Comments on: bookrev: The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold

By: Kathryn

Kathryn — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 00:36:15 +0000

I really disliked the protagonist “Helen” right from the start. I am finding her a miserable, pathetic and weak human being. I could never be friends with such a sap as Helen. I am near the end of the book, and am hoping hoping hoping she commits suicide. If anyone should, it is her!

By: Bill

Bill — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 21:54:02 +0000

I was also disappointed by The Almost Moon. Like many others, The Lovely Bones was one of my favorite reading experiences of all time. So I wanted to really love this new book. Helen was an interesting character because she did morally questionable things and was sympathetic, but I never figured out why I couldn’t completely get behind her. I felt she was too weak and her choices made me angry. I could accept the story – that she kills her mother who was suffering from dementia, but everything after that point was over the top. Sex with Natalie’s son, her scenes with Jake, and confessing to Sarah all made me wince. I wanted to feel for her – I wanted to understand, but instead, she made me angry. I loved the scene when she is posing for the class. And I loved the flashback with her father and the carvings. But I will never understand what changed her mind at the very end – actually, the fact that she was going to kill herself in the first place seemed so forced.

By: Sherry

Sherry — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 17:52:20 +0000

I found The Almost Moon to be very disturbing. Is this what happens when a person is denied love from the person they want it from the most? My own mother died three years ago from cancer. It was tough and it was even harder to watch her deteriate. I can tell you this- I never wanted her to die. I loved my mom and no matter how much she put me through, I would give anything for her to be here today. It was a painful read but a thought provoking one.

By: Andrea

Andrea — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 22:34:57 +0000

I indeed was extremely upset byt he subject matter from the onset – killing one’s mother is a horrific concept, an idea, but then committing this crime was even moreso frightening. However, I got it. I saw her frustration, her dislike for a mother who never gave her the love, affection and attention that a child requires to become a “normal” person. She had become a caretaker to her mother from the beginning of her life and this end to her mother’s life would have offered her freedom, which of course it did not.
Superbly written. I thought it was spellbinding. A masterpiece of writing technique., and I didn’t mind the ending at all – I thought she would kill herself and be just like her father, copping out, but she didn’t. Good for her!

By: Alyssa

Alyssa — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 17:13:42 +0000

I loved the Lovely Bones and I’m not a big reader. Almost Moon however was a big disappointment. It is just as effective as The Lovely Bones but not as enjoyable.

By: Melissa

Melissa — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 19:04:02 +0000

I, too just finished reading “The Almost Moon” ~ after having just finished “Lucky” and being prompted to do so by my love for ” Lovely Bones”. I struggled with “The Almost Moon” in the first half as I found the dialogue a bit hard to follow. It did speed up quite a bit and I couldn’t put it down. I am on this blog to see how others felt because I am a bit disappointed with the hanger at the end. I really wanted to know after being so intrigued by Helen’s character, how in the end, she would handle herself – or let herself be handled. We are left to question what happened in the end and I’m a bit frustrated.
I love Alice Sebold – I am typically not the kind to read about such tough subject matter, and I admire her capability of tackling it in all of her books. I studied gerontology and in the past I have worked specifically with individuals with dementia and alzheimers – Alice tackled the burden that this disease has on adult children in the most extreme way I could ever imagine. As I read the book, and knowing my background I felt angry and mad at Helen and felt she was as crazed as her parents – if not more. I really wanted to know what Alice had planned for Helen …… I hope there is a part deux!

By: meg

meg — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 22:35:31 +0000

i just finish reading The Almost Moon and went running to the computer to see how others felt about the ending—————-i agree with Beth in that it was tough to get into at the beginnning and then the second half caught my attention and couldn’t put this down———–and now I am so upset about the ending, so much detail all thru the book and then to leave us hanging. I think I’ll be giving Alice a break for a while.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 12:17:46 +0000

to dale, i don’t think you have any right to tell her how to handle the horrific memories of her rape. you have no idea what it’s like, so why would you give advice on a subject you are so very un-qualified for?

By: natia

natia — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 07:51:36 +0000

i like tis novel, it’s not about alice

By: admin

admin — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 02:45:30 +0000

Caroline, thanks for your comment, and I look forward to hearing you thoughts on the book.
Larry