A Philip Caputo novel can always be counted on as an opportunity to get deeply inside the heads of some interesting fictional characters, a chance to remind ourselves about what makes people in the real world - including ourselves - tick. Even though some readers may still want to quibble over whether or not Hunter’s Moon is a novel or a collection of short stories despite the fact that the book explicitly labels itself "a novel in stories," there is definitely plenty to learn about human nature in Caputo's latest.

All but one of the book’s seven interconnected, chronologically-ordered stories are set in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, the exception being the one that takes place in a remote part of Alaska. Oddly enough, placing one of the stories in the wilds of Alaska makes clear just how remote and wild the Upper Peninsula itself is, and why so many of the damaged souls in Caputo’s stories find some kind of comfort there. Caputo describes northern Michigan so well that the Upper Peninsula in a way becomes the character that binds his stories together; it is the one constant between six of them and a first cousin to the Alaskan setting of the seventh.

These are stories about men and women who are not quite managing to live the lives they had expected for themselves, and their disappointment shows. They include stories about a man struggling to keep a second marriage alive despite his personal demons; a father who really, really dislikes his young adult son; a son who equally dislikes his 85-year-old father with whom he can’t remember ever getting along; and others about people trying to cope with a shared act of sudden violence that forever changed their lives for the worst.

This being a Philip Caputo book, many of its central characters are veterans of America’s recent wars, from Vietnam to Iraq and Afghanistan, and what they experienced in those wars is something they still think about every day of their lives. This is particularly true of the poignant story that closes the book, one in which a young veteran struggles to cope with the guilt that he brought home from the war with him, but it is a theme that occurs in several of the other stories. Even the collection's most prominent character is largely defined by what he experienced in Vietnam decades earlier.

Hunter’s Moon is vintage Philip Caputo; his fans and longtime readers will not be disappointed.

I really wanted to love this book that was set in the Michigan Upper Peninsula. As a Michigander myself, I really wanted to connect to the landscape and the characters in this story. I honestly think that this book is just more geared towards a male audience. I had such a hard time feeling for the main characters, and the descriptions of the wilderness seemed so flat and lifeless to me. Unfortunately this one was just not a book that I could get into, which was such a bummer!

*Thank you so much Netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review*

If you are a man and love hunting and reading this book maybe for you. If not well it leaves a lot to be desired. The stories connect but thats about it. It was very hard to read.

Anthologies are not my preferred reading material, but this collection, authored by Philip Caputo, had a hook; it was subtitled "A novel in stories." Also, knowing the writer's reputation, I guessed that the benefits would far outweigh any problem I might have with the brevity of the story. That was, honestly, the best choice in book selection I have ever made. This group of tales, call them what you will, are breathtaking in their beauty, humanity, spirit, and grit.

Of the seven interconnected stories in "Hunter's Moon," six play out in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, the exception occurs in Alaska's wilderness. Brilliant descriptions of each area's isolation, harsh climate, and wild majesty are a backdrop for a set of characters so vivid you will think of them as living, not fictional. As the scenes unroll, you feel the player's thoughts, attitudes, and moods evolve because you have been in that frame of mind or situation yourself. The subjects of these tales are equally realistic and timely: two old friends shielding another; a father's need to save a wayward son; a young widow's journey; a son's efforts to cope with an aged and resentful father; veterans of past and present-day wars trying to deal with their inner demons. Each of the seven is sharp, a polished diamond in prose;' and sometimes they will cut you in unexpected ways.

Caputo is a storyteller's storyteller, and "Hunter's Moon" is a display of talent that only comes along once in a great while. I will never forget the way these stories made me feel, and I look forward to rereading them many times in years to come. I recommend "Hunter's Moon" with only this caveat; if you cannot stand hunting or soldiers, which are recurring themes, you may come away disappointed.

My thanks to publisher Henry Holt and Company, along with dear old NetGalley, for providing the uncorrected digital galley on which I have based this review.

