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Book club questions for The Half Moon by Marth Beth Kane takes a closer look at this novel about a couple in crisis. There will be spoilers so for more context about the book, check out my spoiler-free review first.
Whew. In my opinion, Malcolm and Jess are not a good fit. I did not root for them to stay together. The ending was a tone shift in my opinion. Also, I did not care for the storyline about Charles Waggoner.
Let me know your thoughts about the book below!
The Synopsis
Malcolm Gephardt, handsome and gregarious longtime bartender at the Half Moon, has always dreamed of owning a bar. When his boss finally retires, Malcolm stretches to buy the place. He sees unquantifiable magic and potential in the Half Moon and hopes to transform it into a bigger success, but struggles to stay afloat.
His smart and confident wife, Jess, has devoted herself to her law career. After years of trying for a baby, she is facing the idea that motherhood may not be in the cards for her. Like Malcolm, she feels her youth beginning to slip away and wonders how to reshape her future.
Book Club Questions for The Half Moon
- Why do you think the author decided to use the bar’s name, the Half Moon, as the book title? What did the bar represent for Malcolm and Jess?
- What first drew Malcolm and Jess to each other? Do you think they would have still married if she hadn’t been pregnant?
- How did infertility and money troubles impact their relationship?
- Do you think Malcolm and Jess are a good fit? Why or why not?
- Why did Jess have the affair?
- What did you think of the small-town setting?
- How did the blizzard help add tension to the story?
- Were you engaged with the disappearance of Charles Waggoner storyline? Why do you think this was included?
- Let’s talk about the decision by Malcolm to be finished with the Half Moon.
- What are your thoughts about Malcolm and Jess reuniting and moving to St. John? Do you feel they are in it for the long haul?
Additional Recommendations
Hope you enjoyed book club questions for The Half Moon! Here are some additional recommendations along with links to book club questions.
Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano is such an impactful story about sisters and love.
William Waters grew up in a house silenced by tragedy, where his parents could hardly bear to look at him, much less love him—so when he meets the spirited and ambitious Julia Padavano in his freshman year of college, it’s as if the world has lit up around him. With Julia comes her family, as she and her three sisters are inseparable: Sylvie, the family’s dreamer, is happiest with her nose in a book; Cecelia is a free-spirited artist; and Emeline patiently takes care of them all. With the Padavanos, William experiences a newfound contentment; every moment in their house is filled with loving chaos.
But then darkness from William’s past surfaces, jeopardizing not only Julia’s carefully orchestrated plans for their future, but the sisters’ unshakeable devotion to one another. The result is a catastrophic family rift that changes their lives for generations. Will the loyalty that once rooted them be strong enough to draw them back together when it matters most?
Check out my book club questions here.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
An interesting character study is Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin.
From the best-selling author of The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry: On a bitter-cold day, in the December of his junior year at Harvard, Sam Masur exits a subway car and sees, amid the hordes of people waiting on the platform, Sadie Green. He calls her name. For a moment, she pretends she hasn’t heard him, but then, she turns, and a game begins: a legendary collaboration that will launch them to stardom.
These friends, intimates since childhood, borrow money, beg favors, and, before even graduating college, they have created their first blockbuster, Ichigo. Overnight, the world is theirs. Not even twenty-five years old, Sam and Sadie are brilliant, successful, and rich, but these qualities won’t protect them from their own creative ambitions or the betrayals of their hearts.
Check out my book club questions here.
Happy reading!
