This seemed intriguing at first, and I enjoy novels about mental disturbance. However, it got more and more boring as it progressed, and by the end I didn’t care about any of the characters and only finished for the sake of finishing. The protagonist went loopy without being the least bit interesting or comprehensible, and what good is a novel about madness if it can’t draw you into its fascinatingly deranged world? ( )

Not nearly as good as Sebold's first book Lovely Bones. A daughter is in a caregiver relationship with her extremely difficult and ungrateful mother. ( )

too depressing, didn't finish

I actually found this book a good read. I can't say it was enjoyable, because it's not that type of subject matter, but there were numerous times that I totally empathized (and sympathized) with the main character.

THE ALMOST MOON is no THE LOVELY BONES, and I don't believe it was meant to be. Some people are going to like the book, and others will hate it, but I think it was a good showing of Alice Sebold's range in fiction. ( )

I've read both of Alice Sebold's other books and truly enjoyed them. A day later and I'm still not sure what I thought about this one. A daughter, Helen, in her late forties, her mentally ill mother and her deceased father. It was very interesting to read about how Helen grew up in what was a very difficult life, the mother was extremely mentally ill and was agoraphobic, not leaving the house for years at a time.

I think the most interesting part to me was the affect that this mother had on the life of her fully grown daughter, Helen, and that even after she was married with children, she felt the need to protect her mother and chose to return home.

Clearly the most shocking part of the book happened within the first chapter, when Helen killed her mother. It wasn't premeditated but something that almost just kind of happened. The worst part almost wasn't the actual killing of her mother but the hours that ensued after.

I felt that I had just really gotten into the book towards the end and thus was very disappointed when it ended in what I felt was a very unsatisfying way. I wish there had been more of a conclusion but then again, my imagination can always make up some pretty imaginative ways to end the story! ( )