Keeping the Moon



The Penguin Group 1999, 225 pp., $8.99
Sarah Dessen






ISBN 978-0-14-240176-7

The moment Nicole sets foot onto the train will to take her to her artistic Aunt Mira’s house, she’s pushed into a life changing journey. To her surprise, Nicole finds work at the Last Chance Bar and new friends in Norman an artist, who helps her realize that she’s not the only one who’s been hurt. Two other characters I admire are Isabel and Morgan who become the sisters Nicole has always wanted. After loosing over forty pounds and gaining a false reputation, Nicole, chased by the spirit of her lost weight and false reputation, begins to give up on herself. Who will help her?
I loved Keeping the Moon because of its layered narrative and heart wrenching plot. One of the life lessons I’ve learned from reading this novel, is that when knocked down, you can and need to find the strength to get back up. Keeping the Moon is a perfect example of how friends can help you find the strength you need.
Another theme Dessen touches on is how stereotyping can leave deep scars that don’t heal easily. Most importantly, Dessen used Nicole point to the importance self-respect. Initially, Nicole learns to always be herself.

Keeping the Moon is an eye-grabbing narrative that I recommend to anyone who loves to read contemporary-realistic-fiction, to anyone who is ready to learn another lesson from another person’s experiences, and anyone is ready to loose them self in the world of a Colby summer.