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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
dark
medium-paced
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The book's title is suggestive of the half life the narrator lives, bound by an obsessional love to an older man utterly unworthy of her devotion, & trapped by the hypocritical mores of patriarchal religious values.
80 years since publication, Nedreaas's exploration of "pro-life" misogynistic shaming of pregnancy & abortion that also punishes unmarried mothers and stigmatises and willfully neglects their children is, sadly, still relevant.
There are also themes of depression and mental illness, class struggle, capitalism, infidelity, and suicide, and some graphic descriptions of self-induced abortion, all couched in a brittly beautiful prose.
The narrative structure of compulsive reminiscence lends a dark foreboding to both the past and present circumstances of the narrator's life: Nedreaas is honest and doesn't play any cheap tricks on the reader. A plangently melancholy 4.5⭐
80 years since publication, Nedreaas's exploration of "pro-life" misogynistic shaming of pregnancy & abortion that also punishes unmarried mothers and stigmatises and willfully neglects their children is, sadly, still relevant.
There are also themes of depression and mental illness, class struggle, capitalism, infidelity, and suicide, and some graphic descriptions of self-induced abortion, all couched in a brittly beautiful prose.
The narrative structure of compulsive reminiscence lends a dark foreboding to both the past and present circumstances of the narrator's life: Nedreaas is honest and doesn't play any cheap tricks on the reader. A plangently melancholy 4.5⭐
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Abortion
Moderate: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Sexism, Suicide, Pregnancy, Alcohol
Minor: Cancer, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Blood, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Classism
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
So hauntingly beautiful, the author describes things in ways I would’ve never thought of yet it feels so close to my soul. This book made me feel understood.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
really good read, difficult topics but honestly tugged at my heart so much..
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Abortion
Minor: Self harm, Suicide
emotional
reflective
sad
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Torborg Nedreaas's Nothing Grows by Moonlight envelops readers in a narrative suffused with profound tenderness, conveyed through the intimate voice of its unnamed female protagonist. The novel begins in an almost strange, dreamlike haze—her voice drifting between confession and reflection, as if testing the waters of memory before fully immersing us in her story. The novel unfolds as she recounts her life's story to a stranger met at a train station, drawing readers into a poignant exploration of love, loss, and resilience. This initial uncertainty lingers until the second narrative voice—the listener at the railway station—takes over, grounding the tale in an unsettling yet compelling structure.
The protagonist's voice is marked by an unflinching honesty, laying bare her vulnerabilities and desires. Her clandestine affair is depicted with a rawness that captures the intensity of youthful passion and the subsequent anguish of unreciprocated love. These confessions are crafted with a delicate touch, allowing the narrator's tenderness to shine through even in moments of profound despair.
This almost softness is further amplified as the protagonist confronts societal expectations and personal tragedies. Her reflections on her life are imbued with a gentle resilience, offering a nuanced critique of the societal norms that confine her. Through her introspective narrative, readers are invited to empathize deeply with her journey, experiencing the emotional landscape of a woman striving for autonomy in a restrictive world.
The novel's lyrical prose enhances the narrator's tender voice, weaving a story that resonates with emotional authenticity. The exploration of themes such as forbidden love, societal judgment, and personal agency is rendered with a sensitivity that lingers long after the final page. Nothing Grows by Moonlight stands as a testament to the power of storytelling to evoke empathy and understanding, guided by the gentle yet profound voice of its central character.
The protagonist's voice is marked by an unflinching honesty, laying bare her vulnerabilities and desires. Her clandestine affair is depicted with a rawness that captures the intensity of youthful passion and the subsequent anguish of unreciprocated love. These confessions are crafted with a delicate touch, allowing the narrator's tenderness to shine through even in moments of profound despair.
This almost softness is further amplified as the protagonist confronts societal expectations and personal tragedies. Her reflections on her life are imbued with a gentle resilience, offering a nuanced critique of the societal norms that confine her. Through her introspective narrative, readers are invited to empathize deeply with her journey, experiencing the emotional landscape of a woman striving for autonomy in a restrictive world.
The novel's lyrical prose enhances the narrator's tender voice, weaving a story that resonates with emotional authenticity. The exploration of themes such as forbidden love, societal judgment, and personal agency is rendered with a sensitivity that lingers long after the final page. Nothing Grows by Moonlight stands as a testament to the power of storytelling to evoke empathy and understanding, guided by the gentle yet profound voice of its central character.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abortion
Moderate: Suicide, Death of parent
I want to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for giving me access to an advanced copy of this book.
I did not finish this book. I found the writing style quite hard to read, it might have been a case of something lost in translation. However, there’s no denying that the characters and their stories did not succeed in engaging the audience.
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
First published in 1947, Nothing Grows by Moonlight by by Torborg Nedreaas is being re-released by Penguin Classics
This is the tale of a woman's soul-shattering love affair. Pretty much a monologue in its 208 pages. The publishers describe it as “an obsessive passion for her high school teacher consumes a small-town seventeen-year-old, her life spirals out of control, giving way to pregnancy, poverty and alienation.” And it is exactly that.
At its heart, this novel is a story within a story. A man wandering into a train station offers to help a solitary woman and ultimately takes her home with him. As the night unfolds, fuelled by cigarettes and schnapps, she lays bare the painful events from twenty years prior that led her to stand in that station, ready to follow a stranger for a fleeting escape and to unshackle herself from two decades of silence.
The depiction of a self-induced abortion was groundbreaking and startling at its time, leaving an indelible mark on readers. Yet today, I wonder if it resonates with the same weight—unless it serves as a clarion call against the [current] ignorant pro-life attitudes dominating the United States.
The novel’s subtle triumph lies in its exploration of political awakening and a powerful moral reckoning about responsibility and humanity. It’s a swift read, and the narrator's lyrical voice is captivating, poignantly illuminating the complexities of the female experience. I can see why it is a modern classic. Torborg Nedreaas delivers a masterclass in storytelling. #pudseyrecommends
Thanks to Penguin Classics and Netgalley for the arc.
This is the tale of a woman's soul-shattering love affair. Pretty much a monologue in its 208 pages. The publishers describe it as “an obsessive passion for her high school teacher consumes a small-town seventeen-year-old, her life spirals out of control, giving way to pregnancy, poverty and alienation.” And it is exactly that.
At its heart, this novel is a story within a story. A man wandering into a train station offers to help a solitary woman and ultimately takes her home with him. As the night unfolds, fuelled by cigarettes and schnapps, she lays bare the painful events from twenty years prior that led her to stand in that station, ready to follow a stranger for a fleeting escape and to unshackle herself from two decades of silence.
The depiction of a self-induced abortion was groundbreaking and startling at its time, leaving an indelible mark on readers. Yet today, I wonder if it resonates with the same weight—unless it serves as a clarion call against the [current] ignorant pro-life attitudes dominating the United States.
The novel’s subtle triumph lies in its exploration of political awakening and a powerful moral reckoning about responsibility and humanity. It’s a swift read, and the narrator's lyrical voice is captivating, poignantly illuminating the complexities of the female experience. I can see why it is a modern classic. Torborg Nedreaas delivers a masterclass in storytelling. #pudseyrecommends
Thanks to Penguin Classics and Netgalley for the arc.