, in order to further secure his power. With an eye toward healing their mother, Genna and Dan do the forbidden: they slip into the forest at night, hoping to secure a cure. There in the forest, they meet a young Nightling slave, and end up striking a dangerous deal with Letrin, the lord of the Nightlings, which may spell either freedom or disaster for humans and Nightling both.
Both Genna and Dan are engaging and believable characters, who make mistakes and foolish decisions, but who ultimately are driven by their love for each other and their dedication to their village. While this book appears to be the first in a projected series, it is completely satisfying on its own, and deserves to be counted as among the best YA fantasies of 2008.
May 31, 2020
The Ruby Key by Holly Lisle is a young adult fantasy novel about two siblings on a quest to fulfill a contract they made with a dangerous fairy lord in order to save their family.
I didn’t like this book as much as I wanted to. I had numerous problems with it. It’s over-complicated, for one thing — I can see the author is trying to set up future books but it comes at the expense of this one. The end of the book in particular gets muddled because a lot of key information is info-dumped on you at the last minute. Then there’s the main characters, who are presented as very smart and responsible but they make some really bone-headed mistakes. I know they’re just kids but they didn’t even have compelling reasons to fuck up, they just do it because the plot needs them to so that it can proceed. And then there’s the goddamned cat character who is a complete jerk to everybody and doesn’t even have the saving grace of doing so in an entertaining manner. And then the romance foisted upon the main character at the very end is awkward and forced.
There is a lot of good stuff here too, though. The author has wonderful ideas: knitted spellwork and ghost advisors and magical tree sap and covenants with nightlings. She has a keen eye for practical, convincing detail that helps you feel immersed in a realistic world. The negotiation scenes were tense and scary, and the climax was beautifully moving. I also have to point out that the physical book itself is lovely, with gorgeous art on a matte jacket, and purple ink on creamy pages. This is one advantage a real book will always have over an eBook, and I wish more publishers would try to work that angle.
In the end, though, this book just wasn’t for me. I had too many problems with it, and I definitely am not interested in reading the sequels since it introduces a prophecy and a Chosen One and I just hate destiny bullshit like that. 2 stars.
I didn’t like this book as much as I wanted to. I had numerous problems with it. It’s over-complicated, for one thing — I can see the author is trying to set up future books but it comes at the expense of this one. The end of the book in particular gets muddled because a lot of key information is info-dumped on you at the last minute. Then there’s the main characters, who are presented as very smart and responsible but they make some really bone-headed mistakes. I know they’re just kids but they didn’t even have compelling reasons to fuck up, they just do it because the plot needs them to so that it can proceed. And then there’s the goddamned cat character who is a complete jerk to everybody and doesn’t even have the saving grace of doing so in an entertaining manner. And then the romance foisted upon the main character at the very end is awkward and forced.
There is a lot of good stuff here too, though. The author has wonderful ideas: knitted spellwork and ghost advisors and magical tree sap and covenants with nightlings. She has a keen eye for practical, convincing detail that helps you feel immersed in a realistic world. The negotiation scenes were tense and scary, and the climax was beautifully moving. I also have to point out that the physical book itself is lovely, with gorgeous art on a matte jacket, and purple ink on creamy pages. This is one advantage a real book will always have over an eBook, and I wish more publishers would try to work that angle.
In the end, though, this book just wasn’t for me. I had too many problems with it, and I definitely am not interested in reading the sequels since it introduces a prophecy and a Chosen One and I just hate destiny bullshit like that. 2 stars.
October 11, 2012
Book One of the Moon & Sun series gives us a fantastical adventure. The
world is divided into sunkind, man, and moonkind, nightlings who haunt
the world after sunset and rule the night. The treaty between the two
kind is precarious and as the novel progresses, full of more and more
questions. Genna and her brother Dan set out to save their mother, but
end up on a quest to save their family, their fellow villagers, and
their freedom. Genna, who learns of her special gifts as the book
progresses, and Dan, who has a ghost living inside him, make a pact with
the Kai-Lord in an attempt to save the lives of their family and
friends. This pact sets in motion a quest to find Doyati, take him to
the Kai-Lord, and in exchange free the villagers from certain death. On
this quest they are joined by Yarri, a nightling slave with magic skills
hoping to free her kind from slavery, and a cat capable of talking, but
of questionable virtue. Through the experience, Genna learns of her
special powers and becomes a Sunrider, and even more impressive,
maintains moral integrity. The story concludes with just enough
satisfaction to enjoy it independently, but also creates a desire to
continue on to the next Moon & Sun adventure.