Not my typical read both in subject matter and writing style. Despite those things, I do enjoy Caputo’s writing and this was no exception.

Thanks to Netgalley for the free read in exchange for an honest review.

I love the interconnected stories of this book. Philip Caputo is a master storyteller who can put nature, masculinity, grief, endurance and adventure in beautifully shaped paragraphs. I love the sense of a land (the UP) I didn't know, and, as a woman, I love seeing a man talk about middle-aged guys without self-pity or macho bullshit. These are men with bruises and scars, many of them Vietnam vets, and their friends take care of them, and love them, tenderly. Like all men in this patriarchal world of ours they are not super good with words, but they try, and other men listen and stick with them, and this reads like a bit of a dream in which the rules of rugged masculinity are thrown out of the window and men get to grieve, as best they can. I don't see tender masculinity represented a lot, but this is what Caputo does here, without shame. Very beautiful.

This took me so long to get through. It’s like I couldn’t find my rhythm with this one. I didn’t hate it but I also didn’t enjoy most of it. I liked the second half of the book best. I did enjoy the characters who were repeated throughout the stories, and how it was multiple stories connected through a town but that was all.

I like short stories, but I'm an animal lover. So I have mixed emotions about this hunting-focused book. It's well-written and deep at times, so it has that going for it. The book is 'manly" and provides a men's approach to the world (although not all men). If this is what you're seeking, you found the right book.

Thanks very much for the ARC for review!

I thoroughly enjoyed these stories written by Mr. Caputo. At times violent and disturbing, the stories told were eye opening for me. I was raised in a home where hunting was an acceptable sport and guns were respected. I personally don’t hunt, but my husband did and my son and daughter are gun enthusiasts. So I wanted to read this book to see how the subject would be handled. Well written and I didn’t want them to end.
I have not read any books by Mr. Caputo, but I certainly will be reading more of them.

There isn't enough contemporary fiction geared towards the male audience, and that is why I think books like this are essential.
I couldn't connect to any of the characters, and this is going to sound weird, but I could relate to the issues surrounding the characters. Maybe I'm just going through something in my life that had me more focused on the sentiments.

To address the hunting descriptions-
I used to go hunting but haven't done so for quite some time. I had read someone's review that stated the hunting of the animal was vividly written-if you are a hunter I don't think the writing will make you squeamish. Those scenarios are all something we have experienced.

It wasn't the type of book I usually read, but that is why I requested it. I wanted to try something different. I'm delighted I did because now I have a book I can gift to my father-in-law, brother, and husband for my annual book flood near Christmas.

This novel was written much like Olive Kitteridge, which is one of my all-time favorite books. Instead of taking place in rural Maine, this novel takes place in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, which is rural, and mainly still untamed. Each story was about a different character, with many of the same characters taking on lesser roles in each story. I liked the way this novel was laid out, and some of the characters I felt that I was able to get to know.

The writing is wonderful and vividly captures both the wild, sparseness of the landscape, and also the wild richness of the character’s minds. Each of the characters has a rich inner-life, haunted by demons and bad choices, but entirely relatable as people who are just doing what they can to get through their days.

Some of the stories interested me more than others, and the ones that didn’t grab my interest were sometimes difficult for me to get through. As is typical with most “slice-of-life” writing, there is no overarching plot to move things forward, so the characters have to grow important to the reader in able to keep the reader from getting bored. Not all of the characters were able to do this for me, so I’m knocking off one star.

Overall though, I enjoyed this collection of stories and the way they thread together to create a novel. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes short stories and enjoys character development over plot.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the advanced copy of this novel.

Looking for a very masculine book? Are you a fan of hunting for sport? Read this book when it comes out. The writing sucked me in, making me feel I was riding on the men's shoulders, seeing what they were seeing and feeling. Not too many writers of contemporary fiction are that skilled, IMO. In fact, the book became so realistic that I had to put it down.

