Gentle Reads Annotation

Gentle Reads Annotation

Author: Sarah Addison Allen

Title: The Girl Who Chased the Moon

ISBN: 0553385593

Genre: Gentle Reads, Literary Fiction, Magic Realist Fiction

Publication Date: May 2009

Number of Pages: 269 p.

Other Formats: eBook, audiobook

Geographical Setting: United States – North America – North Carolina – Mullaby, North Carolina

Time Period: Present – Contemporary (21^st century)

Subject Headings:

Family secrets – Fiction

North Carolina – Fiction

Plot Summary: Emily Benedict didn’t expect to end up in Mullaby, North Carolina – but when her mother dies, she returns to the home where her mother grew up – and to the grandfather of epic proportions (literally) that she barely knows. Magical and mysterious events keep occurring in Emily’s new life and home, including how her bedroom wallpaper appears to inexplicably keep changing. The town, and Emily’s late mother, have many secrets, and as Emily tries to come to terms with her mother’s past, she discovers new friends and family in a sleepy, Southeastern town.

Appeal

Pacing: Leisurely

Story: Heartwarming and Romantic

Characters: Quirky and Colorful

Setting: Sense of place, Detailed

Language: Lyrical, Narrative

Tone: Comforting, Nostalgic

Graphic Meter: Clean

Framing: First-person Narrative

Writing Style: Evocative, Detailed

Read A-likes

Fiction

The Red Garden – Alice Hoffman

January 2011

Genre: Fiction, Literary fiction

This mystical, moody read from Hoffman features enchanting characteristics shared by The Girl Who Chased the Moon.

The Thirteenth Tale – Diane Setterfield

September 2006

Genre: Fiction, Gothic fiction

This atmospheric, creepy tale was recently turned into a made for television film.

Angels and Insects: Two Novellas - A.S. Byatt

January 1993

Genre: Historical fiction, Literary fiction

Disturbing and romantic, these lyrical novellas were also turned into a film adaptation.

Nonfiction

It Happened in North Carolina – Remarkable Events That Shaped History 

By Scotti Cohn

November 2009

Genre: Nonfiction (History Writing)

This recent publication will help readers connect more to the geographical location of Allen’s novel.

Feathers Brush My Heart: True Stories of Mothers Touching Their Daughters’ Lives After Death

By Sinclair Browning

Genre: Nonfiction (Spirituality and Religion)

These true accounts of women who have lost their mothers will help readers who were inspired by Emily’s story. 

Belonging: A Culture of Place

By Bell Hooks

October 2008

Genre: Nonfiction (Essays, Social Issues)

This title explores the way we live our lives and our connections to our families, roots, and community, and can help readers relate to Emily’s character as she travels back to her mother’s hometown. 

Read a Preview Here: http://www.amazon.com/The-Girl-Who-Chased-Moon/dp/0553385593

Reader User Reviews from GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5126859-the-girl-who-chased-the-moon