We Live for Half-Moons

by Weasel

Derrick, a Dalmatian in his mid-thirties, is reeling after the death of his boyfriend Nick. Even with Nick's murderer thrown in jail, Derrick wallows in remorse and loneliness, a sorrow he buries in his sexual desires and appetites. Prowling through the night streets, Derrick discovers peace—or something like peace—when he discovers Ely, a local prostitute. Pinned against a money-hungry wolf pimp, the ghost of his former lover, and the conservative agenda, Derrick seeks more than just a place in the world—he seeks companionship, at least to keep the ticks at bay. 18+ for mature content.

99 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 3, 2017

About the author

Weasel is a queer poet and The Dude of Weasel Press. He has appeared in a documentary titled Something Out of Nothing (S.O.O.N) directed by Mitchel Dudley, and has been a featured poet on Living Art with Dr. Michael Woodson, 90.1 KPFT. In 2016, Weasel was a Juried Poet for the 2016 Houston Poetry Festival.

Reviews

[castor · Rating 3 out of 5]

somewhat unpolished & the narrator goes on several long-winded rants about The State Of Things (pretty much standard liberal with a touch of nihilism?). he's also such an asshole. his anger, depression, and self-hatred are very present, as you can see in the aforementioned rants and the deep cynicism of several of his choices, but that part felt very realistic & made sense given the rest of his emotional landscape.

despite the rough start, i got into it by the end, and it was a compelling story which really resonated with me. it's the sort of book that you want to hold close to your heart. it's about grief, denial that masquerades as a self-awareness no one else shares, and loneliness -- pouring meaning into small rituals and people who just happen to be around, and that meaning still being important despite you grasping at straws for it. (not that our protagonist would admit he does this! he's a nihilist to the core.) this book is about cycles of injury and hurt, but it's not at all about breaking them. rather, it's about moving differently within them: allowing the last one to remain incomplete before moving on to the next, opening yourself up to the possibility of being hurt (or hurting others) & knowing that's just what it means to be a part of this world, and recognizing that genuine connection + care create cycles which are equally impactful.

almost every cycle in this book remains unfinished. we live for half-moons, indeed. our protagonist's character development takes place in the background of his own thoughts, almost unbeknownst to him (like it's something passively happening to him rather than a process he's actively involved in), but this dreamlike style of growth matches very well with the general mood of the book. i hope he has gained enough self-awareness -- the real kind, not the poisonous, self-hating kind he's been mired in -- to move gently along with the people and things in his life. to accept them, not run from them or frantically chase after them.

despite this book making me care deeply about the protagonist's happiness and well-being, i also hold a strong dislike for him 💀 he's an objectifying asshole who projects his wrongdoings onto the world around him and pretends he's just an extension of it. he's not as different from lorenzo as he thinks he is. i think, though, that with happiness (and the realization that he is Allowed to pursue happiness and to be happy), he will become a better version of himself. we can already see the beginnings of it. no one's misery is inherently worth anything. no one's unhappiness does anything to right their wrongs or improve the world around them.

i probably wouldn't go around recommending this book to people (even if it wasn't, like, a gay furry webnovel), but i also wouldn't want it to be any different. i appreciate the author's raw vision.

[BanWynn Oakshadow · Rating 4 out of 5]

What do you get when you combine anthropomorphic, the tragic loss of the only love you've ever known, a prostitute hired to be a bucket for receiving poured out pain and revelations instead of semen; and a series of events that just keep making things worse and worse? You get "We Live for Half-Moons" by Weasel (published by Thurston Howl Publications,) a journey through the eyes of a lost protagonist who sees a screwed up world that seems intent on rolling over like a dog to show only the darkest and dishearteningly naked view of the dystopia he lives in.

"We Live for Half-Moons" is written in post-modern beat: full of sharp, sometimes jagged turns that suddenly shift into extended, eloquently, and brutally honest expressions of perceptions, feelings, and the all shades of gray world in general. Weasel straps you into the back seat of Derrick's mind and takes you on a ride, while a character whom you aren't supposed to like drives you through this segment of his life. His perspective is usually dispirited, defiant, angry, dismissive and sometimes outright cruel. This makes it wonderfully uncomfortable when you discover that you are agreeing with some of his observations and begin to wonder how much the two of you may have in common.

This is the real magic of "We Live for Hal Moons"; discovering that part of the very dis-likable protagonist is you. There are some areas where eloquence blurs meaning or content. In a very few places, it is a bit difficult to connect with the protagonist and see where he is heading, but this only increases the impact when you do. The two main characters, our dystopian host on this roller-coaster and his prostitute companion, who he doesn't hire for sex, work very well together, even when the mouse call-boy isn't there. I enjoyed the ending, but found myself wanting just a little bit more out of it. That is until I discovered that the sequel is on its way to the editor. Come on, guys! Get those presses rolling. I'm living for another piece of this moon.

[Michael Rincon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Man, does this book make you think about life.

This book tells the story of Derrick, a Dalmatian, going through hell after the death of his boyfriend, Nick, a fox. Going through remorse and the downsides of existence, Derrick temporarily finds comfort in Ely, a lab mouse. Side note: I don't know if Goodreads TOS allows smut words. But Ely is the type of guy. . . who gets paid by his clients for showing him a good time, even if he is unhappy himself. Not to mention the local ringleader, Lorenzo. Even though I have an affinity for wolves, he is not one you should provoke. Stay the hell away from Lorenzo! Be on your toes. If you run, he will find you.

This book is very well written, with three-dimensional characters. I want to re-read it a third time, but I have other books in my TBR pile. Furthermore, I can say that this book is best sold to adult audiences. 18+ Only because of the theme of the book.

Overall, it was a splendid read, but if smut isn't your cuppa tea, I suggest other anthropomorphic fiction, one for all ages.

[Harlequin93 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novella was a short read. The whole 'story' was a critique of America. There was little content in the actual story, and the language was ..vile, to say the least.