Good Moon Rising

Published in 1996, Good Moon Rising is another one of Nancy Garden's groundbreaking teen lesbian romance. Not as good as Annie on My Mind (originally published in 1982), it still packs a punch.

Jan has just come back from a summer of summer stock and feels guaranteed the part of Elizabeth in her school's production of The Crucible. In comes Kerry Ann, the new girl in school who auditions so well that she gets the part. Surprisingly, the director, teacher Ms. Nicholson doesn't even give Jan a part. She asks her to be stage manager, her right hand person.

At first disappointed, Jan ultimately takes it in stride, even coaching Kerry Ann with her lines. that's when the attraction starts.

Garden packs a lot into this book, including bullying show more by the lead actor in the play, Kent, and a few of his friends who are in the play, cancer, homophobia (more like a lack of understanding)_ exhibited by family members.

The cover of my version is so outdated, but the book is a timely read. There are better books out there from the period as well as now, but it is a classic, so you should read it. show less

This is probably such a classic lesbian coming of age (in High School) story because, well, it was written before it was more common to see teen books about lesbianism, but, also because it is a well written tome.

It's the story of Jan and Kerry, high school students. Jan is a drama phenom who always gets the play's lead. Kerry is a new student who's never acted before and yet she gets the lead part in the Crucible that Jan desperately wanted, while Jane is given the role of Assistant Director/Stage Manager. Jan's hurt and doesn't understand at first why, but, not surprisingly by the end of the book, all is made clear.

There's also Ted, the guy who's a best friend (though that gets a bit rocky when Kerry comes onto the scene) and Kent, show more the jerk, who's also the guy who always gets (including in The Crucible) the lead male role. And in this story, Kent's the big, big time antagonist.

All the characters are really great and each is unique even the ones like Brenda and Nanny, who have much smaller roles. The relationships between the characters are great too. Especially the seemingly always fluxuating one between Ted and Jan.

The author also really gets the feel of high school very well. The tension and stress that is pretty unique to high school and being a teenager. show less

Warmly told love story seasoned with homophobia and loss. The characters are rich and multi-dimensional (except perhaps the villain of the piece) and the plot (high school play) a perennial favorite of mine. Worth a look.

I really, really loved this book. I read Annie on My Mind years ago, but I like this one a little bit better. I can't really say why, maybe it's just the way she wrote this... It's different from the other one, better, more real. More in-depth. I also really like how not everything is focused on the homosexual plot, there is actually other things going on. Reading about the play and the struggles and the rehersals was really interesting.

{Spoiler space!}
I really like how the book ended. There was hope, and determination, and it was a really good and fitting ending, but it wasn't all neat and wrapped up, there are still things the characters will have to deal with, there was no "nice neat happy ending" with all the loose ends wrapped up, show more and I like that. It feels more real that way. show less

This is a young adult novel. I read it because I read Annie on My Mind years ago. It is well written and poignant, a coming of age story that deals well with homophobia and bullying. A good read.

This was Garden's second teen lesbian novel. This was EXACTLY like Annie on my mind. The characters even look exactly like the ones in the other book. The plot is almost identical. This is best suited for readers who just couldn't get enough of her first book. And I am sure there are readers out there who will love to read yet another "Annie" book. I was disappointed. It was like she didn't even make an effort to write a second novel.