Keeping the Moon

I picked this up at the library because I've seen Sarah Dessen's novels reviewed in the news, and I was curious. She is a proliferate writer...so even though this wasn't the best book I've ever read, I think I might try something else she's written. Because this was good and sweet and innocent. And I like that.

Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Colie is your typical lost teenage girl. Her mother, a fitness guru, is off to Europe for the summer, and Colie must stay with her Aunt Mira, an eccentric artist who loves to adopt people, pets and things that aren't working quite right. Colie, in order to survive an entire summer with little to do, starts a job at the Last Chance diner. And there she befriends Morgan, Isabel and Norman. The three of them, along with some help from Mira, help Colie discover there is more to her than her former fat self or some rumors spread by the mean girl at school.

I appreciated this lesson from the book. Mira, who has a penchant for collecting items that don't work properly, teaches Colie this. If something isn't working perfectly, it doesn't mean it needs to be thrown away. It's okay if you have to jiggle door handles to get them to open or jimmy sink faucets so they will turn on and off. The more important implication is for people. You don't throw away relationships because they aren't perfect, or judge people because they don't meet your expectations. As Mira tells her, "Everything can't be fully operational all the time. Sometimes, we need to have the patience to give something the little nudge it needs." A beautiful thought about what it means to care for someone else. To have patience. Heaven knows the world could use a little more patience, especially because we are so used to getting what we want when we want it and throwing things out when they don't work. Everything is disposable. Maybe we could all use a bit more patience with the things and people in our lives.

However, most of the characters here are stock, and there is nothing extraordinary about the plot, the conflicts or the development of the story. It was sweet, light, and tame. I suppose I'm just glad to see a young adult novel that isn't full of vulgarity or sex. Call me naive, but I think it reflected a more honest reality for most teenagers. So while I am not giving this a glowing review, I do think it is a good, quick read...one for the beach or the pool.

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