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bearybooky's review
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Too depressing and close to real life to be enjoyably entertaining for me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Violence, Slavery, Cancer, Classism, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Child death, Gun violence, Infidelity, Pregnancy, and Sexism
Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Miscarriage, and Murder
oceanwriter's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I forget how much I love Depression-era stories until I come across books like this. There’s so much grit to be found, especially when the book is so character driven. I hung on every word and was completely immersed.
When her stepmother dies, Sallie Kincaid is finally called home after being sent away at the age of eight. She’s thrilled by this second chance to reclaim her place in her family and redeem herself as a big sister to her half-brother, Eddie. It doesn’t take long for her to realize that she might be in over her head. Nevertheless, she refuses to back down from a challenge. She isn’t afraid to do whatever it takes to prove herself worthy of her father’s affection.
The longer Sallie is home, she realizes that her father is far different from the man she remembers. What’s more is that she doesn’t know much about her own past, especially surrounding her mother’s death. When Duke remarries, even more secrets rise to the surface.
I ate up the in-depth timeline in which the story is told. Most of the events of the book happen in real-time which made it hard to pause reading. It’s also extremely character driven which I love. It’s overall an emotional and dark story in its way. All that said, there was a lot of information and characters to digest. Honestly, I’d say too many, especially when it comes to Sallie’s complicated family tree. I’m still not positive about all of the relationships. Still, I was thoroughly engrossed from start to finish. Sometimes that’s difficult for me to find.
When her stepmother dies, Sallie Kincaid is finally called home after being sent away at the age of eight. She’s thrilled by this second chance to reclaim her place in her family and redeem herself as a big sister to her half-brother, Eddie. It doesn’t take long for her to realize that she might be in over her head. Nevertheless, she refuses to back down from a challenge. She isn’t afraid to do whatever it takes to prove herself worthy of her father’s affection.
The longer Sallie is home, she realizes that her father is far different from the man she remembers. What’s more is that she doesn’t know much about her own past, especially surrounding her mother’s death. When Duke remarries, even more secrets rise to the surface.
I ate up the in-depth timeline in which the story is told. Most of the events of the book happen in real-time which made it hard to pause reading. It’s also extremely character driven which I love. It’s overall an emotional and dark story in its way. All that said, there was a lot of information and characters to digest. Honestly, I’d say too many, especially when it comes to Sallie’s complicated family tree. I’m still not positive about all of the relationships. Still, I was thoroughly engrossed from start to finish. Sometimes that’s difficult for me to find.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Child death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Cancer, Infertility, and Infidelity
Minor: Murder, Cursing, and Misogyny
thevioletfoxbookshop's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Full of twists and turns, Hang The Moon is a vibrant story of one woman's fierce determination to find family, save her town, and remain true to her self, all while running an underground whiskey operation in Prohibition-era Virginia.
I loved getting to know Sallie Kincaid and watching her grow from a lonely child into a fierce woman. Sallie refuses to bend herself to anyone else's expectations and she refuses to back down from what's right. If you're looking for a strong female lead, look no further! Follow along on her adventures through the sprawling hills of rural Virginia to the ultra-wealthy home of a flapper in Richmond and you'll find yourself transported. Welcome to the early 1920's where you'll go along for the ride on a midnight run smuggling whiskey into Roanoke, fly high in the sky in a WWII biplane, and see the world from the perspective of both the have's and have-not's.
Sallie lives in a world where misogyny and the patriarchy rule with a heavy hand. Prohibition, racism, classism, and poverty are prevalent. To survive, Sallie will have to figure out what's right...and how that might be different than what's legal or proper or expected or easy. She'll have to learn that the world is rarely as black and white as she thought it was as a child. And when that rose tint of childhood fades, Sallie must reckon with the fact that the adults in her life are not as upstanding and admirable as she once thought. In fact, secrets and scandals abound! As those secrets come out, Sallie learns that history often repeats itself, especially when you least expect it.
Through all of the adversity, Sallie is persistent and resilient. She and many of the other women in the book are forced to be strong through wretched circumstances. They say it's a man's world... but these characters have other ideas! They discover they can be powerful in unexpected and untraditional ways. As these women come to rely on each other and form bonds, Sallie begins to see the true meaning of family and the different shapes it can take. To protect her family, Sallie must challenge the status-quo, the people in power, and make changes in a world that resists.
I devoured Hang The Moon in one weekend. I found myself rooting for Sallie and many of the other characters, turning pages as quickly as I could to find out what happened next. Hang The Moon is absolute must-read if you love historical fiction. Jeannette Walls has done it once again - just like her previous books, this one is a masterpiece.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Death of parent, and Sexism
Moderate: Abandonment, Alcohol, Cancer, Classism, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, and Racism
Minor: Suicide, Cursing, Forced institutionalization, Murder, and Panic attacks/disorders
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