Raven Stole the Moon

by Garth Stein

In this haunting debut, Garth Stein brilliantly invokes his Native American heritage and its folklore to create an electrifying supernatural thriller. When a grieving mother returns to the remote Alaskan town where her young son drowned, she discovers that the truth about her son's death is shrouded in legend— and buried in a terrifying wrinkle between life and death. When Jenna Rosen abandons her comfortable Seattle life to return to Wrangell, Alaska, it's a wrenching return to her past. Long ago the home of her Native American grandmother, Wrangell is located near the Thunder Bay resort, where Jenna's young son, Bobby, disappeared two years before. His body was never recovered, and Jenna is determined to lay to rest the aching mystery of his death. But the spectacular town provides little comfort beyond the steady and tender affections of Eddie, a local fisherman. And then whispers of ancient legends begin to suggest a frightening new possibility about Bobby's fate. Soon, Jenna must sift through the beliefs of her ancestors, the Tlingit— who still tell of powerful, menacing forces at work in the Alaskan wilderness.

There beliefs are shared by Dr. David Livingstone, a practicing shaman who had been hired to "cleanse" Thunder Bay of its restless spirits. The experience almost cost him his life, and he warns Jenna about the danger of disturbing the legendary kushtaka— soul-stealing predators that stalk a netherworld between land and sea, the living and the dead. But Jenna is desperate for answers, and she appeals to both Livingstone and Eddie to help her sort fact from myth, and face the unthinkable possibilities head-on. Armed with nothing but a mother's ferocious protective instincts, Jenna's quest for the truth about her son— and the strength of her beliefs— is about to pull her into a terrifying and life-changing abyss...

Coloring powerful legend with universal emotions, Garth Stein masterfully evokes our most primal dreams and fears. Remarkably vivid and relentlessly suspenseful, "Raven Stole the Moon" marks the arrival of a stunningly imaginative new talent.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Contemporary, Native American, Fantasy, Suspense, Book Club

480 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 1, 1998

About the author

Garth Stein is the author of four novels: the New York Times bestselling gothic/historical/coming-of-age/ghost story, "A Sudden Light"; the internationally bestselling "The Art of Racing in the Rain"; the PNBA Book Award winner, "How Evan Broke His Head and Other Secrets"; and the magically realistic "Raven Stole the Moon." He is also the author of the stage play "Brother Jones." He has a dog, he's raced a few cars, climbed a bunch of really tall trees, made a few documentary films, and he lives in Seattle with his family. He's co-founder of Seattle7Writers.org, a non-profit collective of 74 Northwest authors working together to energize the reading and writing public.

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

We mostly know this author by his book, “The Art of Racing in the Rain,” but this one was actually his debut novel in 1996.

Apparently, it was updated and re-released in 2009.

Even so, here I am just hearing about it now in 2021, since it was a donation to our Little Free Library Shed.

It has an interesting backdrop, utilizing the beliefs and ancient folklore of the Tlingit people in Alaska.

In this first book, he explores a woman in search of herself and answers after the death of her son has torn her family apart.

This journey is both haunting and touching. Sometimes, creepy…but, then I can be easily creeped out if something ghost like comes jumping out of the forest. Just thought I would mention that!

Fans of contemporary fiction who are intrigued with magical realism and a mysterious, supernatural element will find plenty to appreciate.

Though I was happy with the book’s resolution for the most part, those closing pages…well, it left me wondering…and, well, I am not sure how I feel about that.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a slightly updated re-release of Stein's first novel originally published in 1996 and out of print for some time. Don't expect any Enzo-like characters here--this book is TERRIFYING, a flat out, brilliantly crafted horror story. Stein is a "blood quantum verified" registered member of the Tlingit Indian Tribe of Alaska (his great-grandmother was full blooded Tlingit), and he has taken one of their more terrifying legends and brought it to the modern world. This is a story about Kushtakas, otter spirit shapeshifters who steal souls from people found alone in the woods and waters near Klawock and Wrangell Alaska. Two years ago when Jenna's young son drowned in Thunder Bay, she had not heard the legends. But with her world falling apart around her in Seattle, Jenna decides to go back to Alaska and try to find peace. What she finds is a nightmare that leaves her fighting for her own life and soul. The writing in this book is masterful--I spent no small amount of time curled up in a ball keeping a wary eye on the windows and door locks while reading it. And the last 40 pages--I pretty much forgot to breathe. Yes, it's THAT good.

[Amy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was kind of a chore to get through. I started out really liking it, but the writing was so choppy, with awkward tense and point of view changes that drove me insane. Also, it was way too long.

[Nadia A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Garth Stein's third novel, The Art of Racing in the Rain, was a huge success. It was so successful, that I do believe a movie is being made as a result. In order to capitalize on Stein's success, his publishers have decided to re-release his first novel. Originally published in 1998, Raven Stole the Moon, tells the story of Jenna Rosen. Two years ago at the Thunder Bay Resort, near Wrangell, Alaska (the hometown of her Native American grandmother), Jenna's young son, Bobby, disappeared. She has no idea what happened to him, let alone what happened to his soul. Unable to let go of her grief, Jenna suddenly decides that she must go back to Wrangell. And she must go now. Leaving her husband at a party they were attending together, Jenna hops into their car and soon finds herself heading towards her past. Once in Wrangell, Jenna becomes involved with a local fisherman, gets threatened by the Kushtakas (spirits that steals souls) and schooled about the Kushtakas by a shaman. She soon realizes that Bobby's soul has been captured by the Kushtakas and she must now find a way to aid Bobby's soul to the Land of the Dead Souls, where he will finally be able to rest.

Stein has created a novel that is both interesting and engaging. We have the undying love of a mother, Native American legends, a marriage riddled with grief and unhappiness and the Alaskan wilderness. Jenna Rosen is a character that you can't help but befriend. You feel her sadness and want her to pull through this journey of rescue, because not only is she saving her son's soul, but she is also saving herself in the process. The rest of the characters in the book are written so vividly and accurately, that you can easily visualize them. In fact, it is through these textured characters that we are introduced to the various Tlingit legends, which I believe helped make the spiritual aspect of the novel accessible. As for the Alaskan backdrop, Stein has clearly captured the wilderness and small town feel of Wrangell. The tone and strength of Stein's writing and voice are well defined in this debut novel. In fact, I believe that from the first page of the novel, Stein easily draws you into Jenna Rosen's world. You want to find out why this woman is thinking about drowning herself in the tub and why the notion of survival instinct is inherent in her thoughts. How did Jenna Rosen get to this mindset?

