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Moon Women #1
Moon Women
In the lush North Carolina foothills, the Moon women have put down roots: matriarch Marvelle Moon, who’s losing her grip on the world after more than eighty years of life; her daughters, Ruth Ann and Cassandra; and Ruth Ann’s nineteen-year-old daughter, Ashley, fresh out of rehab, unmarried, and three months pregnant. Despite Ruth Ann’s best efforts to live a life that’s all her own, her family is coming together around her. Marvelle and Ashley need a place to live and Ruth Ann is unable to turn them away; and her womanizing ex-husband has been coming around again, dredging up the past. Now a flurry of outbursts, emotions, and outrages is shattering Ruth Ann’s separate peace.
For here is Ashley, who has spent nineteen years running furiously away from home, now finding herself on a strange journey with her unraveling grandmother. And here is Cassandra, protected by layers of obesity and loneliness, wondering how to put magic back in her life. And Marvelle, slowly losing touch with reality, privately contemplating the story of her life and the secret that would change everything for everyone—if they only knew.... By turns fierce and tender, harrowing and heartbreaking, Moon Women resonates with emotional power, holding us captive under its beguiling spell.
For here is Ashley, who has spent nineteen years running furiously away from home, now finding herself on a strange journey with her unraveling grandmother. And here is Cassandra, protected by layers of obesity and loneliness, wondering how to put magic back in her life. And Marvelle, slowly losing touch with reality, privately contemplating the story of her life and the secret that would change everything for everyone—if they only knew.... By turns fierce and tender, harrowing and heartbreaking, Moon Women resonates with emotional power, holding us captive under its beguiling spell.
384 pages, Paperback
First published August 7, 2001
124 people are currently reading
1965 people want to read
About the author
Pamela Duncan
3 books60 followersNovelist Pamela Duncan was born in Asheville and grew up in Black Mountain, Swannanoa, and Shelby, North Carolina. She holds a B.A. in journalism from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an M.A. in English/Creative Writing from North Carolina State University in Raleigh. She lives in Cullowhee, North Carolina and teaches creative writing at Western Carolina University.
Her first novel, Moon Women, was a Southeastern Booksellers Association (now Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance) Award Finalist, and her second novel, Plant Life, won the 2003 Sir Walter Raleigh Award for Fiction. She is the recipient of the 2007 James Still Award for Writing about the Appalachian South, awarded by the Fellowship of Southern Writers. Her third novel, The Big Beautiful, was published in March 2007.
Her first novel, Moon Women, was a Southeastern Booksellers Association (now Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance) Award Finalist, and her second novel, Plant Life, won the 2003 Sir Walter Raleigh Award for Fiction. She is the recipient of the 2007 James Still Award for Writing about the Appalachian South, awarded by the Fellowship of Southern Writers. Her third novel, The Big Beautiful, was published in March 2007.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews
March 16, 2016
I know these women. Actually,
some of them are kinfolk.
And I love these people; you
can't help but love these
ladies. Trouble comes and
the women deal with it, over
and over and over. Recommended.
some of them are kinfolk.
And I love these people; you
can't help but love these
ladies. Trouble comes and
the women deal with it, over
and over and over. Recommended.
November 28, 2010
Moon Women is Pamela Duncan's debut novel. What a captivating, heartwarming and funny story with a great cast of characters!! It's about 3 generations of the Moon family women - grandma, mom and her youngest daughter. The story is set in the South and full of family drama, family love and yes, there's a family secret!
I will say for those who don't like to read books written in the manner in which a person who lived in that area would really speak - Moon Women is written in Appalachian English. To me, that makes the story and the characters all the more real and believable.
Moon Women is a very well written and enjoyable book. I will definitely be reading Pamela Duncan's two other books very soon!
I will say for those who don't like to read books written in the manner in which a person who lived in that area would really speak - Moon Women is written in Appalachian English. To me, that makes the story and the characters all the more real and believable.
Moon Women is a very well written and enjoyable book. I will definitely be reading Pamela Duncan's two other books very soon!
June 13, 2016
Long, long ago... I read this novel. I forgot that I had read it, and I read it again, in 2012. I have never reviewed it... Just one of those books from days before I did so, but it has never left me. I believe that I will read it again, if I can find a copy, and perhaps this time I should keep it.