Hunter's Moon is described as a "Novel in stories" and in my opinion, this is mostly correct. I didn't see the thread between the stories very clearly at times, but that did not take away from my enjoyment of the book. Each story would make a great stand-alone story, I'd certainly consider using one or two in one of my college level seminars. The constant is the setting, a hunting town in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, spread out over time and over the stories of several characters. Each character is well developed and each story invites the reader in completely.

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Co for an advanced copy in return for an honest review.

First off, thank you NetGalley and Henry Holt and Co. for the ARC. I thoroughly enjoyed these stories.

The novel is comprised of short stories that have their own weight and journey, but can be read as a whole as well. The characters are all interwoven and return in another character’s own story.

There wasn’t one chapter that didn’t resonate with me on some level. While the stories vary from a tense father-son hunting trip to a reunion of old friends to veterans trying to find ways to heal from the scars of war, there’s something in these stories that anyone can relate to.

It’s emotional and engaging and I highly recommend this book when it’s released next year

Philip Caputo trains his unwavering eye on a place, on a time, and on characters which will completely ensorcell readers. The author brings intelligence and wisdom to virtually every line.

Hunters Moon is a great emotional book of individual short stories. Many of the stories are about hunting trips and unsettled issues between fathers and sons. It’s predominantly about men hunting for answers within themselves and outside of themselves. Each chapter in this book is a stand-alone and can be read separately from the rest of the book. It’s an interesting look at the obstacles in everyday lives and how they are overcome. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I highly recommend it. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the advance reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Described as a "mosaic of stories," Hunter's Moon is primarily about men hunting within and without. Many stories feature hunting expeditions and unresolved issues between fathers and sons, and there are several recurring characters whose arcs are fleshed out and completed, and as with most short stories, there are some that remain incomplete. The characters are primarily male, but there is one strong exception, one story in which a woman truly comes into her own.

Philip Caputo, like Tim O'Brien, is still harboring the Vietnam of his youth. Most of these characters, well into their 60s, have had military experience behind them, and by seeking satisfaction in blood sports in the Michigan's Upper Peninsula, they are trying to resolve the demons faced decades earlier ("You go into combat one thing, you come out something else, if you live through it. You aren't you anymore.")

A heart wrenching book a book of short stories whose characters come alive.Emotional raw full of emotion love how characters weave through the stories.Literature at its best.#netgalley #henryholt&company.

Fair warning to those who are disturbed by detailed accounts of hunting: there are a lot of passages depicting wildlife being stalked and killed. I think this is important for readers to know before they purchase this book; however, there’s a danger in stating this, as well. If I had realized how much of the book revolves around these things, I probably wouldn’t have read it, not because I’m squeamish or am so adamantly against hunting. It just doesn’t interest me that much. But if I hadn’t read the book, I would have missed out on deeper, more subtle storylines that I enjoyed very much.

Chapters in Hunter’s Moon are stand-alone stories. Each can be read separately of the rest of the book, but there are recurring characters throughout which add dimension and interest as we learn different aspects of their lives over the years.

The stories are about men, their relationships with each other and how they handle events that face them. Some of the events are violent; most of them are emotional and insightful. There are also a couple of strong women who interact with the men and how the actions of each sex affect the other.

The final chapter, or story, does not deal with hunting wildlife the way the rest of the book does, yet in my mind, it was still about the hunt – a hunt for something within each of us that is often beyond our reach.

4 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Co. for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely loved this book, much to my surprise. I was first attracted to it because it is a novel told in short stories,with recurring characters. Not only did I love all the characters in Philip Caputo's book, I learned a great deal about the Upper Peninsula . I read this book in one day. Although I was a bit put off by all the hunting, I was fascinated by the characters and their ability to survive in such remote areas . Every short story in this book was so well written, excellent characters. At times the violence and tragedy were heartbreaking, I would highly recommend it.