I liked the alternative history angle, putting the Lycans into the place of African Americans was interesting, and Percy seamlessly ties that past into the stories of the three primary characters living in our current time. Percy integrates college sit-ins, holocaust-like settings and persecutions for Lycans, Occupy-like protests, genetic testing, and dirty politics into a rich and complicated plot. Unfortunately, once the reader has invested time into the 544 page novel; he/she is left hanging, with no real satisfaction. I actually threw the book on the floor in frustration upon finishing it. When you invest that much time into a book you want some sort of payoff, and books that leave you with frustration and not anticipation, rarely get the sequel picked-up by readers. Hence the copy of The Twelve that is still sitting by my bed—I think I bear some resentment to my Passage frustration. I liked Red Moon, but I just don’t know if I will read the next book (whenever it comes out, my guess 2014 or 2015) for fear that I will be just as unsatisfied by the ending, or lack thereof. If that’s a style you enjoy, go for it—the story is really good, but if you are like me, with too many books and too little time for that empty feeling at a book’s conclusion—take a pass on Red Moon.
Right now I’m reading Jennifer McMahon’s The One I Left Behind, a gripping novel that follows the aftermath of a serial killer in a small Connecticut town. Written more in a more literary manner than most serial killer books, The One I Left Behind deals not only with the horror of a serial killer; in fact, its primary focus is relationships; those between outcast teenagers, mothers and daughters, family, and how what we perceive is not always what is. A good one for Book Clubs, I’m a fan—I just hope the ending is written well.
Follow-up:
I mentioned in my last post two books I was reading, Gayle Forman’s Just One Day and Carlene Bauer’s Frances and Bernard here's my quick opinion:
Just One Day was a little bit of a disappointment, primarily because the book is clearly set-up for a sequel that is to be told from the perspective of the male protagonist (or antagonist depending on how you look at it), and that takes a bit of the sting out of the emotional impact. Also, perhaps it’s an age thing, but the character’s choices are so off the wall that the believability factor was a bit low. I’ll still read the follow-up, Just One Year, but it will have to be a miraculous piece of storytelling to win me over.
Frances and Bernard was very different than I thought it would be. Slow to start, this epistolary novel was a bit tough to get into. The opening letters were deeply philosophical discussions of faith, dry and dull, with insight into the characters intellects, but lacking the emotional tug that makes readers want to know them more. Yet, once I was able to get into the groove of a story told in letters, both Frances and Bernard’s voices became very clear, with Bauer creating rich and complex characters outside of the bonds of traditional storytelling. Instead, readers are treated to two multifaceted individuals, whose friendship, and complicated love story is both bittersweet and intellectually stimulating. Not my usual “cup of tea”, but highly satisfying in terms of character development and voice. In all, Frances and Bernard was a wonderful surprise of a read.
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