Strong women with screwed up lives - not by choice; circumstance and opportunity, obligation or duty, relationships pulling them away from their gifts. The longer I've known them, the more I've loved them.
An utterly memorable book.
Strong women with screwed up lives - not by choice; circumstance and opportunity, obligation or duty, relationships pulling them away from their gifts. The longer I've known them, the more I've loved them.
An utterly memorable book.
August 15, 2011
I love books about generations of women, their interactions, their struggles, their conflicts, and the love they share within a family. This is just such a book, about the grandmother, Marvelle Moon, her daughters, Ruth Anne and Cassandra, the granddaughter, Ashley and all the men in their lives. The book begins with Ashley coming home from a half-way house, 19, pregnant, and unmarried. Marvelle is 82, falling in and out of dementia while she remembers her long life with her husband and 12 children. Ruth Anne, divorced, and Cassandra, overweight and unmarried, are in mid-life, coming to grips with being the sandwich generation between their failing mother and Ashley. The plot unfolds and the past plays out for us in Marvelle's mind, and we learn about untold family secrets.
May 15, 2019
This is a story of three generations. The location, North Carolina, is a very predominate character
in the story. I honestly don't know if I would have liked it as much as I did if it was set in any other state, the attitude is perfection. Each woman is in a different stage of there lives, giving every age group a chance to connect no matter how old you are. And even if you aren't 80 years old I'm sure you know someone who is or has been affected by dementia and it's always comforting to hear about someone else's experiences with that real or not.
This isn't a perfect family, nor do they try to be, it's refreshing. I am amazed at how perfectly imperfect each character is. The women aren't always right but they are loving and they are honest. This is a great weekend read. Something light but emotionally connecting.
The writing of this story sometimes leaves you lost. There were a few times I had to go back and reread to see if I had missed something. I feel like maybe it was supposed to be assumed by the author but it was too steep of a leap for you to automatically make that connection.
The ending is soft and answers the questions you might be wondering. I almost could take a second book about Cassandra. I think should have had a bit more time in the spotlight with the amount of focus that was given to her at the end. I also think it's a great point of view for women of today. She doesn't have a husband or kids but a place of her own and she's finding her way even if she's 40. I would have liked to have seen her end with someone or something.
All in all, I enjoyed this read. Like I said it's light but you will feel some strings pulled, enough to keep you engaged.
in the story. I honestly don't know if I would have liked it as much as I did if it was set in any other state, the attitude is perfection. Each woman is in a different stage of there lives, giving every age group a chance to connect no matter how old you are. And even if you aren't 80 years old I'm sure you know someone who is or has been affected by dementia and it's always comforting to hear about someone else's experiences with that real or not.
This isn't a perfect family, nor do they try to be, it's refreshing. I am amazed at how perfectly imperfect each character is. The women aren't always right but they are loving and they are honest. This is a great weekend read. Something light but emotionally connecting.
The writing of this story sometimes leaves you lost. There were a few times I had to go back and reread to see if I had missed something. I feel like maybe it was supposed to be assumed by the author but it was too steep of a leap for you to automatically make that connection.
The ending is soft and answers the questions you might be wondering. I almost could take a second book about Cassandra. I think should have had a bit more time in the spotlight with the amount of focus that was given to her at the end. I also think it's a great point of view for women of today. She doesn't have a husband or kids but a place of her own and she's finding her way even if she's 40. I would have liked to have seen her end with someone or something.
All in all, I enjoyed this read. Like I said it's light but you will feel some strings pulled, enough to keep you engaged.
February 1, 2010
This is a book describing the interactions between 3 generations of women ... their eccentricities and relationships.
A lot of time is spent on character development... but their characters are each influenced by the others...
It will make you laugh and cry. You will recognize yourself, and come to understand how many of your idiosyncrasies are related to your family
A lot of time is spent on character development... but their characters are each influenced by the others...
It will make you laugh and cry. You will recognize yourself, and come to understand how many of your idiosyncrasies are related to your family
October 3, 2011
Note to self - do not get any others books by this author! I don't like her writing style.
September 8, 2016
A light, enjoyable read. No surprises (well, maybe one), no horror, no evil. Just a story about three generations of North Carolina women and their men and family joys and heartaches. Written in the dialect of the area, this book is engaging and earthy. I felt as if I could actually see and hear the characters as they went about their daily lives, and their relationships were realistic. This book reminded me of Fannie Flagg's novels. A nice break from some of the darker books I read. Very well-written.
