Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Review & Giveaway: Raven Stole the Moon by Garth Stein

For the past two years, Jenna Rosen's life has been in a tailspin. A terrible accident while on a family vacation to Alaska resulted in the drowning of Jenna's only child, six year old Bobby. Though Jenna's husband, Robert, seems to have gotten past the grief and pain, she has not been able to do the same. Therapy, medication, alcohol...she has tried them all and is still in a fog.

Enduring another boring party business party of Robert's is the last straw, Jenna has to get away. She takes the car and leaves, driving north from Seattle, and finds herself unable to stop. When she reaches Bellingham she finds herself at the Alaska ferry station. Impulsively, she buys a ticket, deciding to visit Wrangell, the town where her Native American grandmother lived and died. She pushes from her mind the fact that Wrangell is only a few miles from where Bobby drowned.

From the moment she arrives in Wrangell, strange things start to happen to Jenna. As she teases out the meaning of her strange dreams and odd happenings, an unbelievable story starts to emerge. The Kushtaka, spirits of the local Native American tribe, the Tlingit, are legendary for their collection of human souls, usually those who have drowned. The soul is then trapped with the Kushtaka and cannot rest. The more Jenna hears about this story, the more convinced she is that Bobby has been taken and must be helped to escape the Kushtaka so that he can be at peace. For help she turns to Eddie, a wounded fisherman who takes Jenna into his home and David, a Shaman who has had previous experience with the Kushtaka. They are all skeptical, it is a leap of faith for all concerned.

This is a story with a familiar theme, the loss of a child and the path of the parent to survival afterward. But the mystical quality of Garth Stein's tale makes it unique and special, bringing centuries old myth into the modern world. At times chilling, haunting and touching, Raven Stole the Moon is an emotional journey readers won't want to miss.

Garth Stein is also the author of the widely acclaimed novel,The Art of Racing in the Rain. For more information about all of his books, please visit his website.

Raven Stole the Moon is published by Harper Collins, ISBN 978-0-06-180638-4

I really enjoyed this unconventional novel, would you like to win a copy? Just leave me a comment here with your email address. You must enter by midnight eastern time on March 20 and you must have a US or Canada mailing address. Winner will be drawn at random and notified via email. Many thanks to Sarah at Terra Communications for providing my review copy and the one for the giveaway!!

38 comments:

tetewa said...

I'd like to be included, count me in! tWarner419@aol.com

Unknown said...

I would love to win this book.
amandarwest at gmaildotcom

brokenteepee said...

Sounds very interesting.
thank you
kaiminani at gmail dot com

Becca said...

Please enter me. I'd love to read this.

Thanks
rebecca.bradeen(at)verizon(dot)net

Ti said...

Don't count me in for the giveaway as I am giving away a copy as well.

I really liked the first half of this one, but the second half seemed a bit far-fetched to me.

bermudaonion said...

I've seen mixed reviews of this one, but I'd still like a chance to win. Please enter me. milou2ster(at)gmail.com

Marjorie/cenya2 said...

I have read many reviews of this book and would like to win it.

cenya2 at hotmail dot com

Katy said...

I would *love* to win a copy of this book! :)

srfbluemama at gmail dot com

Icedream said...

Loved his first book and would appreciate a chance to be entered to win this one. Thanks :)
waitmantwillie at hotmail dot com

Benita said...

Please count me in. I'd love to read it.

bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com

Charleydog said...

What a terrible event to happen to a family! Sounds like a good book. Please enter my name in the giveaway for the book. Thanks!

pboylecharley AT hotmail DOT com

madwoman-doing-cartwheels said...

I read The Art Of Racing In The Rain. Excellent book! Glad to see something new by this author!

rubymoonstone at gmail dot com

enyl said...

If this book is as good as it sound,I will hav discovered a new author.
enyl(at)inbox(dot)com

Sandra K321 said...

I really liked Racing in the Rain; but from the reviews I've read this book is very different but just as enjoyable.
seknobloch(at)gmail(dot)com

rubynreba said...

Sounds like an interesting book. I'd love to be entered.
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

Darlene said...

Just popping in to say I've got this posted at Win a Book for you. No need to enter me.

Esme said...

Please enter me-I just saw this at the bookstore tonight.

thanks

chocolate and croissants at yahoo dot com

Teddy Rose said...

I would love to win this! I LOVED The Art of Racing in the Rain.

teddyr66 at yahoo dot com

Mystica said...

I'd like to be included. Please count me in.

mystica123athotmaildotcom

Linda said...

I've heard so much about this author, but haven't yet anything by him. Thanks for this giveaway.

baileythebookworm said...

Please enter me! This looks like a really intriguing read.
baileythebookworm at gmail dot com

traveler said...

Thanks for this fascinating giveaway. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

Craftymoose Crafts said...

I have been to Alaska twice and love it. I know I would love reading this book.

craftymoose[at]yahoo.com

Zibilee said...

No need to enter me, as I just finished the book. I thought it was a very interesting and different read and enjoyed it a lot. Glad to see you did too! Great review!

Pam said...

Pick me please!

melacan at hotmail dot com

Sandee61 said...

I'd love to read this book, please add my name to your giveaway. Thank you!

Have a great day!
Sandee61

Muzzley56[at]aol[dot]com

Anonymous said...

would love to read this book...thanks for the opportunity

karenk
kmkuka(at)yahoo(dot)Com

justpeachy36 said...

justpeachy36@yahoo.com

Please enter me in the giveaway

Vera said...

I have been seeing this book everywhere and would love to win a copy! vvperesk@gmail.com

Margie said...

Count me in please.
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

nfmgirl said...

This sounds like a great book. Please count me in. Thank you!

nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com

Misusedinnocence said...

I would love to win a copy of this. :)

misusedinnocence@aol.com

enyl said...

It's been a long time since I've enjoyed a work of literary fiction--I'm long over due.
enyl(at)inbox(dot)com

Anita Yancey said...

I think this would be an interesting read. Please enter me. Thanks!

ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net

mrsshukra said...

Please count me in, intriguing!

delilah0180(at)yahoo(dot)com

Sarah E said...

Please enter me in this giveaway!

saemmerson at yahoo dot com

Sarah E

Library Cat said...

Thank you for the review of this book - I am writing the title on my wish list.

historywriter said...

What a beautiful review. I truly enjoyed Racing, but when I heard about this book from my book club, I wanted to know more.

For the past couple of years I have been learning how to spin the Tlingit way with wool on my thigh. I listen to the stories and the laughter as we work. I would love to read this book.


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Bibliophile, Anglophile, Traveller... I have been an avid reader all of my life, since I took the Dr. Seuss Dictionary away from my Mom when I was less than a year old because I wanted to read it myself. In college, where I earned my degree in English Literature, I was often asked "What are you going to do with it?" Now I finally have the answer to that question!!! Being employed as a Flight Attendant for twenty years has given me a lot of life experience and, better still, a lot of time to read. I love to travel for fun, too.