Raven Stole the Moon is definitely a book that I would highly recommend. It is not my usual book fare, but I am truly glad that I decided to give it a go. Based on this book, I will be picking up Stein's other works and adding them to my TBR list.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Garth Stein’s Raven Stole The Moon is a contemporary novel set against an interesting backdrop: the beliefs and ancient folklore of the Tlingit people. As Jenna traipses through Wrangell and meets an interesting cast of characters — including Oscar, a dog who suddenly follows her everywhere, and Eddie, a man who befriends and shelters her, no questions asked — we begin to learn of a supernatural phenomenon which is intriguing and spooky. What did happen to Bobby?

I’m one of the few people in the world who has not read Stein’s The Art Of Racing In The Rain, so his writing style was completely new to me. Characterized by short sentences, his prose comes out in a staccato-like rhythm that took a little getting used to. It certainly wasn’t bad, but I wasn’t accustomed to getting the stream-of-consciousness-like details the author shared with us. Told in third person but focused primarily on Jenna and her viewpoint, the book hammered out important tidbits in a style pretty distinct to Stein.

I didn’t find the book to be the “horror” story some claim, but nor is it a tepid tale of family or forgiveness. It’s something in between. Relying plenty on religious and supernatural elements and requiring the reader to suspend disbelief for a sizeable chunk of the story, Raven Stole The Moon was a riveting novel — and even though I didn’t particularly like Jenna or Robert, I was unable to put the book down. It’s pretty rare that I’m so apathetic to two of the main characters and still enjoy the novel. Why? Because though I didn’t feel for them, I felt with them — and I knew that, in the wake of their son’s death, how could I judge them? I couldn’t. And didn’t. I just read their story through as unbiased a lens as I could.

Originally published in 1998, the book maintains a sort of innocence before the dawn of Google searches and iPhones. As Jenna disappears from the lush, dull world she inhabits in Washington, we’re able to remember how much easier it was to “go off the grid” before we were all accessible 24/7 via devices we keep in our pockets and palms. Stein notes in the afterword that he could have changed the timeframe and updated these references but chose not to, and I agree with the decision to keep the book firmly rooted in the late 1990s. It made me feel — dare I say it? — nostalgic.

Fans of contemporary fiction with a heavy mysterious, supernatural element will find plenty to enjoy here, and probably much for discussion. Though I was happy with the book’s resolution for the most part, those closing pages? Makes me wonder...

[Emily Kestrel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really expected to like this book. The premise is fantastic; the story begins with a Tlingit shaman, David Livingstone, being hired to ensure that the land around a posh wilderness resort is clear of spirits. The contractor tells him, "We don't want to move ahead and find out later that we have a...uh, you know...a situation." Says David, "A lawsuit-type situation, or The Shining-type situation?" As it turns out, the land is the domain of some particularly dangerous nature spirits, the kushtaka, who are shape-shifters that steal human souls. After a particularly creepy scene, David announces that they'll just have to move their resort elsewhere, but that would be too expensive, so the contractor ignores his warning. Disaster soon strikes, and a little boy from Seattle drowns when his parents visit.

Fast forward two years. The grieving couple, Jenna and Robert, are not doing very well. Their marriage is falling apart, and Jenna is depressed and has struggled with substance abuse. One night, on impulse, she decides to go to Alaska on her own and try to find some closure about her son's death. Then she learns about the kushtaka. Seriously, how could this story not be fantastic?

Well, it wasn't. There were some good scenes--enough that I rated the book two stars instead of one--but for the most part, the story slowly and tediously died beneath the weight of its clunky and cumbersome prose. One mark of good writing is the author's ability to "show, don't tell," but alas, Stein rarely shows (the aforementioned few good scenes are proof that he is capable of better), and instead tells and tells and tells. Not just once or twice, either; this novel is brutally repetitive.

My other main gripe about the writing was how Stein, who seems far more enamored of his characters-- especially the precious Jenna--than I ever was, burdens the narrative with pages and pages of dull backstory and detailed scenes of Jenna doing pretty much nothing. With these removed, the book would be lightened of at least a third of its pages, and far more compelling for it.

This is bad enough at the beginning, causing the novel to bog down before it even has a chance to fly, but it's even worse when it interrupts any sort of suspense once the story's in progress. In one example, Jenna's taking a flight in a small plane to look for the shaman, when we take a page and a half long detour to her first time in a small plane, when she went to St Barth's on vacation. (No, it isn't relevant to the story. At all.) Then she arrives and is asking about the shaman, when we're interrupted once again by two pages where she discusses literature and remembers her old professor--"A friend of Jenna's slept with him. They went to his place and got real drunk and then they did it. She said he sucked in bed. He was constantly giving orders. He wanted this, he wanted that. She said it was boring. She only liked guys who went down on her and stayed down. She got an A, Jenna got a B minus." WTF does that have to do with anything?? It didn't influence her direction in life, the randy prof and the drunken friend don't show up in the denouement, getting that B-minus isn't what made her a drunken pill-popper for several chapters of backstory. It's just random dullness and now I don't care if she ever finds the shaman, either. I don't care if she saves her son's soul from the kushtakas. I don't care if she reconciles with her husband. I just want the random thoughts of Jenna to stop, once and for all.

It's really unfortunate, because with a ruthless editor, this could have been a decent novel. There's a good story buried in there somewhere, and the Tlingit legends and folklore are fascinating.

NOTE: This is a review of the original publication of this book, which I purchased at a used book store. I see that he has released a revised edition, and I don't know how many changes were made.

[B.reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Warning--mild spoilers.