January 19, 2021
This book completely surprised me. I’ve never really cared for coming of age type books, but this saga tugged at my heart strings big time. I could see myself in each of these strong women. A fabulous, fabulous read!
November 15, 2022
Not a bad book but it was very difficult to keep my attention and follow. I found myself having to reread pages, feeling like I missed pieces of the story. It’s a light read with few plot twists, probably why it took me so long to get through. I did enjoy relating to characters and events though.
March 25, 2014
This book is about three generations of women of the Moon family who live in the mountains of North Carolina. We have the youngest girl, Ashley 19, who has been in all kinds of trouble and ends up pregnant and back at home. We have her mother, Ruth Anne who is at her wits end dealing with her daughter and her ex-husband. We have Ruth Anne’s sister Cassandra, who at 40 is overweight and still single and we have their mother Marvelle Moon who is battling dementia. In this book the women all come together and learn life lessons from each other. I especially loved Marvelle who had so much wisdom to impart; she is the reason I finally gave this a five star rating. I loved the writing - it was very authentic. I also loved seeing how the characters evolved during the course of the book. There were also some great verses in this book such as...
“Creation,” Marvelle said, “A baby’s head has the smell of the creator’s touch still on it, fresh from God, all new and untarnished by this world.”
I recommend this book to anyone who loves to read about the strength of women and the love of families.
“Creation,” Marvelle said, “A baby’s head has the smell of the creator’s touch still on it, fresh from God, all new and untarnished by this world.”
I recommend this book to anyone who loves to read about the strength of women and the love of families.
July 16, 2012
The book was about 3 generations of the Moon women - with the grandmother, Marvelle Ann; the mother, Ruth Ann, and her sister, Cassandra; and the teenager, Ashley Ann. Marvelle is an eighty-two-year-old widow who is losing her mind and is ready to die. Ruth Ann is divorced and Cassandra has never been married. Ashley Ann was a runaway, but is coming home because she is pregnant. I enjoyed following their lives, reading how Ashley and Marvelle interacted with each other. A book about relationships between mothers and their daughters as well as the love relationships between Ruth Ann and her ex-husband A.J. along with Ashley with her baby's daddy - Keith. Marvelle also had a secret that she kept hidden even to the end, but she came to peace with it. In fact, all the women in this book came to some kind of peace at the end.
March 9, 2019
Started slow, continued slow, DNF'd it at the halfway point because I got tired of the hillbilly hick vernacular used in the writing. I can understand it being in the characters' dialogue because the story is set in a backwoods town in the south, but there's no need to make the non-dialogue parts hillbilly hickish as well. I get wanting to remain authentic through the storyline. But the bad phrasing and grammar just gets annoying after awhile. Especially if the storyline itself is moving as slow as molasses in January (my own "hick" saying).
There was also a lot of head-hopping going on and there were italicized bits at the ends of chapters at times that were from Marvella's first person POV. It made for a rather scattered mess. Weird thing is, I read Duncan's "Plant Life" a few years ago and enjoyed it. This one? Not so much.
There was also a lot of head-hopping going on and there were italicized bits at the ends of chapters at times that were from Marvella's first person POV. It made for a rather scattered mess. Weird thing is, I read Duncan's "Plant Life" a few years ago and enjoyed it. This one? Not so much.
August 12, 2009
What a delightful book! Three generations of Moon women living together and each has a story to tell. The characters are so interesting that you want to hug each and every one of them! I highly recommend this book and would most likely read another book by this author.
April 7, 2009
I could not get into this at all. I stopped in the middle. The owner at the book store I work at LOVES it!
June 7, 2009
I enjoyed this book. Marvelle's character reminded me so much of my grandmother.
December 7, 2014
Loved this book! Many insightful statements throughout.
March 13, 2016
enjoyable southern chic-lit book! I think most that like a good fun family inspired drama set in south will enjoy this!
November 11, 2016
It wasn't entirely awful.... Very predictable, trite, uninteresting.
November 4, 2017
Genuine
Ruth Ann, Cassandra, Ashley and Marvelle speak with some of the truest female voices I have "heard" in a long time. I loved this book and highly recommend it.
