Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

After having read The Glass Castle, I was excited to read anything from Jeannette Walls. What I mistakenly believed was that this text was more biographical than historical fiction, so it was slightly confusing in the beginning. Walls' text features the story of Sallie Kincaid, the rambunctious daughter of the county's most prominent figure, The Duke. The story follows the family drama of the Kincaid family - sisters and half-sisters coming out of the woodwork, tragic deaths, family feuds - all based around the illegal business of whiskey running.

The text is really readable, but sometimes there are plot devices that feel contrived in order to eliminate some supplementary characters. I also found the ending a bit disappointing. To me, it was a bit unfinished.

One of the more frustrating parts of the text was its less-than-nuanced approach to race. The Black characters are an integral part of the plot, but their voices are stifled and read disingenuously. While I recognize that this is a historical novel, it still seems as though the protagonist is unable to grapple with the serious threats that Black characters face. It was a problem I also had while reading The Glass Castle and it is translated here as well. However, because this text is historical, it doesn't contain any of the real empathy garnered in Walls' original memoir and as such, it doesn't rise to the same level, in my mind.

It's been far too long (10 years!) since Walls' last published book, and I was so excited to finally read something new by her. As expected, the writing here is excellent and the novel is definitely a page-turner that quickly hooked me. I like how Walls has drawn on actual history from the real Queen of the Roanoke Rumrunners to bootlegger feuds to even the Tudor dynasty to in her tale about the strong and complex character of Sallie Kinkaid. I wish that there had been a little less emphasis on plot; there is an awful lot that happens within a short time span and the story may have taken on a little more than it could handle while sacrificing smaller, more character-driven moments that could have made it even better. I appreciate how everything isn't tied up neatly at the end, instead landing on a note of hopeful uncertainty and even leaving the door open regarding Sallie's romantic life. Overall not quite as good as Walls' first two books, but still worth the read.

I was a big fan of both the Glass Castle and Half Broke Horses, so I was excited to see a title come up from Jeannette Walls. Her characters were as fleshed out as she describes her biographical characters, though I found the narrative a bit meandering. Will recommend, especially to fans of historical fiction.

4.5 out of 5.

I was taken by the cover of this book when I first saw it on Netgalley. That fascination was increased by the short synopsis provided there. It was difficult holding out reading it, but I wanted my review to be closer to the first of 2023 when readers are making their Anticipated Reads lists.

I was swept away almost from the start, deeply invested in the lives of the people portrayed here. Sallie, obviously, but also Tom and Eddie, Nell and Aunt Faye, and even Duke himself. I recognized these people because I knew their like from my own childhood. Walls had me deeply invested in these characters to the point of reading virtually non-stop all day and into the evening.

This is how the best historical fiction should be written, weaving real events throughout the fictional story. Sallie is a person I could root for, shake my head over, but always want her to succeed. Not on Duke's terms, but her own. I honestly and sincerely would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good read, who delights in losing themselves in a carefully crafted tale that mixes almost gothic elements with resilience and determination, set in a time of massive change in the world.

(Review cross posted on Goodreads, Storygraph, and Tumblr, with a link on Twitter.

Motherless Sallie Kincaid is the daughter of the wealthiest man in a small Virginia town. She idolizes her father who runs the town, but an accident forces her to go live with her aunt for nine years. When she returns to her family home, Sally must grow into a brave, strong, and independent woman and eventually helps run her family business. She must contend with gender inequality, grief, uncovering family secrets, and the moral struggle of making the family money by bootlegging.

Story is full of family secrets and power struggles which deal with inheritance and class.
There are rural moonshine makers and heavy-handed Prohibitionists and of course, a lot of family drama.

I loved Jeannette Walls' memoir <i>The Glass Castle</i> so much that I read it twice. I was so excited when I received the advanced copy of her new book.

A half-orphan Sallie, the daughter of the county Duke, finds herself ousted by her stepmother after an accident occurs involving her stepbrother. She returns nine years later, hoping to reclaim a spot within the family she once lost, which turns out to be much more complicated than she anticipated.

My excitement lasted about as long as the prologue (and I really wanted to love it). It started off great, but I never bonded with Sallie. Or the storyline. Or the writing. And I tried, The dialogues felt heavy-handed at worst and lacking continuity at best. The story felt filled with random moments and descriptions.

But the story is also historical fiction, with the main protagonist being based on Willie Carter Sharpe, the “Queen of the Roanoke Rumrunners.” And I like and appreciate a strong female character, so not all is completely lost. You, like me, may end up skimming a few pages, but you may still learn something.

