***MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS***

Let me start this by saying that I loved The Lovely Bones. I thought it was a wonderfully-written book that was miles higher than the movie. Thinking I'd try something else written by Alice Sebold, I picked up The Almost Moon from the library and was quite disappointed (read: happy I checked the book out at the library and didn't buy it!).

I expected so much more from such a great writer. This book was quite disturbing, focusing on Helen, who is dealing with her invalid mother. Not able to take it anymore, Helen kills her. This might have been a tolerable book to read, if the reader could actually like Helen, but she's pretty unlikeable and a horrible person throughout the whole book. Sebold might have set out writing The Almost Moon thinking the reader would show compassion towards Helen, but the decisions Helen makes, along with her narcissism, are just unbearable.

The description of The Almost Moon makes it seem like this book is fast-paced, but I was so disgusted (and mildly bored) that it was anything but. If I could have empathized with Helen in any way, maybe I would have cared about her past and what she had to go through. But I didn't. Sebold might have been trying to shock her reader, but talking about Helen's mother's genetalia, or having Helen sleep with her best friend's son, is gross and disturbing. Not so much shocking.

When I picked up The Almost Moon and read the first few lines, I assumed that this book would be about Helen coping with killing her mother-with people, with therapy-and dealing with the consequences. I didn't expect an entire book written in a kind of stream-of-consciousness bouncing back and forth from the present to the past.

I really don't recommend this book. Even if you're a fan of Alice Sebold. Read The Lovely Bones - it's a much more moving read.

I can probably list on one hand how many books in my lifetime I couldn't actually read all the way through, and Alice Sebold's latest is now among them. This book was just too morally repulsive, for me to continue, how this ever made Heathers list, I have no idea, but I bet indigo had to give a lot of refunds. Not horrible writing, Sebold has talent, but a truly horrible story IMHO. Read something else, ANYTHING else.

This novel from Alice Sebold tells the story of a woman, who kills her own mother. This happens at the very start at the book, and captures the reader's attention. Unfortunately, the rest of the book cannot live up to the first 50 pages or so, which are fantastic. When the story focuses on the lead character's family, decisions on how to deal with her actions, and trying to avoid the police investigations, it becomes a bit slow and indulgent.

While trying to figure out her future and come to grips with what she has done, the main character recalls all the awful things her mother has done to her, but also recounts the things that made their relationship special. While often disjointed at times from a writing standpoint, Sebold is able to translate onto the page the mixed emotions and love-hate conflict one feels for their own parents. Moreover, Sebold is able to show that people often blame their parents, albeit sometimes justified, for all the problems in their life when older.

At times, the constant flashbacks are a bit much and distracting to the reader. I wouldn't call the book a page-turner. However, I enjoyed the novel for its interesting idea and some interesting insight into familial relations.

I, like the rest of the people who commented, was a fan of The Lovely Bones. I bought this book without reading what it was about and was I ever shocked. I got through half of the book before putting it down. Somehow, reading about a woman who kills her mother and wonders of the best way to get rid of her body seems a little over the top for me. Good thing I bought the book on sale, even then...it wasn't worth the 10 bucks.