Almost Moon
There is no doubt that Alice Sebold is a brilliant
writer. I just wish her subject matter wasn’t so disturbing. Don’t
get me wrong, I love dark stories, but this is pitch black with no
sign of a torch. If you survived Sebold’s latest book The Lovely
Bones without too much therapy afterwards, then you’ll hopefully
be able to survive this one. The Almost Moon follows Helen
Knightly, a middle-aged mother, who murders her invalid mother with
dementia. The story follows the next 24 hours where Helen confronts
the events that unfold from the terrible act she has committed and
reflects on the events in her life that led her to this decision.
What soon unravels is how her relationships with her mother,
father, her two daughters, her ex-husband, her best friend and her
best friend’s son contribute to the person Helen is and how it
motivated her decision to eventually kill her mother. But however
grim this book sounds, Alice’s writing somehow makes the read all
worthwhile. I feel the need to read Sebold’s memoir, Lucky, to
ascertain whether her life experiences have fuelled her horrific
stories or whether she is an incredibly creative woman with an
exceptionally dark view of the world. But I need a stiff drink
first!
Emily Harms is Marketing Manager of Readings