Two Moons in August: A Novel - Hardcover

Brooks, Martha

3.83

230 ratings by Goodreads

9780316109796: Two Moons in August: A Novel

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0316109797 ISBN 13: 9780316109796

Publisher: Joy st Books, 1992

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Kieran, a new boy visiting her small town for the summer, helps Sidonie and her family come together again following the death of Sidonie's mother

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From Kirkus Reviews:

In a poignant present-tense narrative illuminated by bittersweet memories, Sidonie, 16, evokes her family's continuing tension and grief since her mother's death a year ago, describing their valiant efforts to go on with their lives. Dad, a doctor, has become withdrawn, working long hours and leaving Sidonie alone while her sister Bobbi is at college; now that Bobbi is home for the summer, she uses more vigor than tact in taking on tasks that Sidonie has come to think of as her responsibility. Meanwhile, Bobbi has fallen in love with a young Chinese doctor and is preoccupied with her first long-term relationship; and Sidonie becomes close friends with a new neighbor. After an acrimonious introduction and defensive sparring on both sides, she and Kieran are drawn together as each discovers the other's pain. Kieran's absent father, it turns out, is a violent alcoholic; her intensely emotional reaction when Sidonie's family finally begins to communicate more openly and deal effectively with their grief almost precipitates a tragedy at the suspenseful conclusion. Brooks (Paradise Cafe, 1990) writes beautifully; even her minor characters are well realized, while Sidonie and Bobbi's sisterly bickering, their shared grief and guilt, and their underlying affection for each another are exquisitely believable. The setting--small-town Canada, 1959--is authentic down to a celebratory dinner featuring melon balls in ginger ale. A deeply engaging story, to be savored and reread. (Fiction. 12+) -- Copyright �1991, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 7-12-- Soon-to-be-16 Sidonie Fallows and her older sister, Bobbi, are having difficulty adjusting to their mother's death. Their father escapes to his work in the local TB hospital, Bobbi escapes to a dutiful but angry woman-of-the-house role, and Sidonie longs for the comfort of a loving, understanding person. Enter Kieran McMorran. They become friends, but would prefer more. When it seems he can help Sidonie cope with her grief, the boy's own problems surface. After a dramatic climax in which Sidonie nearly drowns, the behavior of the primary characters indicates progress in the healing and growing process. This novel is far better than average, but below the masterful precedent set by Brooks's Paradise Cafe and Other Stories (Joy St., 1990). Written primarily in present tense (with important flashbacks), the plot moves along smoothly, with no dragging or dead spots, to a satisfying ending. The characters are another strength. All are realistic individuals who develop credible insight and self-understanding over the course of the story. A book that belongs on the shelf with the few but essential novels that are both intelligently written and appealing to YA audiences. --Ellen Ramsay, Amphitheater High School, Tucson, AZ
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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