I enjoyed this new novel by Jeannette Walls. Set during the time of prohibition, it takes a hard look at community, success, and the role of women in the 1920s. Sallie Kincaid is a memorable narrator who blossoms from a young child to a young woman on the page. Definitely worth your time!

Prohibition is the perfect setting for the larger than life main characters and the community they live in. Walls has written a powerful story of a powerful family in the rural South of the 1920's. Sallie has always idolized her charismatic father, even after he exiled her for 9 years at his 3rd wife's demand. When Sallie is called back to run the household as an older teen, she has new eyes to see a bit below the surface of her father's power, but it takes a great deal of daring and danger for her to uncover some of the deepest family secrets. Many of the conflicts depicted have relevance today, and Sallie can serve as an admirable and spunky woman bucking the longheld traditions of community and family. This is a fast-paced novel with lots of action and plenty to think about.

Jeanette Walls' many fans will love her newest. Once again, the details, story, characters, and locale will make readers feel they are there. A treasure for her admirers.

Jeannette Walls's new novel taught me a lot about prohibition in rural Virginia. The Kincaid family is the power of a small town, and Sallie Kincaid is the story's center. Sallie is Duke's daughter and from those two characters flows a long winding tale of money, love, lust, deceit, and violence. Sallie was a brave little girl without a mother to guide her, but she grew into a strong character and always made the right choices when times were tough. I wanted Sallie to love a wonderful man to help shoulder all the responsibility that seemed to find her. She made up her mind at a young age that she would not have a man to lean on or to dictate life for her.

Hang the Moon is a good book. I recommend it to JW fans and those who love history. I never had any interest in the history of prohibition, but I enjoy JW's writing and the skillful way she weaves tales of flawed characters.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

Jeannette Walls is a gifted writer who tackles strong female characters. In this book Sally Kincaid is motherless a young age and thrust in a life filled with colorful family members. This book highlights the times and many stories during the Prohibition. Lawlessness was a fact of life as people struggled to take care of themselves and their families. Her father Duke runs the show until he doesn't which leads to a lot of power grabs from those left behind. Many amusing stories lead to an enjoyable read. #HangTheMoon #JeannetteWalls #NetGalley

Full Review: https://bakingthroughbookclub.com/2022/12/19/everyone-dies-bootleggers-edition/

**Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the chance to review this book.**

Do you get easily attached to fictional characters? If the answer is “yes,” this might not be the book for you. “Everyone dies” is a BIT of an exaggeration, but not by much.

Best known for her autobiography, The Glass Castle, Jeannette Walls is back with this historical fiction set in Claiborne County, Virginia during the Prohibition Era. Sally Kincaid is the daughter of Hank Kincaid, known simply as “The Duke.” The Duke is the owner behind the most powerful business in the area, The Emporium. The Emporium not only sells goods to everyone in the area, but it is also the center of the county’s bootlegging operations, much to Sally’s chagrin when she finds out. The Duke has his hand in almost everyone’s life. He may sell you goods at his store. He may employ you and pay you with store credit. He may act as your landlord. He may let you pay rent with moonshine, which he then goes on to sell to other people. Either way, there is no doubt who holds the power in Claiborne County. The Duke rules both the financial and political operations of the local area.

The Duke has a rather colorful marriage history, especially for the era in which he lived. His first wife, Belle, was beloved by the town. She gave him a daughter, Mary. However, he soon fell in love with Ann Powell, Sally’s mother, and divorced Belle in order to be with her. Belle and Mary were sent packing, nursing a well-deserved grudge against the Duke. When Sally was three years old, Ann was killed by the Duke during a violent confrontation. He was never arrested. You would think Sally would hate him, but you would be wrong. She worshipped the ground he walked on.

After the Duke killed Ann, he married Jane, an uptight, proper woman who did not like Sally. She gave birth to Sally’s younger brother, Eddie. Eddie was brilliantly smart, but not daring. He was also the heir to the Kincaid fortune as the first-born male of the family. One day, Sally takes Eddie on a ride on her defiance coaster and crashes it, severely injuring him. Jane in her fury insists that Sally go live with her Aunt Faye. The Duke promises that it will only be for a few months, but months turn into years. Finally, when Sally is a teenager, Jane dies from influenza. The Duke permits her to return to her childhood home, The Big House.

