Sing Down the Moon

by Robert Gwaltney

This book will appeal to readers of Jesmyn Ward’s Sing, Unburied Sing, Toni Morrison’s Beloved, and Karen Russell’s Swamplandia.

Memory is a ghost, and she's coming home.

Sixteen-year-old Leontyne Skye longs to escape Good Hope, a barrier island off the coast of Georgia—and the cursed birthright that binds her to it. For generations, the women of the Skye line have tended Damascus, an ancient fig tree whose siren song lures the dead across the river. The figs it bears are harvested to create Redemption, a drug that tethers the island to the dead, slowly consuming the Skye women from the inside out.

Leontyne’s mother, Eulalee, is already disappearing—memory, hair, teeth—into the salt-stung air. And Leontyne is unraveling too, since the accident known as Tribulation Day, when she lost her hand and all sense of who she was before. As her memories resurface in fractured pieces, and her childhood friends, Rebecca and Avery, twist truth to their own ends, Leontyne faces a cruel inheritance aiming to destroy her.

When Journey Wintergarden arrives, mysterious and magnetic, precarious relationships unravel, threatening to upend everything, derailing Leontyne’s plans to escape Good Hope. As desire, betrayal, and memory collide, the haints grow restless. Leontyne’s refusal to tend the tree means shattering the fragile balance between the living and the dead. Accepting her fate means becoming the Great Redeemer—and losing herself completely.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction

333 pages, Paperback

Published March 3, 2026

About the author

Robert Gwaltney, award winning author of southern fiction, is a graduate of Florida State University. He resides in Atlanta Georgia with his partner, where he is an active member of the Atlanta literary community. By day, he serves as Vice President of Easter Seals North Georgia, Inc., Children Services, a non-profit supporting children with disabilities and other special needs. Robert’s work has appeared in such publications as The Signal Mountain Review and The Dead Mule School of Southern Literature. Robert also serves as Prose Editor for The Blue Mountain Review. His debut novel, The Cicada Tree, won the Somerset Award for literary fiction.

Reviews

[Jeffrey Dale Lofton · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s an almost Dickensian denseness to Robert Gwaltney's lyrical writing that invites a savor-every-turn-of-phrase reading. Happy to report, his Sing Down the Moon is no different. This lavish, beautifully-told ghost story is populated with characters who hover between the living and the dead in a dimly lit world that is both frightening and funny. His characters want what they want with a mighty need, always tempered by Gwaltney’s hand with a tender humanity. One can't help but root for them as they journey through this tale that sits, uniquely, at the intersection of Southern Gothic, Magical Realism, family drama, and coming-of-age story-telling.

[Odessa Blaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully rich story. There is a magic in Robert's writing that paints the most enthralling narratives and characters.

[Jess Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Get Red PR for the gifted copy of Sing Down the Moon by Robert Gwaltney. This was one of the wildest experiences I have ever had with a book. This reads like a 330 pages poem about a fever dream. I typically do not like fever dream style books, but the poetic form of writing did make this more palatable for me.

I was 250 pages into this before I was invested in the story. This is due partly to the fever dream style. You never really know what is happening. Each character has about four different names they are referred to with, as well as objects having names and feelings. It is extremely confusing at times and definitely not a book that can be read quickly. I think this was an intentional choice in format by the author though. The main character has some memory issues and doesn't really understand what is happening either.

Eventually the story comes together and you understand the characters and their motives. It was definitely an experience I do not regret and will stick with me for a long time, but I am not sure that I enjoyed it.

[Marcia reading past dark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I chose this book because the setting is off the Georgia coast, near my home. Locale aside, Robert Gwaltney's SING DOWN THE MOON is worth reading, if only for the beautiful poetic flow. His voice is distinctively unparalleled, with a lyrical cadence that steps in time with the low country’s heartbeat. This book is not for everyone, for the reader is required to search the deep currents of the narrative and find meaning.

