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Moonrise
When Helen Honeycutt falls in love with Emmet Justice, a charismatic television journalist who has recently lost his wife in a tragic accident, their sudden marriage creates a rift between her new husband and his oldest friends, who resent Helen’s intrusion into their tightly knit circle. Hoping to mend fences, the newlyweds join the group for a summer at his late wife’s family home in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. Helen soon falls under the spell not only of the little mountain town and its inhabitants, but also of Moonrise, her predecessor’s Victorian mansion, named for its unique but now sadly neglected nocturnal gardens. But the harder Helen tries to fit in, the more obvious it is that she will never measure up to the woman she replaced.
Someone is clearly determined to drive her away, but who wants her gone, and why? As Emmet grows more remote, Helen reaches out to the others in the group, only to find that she can’t trust anyone. When she stumbles on the secret behind her predecessor’s untimely death, Helen must decide if she can ever trust—or love—again.
Someone is clearly determined to drive her away, but who wants her gone, and why? As Emmet grows more remote, Helen reaches out to the others in the group, only to find that she can’t trust anyone. When she stumbles on the secret behind her predecessor’s untimely death, Helen must decide if she can ever trust—or love—again.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published July 23, 2013
63 people are currently reading
1832 people want to read
About the author
Cassandra King
9 books349 followersCASSANDRA KING, who has been called “the Queen of Southern storytelling,” is the author of six novels, Making Waves, The Sunday Wife, The Same Sweet Girls, Queen of Broken Hearts, Moonrise, and The Same Sweet Girls' Guide to Life, as well as numerous short stories, essays and articles. Moonrise, her fifth novel, is set in Highlands, North Carolina. A native of Alabama, Cassandra resides in Beaufort, South Carolina, with her husband, writer Pat Conroy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 223 reviews
October 6, 2013
Made it to page 73, then bailed.
Totally underwhelmed with the characters, all of which were juvenile and one-dimensional. Had a hard time believing these supposedly urbane and sophisticated rich people were in their late 30's, 40's and 50's, as they seemed to act and speak like early twenty-somethings with little class or maturity. As a result, not believable to me in the context of this story. The writing was so-so; I've read worse, but I expected better, to be honest.
The plot/story was one I definitely would have enjoyed in the hands of a better writer. I'm always intrigued by homages to Daphne DuMaurier's Rebecca, but this one didn't cut it for me. (If you're looking for a well done Rebecca homage, try The Lantern, which is excellent IMO).
All in all, a disappointment.
Totally underwhelmed with the characters, all of which were juvenile and one-dimensional. Had a hard time believing these supposedly urbane and sophisticated rich people were in their late 30's, 40's and 50's, as they seemed to act and speak like early twenty-somethings with little class or maturity. As a result, not believable to me in the context of this story. The writing was so-so; I've read worse, but I expected better, to be honest.
The plot/story was one I definitely would have enjoyed in the hands of a better writer. I'm always intrigued by homages to Daphne DuMaurier's Rebecca, but this one didn't cut it for me. (If you're looking for a well done Rebecca homage, try The Lantern, which is excellent IMO).
All in all, a disappointment.
September 16, 2013
I had difficulty believing this novel of adult friendship and betrayal. The characters were very stereotypical and a bit flat. Truth be told, I was bored during several of the narratives and wishing we could just move along with the story.
September 16, 2013
3.5 A very atmospheric novel set in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains in a wonderful old house called Moonrise. A summer community of houses inhabited by summer residents who have long become friends, they meet and socialize every summer. The descriptions of the house and the gardens, one of which is a moon garden were just amazing, I could smell the flowers, felt like I was there in the gardens.
When one of their group die, the rest must pick up the pieces and Emmitt, the widower remarries. Helen,the new wife, tries to fit in with the group but not all are welcoming. So this is a character driven mystery, why would one of their group come here in winter and drive off a road? It is also a look at how hard it is for a second wife to fit in with a long established group. So in a very long summer, secrets are uncovered, new alliances are formed and everyone must find out the truth and their own way forward. A very good and entertaining, somewhat Gothic toned story that kept my interest throughout.
When one of their group die, the rest must pick up the pieces and Emmitt, the widower remarries. Helen,the new wife, tries to fit in with the group but not all are welcoming. So this is a character driven mystery, why would one of their group come here in winter and drive off a road? It is also a look at how hard it is for a second wife to fit in with a long established group. So in a very long summer, secrets are uncovered, new alliances are formed and everyone must find out the truth and their own way forward. A very good and entertaining, somewhat Gothic toned story that kept my interest throughout.
November 10, 2013
MOONRISE
Cassandra King
Definitely not Daphne du Maurier.
Cassandra King
Definitely not Daphne du Maurier.
August 27, 2013
You can read my full review here: http://mimi-cyberlibrarian.blogspot.c...
This spring, my husband and I drove the Blue Ridge Parkway, spent a night in Asheville NC, visited the Biltmore Estate and were thoroughly enthralled with the area. Its beauty is mesmerizing. My best memory of that week was watching the blue mist rising with the dawn and descending with the dusk. Cassandra King uses the mountain setting to its best advantage in her new Southern Gothic, Moonrise. The setting is a perfect foil for the quasi-ghostly plot.
Emmet Justice, a TV journalist, has recently married Helen Honeycutt, a dietitian who runs a TV cooking show. Both have been married before and each has a young adult child. Emmet's wife, Roselyn, had been tragically killed the year before in an automobile accident in the mountains. The newlyweds move into Roselyn's family summer home, Moonrise, shortly after they are married. Several cottages are also on the beautiful mountain lake; they are the homes of longtime friends of Emmet and Roselyn. Emmet's friends think that this new marriage is a rebound relationship, and "the bride" as they call Helen won't last once Emmet comes to his senses. Thus they are not very welcoming to Helen, and she struggles to find her place in the group.
Moonrise is narrated by three women who tell the story of the summer; Helen, Tansy, and Willa. Tansy is one of the neighboring cottage owners and a childhood friend of Roselyn. Willa runs a housecleaning business and takes care of the homes of all the cottage owners. Helen tells her own story. She has a lot to deal with--a huge house that belonged to the dead wife; a husband who seemingly is still grieving; and a step-daughter who doesn't want anything to do with her. Also intrinsic to the story are the other cottage owners--Linc and his wife Myna, Noel, who lives with Tansy, and Kit, Roselyn's oldest and dearest friend. And although she is no longer with them in the flesh, Roselyn fills the house and the friends with her presence. They are all interesting characters, although the women are far less likeable than are the men.