I'm conflicted about this book. At first I really, really liked it. The first hundred pages were so intense and creepy that I actually got freaked out and had to stop reading so I would be able to sleep instead of laying awake clutching at my covers in terror. Stein does have a gift of creating some very intense imagery and can write atmosphere very well.

However, I have two major issues with the book. First is more mechanics than story...I thought that much of the writing was just plain awkward. Stein didn't really seem like he knew what style he wanted throughout the book. Sometimes his descriptions were lush, and other times they were extremely sparse. I think that the story could have been better served through consistency in style. Furthermore, his sentence construction at times was just plain awkward. I always hate when I automatically revise sentences structures in my head, as it takes me out of the story--and I was doing that quite often with this book.

The second major issue I have --this is where potential spoilers come in-- is with the characters. I kind of hated them. A lot. Skilled authors can often take a character that is unlikeable and still make a compelling story about them, but Stein was unable to do this for me. While I started out liking Jenna, the second half of the book make me despise her. The areas of the story that focused on her grief and confusion were good, but then all of a sudden she wants to jump in bed with a stranger, which I felt was completely out of character. Additionally, she's completely ridiculous when it comes to sleeping with Eddie. I wanted to slap her when she was like, "oh, sleep with me but don't expect anything from me and you're rude if you don't like that." Throughout the whole book I thought Robert was repulsive and wanted him to get hit by a bus...but by the end of the book I thought the two totally deserved each other.

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Haunting and touching without being overly sentimental.

When a real estate developer, John Fergusen, wanted to build Thunder Bay Resort near the town of Klawock, Alaska, an area rich in Native American culture, he was advised to seek the counsel of a Tlingit shamen by the name of David Livingstone to "spiritually cleanse" the area on which the resort was to be built. This was to keep them from a "situation"...although not sure if he is referring to "a lawsuit-type situation or The Shining-type situation?"

Despite David Livingstone's recommendation "to abandon the Thunder Bay project immediately," Fergusen buried the warning and went ahead with a pre-opening weekend to get investors interested in the resort - a weekend that resulted in the drowning of a little boy. Tragic accident or unhappy spirits?

Two years later, Jenna, the mother of the little boy, left a dinner party in Seattle and kept on driving until she ended up in Alaska. Is she running away? Is she looking for answers? Is she looking for her son? Is she looking for her own past in her grandmother's old home? Is she looking for peace? Is she looking for love? Whatever Jenna thought she might have been looking for, she finds more than she bargained for.


There was a part of me that heard echoes of Poltergeist (building on sacred land) and feared that Raven Stole the Moon was going to take an absurd turn, but I got caught up in the storyline and welcomed the Native American folklore. The stories about Raven were really cool. Native Americans have a story for everything in order to find meaning in nature. Raven gave us the moon, the sun and the stars, but not without sacrifice.

In fact, I enjoyed the stories of Raven even more than the present-day story of Jenna and her quest for truth and acceptance. When the two stories collide, Garth Stein does an amazing job of keeping everything both heartfelt and mysterious, with just a touch of the supernatural. This had the potential of becoming a big mess, but in fact, what starts out as a frayed story, comes together in the end.

Raven Stole the Moon is Garth Stein's first novel, which was news to me, as I had only read The Art of Racing in the Rain, which I loved. When I was asked to read and review another of Stein's novels, first, last or middle, it didn't matter, I jumped at the chance. Raven Stole the Moon did not knock my socks off like The Art of Racing in the Rain did, but Stein did not disappoint either. This novel has been out of print, but has been re-released and is now available in paperback. Stein is a wonderful storyteller, and blends a modern heartbreaking tale with Native American folklore beautifully.

[Vivian · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Garth's first book, he explores the folk lore of Alaska and a woman in search of herself and answers after the death of her son has torn her family apart. This book goes into fantasy, which I normally don't read but with it based on tribal lore, makes it a wonderful story to read. Garth is just a born writer and gets better as he goes. Look for all his books, they will be different but they will be great reads, always with something to take away from them.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Story Overview

On the surface, Jenna Rosen has it all: a husband who loves her, a comfortable life in Seattle, and good looks. But Jenna is troubled; it shows in her excessive drinking, Valium addiction, depression and the increasing discord in her marriage. But her problems can all be traced back to the loss of her son Bobby, who drowned during a family vacation in Alaska two years ago. Jenna blames herself for Bobby's death and cannot get past it. Yet her husband Robert seems to have been able to put the past to rest. One night at a party, Jenna gets in Robert's car and keeps on driving. Her trip leads her to Bellingham, WA, where she impulsively boards the ferry that will take her to Wrangell, Alaska—a small town where her Native American grandmother lived and close to the Thunder Bay Resort where Bobby died.

Once in Wrangell, things happen that lead her to believe that something is calling her to discover the truth about Bobby's death. Her grandmother's Tlingit ancestry begins to manifest itself in strange and frightening ways. As Jenna begins to explore the Tlingit legends of the kushtaka, she begins to believe that Bobby's death was no accident. Determined to find the truth, Jenna embarks on a quest to discover what really happened at Thunder Bay. The result is a terrifying but liberating journey into the heart of the Alaska wilderness and the ancient legends of the Tlingits.

My Thoughts

Contrary to what you might think, this isn't a new book by Garth Stein, author of the best-selling Art of Racing in the Rain (which is on my TBR list for later this year). Rather, this is a rerelease of his first novel, which was published in 1998. (Note to authors: If your first book is not very successful, keep on trying. You may score later on and then get a rerelease for your earlier books!) Raven Stole the Moon has been out of print for several years, but is being rereleased on March 9. Remember how I told you I was reading a mystery book that I couldn't talk about? This was it!

Anyway, on to my thoughts about the book. I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I enjoy stories of ancient legends coming to life in our modern world, and I thought the sections dealing with the kushtaka were disturbing and frightening at times. (Let me tell you, after reading this book, I won't look at otters quite the same way again!) On the other hand, I had some issues with the tone and writing in the book. In many ways, the book is told in a very plain, straightforward way: She did this. Then she did that. He reacted this way. Then the author mixes in some stream-of-consciousness stuff that I found a bit jarring. Here is a small example:

She got off the freeway in Bellingham feeling tired and hungry. She pulled into a gas station to get some fuel for the Machine, and she picked up some Corn Nuts and a Coke—fuel for herself. The trip suddenly had the feeling of an all-night drive. Standing under a canopy of fluorescent bulbs. Artificial sunlight. Electrified reality. Everyone would be asleep if they weren't plugged in.

