The Almost Moon

A Novel

By: Alice Sebold

Narrated by: Joan Allen

Length: 8 hrs and 52 mins

Publisher's summary

"When all is said and done, killing my mother came easily."

So begins The Almost Moon, Alice Sebold's astonishing, brilliant, and daring new novel. A woman steps over the line into the unthinkable in this unforgettable work 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 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 24 hours, this searing, fast-paced audiobook 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 has.

©2007 Alice Sebold (P)2007 Hachette Audio

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.

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.

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.

Depressing

A good book-just not what I’m into. A realistic story about difficult life ca be.

Life isn't nice and tidy

I waited a couple of weeks after finishing this to write a review so I could get some perspective. This is a disturbing story, yes, but its so real. Alice Sebold has the ability to write about real human feelings and thoughts in a way that gets into my head and I feel like I am in the story. This story isn't told, it's shown and experienced. I was engrossed from beginning to end. I could relate with the main character completely. I doubt I will ever forget this book. The storyline is not "normal" and the end is not all wrapped up nice and tidy. That's the point. Life isn't tidy. Messes happen. I think some people will be threatened by the main character's ability to do what she does. It isn't for those who desperately try to deny their humanity.

Ghastly

I rarely decide not to finish a book, but on this one I just thought the whole story was ghastly and depressing. Take a pass on this one. You'll feel better for it.

Don’t waste your credit

I’ve never written a bad review before but this book is terrible. I’ve read other books by her that I’ve really enjoyed. The premise of the story is just completely terrible. Her 88-year-old mother dies, well I guess I’m not giving anything away if I say that she killed her. But instead of just calling 911 and saying my 88-year-old mother dropped dead, she launches into some huge conspiracy to cover up the death and it gets more and more ridiculous. No one would ever have questioned her if she just called 911 and said my 88 year old mother is dead, Yet here we are. Blah blah blah. I listen to an hour of it on a long trip, I couldn’t really shut it off and put something else on because I was driving on the highway. After an hour and 15 minutes I shut it off and tried to return it and they wouldn’t take it back. They said I return too many bucks. I didn’t realize when I clicked remove from library it returns the book. Even if it was free. So they apparently penalized me for clicking removed from library after I had finished a free book. Anyway, I recommend that you don’t waste your money on this one.

Frustrating: Lacked Insight

The author had no understanding of the characters she placed in her story. With an A in psychology instead of an F, this could have been a quirky creative book. The author failed to establish relatable characters and therefore the book sounded contrived, hollow and disjointed. Thumbs down but three stars for what the story could have been with a more intuitive writer behind the ideas.