I had to keep reminding myself that Helen is in her mid-forties. She comes across as a much younger and very insecure woman. One reviewer suggested it is a weakness of the novel that she allows herself to be mistreated by Tansy and Kit--particularly Kit. There are times that the back-stabbing and cattiness is reminiscent of junior high school--or perhaps Real Housewives, Blue Ridge Mountains. Yet, friendship remains one of the major themes of the book. These characters have known each other for decades and have become family to each other.
King has been called the queen of the Southern Gothic genre. Indeed, Moonrise is replete with hints of ghostly presences, sinister plots, and haunted gardens. King says: "The lush, haunted landscape of the South is every bit as romantic as the wild moors of England and lends itself beautifully to the creation of a mysterious, darkly foreboding Gothic atmosphere." She also says that place is often a central character in her novels, and it certainly is in Moonrise, from the peaceful lake, to the neglected gardens, and the mansion itself. Helen calls the house her "own personal House of Horrors." She says, "Funny, a house as grand and richly furnished as Moonrise at my disposal, and I can only relax when it's out of my sight."
In an interview King mentions that she got the idea for the book during a summer vacation spent at an old house in the Blue Ridge Mountains. She brought along Daphne Du Maurier's famous novel Rebecca, and the combination of the setting and the novel inspired Moonrise. This is the 75th anniversary of Rebecca, which was made into a movie by Alfred Hitchcock in 1940. Moonrise is, in part, an homage to Rebecca. I read Rebecca years ago, but my husband and I watched the movie this week. You can find the whole movie on YouTube here. It was Hitchcock's first American project and it won the 1940 Academy Award for best picture. Great movie.
Southern Gothic is not one of the genres that I usually pick up, but once the plot of Moonrise began to move, I moved along as well. When I looked up after closing the book for the last time, I realized that I was in Michigan after all. In my mind's eye, I was back in the Blue Ridge Mountains with the mountain mist descending at dusk.
Review on shelf Awareness: http://www.shelf-awareness.com/issue....
Cassandra King's website: http://www.cassandrakingconroy.com/mo...
This spring, my husband and I drove the Blue Ridge Parkway, spent a night in Asheville NC, visited the Biltmore Estate and were thoroughly enthralled with the area. Its beauty is mesmerizing. My best memory of that week was watching the blue mist rising with the dawn and descending with the dusk. Cassandra King uses the mountain setting to its best advantage in her new Southern Gothic, Moonrise. The setting is a perfect foil for the quasi-ghostly plot.
Emmet Justice, a TV journalist, has recently married Helen Honeycutt, a dietitian who runs a TV cooking show. Both have been married before and each has a young adult child. Emmet's wife, Roselyn, had been tragically killed the year before in an automobile accident in the mountains. The newlyweds move into Roselyn's family summer home, Moonrise, shortly after they are married. Several cottages are also on the beautiful mountain lake; they are the homes of longtime friends of Emmet and Roselyn. Emmet's friends think that this new marriage is a rebound relationship, and "the bride" as they call Helen won't last once Emmet comes to his senses. Thus they are not very welcoming to Helen, and she struggles to find her place in the group.
Moonrise is narrated by three women who tell the story of the summer; Helen, Tansy, and Willa. Tansy is one of the neighboring cottage owners and a childhood friend of Roselyn. Willa runs a housecleaning business and takes care of the homes of all the cottage owners. Helen tells her own story. She has a lot to deal with--a huge house that belonged to the dead wife; a husband who seemingly is still grieving; and a step-daughter who doesn't want anything to do with her. Also intrinsic to the story are the other cottage owners--Linc and his wife Myna, Noel, who lives with Tansy, and Kit, Roselyn's oldest and dearest friend. And although she is no longer with them in the flesh, Roselyn fills the house and the friends with her presence. They are all interesting characters, although the women are far less likeable than are the men.
I had to keep reminding myself that Helen is in her mid-forties. She comes across as a much younger and very insecure woman. One reviewer suggested it is a weakness of the novel that she allows herself to be mistreated by Tansy and Kit--particularly Kit. There are times that the back-stabbing and cattiness is reminiscent of junior high school--or perhaps Real Housewives, Blue Ridge Mountains. Yet, friendship remains one of the major themes of the book. These characters have known each other for decades and have become family to each other.
King has been called the queen of the Southern Gothic genre. Indeed, Moonrise is replete with hints of ghostly presences, sinister plots, and haunted gardens. King says: "The lush, haunted landscape of the South is every bit as romantic as the wild moors of England and lends itself beautifully to the creation of a mysterious, darkly foreboding Gothic atmosphere." She also says that place is often a central character in her novels, and it certainly is in Moonrise, from the peaceful lake, to the neglected gardens, and the mansion itself. Helen calls the house her "own personal House of Horrors." She says, "Funny, a house as grand and richly furnished as Moonrise at my disposal, and I can only relax when it's out of my sight."
In an interview King mentions that she got the idea for the book during a summer vacation spent at an old house in the Blue Ridge Mountains. She brought along Daphne Du Maurier's famous novel Rebecca, and the combination of the setting and the novel inspired Moonrise. This is the 75th anniversary of Rebecca, which was made into a movie by Alfred Hitchcock in 1940. Moonrise is, in part, an homage to Rebecca. I read Rebecca years ago, but my husband and I watched the movie this week. You can find the whole movie on YouTube here. It was Hitchcock's first American project and it won the 1940 Academy Award for best picture. Great movie.
Southern Gothic is not one of the genres that I usually pick up, but once the plot of Moonrise began to move, I moved along as well. When I looked up after closing the book for the last time, I realized that I was in Michigan after all. In my mind's eye, I was back in the Blue Ridge Mountains with the mountain mist descending at dusk.
Review on shelf Awareness: http://www.shelf-awareness.com/issue....
Cassandra King's website: http://www.cassandrakingconroy.com/mo...
September 12, 2013
I discovered gothic novels as a teenager, in our small public library that was housed in a...well, old house. It was creaky and tiny and smelled musty...but I LOVED it. And spending time in it. I'm not sure if I liked gothics b/c I was hooked on mysteries (thank you, Nancy Drew?) or vice versa but I know I spent hours scouring the shelves, discovering fabulous books and writers. At any rate, I was excited about reading "Moonrise" (even before I found out King was married to Pat Conroy!) b/c I figured it would bring me back to those sweltering summer days counterbalanced by the spooky chill I found in the books.
