The Half Moon
Mary Beth Keane
From the bestselling author of Ask Again, Yes, a masterful novel about a couple in a small town who must navigate 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. Award-winning author Mary Beth Keane’s new novel 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, 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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0A Solid Read, But Lacking the Wow Factor
I restarted The Half Moon by Mary Beth Keane for a readathon, hoping it would captivate me the second time around. While I did enjoy the book, I found it to be a solid, well-written story but without any standout moments that really grabbed me.
The novel explores the complexities of marriage, dreams, and the small-town life of its characters with depth and realism. Keane’s writing is engaging, and she does a great job of capturing the nuances of her characters' emotions. However, despite the strong character development, the plot felt a bit predictable, and I kept waiting for a moment that would truly surprise or move me—but it never quite came.
Overall, The Half Moon is a good read, especially if you appreciate character-driven stories. But for me, it lacked that extra spark to make it truly memorable.
0Like, it was a pleasant read and I love digging into relationships and marriages after the happily ever after
not sure we got resolution accountability or a sure way forward on the issues that plagued this relationship
and what’s with the dude “always getting lucky and things working out” and that just…happens again and the story resolves??
Anyway, 3 stars cuz the literature was pleasant but the closure was questionable.
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