The Half Moon
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Book Overview
"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.
Format:Hardcover
Language:English
ISBN:1982172606
ISBN13:9781982172602
Release Date:May 2023
Publisher:Scribner Book Company
Length:304 Pages
Weight:1.07 lbs.
Dimensions:1.2" x 6.2" x 9.1"
Customer Reviews
1 rating
Mystery and Marriage
Published by Jerri Jarvis , 6 months ago
3 1/2 Stars rounded up. This story was slow to develop, but once I got into the mystery part it picked up. Basically this is the story of a marriage hanging by a thread. The husband has ambitions and dreams for his neighborhood bar, The Half Moon, which he finally owns, but is also struggling financially. The lawyer wife is obsessed with having a child, and they are running out of options and the money to make that happen. Most of the story takes place during a one week period when they are hit with not one, but two blizzards, basically shutting the town down. There are many flashbacks into the couple's history and they are currently separated. The mystery of a regular patron of The Half Moon disappearing during the first blizzard, last seen in the bar, is the most interesting part of the story. I found that I didn't particularly like the two main characters, especially Jess, the wife. All that being said, this was a quick, sort of fun read.
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