June 2012: Clair de Lune

Join us in a discussion of Jetta Carleton's recently discovered second novel, Clair de Lune! Unless anyone objects, I suggest we start discussing on June 18, after the KC meet-up!

I may start reading this today on the train home from St Louis.

We discussed this in Kansas City last week, and the general consensus was "Meh." Anyone want to comment on it? It wasn't awful, but it wasn't anywhere near The Moonflower Vine. Her executors should have left well enough alone.

Well that's disappointing. I may put it aside then and read it "someday."

Linda, everyone had the impression that maybe she wasn't completely satisfied with it either, and gave the manuscript to her friend to read, then forgot about it. She may be spinning in her grave....

Finally finished the book today. Not terrible, but not up to Moonflower standards, either. The second half was definitely better than the first. However, I thought the ending was too abrupt. I can certainly see why she didn't publish it during her lifetime. Glad to be done with it.

I agree with your assessment, Sandy. An okay book that won't stay with me. I wonder if I was comparing it too much to The moonflower Vine and might have enjoyed it more if I hadn't read MV first?

No doubt this book suffers by being compared to Moonflower. The part I thought was strongest was the depiction of the shame and embarrassment Allen suffered when she was afraid her indiscretions would be revealed. That, and the day she spent with her brother - up to the point where he told her about their father's secret. Of course, those are the parts with the most conflict, which is always more interesting.

Well, and Moonflower Vine was SO good. It would have been hard for her to duplicate that. Anything would have suffered in comparison.