Initially, I liked Moonrise - the perfect set up of an old spooky house, old friends who are suspicious of the new young bride, and a wife tragically killed under suspicious circumstances. I enjoyed the way King switched narratives, giving the reader a window into each of the characters' thoughts. But then at some point, it started to drag. And the main character, "The Bride," became a caricature - the others would describe her as a ditz, and that's how I began to see her. King throws in some good red herrings, and I was intrigued (and this kept me reading). About 3/4 of the way through, the villain becomes clear, not much of a surprise since he/she is so unlikable anyway. I wanted to give Moonrise 4 stars, but I just can't, and I'm not sure why. It was enjoyable to be sure, fairly well written, emotive, descriptive...it just didn't knock my socks off.
NOTE: I was given an e-galley of this book through Library Thing's Early Reviewer's program.
Initially, I liked Moonrise - the perfect set up of an old spooky house, old friends who are suspicious of the new young bride, and a wife tragically killed under suspicious circumstances. I enjoyed the way King switched narratives, giving the reader a window into each of the characters' thoughts. But then at some point, it started to drag. And the main character, "The Bride," became a caricature - the others would describe her as a ditz, and that's how I began to see her. King throws in some good red herrings, and I was intrigued (and this kept me reading). About 3/4 of the way through, the villain becomes clear, not much of a surprise since he/she is so unlikable anyway. I wanted to give Moonrise 4 stars, but I just can't, and I'm not sure why. It was enjoyable to be sure, fairly well written, emotive, descriptive...it just didn't knock my socks off.
NOTE: I was given an e-galley of this book through Library Thing's Early Reviewer's program.
September 17, 2013
If you liked Rebecca, and picked up this book because it is supposed to be similar, you might be disappointed. Both Moonrise and Rebecca feature a widower who lost his "perfect" wife and then quickly turns around and marries a younger woman, who is a meek and naive. King used a number of other elements from Rebecca: the old house, the dreams, the secrets and lack of communication/misunderstandings...I just didn't find Moonrise very atmospheric or suspenseful.
The narrative is all first person, mostly alternating between three characters, and consists of "this happened, this happened, I thought this then that happened". The language used is also very cliched. I listened to the audiobook, and the three actresses who read it were wonderful and dramatic, so that element didn't bother me the way it would have if I'd been reading it myself.
This book was only OK.
The narrative is all first person, mostly alternating between three characters, and consists of "this happened, this happened, I thought this then that happened". The language used is also very cliched. I listened to the audiobook, and the three actresses who read it were wonderful and dramatic, so that element didn't bother me the way it would have if I'd been reading it myself.
This book was only OK.
January 29, 2023
Helen Honeycutt fell in love with recently widowed Emmet Justice, a TV Journalist. They soon marry.
They are in Florida, but Emmet has a gothic home in the Highlands of North Carolina.
There is a group of friends of Emmet's that vacation there every Summer. They are all mesmerized by the Moonlit garden with it's reflecting ponds and white flowers that are illuminated by the full moon.
There are undercurrents between friends that threaten the marriage of Helen and Emmet.
Emmet and Helens love for each other wins over all.
They are in Florida, but Emmet has a gothic home in the Highlands of North Carolina.
There is a group of friends of Emmet's that vacation there every Summer. They are all mesmerized by the Moonlit garden with it's reflecting ponds and white flowers that are illuminated by the full moon.
There are undercurrents between friends that threaten the marriage of Helen and Emmet.
Emmet and Helens love for each other wins over all.
Read
November 21, 2017I wilkl give a full review at a later date.
September 14, 2013
A southern gothic novel set in the mountains of North Carolina seemed like the perfect match to me when I came across it in the bookstore the day it was released. I had read and enjoyed Cassandra King's last books, so I figured it wasn't too much of a gamble to use the coupon burning a hole in my pocket and actually buy a book I had heard nothing about. That it was styled as an homage to Du Maurier's Rebecca only added to the allure.
My friends know that I never quite got over my teenage and twenties obsession with contemporary gothics - the kind that had the heroine in peril and a romantic interest in a man she couldn't quite trust. The setting always played a big part whether it was a lonely stone house on the moors or a castle in Spain or an old cottage in the deep forest. (Emphasis on old - there's much romanticism in gothics and atmosphere is everything.) Sometimes these are classified romantic suspense, as they have less to do with horror and ghosts or creepy twisted evil (which as a rule I'd just as soon avoid). My favorites (written mostly in the 60's and 70's) feature a heroine who, though completely out of her element and totally on her own, is intelligent and resourceful and (this may sound old-fashioned) kind. She has someone or something else's interests at heart besides her own, whether a child, a suffering husband, an innocent victim, an old relative, or even saving an historical artifact, a garden, an artwork, or a building. There is always an element of mystery, and the heroine comes into the picture unaware of undercurrents that affect how the other characters act and react.
So how did Moonrise stack up against my favorite kind of gothic? As for setting, King gets it. She evokes the beauty of the mountains of North Carolina around Highlands - the hazy blue vistas, the shaded tunnels of paths and roads carved through the endless green of trees and thick stands of rhododendron and laurel, the mists rising from the valleys or the lake. Moonrise is an estate on a mountainside which overlooks Looking Glass Lake, with a mansion "gothic in style and majestic in scope," with "gabled roofs and turrets of a storybook castle." Check. And there is the garden, the source of the name, for it is a moon garden, planted with white flowers that reflect the moonlight and night-bloomers that share their beauty and fragrance only nocturnally.
Our heroine is Helen, a mid-forties Floridian who has a cooking show on the local TV station. Divorced from a difficult and controlling husband with a son in medical school, she is not interested in a romantic relationship when the charismatic but intimidating Emmet Justice joins the station. He has left a prestigious position at CNN in Atlanta after the devastating death of his wife. Though neither of them are looking for love, they fall hard for one another and marry within four months of meeting. Helen, infatuated with photographs of Moonrise, which had been the family summer home of his dead wife, persuades Emmet to let them spend the summer there, a working holiday.
It is only natural, Helen thinks, that Emmet's friends, who also summer in Highlands, would be shocked by his quick marriage so soon after the death of his wife, and might wonder at her intentions and therefore wouldn't greet her with open arms. Well, that's to put it mildly. King is wonderful at depicting catty bitchiness, especially that employed by the wealthy sophisticated class that inhabit Highlands for the summer. The men, on the other hand, come across as perfect southern gentlemen.
Like in Rebecca, Helen, the new wife, must follow on the heels of the perfect first wife, Rosalyn. Not only was Rosalyn beautiful, but gracious and charming, and from one of the first families of Highlands. She died tragically under mysterious circumstances, and no one who knew and loved her has recovered from her death. Helen, on the other hand, is, by her own admission, a Florida cracker, born into a poor hardworking family. That the snobby society queens of Highlands would find her lacking is only to be expected. Helen can't do anything right.