(Review also contributed to Library Media Connections)
world is divided into sunkind, man, and moonkind, nightlings who haunt
the world after sunset and rule the night. The treaty between the two
kind is precarious and as the novel progresses, full of more and more
questions. Genna and her brother Dan set out to save their mother, but
end up on a quest to save their family, their fellow villagers, and
their freedom. Genna, who learns of her special gifts as the book
progresses, and Dan, who has a ghost living inside him, make a pact with
the Kai-Lord in an attempt to save the lives of their family and
friends. This pact sets in motion a quest to find Doyati, take him to
the Kai-Lord, and in exchange free the villagers from certain death. On
this quest they are joined by Yarri, a nightling slave with magic skills
hoping to free her kind from slavery, and a cat capable of talking, but
of questionable virtue. Through the experience, Genna learns of her
special powers and becomes a Sunrider, and even more impressive,
maintains moral integrity. The story concludes with just enough
satisfaction to enjoy it independently, but also creates a desire to
continue on to the next Moon & Sun adventure.
(Review also contributed to Library Media Connections)
February 17, 2015
This is from my 9 year old daughter, who read the book on her own:
This is about a girl named Genna who lived in a village with her brother Danrith. One night their mom is sick so they have to go get some sap from the trees to heal her. One of the nightlings told them that their uncle, Barnabas, was going to kill them so he could be immortal. So they went and they made a deal with the ruler of the nightlings whose title was Kailord. The deal was that he would get a boy named Doyit. Kaylord would make the mom and dad well and get rid of Barnabas.
So they, Genna and Danrith, set out an adventure to get Doyit. They also have a talking cat who can travel moonroads. They also have a nightling named Yari. Yari and Danrith go back to the nightling city with the talking cat. Genna finds Doyit. She and Doyit start to go back to the nightling city. The ghostbard took Doyit away from Genna and brought Doyit to the Kailord himself. Then they kill the Kailord. The kailord had taken the parents prisoner. A prince nightling who had died and his mom appear on the ceiling. Then everybody holds hands with Doyit and that is how they got well. Barnabas drank something and turned into a monster and left. So that is how it ends.
I liked this book because it was awesome.
This is about a girl named Genna who lived in a village with her brother Danrith. One night their mom is sick so they have to go get some sap from the trees to heal her. One of the nightlings told them that their uncle, Barnabas, was going to kill them so he could be immortal. So they went and they made a deal with the ruler of the nightlings whose title was Kailord. The deal was that he would get a boy named Doyit. Kaylord would make the mom and dad well and get rid of Barnabas.
So they, Genna and Danrith, set out an adventure to get Doyit. They also have a talking cat who can travel moonroads. They also have a nightling named Yari. Yari and Danrith go back to the nightling city with the talking cat. Genna finds Doyit. She and Doyit start to go back to the nightling city. The ghostbard took Doyit away from Genna and brought Doyit to the Kailord himself. Then they kill the Kailord. The kailord had taken the parents prisoner. A prince nightling who had died and his mom appear on the ceiling. Then everybody holds hands with Doyit and that is how they got well. Barnabas drank something and turned into a monster and left. So that is how it ends.
I liked this book because it was awesome.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 1, 2009
I am picky about the fantasy I read. The reason I read this book was simple, I had taken some writing courses from the author and always loved what she wrote online. So, I figured I would try one of her books. Ruby Key is the story of Genna and Dan who lived in the village of Highbrush. They have hatched a plan to save their mother who is sick. The only night they are allowed out is the night they make their offering to the Nightlings who leave gifts for them in return. They know to go out at night might mean their death or they could become slaves of the Nightlings. to save their mother they must go out at night and venture to the taander tree to gather its sap. While out they encounter a nightling who becomes their friend. They find out that there is a problem brewing in their village and they join forces with the Nightling to try to set things right. I loved the way it ended. It was finished nicely, yet was finished in a way that a sequel would fit nicely. The characters and plot were definitely well developed. I would expect nothing less from Holly. I will also read more of her books. I enjoyed them quite a bit.
June 6, 2017
I liked the book as a whole - enough traditional fairytale to have the feeling of roots, but with its own worldbuilding and plot variations as well - but I think two things really sold me on it.
1) Moon-roads. Not to get too spoilery but that bit of the plot contributed in a considerable way to the size and the power and danger of the world, and made it feel - wilder, and more full of possibilities, than it would have otherwise.
2) I was able to get to know the characters, and felt they were worth knowing. There are a lot of books which tell me how characters feels, even attempt to use their points of view, but the point of view seems shallow and not fleshed out - you don't get an impression of them having any history, or caring deeply about their circumstances, and after all if they don't why shouldn't you? I didn't get that here. They were invested, they had needs and goals and reasons for fear, and it was palpable.
And also... The Cat was the Cattiest Cat, whatever his protests of non-Catness. I always love a good Cat. ;)
1) Moon-roads. Not to get too spoilery but that bit of the plot contributed in a considerable way to the size and the power and danger of the world, and made it feel - wilder, and more full of possibilities, than it would have otherwise.
