Two Moons: A Novel

Rating:
Summary: From a master of the historical novel
Review: Thomas Mallon once again shows he's among the best historical novelists out there. Two Moons is set in late 19th-century Washington D.C. with a plot and cast of characters that is historically accurate, but isn't drawn from the most obvious of headlines.

Mallon gives us three main characters: a bright widow looking for a better-paying job within the growing federal government; a moody young man working as an astronomer but searching for immortality; and Roscoe Conkling, political power-broker and Senator from New York.

It is the mark of a great historical novelist that the historical material becomes no more than a backdrop -- a fascinating one, but nothing that takes over the story. Mallon keeps the characters in the forefront while emphasizing the very period-specific challenges they faced. In doing so, he gives us a fresh window into a grossly under-treated period of American history.

Rating:
Summary: His Best Yet
Review: Two Moons will satisfy those who like a good plot and those who crave strong characterization. As usual, Mallon's novel (set in post-Civil War Washington, D.C.) is meticulously researched. Protagonist Cynthia May will win your sympathy from the first chapter. I even found the astronomy intersting, and I received a C in the subject in college.