It’s a ghost story, and yet, I sense truth in Leontyne’s crazed rememberings. Carrying a tiny marsh rabbit and a glass bottle of Eulalee’s teeth in her pocket and clutching a dented coffee can in which rests her dismembered hand, she leads the way to introduce characters who all exist somewhat suspended between the world of the living and that of the dead. Once this reader embarked on the journey, I could not turn back. I begged Leontyne to tend the fig tree, but she refused. The tale is strange and scary but also filled with tender moments and hope for the marsh inhabitants. It is both Southern lit and magical realism, but above all, it is utterly bewitching.

[James Wade · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved The Cicada Tree, and I was so thrilled to be back in the grasp of Gwaltney’s prose with this novel. Southern gothic, dreamlike, and with singular characters that make the fantastical feel real— Sing Down the Moon is exceptional.

[Pam ☕️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

"How many rows of awful can a person sow until it is too bountiful a harvest for another to reap?"

My first Southern Gothic but certainly not my last. Gwaltney weaves an intricate yet eerily bewitching aura in the island of Good Hope and its peculiar inhabitants. There is a sweet touch of magical realism that explodes into a whirlwind of cosmos, culminating into a grand finale that left me breathless yet utterly content. I was, nay, still am, utterly enchanted and have no one to thank but him for it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mercer University Press for providing me with an advance review copy.

[Rachel Drenning · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book was beautiful. It's not a quick read, take your time and it eventually comes together. Reminded me a bit of Wicked Temper by Randy Thornhorn

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Robert Gwaltney’s novel Sing Down the Moon is as southern gothic as Flannery O’Connor’s typewriter. It is a story with depth, painted with fat over lean, with masterful layering and blending, at times dark, and at other times colorful. He takes storytelling to a different level.

I was lured into the tale by Damascus and by Leontyne Skye.

Damascus is huge and magical, a tree that entices souls from across the river. When I envision the tree’s roots, I see tentacles bulging from the soil, reaching into a marsh of both good and evil. It is a tree deserving of its name. Damascus.

Damascus produces Sara figs. Such an innocent sounding name: Sara figs. But an addictive drug called Redemption is derived from Sara figs, the fruit of Damascus, the drug of the marsh.

Leontyne Skye lives in this place. She is a young teenage girl who has no choice but to watch her mother decay and disappear, bit by bit, one vital part at a time. Hair and teeth. Even memory.

It isn’t easy for Leontyne to watch Redemption destroy so many. And in this marsh, it sure isn’t easy to tell the truth from a downright lie.

This beautifully told story is unlike anything I have read. It bleeds into the styles of Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Anthony Doerr, and Alice Hoffman. If it were a painting it would hang in the company of Marc Chagall, Vincent van Gogh, and Ivan Albright.

Sing Down the Moon is a masterpiece.

[Janel · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I describe as a southern gothic through the eyes of someone going through a manic episode. I truly had no idea what was actually going on through the whole book.

While knowing the author wrote this way on purpose. So to be this confused while knowing it was meant to disorientate, is somewhat annoying because I never really caught on to the story and after a while I stopped caring to catch on.

2.75/3

[CAtkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captivating! I read this every spare moment I had! The story had so many twists and turns but such a powerful message! I’m sure this will be a classic!!

[Laurie · Rating 3 out of 5]

BOOK REVIEW — Sing Down the Moon by Robert Gwaltney


Haunting, atmospheric, but slower than I expected.

Characters:
🌙 Leontyne Skye — determined, conflicted, and carrying the weight of her family’s curse
🌊 Journey Wintergarden — mysterious and intriguing
🕯 Rebecca & Avery — complicated friendships with shifting loyalties

Vibes:
• southern gothic
• eerie island setting
• family curses
• ghosts & the dead lingering
• memory loss
• dark secrets
• betrayal
• atmospheric and emotional

What the story gives:
Good Hope is an island tied to the dead, and the Skye women have always paid the price.

Leontyne is trying to escape a destiny she never asked for. The ancient fig tree, Damascus, calls the dead across the river, and the fruit it produces fuels Redemption — the drug that binds the island to the spirits. But every generation of Skye women is slowly destroyed by it.

