April 9, 2012

Read This!: The Almost Moon


Book challenge: Book that you’ve been avoiding

By Alice Sebold

Many years ago, when it first came out, I read The Lovely Bones cover to cover, non-stop.  As a result, when I learned that Alice Sebold had released a new book, The Almost Moon, I asked for and received it for Christmas without actually knowing what it was about.  Because I had asked for it, Greeney thought she would read it and did.  Alas, her review was not very good.  After telling me some things regarding the story and how dark and disturbing she found it to be, I decided to put off reading it…   For years…  Until last week.  This is why it counts as the book I have been avoiding for the book challenge.

The Almost Moon, told in first person by Helen Knightly, recounts how she murdered her mentally ill mother and her life for the 24 hours afterwards.  Throughout the story, we get flashbacks that depict her life with her mother, her mentally ill father, her ex-husband, etc. that “set the stage” so to speak for what is to come. 

The story is definitely dark and disturbing but maybe not so much as I was preparing myself for. 

Alice Sebold, I think, is a gifted writer.  Even though this won’t make my 100 Books to Read before You Die list, I found it hard to put it down.

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