2) I was able to get to know the characters, and felt they were worth knowing. There are a lot of books which tell me how characters feels, even attempt to use their points of view, but the point of view seems shallow and not fleshed out - you don't get an impression of them having any history, or caring deeply about their circumstances, and after all if they don't why shouldn't you? I didn't get that here. They were invested, they had needs and goals and reasons for fear, and it was palpable.
And also... The Cat was the Cattiest Cat, whatever his protests of non-Catness. I always love a good Cat. ;)
February 28, 2011
This is a fun, fun, fun premise to what promises to be a wonderful series. It’s straight up fantasy with an alternate world and an original mythology that, while making use of some aspects of a myriad of myths, has a fresh approach to it. Lisle’s world building skills are to be lauded as she painstakingly details each and every thing that a reader may query into. Her characters are also well crafted and the bond between the siblings is a pleasant change from the angst that usually accompanies such relationships. Genna is a curious mix of vulnerability and strength, knowing her duty and knowing that she has to see it through but occasionally giving in to what is normal for a girl her age. The side characters are also intriguing and the plot certainly riveting enough to have you read through the night until you have turned the last page. The surprise at the end of the novel creates a potential for a sequel that will be just as entertaining as The Ruby Key is.
December 26, 2017
Lisle, Holly The Ruby Key, 368 p. Scholastic (Print Date: May 2008).
Genna and Dan are desperate to find their father and save their mother, before she is forced to marry the village's new chieftain. What they don't know, however, is that their incredible journey is destined to save more than one race of peoples. Cunning will be needed and danger must be encountered along every step of the way as the two and their companions try to satisfy the demands of the nightling king without getting themselves killed or betraying those they love.
A really hard-hitting start, a little slower in the middle and then a big rush to a fine conclusion, with a great setup for at least one sequel. This book can easily span all three levels of school libraries. Lisle has made a smooth transition into the teen fantasy market - check out her adult level fantasy if you haven't already.
EL, MS, HS - ESSENTIAL
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2008/...
Genna and Dan are desperate to find their father and save their mother, before she is forced to marry the village's new chieftain. What they don't know, however, is that their incredible journey is destined to save more than one race of peoples. Cunning will be needed and danger must be encountered along every step of the way as the two and their companions try to satisfy the demands of the nightling king without getting themselves killed or betraying those they love.
A really hard-hitting start, a little slower in the middle and then a big rush to a fine conclusion, with a great setup for at least one sequel. This book can easily span all three levels of school libraries. Lisle has made a smooth transition into the teen fantasy market - check out her adult level fantasy if you haven't already.
EL, MS, HS - ESSENTIAL
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2008/...
March 23, 2015
O.M.G this is one of the best books I've ever read!!!! It shows courage to not give up on your goals,perseverance to care for our love ones without caring what anyone thinks, and care for our loves ones. It is awesome how Genna and Dan try their best to sake their mom from the Saku and even though their young age they accomplish great things. Don't for get to read the sequel to this book!!!!:
The Silver Door
The Silver Door
April 12, 2020
I first read this book when I was probably around 10, and vague memories of it have haunted me ever since. Luckily quarantine has left me too emotionally exhausted to read my big girl books, and I finally gave this one a reread.
In a lot of ways, it holds up better than I would have expected. The concept is solid and fairly well-developed given its target audience, and the conflict feels real and consequential while still being appropriate enough for the protagonists' ages.
I was slightly disappointed that despite the slavery, murder, and genocide that take place, this book is much less scary than I remember it being. Probably a good thing as it is, after all, a children's book. Other than that, he ending is a little cheesy and (in some ways) deeply weird, but kudos to 10 year old me—this one's not bad, like, at all.
In a lot of ways, it holds up better than I would have expected. The concept is solid and fairly well-developed given its target audience, and the conflict feels real and consequential while still being appropriate enough for the protagonists' ages.
I was slightly disappointed that despite the slavery, murder, and genocide that take place, this book is much less scary than I remember it being. Probably a good thing as it is, after all, a children's book. Other than that, he ending is a little cheesy and (in some ways) deeply weird, but kudos to 10 year old me—this one's not bad, like, at all.
February 3, 2009
14 year old Genna and her younger brother Dan live in a small village, which is bordered by Nightling territory. Though Humans and Nightlings have lived in apparent harmony, Genna and Dan’s evil Uncle Banris along with the corrupt Nightling King Kai Letrin threaten to destroy the balance. Genna and Dan, joined by a Nightling named Yarri, go on a quest to save themselves, their family, the village, as well as Human and Nightling races. All characters are well developed and it is easy to relate to each character’s struggles. Although sections of the book became confusing as to the location of the characters, the engaging plot makes this a difficult book to put down. Children who like fantasy, quests and characters who make tough decisions, will enjoy The Ruby Key.