After the accident known as Tribulation Day, Leontyne is left piecing together fractured memories while watching her mother disappear piece by piece. When Journey Wintergarden arrives and long-buried truths start surfacing, the fragile balance of the island begins to crack.

Now Leontyne has a choice: run from her fate or become the very thing that might destroy her.

What I Liked:
• the eerie southern gothic atmosphere
• the unique mythology around the fig tree
• the mystery of the island
• emotional themes about memory and inheritance

What didn’t fully work for me:
• pacing felt slow at times
• some parts dragged in the middle
• I wanted a bit more clarity with certain plot points

Final Vibe:
Moody, mysterious, and atmospheric. While the pacing slowed things down for me, the concept and setting were still really interesting. 🌙📚

[Dawne Mccurry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my what a gorgeous book! Robert writes the most beautiful words and story that had me completely drawn into the world of Good Hope Island. This is not a book to be read quickly but needs to be read slowly to savor every beautiful page. I loved his first book The Cicada Tree and his sophomore novel does not disappoint!!!

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strong Tale Will Expose What Kind Of Reader You Are. In Gwaltney's debut, The Cicada Tree, you got a tale that could work commercially, but was never really going to be a *huge* hit in the most general circles - it was great, but there was enough there that would throw off more casual readers that are the bread and butter of the industry as a whole.

This book is that to a whole new level. It will expose you as a reader.

Here's what I mean by that last: This is a "LITERATURE" book, the kind of book that is destined to be in the "Best Georgia Books of the 2020s" if not "Best American Books of the 21st Century" conversations among the New York Times book critics, librarians, English teachers, professors... that crowd. The one that likes high discussions with a bottle of wine. The crowd that debates to this day the intricacies of Fitzgerald and Hemingway and Steinbeck. The crowd that praises Cormac McCarthy as among the greatest writers of the early 21st century. The crowd that debates every single word choice, that finds significance in every rain drop, in every leaf placement. That crowd is going to DEVOUR this book.

And then there is the more casual crowd. The crowd that just wants a fun beach read that doesn't make them think at all. Where they can enjoy a fun romcom in the sun or maybe a pulse pounding action thriller where somehow John Rambo, Superman, a Predator, Wolverine, and Jack None Reacher are all fighting each other. The crowd that would rather drink a Budweiser at a local minor league baseball game (Go Jax Jumbo Shrimp!) than even think to recognize that a leaf placement in a book could be significant. That crowd... probably isn't going to enjoy this book too much.

Me, I've always been a creature of two worlds, always trapped in both, never really fitting in within either - not fully.

So I can absolutely appreciate what Gwaltney has done here. As the wine-sippers will tell you, it truly is a magnificent story and is truly masterfully told. It is absolutely one that is going to have you thinking, that isn't going to give its answers easily. One you're going to have to sit and ponder and dream of and come up with your own interpretations that may or may not be what Gwaltney actually intended... but that very thinking is clearly *exactly* what he intended you to do.

And yet my other nature can absolutely tell you that if you're looking for that more straightforward or simplistic tale - and there is *nothing* wrong with that, to be crystal clear - this really isn't that kind of tale. At all. Indeed, it is more of a mindfuck than anything Fitzgerald or Hemingway or Steinbeck or even McCarthy ever wrote. It is like Thomas Kincaid painted a stunning lowcountry scene... and then Jackson Pollack, Dali, and Kre8 all interpreted that scene in succession, one after the other. You eventually get something that still is clearly this stunning lowcountry scene... in a very mind bending version of it that really makes you think hard and get a touch creative yourself to see what is really happening.

A truly stunning work for what it is, just make sure you as a reader are ready for the experience.

Very much recommended.