The book has three first-person narrators. Besides Helen, we hear from Tansy, one of those society matrons and friends of Rosalyn and Emmet, and from Willa, the mountain woman who is caretaker for Moonrise and other properties. Tansy is acerbic, judgmental, snarky, fiery, and loyal. She and Kit, Rosalyn's best friend, enjoy their favorite pastime of talking about people behind their backs, especially Helen. Helen is seen as an unwelcome intruder who obviously set her sights on Emmet until she could find an even better prospect. However unlikable, Tansy has a tender side, even though she can be "hell on wheels." Willa comes across as an authentic mountain girl, independent and hard-working, but with the common blind spot when it comes to her good-looking man who gets mean when he hits the moonshine.
As in the novel Rebecca, the new younger wife Helen is rather innocent and well-intentioned, but seems to always put the wrong foot forward. The atmosphere at Moonrise, with its dark heavy Victorian trappings and seeping cold even in summer, its overgrown garden, the unaccustomed noises, the fleeting sights of shadowy figures, and the inevitable association with Rosalyn, keeps Helen from sleeping. Soon Helen's relationship with Emmet gets testy, she begins to doubt what he tells her and wonder why she should follow his admonition to leave things alone, and Moonrise becomes her house of horrors. King is definitely in good gothic form.
I enjoyed this southern gothic, relishing the setting, the atmosphere, and the contemporary situation and characters. My only quibble was Helen's naivete; how in her earnest attempt to make friends, she allows others to manipulate her and to create doubts about her husband's faithfulness and her role in his life. She doesn't trust or follow her own instincts, or even talk to her husband about what she's been told. She blindly accepts innuendo and, for some strange reason, believes his dead wife's friends would have her interests at heart rather than the man she loves and married. She was almost too weak and emotional to be believable, especially for a forty-something who'd gone through some hard knocks of her own. This harkens back to the early gothic tradition of the sweet, innocent heroine, who nearly falls victim to the machinations of a villain with an evil intent. True to form, but a little less satisfying in a contemporary rendition. Besides wanting people to like her (a natural enough emotion) and her husband to approve of her, Helen's other desire is to help people eat more healthily. She also seems to have a vague idea about bringing Moonrise out of the dark Victorian past and having the gardens restored - something she knows nothing about. Hardly a gripping, driving, life-or-death motivation. The tension is muted. It almost comes down to a teenage soap-opera: will the snobby jealous bitch destroy our heroine's chance at happiness with the hot guy. It's a bit of book candy, delicious and fun to devour, but not particularly sustaining.
My friends know that I never quite got over my teenage and twenties obsession with contemporary gothics - the kind that had the heroine in peril and a romantic interest in a man she couldn't quite trust. The setting always played a big part whether it was a lonely stone house on the moors or a castle in Spain or an old cottage in the deep forest. (Emphasis on old - there's much romanticism in gothics and atmosphere is everything.) Sometimes these are classified romantic suspense, as they have less to do with horror and ghosts or creepy twisted evil (which as a rule I'd just as soon avoid). My favorites (written mostly in the 60's and 70's) feature a heroine who, though completely out of her element and totally on her own, is intelligent and resourceful and (this may sound old-fashioned) kind. She has someone or something else's interests at heart besides her own, whether a child, a suffering husband, an innocent victim, an old relative, or even saving an historical artifact, a garden, an artwork, or a building. There is always an element of mystery, and the heroine comes into the picture unaware of undercurrents that affect how the other characters act and react.
So how did Moonrise stack up against my favorite kind of gothic? As for setting, King gets it. She evokes the beauty of the mountains of North Carolina around Highlands - the hazy blue vistas, the shaded tunnels of paths and roads carved through the endless green of trees and thick stands of rhododendron and laurel, the mists rising from the valleys or the lake. Moonrise is an estate on a mountainside which overlooks Looking Glass Lake, with a mansion "gothic in style and majestic in scope," with "gabled roofs and turrets of a storybook castle." Check. And there is the garden, the source of the name, for it is a moon garden, planted with white flowers that reflect the moonlight and night-bloomers that share their beauty and fragrance only nocturnally.
Our heroine is Helen, a mid-forties Floridian who has a cooking show on the local TV station. Divorced from a difficult and controlling husband with a son in medical school, she is not interested in a romantic relationship when the charismatic but intimidating Emmet Justice joins the station. He has left a prestigious position at CNN in Atlanta after the devastating death of his wife. Though neither of them are looking for love, they fall hard for one another and marry within four months of meeting. Helen, infatuated with photographs of Moonrise, which had been the family summer home of his dead wife, persuades Emmet to let them spend the summer there, a working holiday.
It is only natural, Helen thinks, that Emmet's friends, who also summer in Highlands, would be shocked by his quick marriage so soon after the death of his wife, and might wonder at her intentions and therefore wouldn't greet her with open arms. Well, that's to put it mildly. King is wonderful at depicting catty bitchiness, especially that employed by the wealthy sophisticated class that inhabit Highlands for the summer. The men, on the other hand, come across as perfect southern gentlemen.
Like in Rebecca, Helen, the new wife, must follow on the heels of the perfect first wife, Rosalyn. Not only was Rosalyn beautiful, but gracious and charming, and from one of the first families of Highlands. She died tragically under mysterious circumstances, and no one who knew and loved her has recovered from her death. Helen, on the other hand, is, by her own admission, a Florida cracker, born into a poor hardworking family. That the snobby society queens of Highlands would find her lacking is only to be expected. Helen can't do anything right.
The book has three first-person narrators. Besides Helen, we hear from Tansy, one of those society matrons and friends of Rosalyn and Emmet, and from Willa, the mountain woman who is caretaker for Moonrise and other properties. Tansy is acerbic, judgmental, snarky, fiery, and loyal. She and Kit, Rosalyn's best friend, enjoy their favorite pastime of talking about people behind their backs, especially Helen. Helen is seen as an unwelcome intruder who obviously set her sights on Emmet until she could find an even better prospect. However unlikable, Tansy has a tender side, even though she can be "hell on wheels." Willa comes across as an authentic mountain girl, independent and hard-working, but with the common blind spot when it comes to her good-looking man who gets mean when he hits the moonshine.
As in the novel Rebecca, the new younger wife Helen is rather innocent and well-intentioned, but seems to always put the wrong foot forward. The atmosphere at Moonrise, with its dark heavy Victorian trappings and seeping cold even in summer, its overgrown garden, the unaccustomed noises, the fleeting sights of shadowy figures, and the inevitable association with Rosalyn, keeps Helen from sleeping. Soon Helen's relationship with Emmet gets testy, she begins to doubt what he tells her and wonder why she should follow his admonition to leave things alone, and Moonrise becomes her house of horrors. King is definitely in good gothic form.
