Where the Moon Isn’t: A Novel
by Nathan Filer

I’ve been meaning to mention that Book Browse is a neat little site where you can read book reviews and keep track of your own reading list, if you’re so inclined.  You can get limited access to the site for free, and for a $30/year membership fee you get access the entire site, which is actually pretty extensive, and includes a monthly newsletter with reviews, online book clubs/discussions, author interviews, and more.  You also get access to the site’s feature, “First Impressions,” which is a program whereby they offer a limited number of advance copies of soon-to-be-released books for free (well, it’s included in the $30/yearly fee) in exchange for your agreement to read and write a short review on the site.  I’ve received quite a few free advance copies of books this way.

So, recently, Where the Moon Isn’t was one of the books offered by Book Browse First Impressions.  The description of a novel about two young boys who sneak out one night, but only one of them returns, intrigued me, so I requested and received it to read and review.

From the moment I opened this book, I could hardly put it down.

Matthew and Simon Homes are no ordinary boys.  It is gradually revealed that Simon, the older of the two brothers, has Down syndrome.  I had no idea when I requested this book that it featured a character with Down syndrome.  The way it’s revealed is both matter-of-factly, but almost incidentally.  As I began to realize that Simon had Down syndrome – before “Down syndrome” was ever uttered – I got chills as I recognized pieces of my own son, Finn, in him.

The younger of the two brothers, Matthew, narrates the story.  It was his idea to convince his older brother, Simon, to sneak out of the caravan the family was vacationing in at Ocean Cove Holiday Park in their native England that fateful night.  At the time, Matthew was nine, and Simon 12 – though Simon seemed the younger of the two.  Something terrible happens as the boys are sneaking about in the caravan park that night, as their parents slept peacefully, unaware, and only Matthew returns to the caravan.

Now, ten years later, Matthew is still trying to come to terms with his brother’s death and his part in it . . . but now, Matthew is schizophrenic, and he hears Simon talking to him.  A lot.  Matthew thinks he can bring Simon back.

Told alternatingly between moments of lucidity and madness, this story is like no other story I’ve read.  It’s both unflinching and compassionate, heartbreaking and funny, tender and tragic.  My eyes burned from reading so late into the night (one night by lantern during a power outage), and by the end, I was laughing and crying.

I was so moved by this story – and it’s a debut novel.  This guy can write!  I won’t soon forget Matthew and Simon Homes.

This book will be released next month; put it on your wish list.