My other quibble was that I thought the emotional lives of characters could have been better developed. We know Jenna is devastated by the loss of her son because the author tells us, but I never really felt it from Jenna herself. For me, this kept the book from being more than a competently told story with some supernatural elements. I think with a little more work and polishing, this book could have been something special. However, in the end, I think it falls shy of the mark.

My Final Recommendation

If you enjoy books with supernatural elements related to Native American culture, this would be a good read for you. The Tlingit legends and story line were the most compelling part of the story for me, and the descriptions of the kushtaka were interesting and a bit frightening. Although the writing is competent and the story moves along quickly, I didn't think it was unforgettable or out of the ordinary. For this reason, I'm giving it 3 stars.

[Jennifer Dodde · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jenna lost her son, Bobby, in a tragic drowning while on a business-related vacation with her family at a soon-to-be-opened wilderness lodge. Two years later at home with her husband Robert in Seattle, Jenna has yet to recover. She's seen numerous psychiatrists, but has yet to come to terms with Bobby's death and the changes their loss made to their marriage. After a fight at yet another business related event, Jenna takes off in Robert's car. At first she just wants to get home. In the end, she just keeps driving, running away from Robert by default. Eventually, she ends up headed on the ferry to Alaska, the home of her Tlingit grandmother and the place where Bobby died. Can returning to the source of so much pain in her life help her move forward, or will it send her further into depression and despair?

The first half of this novel had all the makings of a great episode of "The X Files." After Jenna lands in Alaska after leaving Robert, she has the most creepy experiences. Because she doesn't completely trust her sanity, she's not sure if she believes what she sees. What she may have experienced is creepy and kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved the potential of kushtaka, the otter people gifted with the ability to shift their shape and "convert" souls. When Jenna wonders if the kushtaka are real and if they may have some connection to the death of her son, I could just imagine Mulder and Scully investigating and having a field day with all the possibilities. During that first half, I was in heaven. I felt that I could relate to Jenna and I wanted her to find her way to where ever it was that she needed to go.

The second half of the novel didn't work as well for me. I grew impatient with Jenna and her attitude about anyone other than herself. The story became much less suspenseful because it featured Robert and his attempts to find Jenna more prominently. This weighted the novel down and was distracting. I wanted the novel to be about Jenna and her discoveries. I wasn't so much concerned about Robert. It's not that he didn't matter, but I wish there could have been more a more concise way to bring him back into the story without the play by play. Robert also put enough normalcy and reality back into the story that when the kushtaka arc built back up, I missed it. I was no longer prepared for it. Had I recognized it immediately, the end of this novel really would have packed a punch.

My Final Thoughts

I didn't like this novel as much as The Art of Racing in the Rain. However, Raven Stole the Moon was more challenging and in some ways more interesting. I enjoyed the Alaskan setting, history, and spirituality that were infused throughout. I liked that Jenna and Robert were a mess and were prone to making rotten decisions when under stress. It made them human. The highlight for me was the section where Jenna relives her last moments with Bobby. They were incredibly heartbreaking and powerful. Had Stein maintained the same pacing and level of suspense consistently throughout, this novel would have been absolutely incredible.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever since the drowning her heir son, Bobby two years ago, Jenna Rosen and her husband, Robert are more like strangers then husband and wife. Jenna decides to get away from her life and Robert for a while. She takes off for Alaska. This is where it all began. Where Bobby drowned. Jenna experiences some strange things like…a wolf or wolf type dog chases her through the woods. Jenna meets a man named David. He is a shaman. He tells Jenna of a legend hat the Tlingits believe. It has to do with the belief that not all people die peacefully, so people’s souls are trapped to wither wander aimlessly or take form in another being. What does this have to do with Bobby? Could this mean that he might be alive after all?

Raven Stole the Moon is the first book I have read by Garth Stein. I have wanted to try his work out when I first heard about The Art of Racing in the Rain but just haven’t gotten around to it. After reading this book, I definitely plan to check the book out. I have to admit that I did get a little lost at first trying to figure out in my mind about how the shaman and the Tlingit beliefs really played a part in this story and Jenna’s son’s death. Once I out it all straight, I was able to fully sit back and immerse myself in this book. I found that I absolutely was delighted with this book as well as Mr. Stein’s writing style. He really brought the characters to alive on an emotional level that made you connect with them in the moment. I only have one last comment to make and that is… you have got to check Raven Stole the Moon for yourself.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are many facets to this story, and quite a story it is; pulling you in deep with native Tlingit legends, and the striking, remote wilderness setting holding more than a hint of menace. But it is the characters and their grief, love, fear and courage that make the story truly special.

[Patty Ventola Donoso · Rating 3 out of 5]

Al principio me gustó mucho. Sin embargo, tengo dos problemas importantes con el libro. Gran parte de la escritura era simple y Stein no parecía saber realmente qué estilo quería en todo el libro.
(Spoiler Alert)
El segundo problema que tengo es con los personajes: Jenna actúa como una loca la mayor parte del tiempo. Tal vez, y solo tal vez, no pude meterme en su piel. Quizás, si a mi se me hubiera ahogado un hijo, estaría así o peor de desquiciada. No lo se. El autor no logro, al menos no al principio y tampoco en el momento del hecho en si, llevarme hasta esa locura. No soporte a Robert. De hecho no entiendo el final (yo creí que la relacion estaba terminada).
Disfruté de la ambientación en Alaska. Me gustó que Jenna y Robert fueran impresionantemente humanos. Lo mejor creo yo, fue la parte en la que Jenna encuentra a Bobby y sus últimos momentos con él. Fue increíblemente desgarrador, incluso me dieron ganas de llorar. No se si pude ponerme en la piel de esa madre. Gracias al Universo, no he tenido que pasar por algo tan traumático como la muerte de un hijo. Si Stein hubiera mantenido el mismo ritmo y el mismo nivel de suspense a lo largo de toda la novela, ésta habría sido muy buena. Pero fallo.

