Keeping the Moon
By Sarah Dessen
Puffin
Publication Date: September 25, 2000
ISBN: 9780141310077
I mentioned a while ago, after loving Along for the Ride, that I really wanted to check out more Sarah Dessen books. I finally did!
Keeping the Moon is about Colie, a fifteen year old girl who's forced to spend the summer with her eccentric aunt in Colby, North Carolina while her overly enthusiastic weight-loss video selling mother tours Europe to promote her new line of food, videos and work out equipment. Colie is used to being alone, however; before her mother found the weight-loss lifestyle, both of them were incredibly overweight. Having problems wherever they went, the two traveled from place to place frequently, finally settling in Charlotte, North Carolina when her mother started to work for a gym. That's when they both lost weight. Sadly, even without the weight, Colie was still unable to make friends.
Having a ton of pent-up anger and embarrasment already on her shoulders, Colie was convinced that her summer was going to be terrible. But as she frets about the students she ran away from, she meets Isabel and Morgan, two waitresses at the Last Stop Grill, who offer her a job. Morgan, the optimist, has a baseball playing fiance and a delicate heart of gold. Isabel is beautiful, yet honest and brutal to Colie in ways that anger, yet inspire her. And then there's Norman, the crazy artist who practically lives with Colie's Aunt. And Mira, the aunt who marches to her own beat, wearing bright colors and crazy glasses. Throughout the summer, Colie learns how each person goes from day to day and how no one has it quite so easy. She learns to look past those who mock and find the good and beauty inside herself. Most of all, Colie finds herself.
Keeping the Moon is a delicate book that shows how one character can survive many hardships and learn to grow past it all, with encouragement, honesty, and friends.
Needless to say, I really enjoyed Keeping the Moon. I read it next because it took place in Colby, the same place Along for the Ride was set, and featured a familiar character. I loved watching Colie progress throughout the book - watching her hit her peak and plummet within a few pages, and then build herself back up again. It was endearing to see how much heart Dessen gives each character. Speaking of, Isabel was actually my favorite character. With her rough exterior, she shows Colie what's important through hard lessons and a picture from her past. Isabel wasn't a character that grew while the book progressed, but you saw where she came from and ultimately what she was made of.
I love the friendship between Morgan and Isabel - it's so honest and true. And mostly, I really liked Mira, who was confusing at first, but offered up life lessons without realizing what she was doing it. It was her selflessness and easy-going attitude that amazed me. And, of course, Norman the "guy" in the book, with his longer hair and hippie lifestyle. The relationship between Norman and Colie was a bit forced, I felt, but cute nonetheless. There HAD to be a summer crush, right?
I liked how Kiki, Colie's mother, was present throughout the novel, without being there (through phone calls and commercials.) She wasn't presented as the bad guy, even though she was miles away, in fact she also acted as a guiding light for Colie. I really like Colby as a setting - this small town that's peak population is during hot summer days. Last Chance is a place you want to go to, hang out at. You can tell Dessen spent quite a few days living there.
All in all, Keeping the Moon is a fantastic young adult book that makes me want to ride my bike or hang out with friends under a sky full of a fireworks. It shows you that it's not always smart to "judge a book by it's cover," and how things that may be broken, can still have meaning and life. It's a book that'll definitely have me picking up more of Sarah Dessen's stories because I'm sure each one has just as much, if not more, heart.
Sarah-land Ning page
More on the book at Dessen's official site
Read the first chapter
Sarah Dessen's blog
3 comments:
What I love about Dessen's books (I've read all but Along For The Ride) is that they all take place around the same area. You'll notice that a lot of the characters from other books play minuscule parts in each book.
Sarah Dessen is really an awesome writer. I love that although I'm 26 I can relate to the main characters who are all teenagers. I enjoy her style.
I have always found something very special and unique about stories taking place in the Carolinas. That part of the country certainly has an aura about it. I've not read anything by this author, but you have sold me on this one!
I haven't tried reading Sarah Dessen's books but I've heard a lot of good things about them. I've two of her books in my pile and I can't wait to devour them! Glad you enjoyed this one!
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