Ruth Ann, Cassandra, Ashley and Marvelle speak with some of the truest female voices I have "heard" in a long time. I loved this book and highly recommend it.
June 21, 2023
For a while, the least favorite part of this book for me were the interstitial italicized narratives from the grandmother, Marvelle. I didn't understand how they operated, because it felt like they were directed, like journal entries, for us the readers, but maybe also for her family, and I couldn't position them in time.
Then it turned out the one piece I'd heard from the book before, when Pamela Duncan read to a group of us in the North Carolina foothills, a piece that moved me enough to buy this book (a signed copy, too!) was one of these italicized three-pagers. That particular part discussed a woman and her sister washing the dead body of her mother, and it was beautifully written.
As I started reading the book, I anticipated that this moment would come as Ruth Ann and buried Marvelle--but it turned out to be Marvelle and her twin sister washing their mama. Pam Duncan did that moment well, and maybe it's interesting that one of the other most powerful moments in the book for me is when Ruth Ann and her sister were cutting the clothes from Marvelle, who is lying in a hospital bed, in a coma.
In any event, I liked the italicized parts a little better when I got to the washing, and then I liked them still more when I came to the end of the book and understood the reason for the strange and what I thought was amateurish decontextualized narrative on the part of Marvelle.
The book over described moments, going into descriptions that meant I would skim a small event for several pages but that didn't really further plot or characterization--only realism. I don't need realism. I like the beauty, the grief, the love, and at times, this book gave those to me well.
Then it turned out the one piece I'd heard from the book before, when Pamela Duncan read to a group of us in the North Carolina foothills, a piece that moved me enough to buy this book (a signed copy, too!) was one of these italicized three-pagers. That particular part discussed a woman and her sister washing the dead body of her mother, and it was beautifully written.
As I started reading the book, I anticipated that this moment would come as Ruth Ann and buried Marvelle--but it turned out to be Marvelle and her twin sister washing their mama. Pam Duncan did that moment well, and maybe it's interesting that one of the other most powerful moments in the book for me is when Ruth Ann and her sister were cutting the clothes from Marvelle, who is lying in a hospital bed, in a coma.
In any event, I liked the italicized parts a little better when I got to the washing, and then I liked them still more when I came to the end of the book and understood the reason for the strange and what I thought was amateurish decontextualized narrative on the part of Marvelle.
The book over described moments, going into descriptions that meant I would skim a small event for several pages but that didn't really further plot or characterization--only realism. I don't need realism. I like the beauty, the grief, the love, and at times, this book gave those to me well.
March 8, 2019
A beautifully written book! The Moon women are three generations of women living in the hills of North Carolina. Marvelle is 82 and suffering from dementia, her daughter Cassandra is 42, overweight and never found herself in life. She has been caring for Mama as well as running a day care. Ruth Ann has been working in a mill for almost 30 years and has a 19 year old daughter who ran away and was placed in rehab. Ashley gets out of rehab pregnant and has to live with Ruth Ann. Cassandra cannot take being a caregiver to her mother and thinks Ashley can care for Grandma since she has no job. These two form an unlikely alliance but it is beautiful to see the love and care between them. Although they find it difficult at times these women love each other fiercely. I loved the unfolding of Grandma's memories of her life throughout the book which lead to a surprise at the end. There are husbands and brothers and men in this story and it is interesting how the women react to them. They are cheaters and scoundrels, put up with in order to raise children but definitely put in their place by these strong women.
August 20, 2021
The Moon Women were some interesting characters with lots of lessons learned as they moved through life. The story seems centered on Ruth Ann, who likes things just so and doesn't want to change much in her life to keep it on an even keel. But as we all know, life takes on a path of its own. When her youngest, most difficult daughter Ashley comes home pregnant, Ruth Ann agrees to take her back in but wonders how long that will last. At the same time, Ruth Ann's sister Cassandra can no longer keep their mother, Marvelle at her house as she thinks it's a hospital and keeps wandering off. Luckily, Ruth Ann lives just down the road.
In this story we watch, and listen as each of them grows to accept their new place in life. I thought the characters were good. It was easy reading and enjoyable.
In this story we watch, and listen as each of them grows to accept their new place in life. I thought the characters were good. It was easy reading and enjoyable.
