▁a ▁head ▁with ▁the ▁Moon - flash ▁ceremony ▁bet ro thing ▁her ▁to ▁the ▁un im agin ative ▁Kor re , ▁and ▁the ▁appearance ▁in ▁her ▁dream s ▁of ▁the ▁strange ▁and ▁powerful ▁Hunter . ▁▁ ▁Ky re ol ▁dec ides ▁she ▁must ▁leave ▁home , ▁following ▁the ▁River ▁into ▁the ▁unknown ▁beyond ▁the ▁rap ids ▁of ▁Four teen ▁F alls . ▁Ac company ing ▁her ▁is ▁her ▁child hood ▁friend ▁Ter je . ▁On ▁their ▁journey ▁they ▁learn ▁of ▁other ▁pe op les ▁and ▁cult ures , ▁increasing ly ▁s oph istic ated , ▁and ▁other ▁uses ▁of ▁the ▁moon - flash ▁symbol . ▁Their ▁quest ▁cul min ates ▁at ▁the ▁great ▁D ome , ▁holding ▁the ▁key ▁to ▁the ▁River world ' s ▁myster ies ▁and ▁the ▁road ▁to ▁the ▁stars . ▁ ▁Re ception ▁Barbara ▁H ut ches on ▁in ▁School ▁Library ▁Journal ▁calls ▁the ▁story ▁a ▁" ly rical ▁tale ," ▁writing ▁that ▁" K y re ol ' s ▁search ▁can ▁be ▁understood ▁on ▁many ▁levels . ▁On ▁one , ▁she ▁is ▁a ▁child ▁looking ▁for ▁the ▁mother ▁who ▁disappeared ▁years ▁before ; ▁on ▁another , ▁she ▁is ▁a ▁young ▁primitive ▁gradually ▁becoming ▁aware ▁of ▁life ▁in ▁cult ures ▁apart ▁from ▁her ▁own ; ▁on ▁another , ▁she ▁is ▁a ▁girl ▁finding ▁her ▁way ▁into ▁woman hood . ▁All ▁these ▁str ands ▁are ▁developed ▁subt ly ▁but ▁in ▁depth ▁and ▁are ▁w oven ▁smooth ly ▁together ▁by ▁anal ogy ▁to ▁the ▁River ▁as ▁it ▁wind s ▁through ▁the