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Moon Over Manifest Book Review

Reviewed by on Dec 26, 2010
Rating: 5 Star Rating

Do you like historical fiction? Then check out Clare Vanderpools amazing debut novel, Moon Over Manifest.

Title: Moon Over Manifest
Authors: Clare Vanderpool
Ages: 10+
Rating: 5


Moon Over ManifestCourtesy of Delacorte Press

After a severe accident, Abilene’s father, Gideon, shipped her off to Manifest, a small town that made a huge impression on him as a boy. But for some reason, no one in Manifest has much to say about Gideon.


The Diviner

Abilene discovers a box of mementos under the floorboards at Shady’s house—the place Gideon arranged for her to stay. She brings them to the local diviner, Miss Sadie, hoping to gain some insight into her father’s past. But what she gets is a miraculous story about two boys named Jinx and Ned, and the town of Manifest in 1918.


A Twist

While Abilene learns about Manifest’s past, she waits and wonders when, if ever, Gideon is going to come to Manifest to collect her. This question remains until the end, when readers are rewarded with a satisfying twist.


The Bottom Line

Moon Over Manifest gives readers a window into the past. While the main part of the story is set in 1936, right in the heart of the depression, we get snippets of 1918 through Miss Sadie’s stories. Both Abilene’s and the boys’ stories are well thought out and wonderfully written. Clare Vanderpool has a rare gift for breathing life into her characters. Tell us what you think of Moon Over Manifest in our comments section below.


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Moon Over ManifestCourtesy of Delacorte Press