The Book:
Raven Stole the Moon, by New York Times Bestselling Author Garth Stein
Synopsis:
When Jenna Rosen abandons her comfortable Seattle life to visit Wrangell, Alaska, it’s a wrenching return to her past. The hometown of her Native American grandmother, Wrangell is located near the Thunder Bay Resort, where Jenna’s young son, Bobby, disappeared two years before. His body was never recovered, and Jenna is determined to lay to rest the aching mystery of his death. But whispers of ancient legends begin to suggest a frightening new possibility about Bobby’s fate, and Jenna must sift through the beliefs of her ancestors, the Tlingit, who still tell of powerful, menacing forces at work in the Alaskan wilderness. Armed with nothing but a mother’s protective instincts, Jenna’s quest for the truth behind her son’s disappearance is about to pull her into a terrifying and life-changing abyss.
The Good:
- I admit, I’m a total cover junkie when it comes to books, and the cover of this re-released novel is MUCH better than the cover used for the original 1998 publication.
- The exploration of Native American Tlingit stories and legends. I found this area of the storyline creepy, mystical, and complex. Very intriguing.
- The Alaskan setting. Wrangell becomes a sort of character in itself, with the weather and surrounding forests and water.
- The supporting characters. I’ll be honest – I think I liked them better than the main characters. The sheriff, the local fisherman, the shaman – they all had an authenticity that I appreciated.
- The way Stein writes about grief. I could feel Jenna’s heartache, and that’s what drew me into her story in the first place.
- The first half of this book – Stein starts out very strong and I was immediately invested in the book.
- The trajectory of the story. I simply *had* to finish the book, because I simply *had* to know how it ended.
- The climax of the story. Suspenseful, kinda creepy, well-written.
The Pause:
- The language. Garth Stein explains in the afterword that one of the few revisions he made between the 1998 and 2010 editions was to cut a lot of the language. In my opinion, he could have cut even more. It’s just so unnecessary and doesn’t quite fit in with the mystical, moody nature of this book.
- The timeline. Waffling back and forth between past and present is a tricky proposition, and in this case it didn’t work for me. I understand why Stein did it, I’m just not sure I like how he did it. It left me feeling disoriented.
- The storyline and character of the Private Eye. Was it really necessary? Could Stein have put pressure on Jenna and brought Robert to Alaska some other way? This storyline was weak, and it inserted a vulgarity and brutality that disconnected it from the overall mood of the book.
- Robert. I never did connect with his character, and felt unsympathetic towards him (which makes the ending all the more frustrating…more on that in a minute).
- That Jenna became such an inconsistent, unreliable character. The book is written from a 3rd-person omniscient point of view, meaning we get to see inside everyone’s head to know what they’re thinking at any time. There are several key moments when Jenna makes profound realizations about how she feels, only to turn on those feelings and go a completely different direction. One of the main themes of Raven Stole the Moon is that nothing is inherently good or evil, nothing is either/or. Maybe that’s what Stein is trying to communicate through Jenna as well, but it just left me feeling confused, and in some cases, totally duped.
- The ending. OH, THE ENDING. In at least one respect, I was satisfied. But on another equally important point, I was absolutely dumbfounded. And the final scene? It put an exclamation point to Jenna’s inability to commit to her own feelings and decisions.
The Bottom Line:
I liked this book, but I really wanted to LOVE it. Stein showed superior talent in The Art of Racing in the Rain, a book I really did love. I was less impressed with this one, giving it a B- (or 3.5 out of 5 stars).
The Giveaway:
Terra Communications has generously offered a copy of Raven Stole the Moon to one reader of Tree, Root, and Twig. To enter, please answer in a comment to this post: what’s the last book you read? US entries only, please.
For extra entires, do any of the following and leave an extra comment for each entry method used:
- Tweet about this giveaway (leave your Twitter ID in the comment)
- Follow this blog via Google Connect
- Subscribe to this blog via email or reader
All entries are due by 11:59PM CST Tuesday, March 23. Good luck to everyone!
*Disclosure: Terra Communications provided me with this copy to review, as well as the copy for giveaway.
You might also enjoy these related posts from Tree, Root, and Twig:
- CLOSED: New Children’s Book Series, Max Spaniel: Dinosaur Hunt {Review & Giveaway, ends 8/21}
- CLOSED: New Children’s Book: Max Spaniel “Funny Lunch” by David Catrow {Review & Giveaway}
- CLOSED: New Children’s Book + Essential Back-to-School Supply Kit {Review & Giveaway, ends 8/24}
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Laurie L
on Mar 12th, 2010
@ 12:08 am:
I couldn’t get into the Twilight series, but the last book I read was one of the Harry Potter series with my kids. I would love to read a book for sheer selfish enjoyment, but don’t have time to find one on my own that sparks my interest!
Francine Anchondo
on Mar 13th, 2010
@ 4:53 pm:
I last read eclipse in the twilight series .