At first, I liked it a lot. However, I have two major problems with the book. Much of the writing was plain and Stein didn't really seem to know what style she wanted throughout the book.
(Spoiler Alert)
The second problem I have is with the characters - Jenna acts crazy most of the time. Maybe, and just maybe, I just couldn't get under her skin. Perhaps, if I had a child drowned, I'd be that way or worse unhinged. I don't know. At least not at the beginning and not at the time of the event itself, the author failed, to bring me to that madness. I couldn't stand Robert. In fact, I don't understand the ending (I thought the relationship was over).
I enjoyed the setting in Alaska. I liked that Jenna and Robert were impressively human. I think the best moment, the part where Jenna finds Bobby and her last moments with him. It was incredibly heartbreaking, it even made me want to cry. I don't know if I could put myself in that mother's shoes. Thank the Universe, I haven't had to go through something as traumatic as the death of a child. If Stein had kept the same pace and level of suspense throughout the novel, this would have been a very good one. But it failed.

[Chelsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Raven Stole the Moon by Garth Stein was sent to me as an ARC by Terra Communications, and I couldn’t be more grateful for just how wonderful the book was! One of my biggest issues with accepting ARCs is the pull between being honest about the review and still doing service to the group asking for the review. With this book, however, that won’t at all be a problem!

The story takes place in Wrangell, Alaska, primarily, amongst the Tlingit Native American population. Now, this is completely serendipitious because, as of late, a friend of mine, Gingerboy, has begun telling me more and more about his own Native American roots, setting me on a little bit of an obsessive path – I’ve been reading all the Native American short stories and legends I can get my hands on lately. This story focuses primarily on the myth of the kushtaka, spirits that are half-otter, half-human and exist to “save” the drowning (or other wayward souls) by taking them into their spirit world and converting them into kushtaka. However, once a kushtaka, the person’s soul can never cross into the Land of Dead Souls, which is the worst possible fate for the Tlingit, who believe in reincarnation of the soul, but only from the Land of Dead Souls.

The book tells the story of Jenna and Robert, whose son drowns at a resort that’s about to be opened on Tlingit ground. Two years later, Jenna returns to Wrangell (for the first time since her son Bobby’s death) to confront this loss and, along the way finds a spirit guide a dog named Oscar, a love in a man named Eddie, and an adventure between the spirit worlds facilitated by a brave and crafty shaman David Livingstone (“Dr. Livingstone, I presume…” for all those African history buffs out there!) The novel tackles head-on the line between a culture’s local legends and it’s realities, and just how hard it can be to overcome our own human cynicism and believe something that may be unbelievable but is right in front of us, none the less.

The novel had absolutely wonderful moments – Stein’s writing style is absolutely wonderful to get lost in – and, surprisingly enough, the book does a remarkable job at staying grounded in as much reality as possible. When you have a book that features an old shaman burrowing underground to the home of soul-stealing otter-people, it can become very easily for that book to become completely removed from reality. But Stein’s emotions and slow evolution of the story keeps that from happening.

However, there were a few small issues I had with the book (although these really are more matters of taste than any kind of concrete issues with the book). The first of which is that, by the end of the book, Jenna doesn’t end up with the person I would’ve liked her to. Stein did such a great job of pushing other narrative boundaries (his writing, at times, borders on stream-of-consciousness and the twists he gives his metaphors are almost always unexpected) that it would’ve been nice to seem him try and branch out of this one last expected plot device.

I also had a few issues with the intelligence of some of the characters, especially in relation to being able to recognize a kushtaka. Part of the charm of the kushtaka is that they can take on the shape of people that you know and love. Everyone seems to know this about them. And yet, all the time, the characters of the novel are randomly and blindly following people they “know” out into dark moonlit nights along creepy paths. Because that’s not weird at all? Just one of those things that by about the fifteenth time gets to be a bit too much.

All in all, the book was a wonderful read and did a great job of taking me to small-town Alaska, where life is governed by a different set of beliefs and societal rules. Stein’s writing will wrap you up and, while the book didn’t fly by, it’s middling pace wasn’t at all a problem!

[Christine (booktumbling) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robert and Jenna - the couple with everything. That is until they lose their only son, Bobby in a tragic drowning while on vacation in Alaska. Robert desperately wants to move on with their lives while Jenna is trapped in a constant state of despair as the accident happened while she was with Bobby. The stress proves too much for Jenna and she flees her marriage and life in Seattle to visit her grandmother's hometown in Alaska which just happens to be located near the Thunder Bay Resort, the location of her son's death.

Raven Stole the Moon follows Jenna's journey in Alaska and Robert's journey to find her. Jenna is mysteriously drawn to Alaska. She has a sense that there is something unfinished concerning her son's death. Is it because his body was never found or is it guilt eating at her that she didn't do everything she could to save him? While touring the town of Wrangell, she has what seems like supernatural encounters and the feeling that things are not what they appear. Jenna learns of the beliefs and legends of the Tlingits, the North American Indian tribe that was her grandmother's, concerning the kushtaka, shape-shifting otter-like creatures that have been known to lure people to their deaths and transform them into a fellow kushtaka. Could this be what happened to her son? Is this why Jenna seems to be seeking out answers?

I really did enjoy my time spent with Raven Stole the Moon. There were elements of magic and mystery, shape-shifters and shamans, romance and a violence (nothing shocking). The characters are interesting and the dialogue between them really lends to the overall "feeling" of the book. The edition I read was actually a release of a new edition of the book which was originally published in 1998. In the afterword, author Garth Stein explains his relief that he felt he did not need to rewrite large parts of his original version including the lack of technology (pretty amazing a time without cell phones and the internet) and I am glad that he left things pretty much as is. I believe a story should be kept true to it's original form.

I was very excited to have this opportunity to review this release (offered by Sarah from Terra Communications Book Marketing). As I am an Enzo fan - Enzo being the star of Mr. Stein's extremely popular and wonderful The Art of Racing in the Rain - I was very curious to see how Mr. Stein's first work compared. Both books featured very believable and realistic characters but I do believe the author's writing has gained a better voice and has evolved. Raven Stole the Moon is an engaging book with a great appeal.

