⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Jeannette Walls (The Glass Castle) takes readers to Prohibition-era Virginia in Hang the Moon, a story of family feuds, power struggles, and one unforgettable heroine. Sallie Kincaid grows up in the shadow of her larger-than-life father, the Duke, who controls most of Claiborne County. After being cast out as a child, Sallie returns years later determined to earn her place, only to find herself entangled in the family’s bootlegging empire.
Sallie is a whip-smart daredevil—tough, resourceful, and often reckless. Her narration pulls you right into the drama as she navigates secrets, betrayals, and a community divided by politics and whiskey. Walls paints the era with striking detail, from the fast cars and backroom deals to the harsh realities women faced in a world stacked against them.
That said, Walls’s heavy use of adjectives sometimes bogged down the prose and distracted from the story’s momentum. The novel also leans into melodrama and more than its fair share of heartbreak. Still, Sallie’s grit and sharp wit make her impossible not to root for. Hang the Moon is part family saga, part bootlegging adventure, and part meditation on resilience—a dark, fast-paced tale with a heroine who refuses to be silenced.
** Thanks to NetGalley and Scribner for a comp. Opinions are my own.