Content levels
Trigger warnings
Positive tags
Protagonist archetypes
Themes
Synopsis
The Man Who Fell in Love with the Moon provides a unique view of the Old West unlike anything told before. The narrator, Shed, is one of the most memorable characters in contemporary fiction: a half-Indian bisexual boy who lives and works at the Indian Head Hotel in the tiny town of Excellent, Idaho. It's the turn of the century, and the hotel carries on a prosperous business as the town's brothel. The eccentric characters working in the hotel provide Shed with a surrogate family, yet he finds in himself a growing need to learn the meaning of his Indian name, Duivichi-un-Dua, given to him by his mother, who was murdered when he was twelve. Setting off alone across the haunting plains, Shed goes in search of an identity among his true people, encountering a rich pageant of extraordinary characters along the way. Although he learns a great deal about the mysteries and traditions of his Indian heritage, it is not until Shed returns to Excellent and witnesses a series of brutal tragedies that he attains the wisdom that infuses this exceptional and captivating book.
The Man Who Fell in Love with the Moon: content & age rating
Intended for adult readers (18+).
This adult literary novel contains explicit sexual content (including scenes in a brothel setting), graphic violence, murder, and mature themes including racism and homophobia in the Old West. The protagonist's journey of self-discovery involves traumatic experiences and adult situations throughout.
What to know going in
This book has strong violence, explicit sexual content, and strong language. Content notes include sexual assault, child abuse, graphic violence, murder, and death of parent (see the full list above).
Who'll love this
Adult readers will be drawn to this unique, literary coming-of-age story exploring identity and belonging in the historical American West.