Please visit Mr. Stein's website, follow him on twitter, or join him on Facebook and MySpace.

[Ti · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Short of It:

Raven Stole the Moon is almost like reading two novels, side by side. There’s the everyday, here and now part of it, and then there’s the other part that centers around mysterious Native American legends and shapeshifters. At times, it’s a wild ride.

The Rest of It:

Raven Stole the Moon is not a new book for Stein. In fact, it was first published back in 1998, but after his success with The Art of Racing in the Rain, his publisher decided to release this new edition of Raven Stole the Moon. However, when I first picked it up, I believed that this was a new book so I was a tad surprised when I came upon the afterward in the book and was told that it wasn’t.

I had mixed feelings over this book.

The first half of the book worked for me. Jenna and her husband, Robert, experience what I believe, has got to be the hardest thing to get through; the death of a child. Jenna is grief-stricken, lost and confused and looking for closure. Stein does an excellent job of communicating that feeling of loss to me. Plus, I liked her a lot. She is easily someone who I could be friends with. When she arrives in Wrangell, Alaska she is sort of like flotsam in the sea. She just sort of drifts between point A and point B. When she lands into the arms of Eddie, their attraction is obvious.

As we learn more about the circumstances of her son’s death, we are introduced to the Kushtakas. The legends of the Tlingit center around shapeshifters that are part man, part otter. These Kushtakas are soul-stealers. They change shape to lure you in. Once captured, you spend the rest of eternity as one of them. So in essence, your soul is never at rest.

The introduction to this legend intrigued me, but by the end of the book, much of it seemed far-fetched. I felt as if the novel was pulling in two different directions. Part of it wanted to stick to the relationship aspect between Jenna, her husband, and Eddie. The other part wanted to focus on the ancient legends but the two never really came together for me. I think it would have been a more powerful read, had a bit more time been spent on the ending to blend the two together.

I will say this, this novel is quite different from anything I’ve ever read. If you enjoy reading about Native American legends and can appreciate the spiritual aspect of the novel, you will enjoy this book. Also, Stein has a way with characters. Their mannerisms, their likes and dislikes, the way they use language, all come together to form real flesh and blood.

Source: This ARC was provided by Terra Communications.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having absolutely loved Garth Stein's, [[ASIN:0061565407 The Art of Racing in the Rain CD]], I wanted to read his 1998 debut novel: Raven Stole the Moon. It was good, but honestly, not my cup of tea.

About the book.....
Two years ago in a remote Alaskan village, Jenna Rosen's five-year-old son, Bobby, fell out of a boat and drowned, and Jenna was unable to save him. Unable to come to terms with her grief and sinking deeper and deeper into depression, Jenna leaves her husband in Seattle and returns to the site of the tragedy. Hoping to get some closure, once there, she encounters an assortment of sinisterly quirky characters and learns much about the Indian part of her heritage. She soon comes to a startling conclusion.

Since I have never been one to enjoy myth, legend, or fantasy, this story started to lose me when its focus involved: Tlingit Legend---that the kushtaka are shape-shifting soul stealers who inhabit a kind of twilight region between the living and the dead. To me, I would have preferred that the story stay focused, more on grieving and coming to terms with loss.

[Martin · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was NOT my book whatsoever. To me, the characters were undeveloped and the interplay between the characters were not believable. There were many circumstances which developed without establishing a credable link to being likely. The sexual content was completely inexplicable, seemingly thrown in for unknown purpose and mystifying connection between those people, to those behaviors.

The final comment suggested that our foxy protagonist is somehow, possibly, connected with the country boy who she left for her husband, who she ditched for being kind of not nice to her, but decided to go back home with, maybe because things were resolved but maybe things weren't, we don't know because maybe Mr. Stein is hoping for another book in the maybe series.

Sorry guys - didn't care for it at all. However ... there was something that pulled me at the very start of the book which, unfortunately, was lost mid-way.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the parts about Tlingkit folklore and the intersection with Jenna and her family. There were a few too many tangents that I didn't feel added to the story and some parts at the end (no spoilers!) that bugged me.

[Marianne KB · Rating 4 out of 5]

After just completing a cruise to Alaska through the inside passage I looked for a book with a story that took place in that area. Luckily I found this book and enjoyed learning more about the Native American stories an spirit that were introduce to me on the trip uring a visit to a native american village. The mix of reality and myscism was exciting and held my interest throughout. Just what I was looking for.

[Desiree · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 50%

I have so many issues with this book. I went as long as I could but I got to the point where I wasn’t even having any fun hate-reading it anymore.

As someone who grew up in Southeast Alaska (on the same island this resort is supposedly located) I find it difficult to believe that this author had even been to Alaska at the time this book was written. He has absolutely no sense of the space and distance of these towns he’s referring to. He says that the resort is near Klawock. Btw, I grew up in a town 7 miles from Klawock, Alaska. Then he also says, over and over again, that the resort is close to Wrangell, AK. This makes no sense. Prince of Wales Island is the third largest island in the United States. Klawock is on the western coast of the island. Wrangell Island, where Wrangell is located, is to the east of prince of Wales island. It just can’t be close to both. Especially when you consider that when this book was written, most of the roads around Prince of Wales were logging roads, especially in the Northern part of the island, which would be the closest to Wrangell Island. It would take a fair chunk of time to get there from Klawock. It may seem very nitpicky to some, but as someone who literally grew up there, it seemed very obvious that he didn’t have a lot of first-hand knowledge of the geography.

