The Hunger Moon

by Suzanne Matson

A waitress and now a single mother, Renata wants only to give her baby boy, Charlie, a better start. So she packs up her spare life, leaves her boyfriend behind, and heads across the country in search of a new place to begin. Settling in Boston, her life is suddenly changed by the chance meeting of two unlikely women: Eleanor, a seventy-eight year old widow who is stripping away the layers of her past, and June, an ambitious dance student who relies on a psychic to help manage her estranged relationships--all the while keeping a shocking secret.

As these three resilient women of different backgrounds and ages face their own particular demons, Charlie becomes their shared center. Drawing strength from each other and the maternal bond that unites them, they soon discover that the lives they have run from just may be their saving grace. . . .

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

272 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1997

Reviews

[Jenifer Lockwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great story line but could have been longer. It ended rushed & abrupt.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Story is about Renata giving birth to a baby boy, Charlie. Becoming a single Mom and driving to settle in Boston. She gets an apartment and the story is about the three ladies involved with knowing Charlie.
Good read. Nicely written and kept my attention. Each chapter started with Either Renate, Eleanor and new neighbor or June, A dance student working for Eleanor.
Characters were good and plot was interesting. We did have some surprises in the story and a happy ending. This will make a great movie.

[Mary Lautner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found Renata's road trip with her baby so engrossing, as if you could remove everything from your life that didn't matter and be in this moment of being. And then I was struck by how Eleanor moved from her house, where she lived and grew her family, for over 40 years. She let go of the objects of her life and found peace in a completely stripped down apartment. Then their solitary lives intertwined.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable read, it's been in my 'to read' shelf probably 10 +yrs...I enjoyed the interweaving of the characters lives, and the character development. As the book description states, this is a womans' lifespan story, touching on - through the events or memories of the 3 main women - all aspects of women's lives.

[Ann Branch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprising story about 3 women, Eleanor, Renata, and June, at very different life stages. All are changed by the birth of Charlie. The story chronicles how each of their lives intersected and how each were impacted by the others. Also, how the baby’s father, Bryan, had to fight for a life with his son after being raised by a manic depressed mother.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a comforting read — it didn’t have any complicated or twisting plots, but rather told stories about the everyday lives of regular people trying to make a go in the world. I especially enjoyed the evocative descriptions of early motherhood — brought back memories!

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good, easy, fast paced book. The three main characters (of different ages and backgrounds) were interesting and the way they bonded was lovely. I found one of the characters incredibly annoying (Renata). I felt the ending was abrupt and perhaps rushed.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was OK. Sometimes I had trouble with the decisions the main character made. This is a book for younger readers (20's).

[DeAnne Tolle · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a good read- a fairly short book, the ending was abrupt, it was like the author just rushed to get to the end and left out part of the story.

[Geraldine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this to be a very enjoyable book. The 3 main characters shared their thoughts with alternating chapters . Although the women were of varying ages, I was able to relate to the life situation of each one.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice short novel about three women of varying ages whose lives intersect for a brief period. Told in alternating voices, each woman tells her part of the tale, each bringing an age, a way of life, and her particular emotions to the telling of their shared history. Renata is a new, single mom running away from her old life - or, perhaps, just toward a new one. Eleanor is frail and elderly and trying to come to terms with an utterly changed life. June is a college student trying to figure out what life she wants and how to get there. Caring about them is easy; the short length of the visit a reader has with them, not so much.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

First time reading this author, but want to read more of her now. This book is about 3 women, one in college, one in her 20's and one in 70's and then she intertwines their lives. The reason I like this so much is because the author, Suzanne Matson, is so emotionally honest, it's amazing. She can clearly write the things women are really thinking and the book is very crisp and moves at a nice quick pace.

[Asher · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, mostly because I'm about to have my baby and I could relate to Renata's experience. I liked the three women's stories, but I thought the themes were only loosely related, and I didn't feel like I got any deep insight into any of them. It felt a bit chick-lit-ish, and not in a good way. I don't think this book will linger in my memory.

[Felicia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was between a 2 and 3 but more 2 for me. The novel is written in the 3rd person so that we have the opportunity to understand the main characters. I felt that the story lines could have been pushed. The ending although seemingly happy felt a bit rushed. Overall there were the makings of a very good novel but it just fell flat for me.

[Gerry Durisin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story of three women who come together at very different points in their lives, and the impact each has on the others as they come to terms with their life circumstances. For me the only disappointment was the limited attention given to Eleanor, who seemed to me the most interesting of the three.

[Vanessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of those books that is great for a break between heavier works. Quick and easy and while there is some suspense, certainly nothing so intense that one needs to walk away from the book for a bit. In a word it is "pleasant" to read.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. I couldn't put it down and was very invested in the characters. However, it forced you to suspend disbelief a bit too much in order to believe that the women just happened to meet. It felt a bit contrived, but the plot and writing were so good that I didn't really care.

[Susie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book captured my attention immediately and the characters are well defined and familiar...I just didn't like the ending.

[Val · Rating 5 out of 5]

I believe i picked this book up in '02. I loved it! The weaving of the three female characters is wonderfully done. Each woman has her own struggles and come out in the end better for it.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet but not intense. Single mom travels with baby from CA to Boston, befriends two other women there. It's worth the read.

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very sweet story about finding yourself and the power of love and friendship. It's very heartwarming and the pages will fly by. I would definitely recommend this to anyone, especially mothers!

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

good. I liked the happy ending.

[Denidevine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I expected nothing from this book but really enjoyed it!!

[Dee · Rating 3 out of 5]

The lives of three very different women are interwoven. A good story.

[Sheila Marie]

I read this book years ago and still think of parts every now and again. I really enjoyed it!

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very well drawn characters.

[Lowell AfdahlRice · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this. It was written by a poet, so the relationships were deeply felt.

[Aggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

it was really interesting to have different perspectives of women that all have interconnecting lives! really fun and interesting

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good cover. : ) Quick read. Entertaining but not earth shattering.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting story of lofe, life, death and friendship.