I enjoyed this southern gothic, relishing the setting, the atmosphere, and the contemporary situation and characters. My only quibble was Helen's naivete; how in her earnest attempt to make friends, she allows others to manipulate her and to create doubts about her husband's faithfulness and her role in his life. She doesn't trust or follow her own instincts, or even talk to her husband about what she's been told. She blindly accepts innuendo and, for some strange reason, believes his dead wife's friends would have her interests at heart rather than the man she loves and married. She was almost too weak and emotional to be believable, especially for a forty-something who'd gone through some hard knocks of her own. This harkens back to the early gothic tradition of the sweet, innocent heroine, who nearly falls victim to the machinations of a villain with an evil intent. True to form, but a little less satisfying in a contemporary rendition. Besides wanting people to like her (a natural enough emotion) and her husband to approve of her, Helen's other desire is to help people eat more healthily. She also seems to have a vague idea about bringing Moonrise out of the dark Victorian past and having the gardens restored - something she knows nothing about. Hardly a gripping, driving, life-or-death motivation. The tension is muted. It almost comes down to a teenage soap-opera: will the snobby jealous bitch destroy our heroine's chance at happiness with the hot guy. It's a bit of book candy, delicious and fun to devour, but not particularly sustaining.
July 5, 2014
A shy, insecure Helen Honeycutt meets rich, handsome Emmet Justice when he arrives as the new anchorman and news director at the television station where she hosts a noon-time 15-minute cooking demonstration. He’s a brooding widower, and is won over by her unassuming nature and great cooking. After they marry she discovers an old photo album that includes pictures of his late wife at their mountain estate, Moonrise, and Helen begs and pleads until Emmet agrees to take her there for the summer. But the late Rosalyn Harmon Justice seems to still haunt the place, and none of their long-term friends can forgive Emmet for replacing their beloved friend with this new “Bride.”
Within a few pages I recognized the plotlines and characters of Daphne DuMaurier’s Rebecca. But this modern retelling of that classic falls far short of the mark. King may have intended it as an homage to DuMaurier’s novel, but the result is a travesty, a mediocre soap opera with hardly one likeable or sympathetic character – including the “heroine.” The characters are thinly drawn and behave like they are in junior high rather than late middle age. We’re told how this character loves that character but never shown any evidence of this love; instead we get scowls, angry looks, sullen silences, awkward missteps, and so much jumping to conclusions that I got an aerobic workout just reading about them.
The one character that captured my attention was Willa, the Mountain-woman housekeeper/estate manager. I would have loved to have more information about her backstory and to follow her future. Maybe some other author will read this and take up the challenge. From what I’ve read of King’s writing, I wouldn’t trust her with Willa’s story.
So why give it even 1 star? Well, as irritated as I was with the trite, maudlin writing I have to admit that I was somewhat captivated by the story. Maybe it was the similarities to Rebecca … I kept thinking to myself “Oh, this must be Mrs Danvers!” or “I bet she’ll wear the same dress Rosalyn wore.” Playing that little game kept me moderately entertained, so I grant it 1 star.
Within a few pages I recognized the plotlines and characters of Daphne DuMaurier’s Rebecca. But this modern retelling of that classic falls far short of the mark. King may have intended it as an homage to DuMaurier’s novel, but the result is a travesty, a mediocre soap opera with hardly one likeable or sympathetic character – including the “heroine.” The characters are thinly drawn and behave like they are in junior high rather than late middle age. We’re told how this character loves that character but never shown any evidence of this love; instead we get scowls, angry looks, sullen silences, awkward missteps, and so much jumping to conclusions that I got an aerobic workout just reading about them.
The one character that captured my attention was Willa, the Mountain-woman housekeeper/estate manager. I would have loved to have more information about her backstory and to follow her future. Maybe some other author will read this and take up the challenge. From what I’ve read of King’s writing, I wouldn’t trust her with Willa’s story.
So why give it even 1 star? Well, as irritated as I was with the trite, maudlin writing I have to admit that I was somewhat captivated by the story. Maybe it was the similarities to Rebecca … I kept thinking to myself “Oh, this must be Mrs Danvers!” or “I bet she’ll wear the same dress Rosalyn wore.” Playing that little game kept me moderately entertained, so I grant it 1 star.
September 6, 2013
By: Cassandra King
Published By: Maiden Lane Press
Age Recommended: Adult
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: 4
Review:
"Moonrise" by Cassandra King was a "novel of dark secrets and second chances, New York Times’ bestselling author Cassandra King’s homage to the Gothic classic Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier." This author does a wonderful job in this complexed relationship 'of the south' bringing together such intriguing characters, with the protagonist, who had to faced so much after her marriage and especially with those new people in her life. Helen never knew that her journey to Highlands, North Carolina would present her into a new world of people. Will she be able to unlock all the secrets that surrounded her husband's 'old life?' I liked how the author used three narrators to produce a amazing story as the mysteries of it all unfolds to the reader. Now, this is where I say you must pick up "Moonrise" to see how it all comes out. I found it quite a amazing story that will keep you turning the pages until the end and still leaving you in awe. If you are looking for a good fiction with a compelling story you have come to the right place because this author.... Cassandra Kings brings it all to you.
Published By: Maiden Lane Press
Age Recommended: Adult
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: 4
Review:
"Moonrise" by Cassandra King was a "novel of dark secrets and second chances, New York Times’ bestselling author Cassandra King’s homage to the Gothic classic Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier." This author does a wonderful job in this complexed relationship 'of the south' bringing together such intriguing characters, with the protagonist, who had to faced so much after her marriage and especially with those new people in her life. Helen never knew that her journey to Highlands, North Carolina would present her into a new world of people. Will she be able to unlock all the secrets that surrounded her husband's 'old life?' I liked how the author used three narrators to produce a amazing story as the mysteries of it all unfolds to the reader. Now, this is where I say you must pick up "Moonrise" to see how it all comes out. I found it quite a amazing story that will keep you turning the pages until the end and still leaving you in awe. If you are looking for a good fiction with a compelling story you have come to the right place because this author.... Cassandra Kings brings it all to you.
May 8, 2014
I would rate this 3 1/2 stars. All in all, a good story. I have read all the other books by this author, and this is my least favorite. It's supposed to have been inspired by Daphne DeMaurier's Rebecca. While there are some similarities, this is nowhere near the classic that Rebecca is. I never got to the "I can't put it down" point, but it was still good. There was only one character that I liked, and that was the housekeeper. The rest of them frustrated me, for various reasons. I'm not sorry I stuck with it and read the entire book. However, there are much better books to spend your time on.