Francine Anchondo
on Mar 13th, 2010
@ 4:54 pm:
follow your blog via google connect
Christine W
on Mar 16th, 2010
@ 1:37 am:
The last book that I read was CRAZY FOR THE STORM: A MEMOIR OF SURVIVAL by Norman Ollestad.
Thank you,
Christine
womackcm@sbcglobal.net
Christine W
on Mar 16th, 2010
@ 1:39 am:
As ossmcalc, I tweeted about this giveaway http://twitter.com/ossmcalc/status/10558313593
Christine W
on Mar 16th, 2010
@ 1:40 am:
I follow this blog via Google Connect.
Thank you,
Christine
womackcm@sbcglobal.net
Christine W
on Mar 16th, 2010
@ 1:41 am:
I subscri be to this blog via email.
Thank you,
Christine
womackcm@sbcglobal.net
shannon Baas
on Mar 18th, 2010
@ 2:29 pm:
The quilter’s Kitchen by Jennifer Chiaverini
Diane Baum
on Mar 18th, 2010
@ 2:37 pm:
Follower-last book read-The Help
Sandra K321
on Mar 18th, 2010
@ 5:44 pm:
The last book I read was On the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.
madwoman-doing-cartwheels
on Mar 19th, 2010
@ 7:19 am:
Just finished reading Off Season by Anne Rivers Siddons. Very good story!
madwoman-doing-cartwheels
on Mar 19th, 2010
@ 7:20 am:
Email subscriber
madwoman-doing-cartwheels
on Mar 19th, 2010
@ 7:22 am:
Follow on Google Connect/Ally
madwoman-doing-cartwheels
on Mar 19th, 2010
@ 7:22 am:
I subscribe by email.
Nicole C.
on Mar 19th, 2010
@ 8:08 am:
The last book I read is Mistress Of The Art Of Death by Ariana Franklin.
Caro
on Mar 19th, 2010
@ 8:57 am:
The last book that I read was Eon by Alison Goodman (though I am almost done with The Lunatic, the Lover, and the Poet by Myrlin Hermes so that may be more recent.)
McKim
on Mar 19th, 2010
@ 11:30 am:
The book I just finished was Double Take by Catherine Coulter. I enjoyed it. I’ve read other books of hers which I’ve also enjoyed.
andrea
on Mar 19th, 2010
@ 4:50 pm:
The last book I read was a chicken soup for the soul about the story behind the songs
angie
on Mar 19th, 2010
@ 6:48 pm:
The last book was Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
Alicia
on Mar 21st, 2010
@ 12:41 am:
Trial by Fire by JA Jance.
Thanks for the giveaway >^..^<
Chrysa
Twitter: http://thriftyjinxy.blogspot.com/
on Mar 21st, 2010
@ 1:40 am:
I just finished Super Freakonomics. It was awesome!
Chrysa ´s last blog ..Free Gadget Grips for your Cell Phone, MP3 Player or iPod
Sharon A
on Mar 21st, 2010
@ 6:58 pm:
I just finished Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves
Renee G
on Mar 21st, 2010
@ 11:21 pm:
I last read Tyrannosaurus Canyon.
rsgrandinetti@yahoo(DOT)com
emily l
on Mar 22nd, 2010
@ 12:05 am:
The last book I read was My Name Is Will.
misusedinnocence@aol.com
Cheryl F
on Mar 22nd, 2010
@ 9:07 am:
the last book I read was The Lost Symbol
Sue
on Mar 22nd, 2010
@ 12:45 pm:
I just finished Flower for Algernon. Thanks for the giveaway.
s.mickelson at gmail dot com
Marc
on Mar 22nd, 2010
@ 3:26 pm:
The last book I read was ‘The Help’ and it is one of the greatest novels I’ve ever read.
Melissa B.
on Mar 22nd, 2010
@ 4:33 pm:
Irish Dreams by Nora Roberts.
shawna
on Mar 22nd, 2010
@ 5:24 pm:
I just read the Blind Side.
Ed Nemmers
on Mar 22nd, 2010
@ 5:31 pm:
Christopher Isherwood’s “A Single Man”!
Erika
on Mar 22nd, 2010
@ 8:07 pm:
I am currently reading “Notes Left Behind” about a little girl named Elena who had a brain tumor. It is the journal kept by her parents during the ordeal.
Erika´s last blog ..Blessings Abound Giveaway
Shilo Beedy
on Mar 22nd, 2010
@ 8:16 pm:
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
Shilo Beedy´s last blog ..CSN Slow Cooker Review
REBECCA
on Mar 23rd, 2010
@ 4:48 am:
last book-My Sister’s Keeper
Tarah
on Mar 23rd, 2010
@ 10:07 am:
I just finished 5th Horseman by James Patterson
Maja Meza
on Mar 23rd, 2010
@ 10:38 am:
henry and june by anais nin
Maja Meza
on Mar 23rd, 2010
@ 10:39 am:
subscriber
Maja Meza
on Mar 23rd, 2010
@ 10:39 am:
follower
Jennifer Jozwiak
on Mar 23rd, 2010
@ 11:29 pm:
the last book i read was All the colors of darkness by Peter Robinson. excellent book!