June 26, 2025
While I enjoyed reading this book and it was a very good story, it was a book club pick. It felt like a chore to read simply because I felt the need to finish it. I am definitely a mood reader and this one bored me terribly. With that being said, I really did enjoy the characters in this book. The family's dysfunction was how they stayed together so well. Love and forgiveness at the core. If you're looking for something relatable and set it in the south this is the book for you. It takes you through the ups and downs of life and death and will have you laughing and crying along the way. I'm only giving it a 3 star review because, as I said, I just feel like I would have enjoyed it better had I read it in a different season of life. I didn't LOVE it but I didn't HATE it. It was a good read and I am glad I finished it.
February 7, 2023
The idea behind the book was great. The execution of that idea was a miss. The sentence structure didn't make sense. Sometimes, she had the character thinking or speaking with an accent, and the next line that accent was gone. The reader could never really get a picture of what the characters looked like due to all the inconsistencies. After 49 pages and multiple complaints to my husband, I decided to put this in the donation box with a warning to the next buyer that if it is priced over $0.50, save your money and your time. Yes, it was that brutal. I read on average 200 pages per day for fun, and those 49 pages took 5 days. I really wanted to like this book. I was really hoping it would be a great multi-generational story.
March 3, 2018
Reminiscent of Karen Spears Zacharias' work, this novel deals with three-going-on-four generations of women in a small North Carolina town, dealing with the changes in their lives, and with the things that don't change.
Ruth Ann Pratt is reasonably happy, alone in the neat little house salvaged from her divorce from the philandering A.J. Her mama Marvelle, and younger sister Cassandra live just down the road in an uneasy truce made wobblier by Marvelle's tendency to come unmoored in time and wander off. When Ruth Ann's wild daughter, Ashley, returns home from rehab pregnant and moves back in, things begin to change rapidly.
Ruth Ann Pratt is reasonably happy, alone in the neat little house salvaged from her divorce from the philandering A.J. Her mama Marvelle, and younger sister Cassandra live just down the road in an uneasy truce made wobblier by Marvelle's tendency to come unmoored in time and wander off. When Ruth Ann's wild daughter, Ashley, returns home from rehab pregnant and moves back in, things begin to change rapidly.
September 8, 2022
Absolutely adored this story of the Moon women and their matriarch, Marvelle. During the time I was reading this, my own grandmother died and I realized it was no coincidence I picked this book among the dozens on my shelves still to be read.
”Seems I've about done all I can do here in this life and I'm sort of looking forward to the next, to the adventure of it. I'll be missed, I know, and I'll miss but I'll not be sad to go, for I know as sure as I know my own name that it's not the last time we'll meet, me and my loved ones left behind. Only the last time here in this world.”
”Seems I've about done all I can do here in this life and I'm sort of looking forward to the next, to the adventure of it. I'll be missed, I know, and I'll miss but I'll not be sad to go, for I know as sure as I know my own name that it's not the last time we'll meet, me and my loved ones left behind. Only the last time here in this world.”
May 29, 2017
Unusual
I didn't expect to enjoy this story the way that I did. The grammar and the way the words sometimes ran together took some getting used to. But the further I read and the more the characters developed I realized it couldn't be written differently and been as good a read. I highly recommend this.
I didn't expect to enjoy this story the way that I did. The grammar and the way the words sometimes ran together took some getting used to. But the further I read and the more the characters developed I realized it couldn't be written differently and been as good a read. I highly recommend this.
July 5, 2017
Multi generational Moon women
I greatly enjoyed this book. I liked the southern dialect writing style, but was distracted by the editing mistakes i(run on words) that occur frequently toward the end of the book.
The characters grow as the book progresses and were very believable. I would recommend this book for book clubs.
I greatly enjoyed this book. I liked the southern dialect writing style, but was distracted by the editing mistakes i(run on words) that occur frequently toward the end of the book.
The characters grow as the book progresses and were very believable. I would recommend this book for book clubs.
April 9, 2024
Took me forever to finish, but I found myself loving the characters and wanting to know what happened with them. I feel like some of the stories were left with a question mark, but I loved the ending for Candice. I just seemed like it left the other characters for a quick minimal wrap up ending.
Still felt warm and happy reading the ending though! Overall I enjoyed it ❤️
Still felt warm and happy reading the ending though! Overall I enjoyed it ❤️
Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews