Alice Hoffman - Turtle Moon

Pros: well written, interesting realism
Cons: bad ending to weak plot

I'm surprised that no one has written an opinion on this book by a well known comtemporary writer, but here goes anyway.


An important idea to keep in mind as you read Alice Hoffman’s novel, Turtle Moon is the motherly instinct of...

Pros: Good character development, interesting plot, very nice poetic-prose style.
Cons: Ending is somewhat rushed and predictable.

This was the first novel I've read by Alice Hoffman, and I truly enjoyed it. It's your basic murder mystery, with villains, heroes, and even an angel. There's also a strong romantic component. The setting is in the hot, humid town of Verity, Florida among the divorcees-running-from-their-past set. Although the ending is somewhat anticlimactic, the revolving story is interesting.

What I enjoyed most was the almost poetic manner in which Hoffman writes. You can almost feel the stifling, sexually impregnated atmosphere, especially between Lucy (friend of the murdered woman) and Julian (young cop on the case who has his own demons to deal with). In addition to great character development of these two, Hoffman also does a wonderful job creating the character of Lucy's son, Keith, who is described as "the meanest boy in Verity."

'Nuff said, without giving away the plot. Enjoy!