Sally had a hard life with Aunt Faye, and she learned what it was like to never have enough money. She also learned how to work hard and never take what you have for granted. I can’t get too far into the storyline because even discussing the other characters gives a hint as to who the “everyone” in “everyone dies” is going to be. However, this is a story about coming to terms with the idealized versions of our parents that we sometimes create as kids. It also highlights Sally’s grit and compassion for other people in stark contrast to those around her who operate based on business principles alone. Finally, Hang the Moon reminds us that desperation can lead to some pretty poor choices, but there is more to a person than the compilation of their mistakes.

While I liked the messages that evolved from this book, I couldn’t get over the multitude of unlikeable characters and constant death. The instability of the story line was jarring at times– you thought the plot was heading down a certain path only for it to suddenly veer in a different direction. After the second or third time that happened, I grew tired of the changes. However, I loved Sally as a character, so she erased many of the grumbles I had. Overall, I would recommend this book to many of my historical fiction-loving friends and encourage them to look up the story of Willie Carter Sharpe, the “Queen of the Roanoke Rumrunners” from which Sally’s character is based.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Sallie returns to her families house after being away for many years. There are many changes that have occurred. This book lagged in a few places.

Interesting story of prohibition times. Several twists and turns makes it an interesting read and keeps you wanting to hear more. A great coming of she story featuring a strong female character who overcomes adversity. Family ties and community building feature prominently in the story

Sallie Kincaid is the daughter of the biggest man in a small town, the charismatic Duke Kincaid. Born at the turn of the 20th century into a life of comfort and privilege, Sallie remembers little about her mother who died in a violent argument with the Duke. By the time she is just eight years old, the Duke has remarried and had a son, Eddie. While Sallie is her father’s daughter, sharp-witted and resourceful, Eddie is his mother’s son, timid and cerebral. When Sallie tries to teach young Eddie to be more like their father, her daredevil coaching leads to an accident, and Sallie is cast out. Nine years later, she returns, determined to reclaim her place in the family which is more complicated than Sallie expected, and she enters a world of conflict and lawlessness, and discovers the secrets and scandals that hide in the shadows of the Big House, navigates the factions in the family and town, and finally comes into her own as a bold, sometimes reckless bootlegger.

I have seen the author's previous books reviewed, but this is the first one I have read, and it is so well done that I was up VERY late to finish it because I had to see what happened to the characters. It was a good, complicated family story, but also a good history on Prohibition and the life of bootleggers whose whiskey was often their only source of income.

A new historical fiction title by Jeanette Walls, author of the popular memoir The Glass Castle.
Taking place during the prohibition era in Virginia, Hang the Moon follows the life of Sally Kincaid and her relatives. As the daughter of a big man in a small town, Sally has enjoyed the privileges of a comfortable life. Her life suddenly takes a dark turn when an accident involves her little brother. Sent away to live with distant relatives, Sally doesn't know if she'll ever see her father again. Suddenly an invitation from the main house arrives and Sally returns home, determined to find her place in the family. It seems like the family named is cursed though as a series of incidents befall the family.
When Sally finally takes over the business, she finds herself deeply involved in bootlegging. She does her best to navigate the treacherous curves of country roads, dealing with town folk and her own kin. A more simplistic read than some of Wall's other works, but it feels right based on the characters. A fast-paced read.

The majority of my reading is fiction. Having said that, my favorite book by Miss Walls continues to be her The Glass Castle, which is non-fiction. She is an excellent writer, however, so the genre is of small importance. I used to always skip the acknowledgments in books, but find that I really enjoy seeing if the author based parts of the book on fact, and if so, what. And yes, she has done her research. I enjoyed this book as I hope you will too. Thanks to NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Intriguing story but the plot tended to meander into different avenues and did not allow me to get the full story of characters that I grew to love. Sallie is the main character and daughter of a man who runs the town they live in. When she is involved in an accident with his only son, Sallie is sent away to live with her aunt. Then when her stepmother dies she is brought back home. The book is told in parts during major events that happen in Sallie's life. The problem I have with that is that some of the supporting characters get a raw deal with sawed off storylines that make the plot slightly erratic.

I would have given this a higher rating if the ending had been less open ended. There were many things to like about this book: engaging characters, fiction based on historical facts, the time period (Prohibition), and several strong female characters. However I become less enthused when everything isn't all tied up at the end. I know many readers prefer an open ending because it is more like real life, if this describes you then you will probably enjoy this book.

This was my first book by the author, she’s been on my tbr list, and when I saw this book I jumped at the opportunity to read an early copy.

Unfortunately, I didn’t love this one. During my reading, I never had that “need to read more” vibe that I love in a good book and I plodded through this over a month’s time.