Almost Moon by Alice Sebold

I thought The Lovely Bones was brilliant, but this book is even better.
In The Almost Moon, Alice Sebold almost convinced me that the killing of another human being was justified. I would never have thought that I would feel sympathy for someone who had killed their mother.
Alice Sebold's quality of writing in this book is superb. I desperately wanted to finish it and find out what happened but at the same time on several occasions my reactions were so intense, that I had to put the book down, walk away and return a few hours later. It is the subtlety with which she leads you to discoveries, the gradual unfolding of Helen's life.
We are gently led and left to make up our own minds. I particularly liked how she has engaged the readers in the plot, through Helen's no nonsense and brutally honest narrative, the way we are left to consider how in the end it might be resolved and perhaps how we think that it ought to be resolved. Do I think Helen is a murderess? Well yes, but then again no............
I can see that this book will be so right for Book Groups, the arguments and discussion will be continuing for hours, I can't wait to share it with someone!