The Half Moon: The compelling new novel from the New York Times bestselling author

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During a storm they both have to reconsider the choices they have made and get on with their lives but will it be alone or together? Malcolm and Jen started out contented. They were known as a golden couple. Malcolm had dreams of owning a bar, while Jess wanted children. By the time we meet them, it doesn't appear these dreams are being met in the ways originally planned - Malcolm is deeply in debt - and Jess is grieving her dream of ever being a Mom. Main characters who are in their forties but behave as if they are in their twenties. Jessica and Malcolm have many secrets from each other despite their long relationship. This should have made them realistic, but their baseless self-pity and shoddy decision-making made me loathe them instead of rooting for them. When I can’t feel sympathetic even towards a woman who is desperate to be a mother, the book is a lost cause.

Book review of The Half Moon by Mary Beth Keane - BookPage Book review of The Half Moon by Mary Beth Keane - BookPage

I met Jess and Malcolm in the middle of a blizzard over the holidays and I won’t soon forget them. As I cozied up beside the fire, they invited me into their small-town bar and into the shambles of their marriage during an impending snowstorm. The book is a bit bleak, and it would have been nice to cut through some of that with jokes, maybe a snarky character. The story comes to us in limited third person perspective mostly of Malcolm and some portions from Jessica.

Inspired by David Copperfield, Kingsolver crafts a 21st-century coming-of-age story set in America’s hard-pressed rural South.

THE HALF MOON | Kirkus Reviews THE HALF MOON | Kirkus Reviews

Malcolm and Jess have been married for several years.. he a bar owner, she a lawyer…problems with the debt of keeping up a rundown bar, student loans and also of many rounds of intervention because of miscarriages and infertility problems for Jess they are both maxed out… other avenues open up for Jess that threaten to end their marriage.. it all comes to a head during a major blizzard that keeps everyone trapped in place during power outages, etc.. which is saying a lot because i can't stress enough: i spent an entire month in a state of functional illiteracy to which the only exception was that one very narrow niche. The cover of this book reminds me of the famous optical illusion, where the viewer sees either a vase or two faces. And much like an optical illusion, once my view of the picture flipped...I just couldn't see it any other way. Malcolm Gephardt is a bartender and now the owner of The Half Moon bar which was his dream. Malcom bought it from his prior boss. Well, he made an arrangement with him and he pays him an amount every month. However, his dream is now a nightmare. His debt is piling up and his shady ex-boss wants to get paid ASAP. Overall, this is a depthy tale of a marriage in trouble. I was impressed and will seek out Ms. Keane’s next book without any prodding. Highly recommended for those looking for something real.And while one is thinking along those lines, the other is thinking like, ‘We could have a good life without. If we just changed the subject, we could be allowed to mourn and then move on,’” the writer continues. “And I think that’s a really dangerous point when the two parties don’t agree on how best to proceed.” I initially hesitated when I was offered an advanced review copy of this one as I had awarded Ms. Keane’s first novel, Ask Again, Yes, only 3 stars, and I tend to grade high. In my opinion there were a lot of positives to that book but also several disappointing issues as well. In the end, I decided to go ahead and try The Half Moon, and I am glad I did! I admit the start was slow as it took me a while to warm up to the protagonist, Malcolm. Once I did, I became totally immersed in the story.

The Half Moon by Mary Beth Keane | Goodreads

This is a rather melancholic look at a struggling marriage, a failing business, infertility, and the loss of a couple’s hopes and dreams.Mary Beth Keane wrote characters that are believable. They are selfish and arrogant at times but also heartbroken and relatable. I liked Malcom more than I liked Jess. She made some choices that I didn't agree with. I did feel bad for her not being able to get pregnant. Malcolm also made huge decisions without getting much input from Jess. The narrative chronology, which, while limited to a week, goes meandering across past and present like nobody’s business. Jess, a successful lawyer by day, has always wanted to be a mother. After many attempts and many miscarriages they turn to IVF with unsuccessful results. Year after year of crushing disappointment. Jess would like to consider a sperm donor or perhaps adoption but Malcolm is spent. He doesn't want to continue this journey of heartbreak anymore. This book is about the deterioration of a marriage after both partners develop problems with their individual lifelong dreams—Malcolm’s being to own and run a bar and wife Jess’s to have a baby. The bar is not doing well, and there is no baby after years of trying. The journey is arduous for both, with neither grasping why the other is reacting as they are to their failing dream. Friends and family become involved, making the situation more complex. There are also side tales of a mystery of sorts, an affair, and dirty dealings.