Also, there were several instances of stereotyping in this book with reference to the Tlingit people. It’s really a shame, especially since the author himself touts his ‘verified blood quantum’, seemingly as an excuse to make stuff up. First, there is a character who is a shaman, and is brought in to cleanse the resort of spirits. I’ve never once met a Tlingit shaman in my life.
In doing a little research, I learned that while shamanism was a prevalent part of Tlingit religious history, it is just that: history. When Christian missionaries converted the Tlingit to Christianity in the late nineteenth century, shamanism dwindled until it pretty much disappeared by the 1930s. I got my information from a Duke University article titled: Shamanism and Christianity: modern-day Tlingit elders look to the past.
Now I’m not saying that an author isn’t allowed to take a little bit of artistic license, but in this case I feel like people reading this who know nothing of the Tlingit culture may end up with an inaccurate impression of it.
Some other stereotypes include:
-Every native character described in this book (as far as I read) was described as having waist-length, straight black hair.
-Most natives are described as having leathery faces.
-Everyone is obsessed with the Kushtaka. I, along with most of the Southeast AK population, know the story of the Kushtaka. I had friends whose parents used it in almost the same way the boogeyman is used for the rest of us- as a cautionary tale to get children to behave. But it wasn’t something that was talked about ad nauseum. I get that this is supposed to be kind of a horror book with the Kushtaka as its villain, but the number of conversations revolving around this creature became boring and repetitive.

Now that I’ve got my technical gripes out of the way, the story itself just isn’t good. Jenna is the worst. This is not a real woman. This is the author’s fantasy of a woman. When we first meet her she’s dancing around her husband naked trying to seduce him while they are supposed to be getting ready for a party. Later, after she runs off with her husband’s vehicle and is pulled over for speeding, she gets turned on by the cop...who pulled a freaking gun on her when she tried to step out of the vehicle instead of rolling the window down and staying put like any normal person. She actually tries to flirt with him while thinking that all women love a man in uniform and ‘good porn movies start out this way.’
...HE HAD A GUN PULLED ON HER AND ALL SHE CAN THINK ABOUT IS HOW FUN IT WOULD BE TO HAVE SEX WITH A COP.
Later she gets all twitterpated for Eddie after knowing him for about five minutes. Seriously, less than half a day and she’s talking about how she knows they both want it and blah, blah, blah. Then she tries to make her husband feel bad to justify her cheating behavior. I hated this main character. So, so much. I was rooting for the Kushtaka.

Even though I could go on and on about the things I hated about this book, I’m just going to talk about one more thing, and that is how this book was marketed. Now, I don’t know about the original version. I’m only talking about the reprint that was done a few years back. From the cover and the synopsis, this is presented as a literary fiction/ chick lit type of book. I was very surprised to learn that it is turned into basically a fantasy-horror novel. I didn’t like that. Now that has more to do with the publishers than the author, but still. It added to my dislike.

If you want to read a great book about Alaska, pick up The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah. Also The Smell of Other People’s Houses by Bonnie Sue Hitchcock. And if you’re truly interested in Tlingit culture and storytelling, I suggest you pick up a mythology book or a non-fiction title. They will be a hell of a lot more accurate than this mess.

[Romi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really didn’t love this. Very hard to connect to or feel for the characters.

[Lynn Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

A re-read from an original read 15ish years ago. It's as excellent as I remember. So well written! So intriguing! Difficult to put down.

Such an excellent grasp on grief, human relationships, and cultures different than your own.

[Selena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Garth Stein is known for the popular book The Art of Racing in the Rain, which at one point last year, was even being sold at Starbucks. Though I thought the dog was adorable and the minimalist cover appealing, I avoid books with animals as a major theme (the endings almost always end up being sad).

Raven Stole the Moon is a complete departure from the premise of The Art of Racing in the Rain. The story begins in Seattle with a troubled couple, Jenna and her husband, getting ready to go to a party. All the while, Jenna spends her time thinking about how one can drown himself. Wouldn’t your body fight it? Wouldn’t you float upward? Slowly, we learn that she and her husband lost their son Bobby in Alaska – that he disappeared and was thought to have drowned.

At first, the story reminded me very much of Glen Duncan’s Death of an Ordinary Man. Jenna’s reaction to her son’s death and her marriage very much followed what Duncan portrayed in his novel. Their marriage had mostly deteriorated and each found their own way of coping with it – without relying on each other. Despite the harsh topic, Stein impressed with his very likeable characters. Though I was reminded of Death of an Ordinary Man, it is important to note that Stein’s characters are more real, more raw than Duncan’s. Something about Jenna makes me feel like I would be her friend were she a real person. In very subtle ways, through gestures and phrases, the characters become people we would be glad to know in real life.

What brought the story to life for me was the strong focus on Alaska and Tlingit culture. After the party, we see Jenna pick up and leave to Alaska on a whim – to go to the place where she lost her son (and coincidentally, where her Tlingit grandmother lived). The information we learn through Jenna’s case about the Tlingit society and their mythology and folklore alone makes the novel worth reading.

Stein’s ability to seamlessly weave this historical content into Jenna’s story was downright impressive. It never felt like he was reaching or forcing the story through. As someone particularly uneducated about Native American tribes of the United States, it felt like I took in valuable information (and accurate information).

Knowing that the author had ties to the Tlingit culture, being 50% Tlingit himself through his grandmother only made me appreciate this aspect of the book even more. It is apparent that the story within Raven Stole the Moon means a lot to Stein.

[Nely · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two years ago, Jenna Rosen’s son, Bobby, drowned while on vacation in Alaska. To her dismay, his body was never found and she had to return home with her loss and grief. While Robert, Jenna's husband has gotten over his grief, Jenna has found nothing that can help her get over or forget the loss of her son, putting strain on their marriage and making them act more like strangers than a husband and wife.

One night Jenna just can't take it anymore and decides she needs to leave, while in the middle of one of Robert's business parties, she just gets in the car and drives off. She eventually finds herself in Wrangell, Alaska, where her Native American grandmother lived - and just a few miles away from where Bobby drowned. There Jenna meets a shaman who tells her of the legends of the Tlingits and their beliefs as to a person's soul.

As a big fan of Garth Stein and, of course, Enzo's, when I was contacted to review Raven Stole the Moon, I was like.... "ooh, ooh, me!" And although it seems this is one of Mr. Stein's previous works (maybe even his first), I was surprised by how much I actually enjoyed this story. It is definitely nothing like The Art of Racing in the Rain, this is more of a thriller, and at more than one point, it even felt creepy along the lines of a horror story. As a mother, you can't help but to feel Jenna's pain. The overwhelming loss of a child - trying anything and everything to overcome that grief and to eventually find a path to healing... it really is heartbreaking. This is her journey to not only save herself but also to save her son's soul.

