 The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold I was prepared to not like this book, mainly because I had read some mixed and some scathing reviews. The story itself is gruesome, uncomfortable, and, at times, unbelievable. Despite all that, I found the book completely riveting and absorbing. Though I did not relate to the main character - especially in the first third of the book - and had little sympathy for her, I still wanted to find out how the story would unfold. It can be difficult on audio to follow a book that jumps backward and forward in time, slowly revealing the past that has lead to the present, yet with Joan Allen's narration, it was easy enough to stay with it. I can't say I cared for the ending, and I would not recommend this book to anyone who has to deal with a parent with mental illness, Alzheimers, or infirmity, but it was a completely engaging story - one that I didn't want to stop reading.
From bn.com:
Synopsis "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 now 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 twenty-four hours, this searing, fast-paced novel 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 can bring to the page. |
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