The Almost Moon

By: Alice Sebold

Narrated by: Joan Allen

A woman steps over the line into the unthinkable in this brilliant, powerful, and unforgettable new novel by the author of The Lovely Bones and Lucky.

For years Helen Knightly has given her life to others: to her haunted mother, to her enigmatic father, to her husband and now grown children. When she finally crosses a terrible boundary, her life comes rushing in at her in a way she never could have imagined. Unfolding over the next twenty-four hours, this searing, fast-paced novel explores the complex ties between mothers and daughters, wives and lovers, the meaning of devotion, and the line between love and hate. It is a challenging, moving, gripping story, written with the fluidity and strength of voice that only Alice Sebold can bring to the page.

What a disappointing ending

The narrator was very good, story was average. I was very disappointed in the ending. The lovely bones was so very good. This one, not so much. Can't recommend it.

Dark and Depressing

Would you try another book from Alice Sebold and/or Joan Allen?

Not sure

Has The Almost Moon turned you off from other books in this genre?

No.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

The narrator was fine.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

Not really.

Any additional comments?

I didn’t like the main character, she seemed very unstable, selfish and self-absorbed. Sleeping with her friend’s son, was just gross. This book is just dark and depressing.

Tedious

The main event happens in the first five minutes of this book and you must wade through hours of memories before learning the outcome. Beautifully written and Joan Allen did a splendid job narrating but I had to skip through the last quarter of book to finish it. I found myself annoyed while reading it. I read 2-3 audible books a week and some are better than others and typically I do not write reviews, but here I did.

not what I expected, but...

Having read Sebold's "Lucky" and "The Lovely Bones," I think I came to "The Almost Moon" with my expectations preset. And while this new novel is (in my opinion) nothing like "The Lovely Bones" it was very good.

Sebold has a way of getting into the minds of her character in a way that very few writers can. Her characters are very real, very human, doing and thinking things that are completely unmentionable in normal society and conversation. It was a very compelling, well-paced book, and makes you realize how quickly your life can change in a single moment of weakness -- or strength, depending on how you look at it.

If you have not read Sebold's other books, I recommend that you do so. She is a remarkable author and an amazing woman who has experienced more than her fair share of horror. However, I can only guess that her past has made her the great writer she is today. I look forward to many more novels from this author.

The Almost Moon

I kept waiting for this book to get better but it got more depressing with each page. I kept waiting for the twist, but it never came. I wouldn't recommend it to any of my friends.