October 24, 2011
A story about two children who grow up in a small village where they can't leave the village at night because the nighlings control the night. The kids end up on an adventure with one of these nightlings to save both their village and the nightlings. The story was well paced and you never really know whats gonna happen next (which made me keep flipping ahead...lol)
*Book 2 is even better! I just wish there was going to be a book 3, but I can't find evidence of one. The story is left open, very little is completed implying another book should come.*
**edited on 10/23/11, I'm on a mailing list for this author, and she mentioned a month or two ago that she is working on book 3***
*Book 2 is even better! I just wish there was going to be a book 3, but I can't find evidence of one. The story is left open, very little is completed implying another book should come.*
**edited on 10/23/11, I'm on a mailing list for this author, and she mentioned a month or two ago that she is working on book 3***
June 12, 2017
This tome was a delight. I was pleasantly surprised to find that, although the magic and creatures are perfectly original, it still has the elusive flavor of old-fashioned epic quests - in the tradition of fantasy classics such as The Princess and the Goblin, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Hobbit, and Lord of the Rings - that demands the accompaniment of a rainy day and a cup of tea. Pick up this book and become lost in the adventures of a brother and sister, a nightling (NOT an elf - yay!) and a talking cat, as they seek the only thing that can save their people along magical paths that might or might not be more trouble than they're worth.
October 29, 2009
Um, really is a 2.5
It is an interesting idea and fairly original (for me at least), but I desperately wanted more backstory on the wider range of the country's history and the prophecies floating around, etc.
The characters were decent, but not striking. Action good. Magic a bit vague and too convenient at times. And all this Sunrider talk and Dan's being possessed by a ghost? I shall have to see where it goes next. And who is the cat really? Lot of questions, not all that many answers and Banris is still on the loose...
The Silver Door, book two, coming soon!
It is an interesting idea and fairly original (for me at least), but I desperately wanted more backstory on the wider range of the country's history and the prophecies floating around, etc.
The characters were decent, but not striking. Action good. Magic a bit vague and too convenient at times. And all this Sunrider talk and Dan's being possessed by a ghost? I shall have to see where it goes next. And who is the cat really? Lot of questions, not all that many answers and Banris is still on the loose...
The Silver Door, book two, coming soon!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 31, 2011
This is a lovely story about two kids walking the moon-roads. Originally planned as a 7 book series, it died after the second novel. Lucky enough, the first part can stand on its own, so it's well worth the read.
Two children venture into the forest at night to find a cure for their mother. There, they are captured by Nightlings, only to find that they are not the enemies they thought.
The book is rich in world building, each culture created with love for details. The characters are believable and it's easy to identify with them.
Two children venture into the forest at night to find a cure for their mother. There, they are captured by Nightlings, only to find that they are not the enemies they thought.
The book is rich in world building, each culture created with love for details. The characters are believable and it's easy to identify with them.
April 8, 2012
I'm really not even sure what to rate this book. It took me eons to get through it; the concept was promising but the writing didn't capture my attention. The characters were interesting, but I felt like we raced through time and space (literally) so quickly that I didn't get to know them as well as I wanted. A few things fell together with a sort of happenstance sense of good luck, and there were more questions than answers at several times.
So it was sort of enjoyable, sort of not.
Sort of like this review.
So it was sort of enjoyable, sort of not.
Sort of like this review.
September 11, 2015
Neat angle on humans and fey folk, neat ideas with moonroads...but the main characters didn't seem to do much for themselves. To me, it felt like for most of the book they were led around by other characters, and they were only heroic because they could follow instructions (most of the time) and remained humble and modest in their desires (save their parents, save the village). All well and good for the hero and heroine to do and to be, but rather bland on the page.
Great cover art, though. That's the whole reason I picked it up.
Great cover art, though. That's the whole reason I picked it up.
November 1, 2015
This is one of the best young adult books I've read in a long time. I feel like a lot of young adult books these days all have the same plot and they all have an annoying love interest that takes over the story line. I like that this book doesn't do that. It has an original plot, and there is no annoying romance to distract from the story. I also really liked the creatures in the story and the moonroads were fun. I just liked the idea of there being other worlds and ways to travel to them.
October 2, 2016
This book just felt undeveloped and not detailed enough. The characters were plain and ordinary and the conflicts were resolved pretty quicky compared to how much was at stake. It felt too unrealistic and everything turned out too much on the good side for the main characters in the end, which didn't give the book much impact. It would've been a more touching and inspiring book if the characters had grown and experienced something that changed them or something.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 197 reviews