[Korey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sing Down the Moon by Robert Gwaltney is an intentionally disorienting that asks the reader to surrender to uncertainty. The story follows sixteen-year-old Leontyne Skye, who longs to escape Good Hope, a barrier island off the coast of Georgia, and the cursed inheritance that binds her to it. For generations, the women in her family have tended Damascus, an ancient fig tree whose song lures the dead across the river. The figs it bears are used to create Redemption, an addictive drug that tethers the living to the dead and slowly consumes the Skye women from the inside out.

Leontyne’s mother is already disappearing, losing pieces of herself to memory and decay, and Leontyne is unraveling too after the accident known as Tribulation Day. She wakes with no memory of who she was before, missing her hand and surrounded by people who refuse to tell her the truth about what happened. Because the protagonist knows so little, the reader does too, and the story unfolds through fragments, withheld information, and shifting loyalties. Each chapter feels like receiving breadcrumbs rather than answers, slowly guiding you toward an understanding of the island, its magic, and the cost of survival.

The prose is ephemeral and poetic, with language that feels almost otherworldly. Gwaltney’s writing is strikingly unique, but that lyricism also adds to the difficulty of following the narrative. There is sometimes little clarity in what you are reading, and the sense of confusion feels purposeful, mirroring Leontyne’s fractured memory and the unstable world she inhabits.

This is not a book that holds your hand. It demands patience, trust, and a willingness to sit with ambiguity. For readers who enjoy experimental structure, folklore-infused storytelling, and prose-forward novels, Sing Down the Moon offers a haunting and atmospheric experience. For others, the lack of clarity may feel challenging. Either way, it is a novel that lingers long after the final page.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Linnéa Lange · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am equal parts haunted and spinning from reading Sing Down the Moon. It’s a story that doesn’t treat you kindly but that will reward you well if you trust it and float along. In fact, reading it is like gently sloshing around in stagnant waters while occasionally hitting a maelstrom of alligators.

Lyontyne Skye is the next in the generation of Skye women who are destined to care for the Damascus, a fig tree with magical properties that produces fruit that can capture spirits, or haints. The island of Good Hope is caught between the dead and the living, and it’s cut off from the rest of the world in many senses. But the fig tree also allows for producing a drug called Redemption, which is ferried off to the mainland and sold to addicts.

The language is a character of itself in this gothic tale. It’s lives its own life and picks up in clarity only when Leontyne starts finding out more about her past. In the beginning, I found it hard to follow, and I found I had to make a conscious decision to let it take me and transport me through the story. Many things don’t make sense, and aren’t really supposed to.

But there is a plot, and the plot is as interesting as the crafting of the world and the characters within it. At some part in the book, I was fully swept up and committed.

It’s not a book for everyone, but if you are a reader who likes quirky gothic tales this might be for you. If you like stories that take charge, where you actively have to relinquish control, this will be a delightful read.

I received this as an ARC via NetGalley from Mercer University Press. Thanks for the opportunity to review!

[Chelsie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leontyne Skye already has more knowledge and wisdom than many at her sixteen years, and with the passing of her mother she now knows the demand that has befallen her shoulders. Residing among the living and the dead on Good Hope island, she dreams for the day she can escape this land of in between. The care for the magical fig tree, is now her sole responsibility and she knows the outcome of what this tree produces and those it holds in its addicted clutches. Those on the island are now counting on her to carry on what her mother did, but things start to upend after a stranger comes from the mainland and starts to question her even though he seems to already know the answers to these questions. Will she be able to escape the responsibility Damascus craves from the Skye women? But who is she and what really happened that she cannot remember? Everyone seems to have a selfish reason for doing what they do, including Leontyne for wanting off this island. This novel isn't just a story, but it's lyrically written magical realism that takes you on a journey through southern Georgia folk lore, haints, addiction and the destiny of a sixteen your old girl who knows nothing outside of the island of the living and the dead. This novel is a story within a story with the depth of scenery and the magical realism written throughout. Thank you to the author and Get Red PR for the complementary novel and having me on tour. This review is of my own opinion and accord.

