The Almost Moon

This is my copy of the book...
and my lovely sheet spread

Last night, I finally finished reading The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold. I've never read anything from her before...I've seen The Lovely Bones, and Laura read and talked about Lucky (as well as The Lovely Bones), but this was my first.

I have what I consider a Two Trial Read with each author I encounter (unless, of course, they rock my world the first time, then I'm usually a fan right off the bat). But if I don't like them, I'm willing to read another novel by them because I want them to redeem their writing (and thank goodness because now I own a lot of Sarah Dessen. I also didn't like the Traveling Pants series (I read one book) but Ann Bradshares', The Last Summer (Of You and Me) made me die inside a little bit and then I told my friends to read it).

So...my feelings on The Almost Moon are mixed...and I feel like I'll have to give Sebold another try..because this book just did. not. hook. me. But I'm one of those people who will keep reading until the end and see if it ever gets better/more interesting. Well...to me, it didn't.

This book perplexes me because the writing in it was awesome and I definitely saw strength in it....but in everything the narrator was saying, I just didn't care. I didn't connect with her, I didn't connect with the plot line....it was just there, in front of me, dragging me along when I just wanted it to end. I started this book November 21, 2010 (thank you GoodReads for telling me this).....and I just finished it last night. 4 Months. 4 Effing Months to read that book.

I am NOT a slow reader. Once, I read three 200+ pages in a day. Granted, I've been writing and editing a lot which takes up most of my time....but this book just....ugh...was like watching a silent, black and white movie where people just stood still. The only part that got interesting was the last three pages, and then...I didn't like the ending, either....

Anyways....I feel like this is too mean. I hear Lucky and The Lovely Bones are better, and I am looking forward to reading them...But I don't think I would recommend this book to anyone, though I'd love to discuss it with others.

There was one part that I liked; the narrator and her friend were talking after her mother's body was discovered and her friend asked if she could hug her. She said something along the lines of, "I radiate that permission needs to be granted for physical contact" (paraphrasing)...and I really liked that line, but that was about it.

What I learned for my own writing: Keep the reader interested. Don't drag them through the mud.