Rent: The Almost Moon: A Novel

This was the worst book I ever started to read. I put it down after the daughter had killed her mother and had sex with her best friend's low functioning son. I read for entertainment and vcould not find any redeemoing qualities in this book.

Very disappointing after her previous books. I kept reading just to see if there was anything redeaming about Helen and we never really get to know the rest of the characters.

Her last two books were great, but this one did not deliver.

Very disappointing - this was not as interesting or even as well written as her other books. The narrator is an empty, unlikeable character. She is empty and soulless and there doesn't seem to be a reason for anything she does. After the first couple of chapters, nothing much happens. I stuck with it to find out what happened in the end, but I shouldn't have bothered. Nothing happened.

The Lovely Bones is one of my favorite books, so I was very excited when this book came out. However, it was a dissappointing read. Very depressing & drawn out.

Alice Sebold has written some daring books in the past. This one meets that standard as well, although it does not meet its mark as easily as some of her other works. Sebold’s third novel, The Almost Moon, takes on the complications of family life, its beauties and its horrors.

The first sentence of the book is obviously meant to shock; frankly the book as a whole is shocking. The main character, Helen, seems to be both amazed by and resigned to her actions, as though she knew she always had this in her but is surprised to finally let it out. Perhaps she always thought that this is where she would end up.

The problem I found with this novel, was that as a reader, I was never shocked. I was vaguely interested in what would happen next, but after chapter after chapter of shocking events nothing seems all that radical anymore. Helen’s lack of foresight became tiresome as well. If a character is going to take such extreme measures, it would be appreciated if they would think about them, or at least seem to care about their fate.

The book also jumps from distant past to present to near past in a matter of sentences. This can be difficult to keep up with at times, but provides an interesting aspect to the story, as though all the events therein are woven together into the fabric of the characters life. Her family’s pain, and hers, and her daughters’ are all meshed together to become one. This style reinforces the concept that Helen was always going to wind up at this end, with no escape from her own actions.

This book is a good, junk food for the brain kind of read. Definitely an interesting read, if not one that will change your life. The topic is dark, so I would not recommend for the squeamish.


- Kristin
Diverxtrme

Not bad...once I kept reading I was really into it but the ending was a disappointment.

I love this author & have read most if not all of her books. This was a bit dark, morose, etc but I did enjoy it (not nearly as much as The Lovely Bones and some of her others).

I actually preferred this book over "The Lovely Bones". A bit of a morose theme but I found the subject, characters and writing enjoyable. I didn't want it to end!

This was an interesting book, but it did not live up to my post The Lovely Bones expectations. It was still a good read and I did find that I was invested in the characters enough to want to see how everything came out in the end.

I loved her first book. It was so fresh and from a very interesting point of view. Her second was just too difficult to read and this one just not my cup of tea. After the first chapter, I just knew that there was not good result and after so aptly weaving a tale, the main character's decision at the end came too abruptly. But then the beginning decision came the same way. I just can not recomend this book to anyone. First book interesting, second distubing, this one a dark tale, death, regret, starting to see that maybe the books are more to shock and dismay than anything.

I am not one to dwell on darkness and truth and deep seated humen flaws. Life is too short for that sort of energy. My 15 year old daughter asked why I kept reading. I told her that I had done so because once I start, I feel I have to give it a chance. I kept going and think maybe my first instinct should rule. A good thing about this service, you don't have to finish them all.