[Donna Everhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read an early copy of this book and offered the author this following blurb:

Sing Down the Moon is a wholly original, ambitious, and lyrical southern gothic fantasy that is both tantalizing and immersive. Gwaltney’s imagination soars in this epic story centered around a young girl named Leontyne Skye who struggles to come to terms with her birthright while navigating the complex environment of a mythical Georgia barrier island where trickery, lies and deceit are as abundant as quicksand and moonbeams. An enchanting and alluring read - I loved it.

Beyond the blurb: Gwaltney's command of the English language is something to behold. He's a poet as well as a novelist, and has this ability to string together these beautiful sentences which sometimes makes me stop and re-read them a few times. (Think of Ocean Vuong's style.) Having a command, a sense of what dances together on the page, this word with that, quite simply elevates his prose from the everyday wordsmith to a master.

Don't get me started on Gwaltney's imagination and the way he creates these other worlds as a stage for his equally engaging his characters. You should read Sing Down the Moon for all of the above, but also because you'll find the sublime story of young Leontyne Skye as mesmerizing as anything you've read lately.

[BONNIE SMITH · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever experience a fever dream?
During a recent bout with pneumonia, I did and it's otherworldy.

And it's the same experience I felt reading this book.

I went into this pretty blind after receiving a copy from GetRedPR and will say, this book does NOT "grab you and show you".... it confuses, entices and leaves a trail of breadcrumbs to follow.
The story follows sixteen-year-old Leontyne Skye, one of a long line of women who have tended to Damascus, an ancient fig tree whose song lures the dead across the river. The figs it bears are used to create Redemption, an addictive drug that tethers the living to the dead and slowly consumes the Skye women from the inside out.

We meet Leontyne when she awakes with no memory of an event that left her missing a hand, and surrounded by people who won't share what happened.

This story literally unfolds, there's no other way to explain it, you simply wait as each pebble of information: the magic of the island, the tree's power and the truth of the Skye women and their part....it all comes together like the folds of an origami swan.

Worth the patience, I recommend and thank GetRedPR and the author for the chance to read! Look for this on March 3rd.

[Maryann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sing Down the Moon by Robert Gwaltney is simply a wonder. It is Southern Gothic at its best, filled with haints, almost-sentient landscapes, mysteries, and the dangers of addiction. Leontyne Skye is sixteen years old and is the only person besides her mother who knows the secret to creating the highly addictive drug, Redemption. When her mother dies, Leontyne knows that she will be expected to carry on the family trade. Leontyne longs to leave Good Hope, but her life is inextricably bound to that of the Longwood twins, the stoic Rebecca and the flamboyant Avery, who live in the crumbling Morningstar Manor, where Leontyne almost died and lost her memory in a fall two years prior.

Rebecca and Avery hold the key to Leontyne's lost memories, but they have their own selfish reasons for keeping her past from her. When a stranger arrives at Morningstar Manor, Leontyne's memories begin to return, and she questions the Longwood's loyalty to her and her own place in the world.

Sing Down the Moon should be read slowly and savored like a glass of fine wine. Gwaltney's world is lush and alive, and his writing will leave you thinking about Good Hope and its inhabitants long after you have finished reading it.

[Teresa Brock · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Sing Down the Moon, Robert Gwaltney transports readers to the mysterious island of Good Hope, where sixteen-year-old Leontyne Skye wakes after the devastating Tribulation Day with a missing hand and fractured memories. As she tries to piece together what happened, the secrets surrounding her family’s strange legacy slowly rise to the surface—one tied to an ancient fig tree, restless spirits, and a dangerous substance called Redemption. The deeper Leontyne searches for answers, the more the island’s history and her own past begin to blur, revealing a story steeped in folklore, mystery, and long-buried truths.

I loved the way Gwaltney blends Southern Gothic atmosphere, folklore, coming-of-age storytelling, and magical realism into one seamless narrative. The writing has a lyrical cadence that pulled me in immediately, and the author’s ability to bring each setting to life made every setting feel vivid and alive. This is very much a character-driven story, and beneath the haunting backdrop are themes that feel incredibly relevant today—generational trauma, addiction, culture, and the quiet loss of heritage as the world changes around us. Pick this up and take your time. Immerse yourself in the story and enjoy the journey.