February 23, 2017
Started out promising but became disappointing. Characters one-dimensional. Told from point of view of 3 women which sometimes made it repetitive. And the mystery was mostly a big misunderstanding.
November 5, 2021
I was dreadfully disappointed, if not agitated, trying to finish this book. The characters are flat . The plot almost seems pointless. So much of what was described was plain foolishness. I put off doing this review, because I felt bad about the amount of venom I had for it. I think it says a lot that I waited so long to review it, and I still feel this strongly about it. I'm sure there is an audience that enjoys Cassandra King, but I won't be reading her again.
Read
September 5, 2013Since Moonrise is an homage to a beloved classic, it is not surprising that there are plenty of similarities between the two. Both have the famous house, a beloved first wife who died under mysterious circumstances, a second wife forced to bear the inevitable comparisons, questions about their marriage, and so forth. Yet it is in the differences in which Moonrise charms.
For one thing, the setting of Moonrise is much more appealing than Manderley. While the latter may be better kept and more atmospheric, Moonrise feels more welcoming to Helen as well as the reader for all its interior stuffiness. Even the famous gardens, now fallen into a shameful state of disrepair, have a charm about them that is missing on the English estate. The close proximity of neighbors and the general Southern hospitality of the area also help make Moonrise much more palatable and less gothic than its famous predecessor.
Then there are the wives. As she is several decades older when she marries Emmet, Helen has much more backbone and self-confidence than the second Mrs. de Winter ever has. Helen enters the relationship on a much more equal footing; she has been previously married as well and knows what it takes to create a successful marriage. Even better, she knows what she is not going to tolerate in any relationship. In addition, Helen has her own independence and a career that keeps her busy. Her relationship with Emmet is one of not only mutual attraction but also of respect and friendship. In essence, she has worldly experience that makes her a much stronger character and therefore one with whom it is easier to empathize than the mousy second Mrs. de Winter.
Ms. King mixes up the story and adds a layer of complexity by the use of multiple narrators. Seeing Helen’s arrival and introduction to life at Moonrise from other characters’ perspectives is a fascinating study on group dynamics and the various attitudes towards change. One gets a feel for not just the group and for Helen but also for Rosalyn and for the group before Rosalyn’s death. In addition, the theme of perception becomes a significant one. By allowing readers to see other aspects of the story not available to Helen’s first-person narrative, one can see how each character’s pre-conceived notions and perceptions lead to miscommunication, miscues, deliberate misdirection, and even false accusations. Seeing the full picture increases the tension and adds interest to what could have been a one-dimensional story.
Overall, Ms. King takes elements of the classic Rebecca and cleverly adapts them for her own purposes, creating a novel that is similar enough to draw comparisons but different enough to stand on its own merits, something it does quite successfully. In Helen, Ms. King creates a strong heroine with whom many a person can relate. The mystery behind Rosalyn’s death is not what one expects when first starting the novel, and the twisty path to the story’s conclusion is entertaining, frustrating (in a good way), and engrossing. For all of the money within the group, there is something homespun about each character which renders them less threatening and more relatable than other traditionally wealthy characters. Moonrise is fun but intense and a great balance of modern and Gothic elements that will please even the most hardcore Rebecca fan.
For one thing, the setting of Moonrise is much more appealing than Manderley. While the latter may be better kept and more atmospheric, Moonrise feels more welcoming to Helen as well as the reader for all its interior stuffiness. Even the famous gardens, now fallen into a shameful state of disrepair, have a charm about them that is missing on the English estate. The close proximity of neighbors and the general Southern hospitality of the area also help make Moonrise much more palatable and less gothic than its famous predecessor.
Then there are the wives. As she is several decades older when she marries Emmet, Helen has much more backbone and self-confidence than the second Mrs. de Winter ever has. Helen enters the relationship on a much more equal footing; she has been previously married as well and knows what it takes to create a successful marriage. Even better, she knows what she is not going to tolerate in any relationship. In addition, Helen has her own independence and a career that keeps her busy. Her relationship with Emmet is one of not only mutual attraction but also of respect and friendship. In essence, she has worldly experience that makes her a much stronger character and therefore one with whom it is easier to empathize than the mousy second Mrs. de Winter.
Ms. King mixes up the story and adds a layer of complexity by the use of multiple narrators. Seeing Helen’s arrival and introduction to life at Moonrise from other characters’ perspectives is a fascinating study on group dynamics and the various attitudes towards change. One gets a feel for not just the group and for Helen but also for Rosalyn and for the group before Rosalyn’s death. In addition, the theme of perception becomes a significant one. By allowing readers to see other aspects of the story not available to Helen’s first-person narrative, one can see how each character’s pre-conceived notions and perceptions lead to miscommunication, miscues, deliberate misdirection, and even false accusations. Seeing the full picture increases the tension and adds interest to what could have been a one-dimensional story.
Overall, Ms. King takes elements of the classic Rebecca and cleverly adapts them for her own purposes, creating a novel that is similar enough to draw comparisons but different enough to stand on its own merits, something it does quite successfully. In Helen, Ms. King creates a strong heroine with whom many a person can relate. The mystery behind Rosalyn’s death is not what one expects when first starting the novel, and the twisty path to the story’s conclusion is entertaining, frustrating (in a good way), and engrossing. For all of the money within the group, there is something homespun about each character which renders them less threatening and more relatable than other traditionally wealthy characters. Moonrise is fun but intense and a great balance of modern and Gothic elements that will please even the most hardcore Rebecca fan.
July 24, 2015
Funnny thing about books written by Mrs. Pat Conroy...I usually like them! But when she promoted this book as a modern Gothic comparing it to Daphne DuMaurier's REBECCA, I got a little bent out of shape.
Here's a plot description and a provocative review that I didn't write:
When Helen Honeycutt falls in love with Emmet Justice, a charismatic television journalist who has recently lost his wife in a tragic accident, their sudden marriage creates a rift between her new husband and his oldest friends, who resent Helen’s intrusion into their tightly knit circle. Hoping to mend fences, the newlyweds join the group for a summer at his late wife’s family home in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. Helen soon falls under the spell not only of the little mountain town and its inhabitants, but also of Moonrise, her predecessor’s Victorian mansion, named for its unique but now sadly neglected nocturnal gardens. But the harder Helen tries to fit in, the more obvious it is that she will never measure up to the woman she replaced.
Someone is clearly determined to drive her away, but who wants her gone, and why? As Emmet grows more remote, Helen reaches out to the others in the group, only to find that she can’t trust anyone. When she stumbles on the secret behind her predecessor’s untimely death, Helen must decide if she can ever trust—or love—again.
