Review: Moonglass

Moonglass (ARC) by Jessi Kirby
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pub. Date: May 3rd, 2011
Pages 224
Age Level: 13+
Source: For review from publisher.

Synopsis via Goodreads
From Jessi Kirby, a debut novel about confronting the past in order to move ahead.

I read once that water is a symbol for emotions. And for a while now, I've thought maybe my mother drowned in both.

Anna's life is upended when her father accepts a job transfer the summer before her junior year. It's bad enough that she has to leave her friends and her life behind, but her dad is moving them to the beach where her parents first met and fell in love- a place awash in memories that Anna would just as soon leave under the surface.

While life on the beach is pretty great, with ocean views and one adorable lifeguard in particular, there are also family secrets that were buried along the shore years ago. And the ebb and flow of the ocean's tide means that nothing- not the sea glass that she collects on the sand and not the truths behind Anna's mother's death- stays buried forever.

Review
With a style reminiscent of Sarah Dessen, Moonglass is a sweet, poignant contemporary novel from debut author, Jessi Kirby.

Anna was a character I connected with easily and quickly. I thought she was very realistic, as well as relatable, especially in the ways she tried to get Tyler's attention. She had a subtle but funny sense of humor and her emotions were raw and rang true. I thought Anna developed quite well throughout this story via her relationship with her dad and feelings concerning her mother's death. Despite the occasional tension between them, I loved Anna's dad and felt he was very well rounded. He was protective of Anna but really wanted what was best for her and I was glad to see his opinions on certain things regarding her alter and adapt when necessary. Next is Tyler, our romantic interest. He's charming, self-assured, and though a little jerk-ish at first, turned out to be a really sweet guy. Finally, there were supporting characters like Jillian, Joy, and even Ashley, who showed brilliant sparks of potential but just didn't get the chance to shine as much as they could have. However, there was one character I felt greatly contributed to this story, despite their seemingly minor role, was 'the crawling man'.

Moonglass was a book that kind of snuck up on me in that it started out sort of slow but, before I knew it, I was feeling fully engaged in the story. Kirby crafted a satisfying and harmonious blend of gripping internal conflict and compelling external family/relationship conflict. True, I could usually see where the majority of the plot was headed but this didn't particularly bother me and there was one part at the end that still surprised me. The oceanic, coastal setting of Moonglass makes this perfect for a summer read and has me dying to go to the beach.

Kirby's writing style was one that flowed smoothly and held a well balanced combination of both heartfelt emotion and witty humor. Her detailed and sensory descriptions of the coastal setting greatly enhanced my reading experience and I found I could almost smell the saltiness of the sea in the air and hear the waves crashing upon the shore. I also felt she did a wonderful job expressing the first person narrative.

Moonglass ended in what I thought was a very powerful and well resolved way. I felt everything worked out appropriately and I was, overall, quite pleased with the way things drew to a close.

All in all, Moonglass is a beautiful story and an impressive debut that I would easily recommend. Fans of Sarah Dessen's novels, especially The Truth About Forever, will more than likely love Moonglass and I expect to see great things from Jessi Kirby in the future.

Grade
Characters: B
Writing: A-
Plot: B
Ending: B+
Enjoyment/Likability B
Recommendable: B

Overall: B

Cover: B+

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