[Darrell Grizzle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Robert Gwaltney’s novels are immersive experiences. You don’t just read his novels, you inhabit them. You can hear the ghost winds blowing through the trees, and you can smell the salt air wafting over the coastal island of Good Hope, Georgia. Gwaltney gave us a memorable character, Analeise Newell, in his first novel The Cicada Tree, and in this new one, Sing Down the Moon, he gives us another one, the 15 year old Leontyne Skye. The lines between life and the afterlife are blurred here, and the lines between poetry and prose are blurred at times, just as they are in real life in the Bible-haunted American South. I’ve seen several reviews comparing Gwaltney to Flannery O’Connor, and while there is definitely a Southern Gothic voice here, the literary voices that come to mind (for me) are William Faulkner and Toni Morrison. Just as Faulkner created the memorable Yoknapatawpha County, Gwaltney haunts us with his island of Good Hope. There is a darkness here, but ultimately this a story of grace. Highly recommended for readers who love literary Southern fiction blended with magical realism.

[Julie B. (readingonthebrink) · Rating 4 out of 5]

WHAT. A. NOVEL.

I truly think Gwaltney just penned a novel worthy of Faulkner meets Dickens with a hint of McCarthy acclaim.

Which means I expect to see this novel on many a syllabus in a 400 level English/Comparative Literature course. This is not a beach read novel, but the lyricism, the prosaic writing, pulls the reader in, and like the tides led by the moon, pushes and pulls you to read more.

(TBH, I struggled with this novel. I wanted to lay it aside, but Leontyne kept beckoning me back. As a child of the Lowcountry, I could not let the haints get the best of me. I needed to know know what happened, and so I read. At times, I needed to read aloud, just so that I could get a tenor, a rhythm, a true sense of the emotions swirling about.)

I'll never look at a fig tree the same way, much less a blue bottle or a sand dollar. Gwaltney's characters will keep residence in my head for a long time...because maybe we are all a little bit Willadeene. A little bit Leontyne. Maybe we all are "NOT ALL BAD, AND NONE OF US HERE IS EVERY BIT GOOD."

[Dive Into A Good Book · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I found out that Robert Gwaltney had a new book coming out, I had to get my hands on it. I absolutely adored The Cicada Tree, and I could not wait to dive into his newest. It is brilliantly written, lyrical, poetic, and entices the soul. It took me a minute to get into this one.

Good Hope Island off the coast of Georgia is the place where the dead are lured across the river. In hopes for salvation and a drug that they call Redemption. Leontyne Sky is looking for a way off Good Hope and away from the mess that she was born into. Leontyne is watching her mother vanish before her very eyes and she does not want that to happen to herself. Will she finally be able to step off this island and into a different life?

This is a book you want to take your time with. It is not a book you can push through. Thank you to Robert Gwaltney, Mercer University Press, and Get Red PR for my gifted copy.

[Armando Ramirez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sing Down the Moon by Robert Gwaltney is a beautifully written novel with an incredible premise. I genuinely wanted to fall completely in love with it. the story itself is powerful, rich in atmosphere, and filled with the haunting qualities that make Southern Gothic so special. Unfortunately, it just didn’t resonate with me as deeply as I hoped it would.My main struggle was with the author’s highly poetic writing style. While undeniably gorgeous, it was challenging for me to stay engaged because I’m not a big fan of reading poetry (though I do enjoy listening to it!). That said, I truly believe this is a “me” issue rather than a flaw in the book. For readers who appreciate lyrical, poetic prose, this story will likely be an unforgettable experience.The storytelling itself is extraordinary; emotional, evocative, and steeped in southern atmosphere. Sing Down the Moon is a book that lovers of poetic writing will devour. For me, it was simply a matter of taste, not quality.