"Cassandra King's Moonrise is an homage to du Maurier's novel, using the same atmospheric tension, presences that may or may not be there and characters whose motivations are not what they seem. But King has also modernized the tale, adding characters both complex and intense....
Since this is a Southern gothic novel, of course there is the suggestion of Moonrise being haunted. It is haunted, in a very real sense, by the mysterious death of Rosalyn in an automobile accident on the mountain road. Why did she travel to Moonrise alone and why did she leave the same night? That enigmatic behavior forms the crux of the story. In the end, her motivation is unearthed and all prior relationships will be forever changed. A rousing good story with no apologies to du Maurier.“
--Valerie Ryan, Shelf Awareness
Sorry, Valerie Ryan, I don't agree with you. Sure it's set in a favorite place...Asheville, NC...and it's about a mysterious house and secrets....BUT I really didn't care for any of the characters.
Ho Hum.
Jane
Here's a plot description and a provocative review that I didn't write:
When Helen Honeycutt falls in love with Emmet Justice, a charismatic television journalist who has recently lost his wife in a tragic accident, their sudden marriage creates a rift between her new husband and his oldest friends, who resent Helen’s intrusion into their tightly knit circle. Hoping to mend fences, the newlyweds join the group for a summer at his late wife’s family home in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. Helen soon falls under the spell not only of the little mountain town and its inhabitants, but also of Moonrise, her predecessor’s Victorian mansion, named for its unique but now sadly neglected nocturnal gardens. But the harder Helen tries to fit in, the more obvious it is that she will never measure up to the woman she replaced.
Someone is clearly determined to drive her away, but who wants her gone, and why? As Emmet grows more remote, Helen reaches out to the others in the group, only to find that she can’t trust anyone. When she stumbles on the secret behind her predecessor’s untimely death, Helen must decide if she can ever trust—or love—again.
"Cassandra King's Moonrise is an homage to du Maurier's novel, using the same atmospheric tension, presences that may or may not be there and characters whose motivations are not what they seem. But King has also modernized the tale, adding characters both complex and intense....
Since this is a Southern gothic novel, of course there is the suggestion of Moonrise being haunted. It is haunted, in a very real sense, by the mysterious death of Rosalyn in an automobile accident on the mountain road. Why did she travel to Moonrise alone and why did she leave the same night? That enigmatic behavior forms the crux of the story. In the end, her motivation is unearthed and all prior relationships will be forever changed. A rousing good story with no apologies to du Maurier.“
--Valerie Ryan, Shelf Awareness
Sorry, Valerie Ryan, I don't agree with you. Sure it's set in a favorite place...Asheville, NC...and it's about a mysterious house and secrets....BUT I really didn't care for any of the characters.
Ho Hum.
Jane
October 9, 2013
I loved the book. I had a hard time putting it down once I started reading it. Although it is not a retelling, the author pays homage to Daphne duMaurier’s Rebecca in this modern gothic suspense novel. The story takes place in the Blue Ridge Mountains at the family home of the late wife of the main character’s husband. The house, Moonrise, was named for the stunning but now neglected nocturnal gardens. The haunting tale is told from the perspective of three of the characters: Helen, the new wife, Tansy, a longtime friend of Emmet and his late wife, and Willa, a local woman and housekeeper. Telling the story from three perspectives works well since it allows us to see Helen’s desperate efforts to fit in and be accepted by her husband’s friends as well as their view of her as an outsider who will never replace Emmet’s late wife Rosalyn. Willa brings a down-to- earth point of view as someone who is an observer but not quite part of the circle of friends since she works for them.
Helen meets and marries Emmet Justice, a well-known television journalist, who has moved from Atlanta to Florida to recover from the death of his wife. After seeing pictures and hearing stories about the family home of Emmet’s late wife, Rosalyn, Helen convinces Emmet that they should spend the summer there just like he use to when Rosalyn was alive. Helen feels it will also give her a chance to get to know his oldest friends better since they will be spending the summer at their homes in the mountains as well. Within a short time of their arrival Helen begins to realize that something is not right. Someone does not want her there, even the house feels wrong. She also learns that the group of friends still have questions about what happened the night Rosalyn died. Helen tries to reach out to the group of friends but she is not sure who she should trust.
Disclosure: I received this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway on the premise that I would review it.
Helen meets and marries Emmet Justice, a well-known television journalist, who has moved from Atlanta to Florida to recover from the death of his wife. After seeing pictures and hearing stories about the family home of Emmet’s late wife, Rosalyn, Helen convinces Emmet that they should spend the summer there just like he use to when Rosalyn was alive. Helen feels it will also give her a chance to get to know his oldest friends better since they will be spending the summer at their homes in the mountains as well. Within a short time of their arrival Helen begins to realize that something is not right. Someone does not want her there, even the house feels wrong. She also learns that the group of friends still have questions about what happened the night Rosalyn died. Helen tries to reach out to the group of friends but she is not sure who she should trust.
Disclosure: I received this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway on the premise that I would review it.
September 7, 2013
Cassandra King is one of my favorite authors but I had my doubts about her latest book at first. I assumed from the cover art and comments that it would be basically a ghost story but I was wrong. It crosses a few genres: love story, mystery and southern gothic.
Helen Honeycutt does cooking segments at a Florid television station where she meets the charismatic newscaster, Emmet Justice, who has just lost his beloved wife, Rosalyn, in a tragic accident. They shock everyone, including themselves, by getting married only four months after meeting. Helen convinces Emmet, against his better judgement, that they should spend the summer at his home in the North Carolina mountains. Moonrise, the Victorian mansion that belonged to Rosalyn's family, is eerie and unwelcoming with sadly neglected gardens that were Rosalyn's pride and joy. Rosalyn's two best friends, Kit and Tansy, are distraught that Emmet would find someone new so soon and set out to do everything possible to send the "bride" packing. I thoroughly enjoyed this and only wish there were more chapters.
Helen Honeycutt does cooking segments at a Florid television station where she meets the charismatic newscaster, Emmet Justice, who has just lost his beloved wife, Rosalyn, in a tragic accident. They shock everyone, including themselves, by getting married only four months after meeting. Helen convinces Emmet, against his better judgement, that they should spend the summer at his home in the North Carolina mountains. Moonrise, the Victorian mansion that belonged to Rosalyn's family, is eerie and unwelcoming with sadly neglected gardens that were Rosalyn's pride and joy. Rosalyn's two best friends, Kit and Tansy, are distraught that Emmet would find someone new so soon and set out to do everything possible to send the "bride" packing. I thoroughly enjoyed this and only wish there were more chapters.
