Once Upon A Gypsy Moon by Michael C Hurley.
I suspect the target audience for this novel/memoir is really men. It is written by a man and feels like a conversation with a man, for want of a better expression.
The synopsis suggested a story of a man who had gone through a divorce and was struggling with who he was in the wake of the divorce. That much is true. The book is penned by Michael Hurley as his memoir of a time in his life when he was in crisis with himself.
Very well written, but lacked the emotional struggle I had expected to read of. A lot of God references, and if like me you do not believe in God, then these references can become a bit tedious at times. There was also a hell of a lot of technical talk in the book, maybe it should be expected given that the book is about a voyage at sea and invariably technical things tend to go wrong on boats and the like.
The book was not what I expected, although it is very well written. If you are looking for something thought provoking then this is for you. Despite my annoyance with the over-use of references to God, I did find myself pausing to reflect on my own life once or twice.
A couple of reviews I have seen about this book have said there was not enough conflict, I disagree. The author is in conflict with himself, mostly, throughout the book and that really helps to drive the story forward. I thought the voyage itself came to a natural conclusion, albeit a disappointing conclusion for the author. I had half expected the voyage to be abandoned once he met and married his second wife.
I enjoyed reading this book and will give it 3 stars ***
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Life Through My Lens. 