[Sharon Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sing Down the Moon is one of those novels that needs to be savored slowly to appreciate the skillfully structured plot, the richly developed characters and the poignantly poetic language. The story, a mix of Southern Gothic, fantasy and coming of age, is about sixteen year old Leontyne Skye who is desperately trying to escape Good Hope, a place in between life and death, while also seeking the truth about what transpired on “Tribulation Day” when she lost a hand. Her odyssey is riddled with madness and maelstrom, and readers experience her fractured memories, pain and confusion through Gwaltney’s unique structure. His use of religious imagery and literary allusions contribute to the sheer brilliance of this novel . Sing Down the Moon is not just another novel to read, it’s a fantastical experience!

[Twinkle.butt.reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those books that feels less like you’re reading it and more like you’re drifting through it slightly disoriented, completely enchanted, and maybe a little haunted by the time you surface.

Sing Down the Moon leans hard into lush, lyrical prose and Southern gothic atmosphere. The barrier island setting practically breathes humid, heavy with secrets, and humming with generational trauma. Leontyne’s journey through memory, truth, and legacy isn’t always straightforward (and neither is the storytelling), but that hazy, dreamlike quality is part of the magic.

Fair warning: this is not a fast, plot-driven read. It’s layered, symbolic, and occasionally demands patience. But if you love character-driven stories soaked in mood and metaphor, the emotional payoff is worth it.

Moody. Beautiful. A little unsettling. Exactly the kind of story that lingers.

[Christina Egan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really interesting book for someone who is looking for a unique read. It contained a little magical realism and the way the story unfolded, you really needed to think about all of the clues that the author provides through the tale.
16 year old Leontyne is desperate to escape Great Hope so she doesn’t become another generation in your family who is stuck in the island. Her mother is losing her mind after years making Redemption, an addictive drug made from the figs of the fig tree named Damascus. Her family has tended this tree, whose song lures the dead across the river to their island.
I was confused as I began this book, but stuck with it and you will discover the how the characters and storyline fits together. This was definitely a unique read!
Thank you to NetGalley and Mercer University Press for an advance copy of this book for review.

[Amy Pence · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a difficult road for Leontyne Skye on the barrier island of Good Hope where haints and humans live in tandem. The Sing Down the Moon characters, including the twins Rebecca and Avery, have complex desires and Leontyne must come to understand their roles in her life and recover her memory of what happened on Tribulation Day two years past. In rich and lush prose, Gwaltney engulfs the reader in a southern gothic tale that continues to surprise throughout. Will Leontyne understand why she carries her severed hand--named Mirabelle-- in a coffee can? Like the ghosts in George Saunders's Lincoln in the Bardo their existence show us the painful reckoning in that liminal space between life and death. Sing Down the Moon is an immersive experience I highly recommend!

[Susan Ballard (subakkabookstuff) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was entranced by Mr. Gwaltney’s debut novel 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗮 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗲, so I was excited to see what he would come up with next; it honestly was bewitching.

This is a southern ghost story unlike anything I’ve ever read before. Gwaltney has a way with his rich, vivid storytelling, making this feel like part fever dream, part fairy tale. It was as if I had followed Alice down the rabbit hole, not into Wonderland but to the marshy, dripping coast of Georgia, where all are caught between the living and the dead.

Highly imaginative, steeped in magic, with dark yet melodic prose, this speaks of secrets, sins, and redemption.

Thank you @getredprbooks and @robertgwaltneyjr for this gifted book.

[Lee by the Light ✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a hard read for me because of the writing style. It almost reads like a whole novel written in poetry. It’s eerie and beautiful, but for most of the book I felt lost and even had to reread the first 25 pages after going too fast. Around page 100 I found a better flow, but I still felt like I needed Cliff Notes.

I grew up in the South hearing stories about ghosts and spirits in the Ozark Mountains, so I did like this. There are a lot of creepy details like severed hands, teeth in a pocket, and milky tongues, balanced with beautiful imagery like river eyes, peacock feathers, and garden hair.

It definitely stands out, just a little too thick and hard for me to get through quickly without getting lost.