September 20, 2013
Helen Honeycutt fell in love with Emmet Justice. They both have jobs in television. The newlyweds are off to spend their summer at Moonrise, a stately home in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Sounds beautiful and romantic doesn't? For most couples it would be, but Helen and Emmet aren't most couples. Why? No matter how hard she tries, Helen will always be living in the shadow of Emmet's first wife Rosalyn. And......someone or something is trying to push Helen out of the picture.
If you've read Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier, then you will totally get all of the references in Cassandra King's new book Moonrise. I have not read Rebecca, but I don't think you need to.
Emmet and Rosalyn had a close-knit group of friends -- Tansy and Noel, Linc and Myna, and Kit. To some, especially Tansy, Helen is an outsider. Or as Tansy put it, Helen is "The Bride."
Read the rest of my review at: http://www.asiturnthepages.blogspot.c...
If you've read Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier, then you will totally get all of the references in Cassandra King's new book Moonrise. I have not read Rebecca, but I don't think you need to.
Emmet and Rosalyn had a close-knit group of friends -- Tansy and Noel, Linc and Myna, and Kit. To some, especially Tansy, Helen is an outsider. Or as Tansy put it, Helen is "The Bride."
Read the rest of my review at: http://www.asiturnthepages.blogspot.c...
February 9, 2014
Daphne du Maurier's novel, "Rebecca" is one of my favorites and this book does a pretty admirable job trying to follow in Ms. Maurier's footsteps. I liked the mysterious feel of Moonrise and the writing approach of having the story told through three different narrators in three different "camps" was a good angle. However, there were too many loose ends that were never tied up and I guess I'm one who likes clean, tidy endings.
Whatever happened to Tansy's feelings for Noel? What becomes of Kit? What becomes of Willa's relationship with Linc? What was the conversation Kit has with Emmet all about and how come he never fully explains it to Helen? Why throw in allusions about the dangers of the house being destroyed (gas stove being left on for some mysterious reason, the drought and dryness of the mountain)if you weren't going to go anywhere with them.....
Not a bad story, but could have been a lot better.
Whatever happened to Tansy's feelings for Noel? What becomes of Kit? What becomes of Willa's relationship with Linc? What was the conversation Kit has with Emmet all about and how come he never fully explains it to Helen? Why throw in allusions about the dangers of the house being destroyed (gas stove being left on for some mysterious reason, the drought and dryness of the mountain)if you weren't going to go anywhere with them.....
Not a bad story, but could have been a lot better.
September 17, 2013
Loved the concept - a reimagining of Daphne du Maurier's classic Rebecca, complete with a newly married heroine and a manor house that's equally captivating and foreboding. The modern Gothic works nicely in the Southern setting.
The chapters are told from multiple first-person viewpoints, which I found easy enough to keep track of (the voices are all quite unique) but did lend a somewhat jarring quality to the narrative. Some of the suspense (quite necessary to a Gothic, IMHO) was necessarily lost, as we see the events through different viewpoints rather than the singular building to a crescendo (as in Rebecca).
An intriguing read, but it dragged toward the end for me. I received my copy courtesy of a Shelf Awareness giveaway.
The chapters are told from multiple first-person viewpoints, which I found easy enough to keep track of (the voices are all quite unique) but did lend a somewhat jarring quality to the narrative. Some of the suspense (quite necessary to a Gothic, IMHO) was necessarily lost, as we see the events through different viewpoints rather than the singular building to a crescendo (as in Rebecca).
An intriguing read, but it dragged toward the end for me. I received my copy courtesy of a Shelf Awareness giveaway.
September 6, 2013
While I enjoyed this book, either the author or editor needed a thesaurus to find a replacement word for "giggle". For a group of middle to late middle aged women, supposedly educated, refined and wealthy, there was entirely to much giggling, usually over what most of us would either laugh at, smile about, snort at, grin about, or most likely roll our eyes. After the first five instances of two of the women "giggling" together, it became annoying but after the rest of the "giggling" it became down right irritating as hell. Don't mistake my review-this is an entertaining retelling, of a kind, of "Rebecca" and I did enjoy it....just needed some serious editing.
October 5, 2013
A group of friends gather for the summer in an attempt to get over one who has passed and also to get to know the new edition; however, all are not as willing as they claim to move on as they state.
The characters are so well written, I found myself hating a couple of them. However, the characters are complex and do develop throughout the story.
An enchanting and vivid narrative is woven through multiple points of view which shift fairly seamlessly. Hints of the afterlife intruding on this reality may or may not be actual fact but are intriguingly told, primarily from Helen's point of view.
Overall, an interesting read.
The characters are so well written, I found myself hating a couple of them. However, the characters are complex and do develop throughout the story.
An enchanting and vivid narrative is woven through multiple points of view which shift fairly seamlessly. Hints of the afterlife intruding on this reality may or may not be actual fact but are intriguingly told, primarily from Helen's point of view.
Overall, an interesting read.
March 21, 2014
I love Du Maurier's Rebecca, so I bit into Moonrise with gusto. I've spent a lot of time in the Highlands area. King conjures the place lovingly with her words. I felt like I'd even met some of the characters during my various visits there.
I liked how the narrators shifted. Each voice was well-drawn and approachable. I never felt like I wanted to get back to a different narrator or story line. I also liked how the place became a character with shifting moods and emotions.
Bravo to Cassandra King for crafting a novel that carries Rebecca's spirit while crafting something entirely new.
I liked how the narrators shifted. Each voice was well-drawn and approachable. I never felt like I wanted to get back to a different narrator or story line. I also liked how the place became a character with shifting moods and emotions.
Bravo to Cassandra King for crafting a novel that carries Rebecca's spirit while crafting something entirely new.
September 9, 2013
Southern Gothic meets a rich exploration of the nature of friendship, loneliness, envy, and the ghosts of secrets kept too long. Cassandra King understands human nature and tells a grand story that is smart and sassy, warm and wise. The people and place (Highlands, NC) she uses to tell the story of Moonrise will stay with you long after you close the book.
Read
September 16, 2013Romantic suspense - but I liked it. Due mostly for the town it was written in/about. Highlands N.C. A town I love spending time in. The author brought in many sights & sounds that made me feel as if I were there.
October 20, 2013
Loved this book. It was intriguing while telling a story from three perspectives. This is the second book that I have read by Ms King and I am sure to read more. Highly recommend if you like romance, mystery and fiction.
September 1, 2013
Fantastic story and wonderful description of Highlands- a great book for the end of the summer, lots of mystery and intrigue and drama and friendship.
October 2, 2013
4 Stars..loved the Gothic vibe..Kindle book
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