Reviews

The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold

somanybookstoread's review against another edition

4.0

I thought this book was excellent. This is the first book by Alice Sebold that I picked up. I was immediately struck by the stark emotion and intimacy of her writing. Her prose is gorgeous. This is an intense book and I definitely recommend it, especially for those interested in abnormal psychology. Although it was at times hard to relate to the narrator who I did find to be narcissistic, for the most part I was routing for her and could almost identify with why she did what she did. In that sense, Sebold made me crawl in my skin. How can I be justifying a murder, I thought to myself. The book's theme was summed up in one beautiful line I found about a third of the way through the text. "When was it that you realized the thread woven through your DNA carried the relationship deformities of your blood relatives as much as it did their diabetes or bone density?"

I'll definitely be picking up more Sebold.

thatnerd's review against another edition

I read about 10 pages & put it down. I just couldn't get into it. I may pick it up again in the future.

jas_evans's review

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

mschrock8's review against another edition

2.0

Sad & creepy. Not what I usually perfer.

hcreads94's review

3.0

I picked up this book with high expectations because The Lovely Bones, also written by Alice Sebold, is one of my favourite books of all time. The premise of a woman killing her own mother and dealing with the aftermath also intrigued me.

The Observer states that the book is, "As moving as it is unquestionably gripping". At no point in the book was I 'moved'. Furthermore, I was never 'gripped' and only finished the book because 1) it was short and 2) I have a bad habit of finishing books even when I don't like them.

The main character, Helen is unlikeable. I wanted to feel sorry for her because of her upbringing but I couldn't. I felt a little pity for her mother and I wish that side of the story - her mothers agoraphobia - had been explored more. The ending left me unsatisfied and wondering why I had bothered.

slsmith118's review against another edition

2.0

I wanted to read this book because of how much I loved The Lovely Bones. But ... this book was dark and depressing. Oh wait, like The Lovely Bones was all pink puffy hearts and roses? Okay, no, it wasn't. So I guess I shouldn't have been surprised. It opens with a middle-aged woman killing her mother ... and, well, goes downhill from there. I actually got this as an audio book to listen to on a 9 hour drive ... and, well, yeah. It was rough.

megan210's review against another edition

2.0

This was NO Lovely Bones. Sorry Margie, I know you didn't like it, but I loved it and I was expecting WAY more out of this book. Very disappointing.

sony08's review

5.0

9/10 actually - wasn't perfect, but the more I read the more I liked it. I was actually glad about the ending as anything else would be too predictable...

kennasan's review against another edition

1.0

I didn’t mind the unlikable and immoral qualities of the main character, I just don’t understand why this story exists.

fashtyn15's review against another edition

dark reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25