I really found it interesting to read of the Kushtakas (a/k/a shape-shifting soul stealers). I liked the mystery and even the fright that came with their myths and legends. Mr. Stein really has a way with words. I love the voice that he uses to narrate his stories. It was the same way with The Art of Racing in the Rain. I don't know if I can explain it right, but it's soft and soothing... even though there was a time or two where my hairs were standing on end... I found his writing calming.

This is a heartwrenching story about grief, loss and healing that it is expertly intertwined with Native American folklore making it a fascinating read. I truly enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it.

This book was provided for review Terra Communications.

[Wrighty]

On impulse, Jenna Rosen leaves the party she and her real estate developer husband, Robert, are attending in Seattle, takes his BMW and drives north to Bellingham. Again on impulse, she hops on the ferry to the Alaskan town where her Tlingit Indian grandmother lived and died. But there's more than impulse at work here: Jenna and Robert's 5-year-old son, Bobby, drowned in Alaska just two years ago, and something is drawing Jenna back to the scene. On the ferry, she's given a carved silver charm of a Tlingit spirit called a kushtaka, a stealer of souls. "Tlingits don't have good and evil," a local shaman explains, telling the story of how the spirit known as Raven gave the world the sun, moon, and stars by stealing them from someone else. As Jenna learns more about the kushtakas, helped by this very sophisticated shaman and an understanding fisherman, she begins to believe that her son's soul is being held captive by these spirits, as revenge for her husband's greed. Garth Stein's persuasive prose draws us into a book that mixes fantasy with tragedy and the natural human desire for closure.

I adored Garth Stein's book The Art of Racing in the Rain so I was eager to review this book as well. I have to admit that I wasn't sure if I would like it as much after I read the synopsis but when I began to leaf through it I was hooked. As a horror story this is a very different type of book but Stein is an excellent writer and storyteller. He brings all of his characters to life and creates a beautiful setting in the Alaskan wilderness.

Jenna is haunted be the loss of her son and is pain is palpable. She is in self destruct mode and risks losing everything when she returns to Alaska but she is searching for closure. With the help of a Shaman she is immersed in the culture and beliefs of the Tlingits. The fantasy was a bit confusing for me but the folklore was truly fascinating. The suspense kept me reading and longing for Jenna to be successful in her quest to rescue her son's soul. It was an emotional roller coaster but an amazing ride. I look forward to even more books by this author.

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I was growing up my mother was a storyteller. She told Southern folk tales and some Celtic tales, but most of all she loved to tell trickster stories, so I grew up with Raven and Jack and Anansi, and I was definitely curious to read this book because of its title and loose association with the story of how Raven stole the moon. I spent summers in Seattle from the time I was in the third grade and lived there for ten years (before the rain forced me to flee), so I like to keep my eye on Seattle writers. I haven't read Garth Stein's other book (The Art of Racing in the Rain), which I think of as the dog book because of the amazingly cute cover, but now I will.

This book draws on the folklore of the Tlingit people to frame its utterly modern tale of Jenna and her search for her son who she can't quite believe is dead. Escaping her safe Seattle life for Wrangell, Alaska, Jenna is forced to face her fears, her beliefs, her history, her choice, and her life as she struggles to put together the pieces of the ancient puzzle that may bring her son back to her.

Stein tells a great story here - it's a real page-turner with plenty of creepy, scary moments that will make you wonder what else may be out there. In a way this is a story that has been told over and over again and yet Stein tells it through fresh eyes that are never sentimental, never cliched, never simple. The characters are utterly believable as are their choices. I loved that Stein never took the easy way out. He held my attention and made me want to keep reading long past my bedtime.

Thanks to the nice people at Terra Communications for giving me an advance copy of this book to review.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had heard about a lot of good things about Garth Stein's work, and was excited to be able to review one of his novels. With all the great things I've heard, I had created some high expectations I was really hoping this book would live up to. It not only lived up to them, but exceeded them!

From the first page, I found myself under the spell of this highly emotional story. There was just no way, after starting it, that I was able to put it down. The characters were extremely well crafted and realistic. The storyline was beautifully and masterfully told. I was very impressed with the way that Stein wove Tlingit folklore throughout the story, making it real and almost believable.

My heart broke for the main character, Jenna, and the loss of her son. I understood her need for closure and was aching right along with her. Not many characters will get to me the way that hers did.

"Raven Stole the Moon" has made my favorites list for this year. It's powerful, thrilling, suspenseful, gripping, and will scare the pants off you! Make sure you add it to your reading list if you haven't already. This is a new updated version of the original novel that was released in 1998. Mr. Stein made a few changes and cut out a lot of the vulgarity.

The reason for Adult Audience rating: This book has some descriptive sex, language, and other adult themes that would make it questionable for older teens. Please read before deciding if you should or should not give it to your older teen. It's a great story, but the content is sometimes harsh.

[Mel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this book up because from the back of the book it sounded like it was one that would incorporate some Native American legend--and it did.

The story began with Jenna and her husband two years after the drowning death of their son Bobby when he was four. Jenna cannot cope with his loss and increasingly feels that her husband is putting Bobby's memory away in the past, forgetting him and moving on with his live--without her. She cannot forget the loss of their son, so one night, she simply drives away heading north. She ends up in Alaska, where her grandmother lived and her son drowned.

Here she sets out to discover the truth of her son's loss as she begins to hear various tales about the Kushtaka, shape-shifting spirits from Tlingit myth who exist to steal souls. She comes to believe her son has been spirited away by these spirits and seeks out a shaman who can help her discover the truth.

The start of the novel I found compelling and heart-breaking as Jenna drifts away from her husband. And while I enjoy myths and legends, the kushtaka and the depths of darkness encountered in this novel were overwhelming to me. Also, Jenna's choices while in Alaska were disturbing to me and seemed contradictory to the moral stance she had previously expressed.

So, all in all, it was an okay book--I wish I could give it 2.5 stars, since it was engaging, just very dark...