The Half Moon
Books | Fiction / Literary
3.5
Mary Beth Keane
“An insightful, riveting study of marriage.” —People From the bestselling author of Ask Again, Yes, a masterful and “absorbing” (The New York Times) novel about a couple in a small town navigating the complexities of marriage, family, and longing.Malcolm Gephardt, handsome and gregarious longtime bartender at the Half Moon, has always dreamed of owning a bar. When his boss finally retires, Malcolm stretches to buy the place. He sees unquantifiable magic and potential in the Half Moon and hopes to transform it into a bigger success, but struggles to stay afloat. His smart and confident wife, Jess, has devoted herself to her law career. After years of trying for a baby, she is facing the idea that motherhood may not be in the cards for her. Like Malcolm, she feels her youth beginning to slip away and wonders how to reshape her future. “A quick and impactful read that will stay with you long after you finish it” (theSkimm), The Half Moon takes place over the course of one week when Malcolm learns shocking news about Jess, a patron of the bar goes missing, and a blizzard hits the town of Gillam, trapping everyone in place. With a deft eye and generous spirit, Mary Beth Keane explores the disappointments and unexpected consolations of midlife, the many forms forgiveness can take, the complicated intimacy of small-town living, and what it means to be a family.
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More Details:
Author
Mary Beth Keane
Pages
304
Publisher
Simon and Schuster
Published Date
2023-05-02
ISBN
1982172606 9781982172602
Community ReviewsSee all
"It was an okay book but definitely not something that wasn't stale. It had a few moments of excitement but, overall, nothing I would recommend."
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Brittany F
"This book was a slow building domestic drama, that is narrated from both husband and wife. The story often looks back on their past together as a couple, making it at times hard to follow.<br/><br/>Dealing with fertility issues and opening a new business, this is a story that questions am I being fulfilled in this marriage. <br/><br/>For me, I didn’t connect with the couple as much as I wanted. <br/><br/>Thank you scribner, Librofm for my gifted copy."
"DNF…I gave this a good go, because I truly loved Ask Again, Yes. I saw the initial “meh” reviews but convinced myself that the readers maybe missed something. But once again, I should have trusted the Goodreads community, because in my experience, they are spot on at least 90% of the time.<br/><br/>I got about a third into this, and I have no motivation to continue. It’s never a good sign when I’m looking at how many more pages are in the chapter (because even though I’ll DNF books, I have to get to a stopping point! I’m not a savage), so the writing was one the wall. I’m still a fan of the author, but I realized that I would just rather reread Ask Again, Yes than continue this one."
A P
Allie Peduto