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Eye of the Moon #1
Eye of the Moon
What could you trade to know the truth?
The estate of Rhinebeck has many secrets. Two friends are determined to find out the truth about a relative's death, but when guests and staff alike have their own secret agendas, discovering the truth proves much more difficult than they imagined. In this captivating audiobook, the award-winning debut novel of Ivan Obolensky, Eye of the Moon, is dramatically brought to life through the stellar performances of voice actors Carter Roy and Vanessa Richardson.
“It has been a long time since I have been so enchanted by an audiobook. The experience of this story in narration occasionally hearkened back to the BBC Radio plays I used to enjoy, then at others I felt like I was back at Broadway, watching the two-man shows that used a minimum of staging. Then again, it was something I could not put an equal to, briefly gruesome and scary, then warm, hilarious, and tender. I had to stop listening late at night in case my sudden laughter would wake my neighbors, yet I also went through half a box of tissues, swept between variations of crying from being touched to recognizing a sort of loneliness that I had not been able to name until it was presented to me. It reminded me of The Great Earth and One Hundred Years of Solitude in the ways that I discovered a world so different to mine, yet so intimate it felt like I was coming home to myself.”
-J.C., 5 stars Goodreads review
2023 Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards Honorable Mention: “Audiobook”
The story continues in print and ebook, with Book 2, Shadow of the Son, and Book 3, Dark of the Earth.
The estate of Rhinebeck has many secrets. Two friends are determined to find out the truth about a relative's death, but when guests and staff alike have their own secret agendas, discovering the truth proves much more difficult than they imagined. In this captivating audiobook, the award-winning debut novel of Ivan Obolensky, Eye of the Moon, is dramatically brought to life through the stellar performances of voice actors Carter Roy and Vanessa Richardson.
“It has been a long time since I have been so enchanted by an audiobook. The experience of this story in narration occasionally hearkened back to the BBC Radio plays I used to enjoy, then at others I felt like I was back at Broadway, watching the two-man shows that used a minimum of staging. Then again, it was something I could not put an equal to, briefly gruesome and scary, then warm, hilarious, and tender. I had to stop listening late at night in case my sudden laughter would wake my neighbors, yet I also went through half a box of tissues, swept between variations of crying from being touched to recognizing a sort of loneliness that I had not been able to name until it was presented to me. It reminded me of The Great Earth and One Hundred Years of Solitude in the ways that I discovered a world so different to mine, yet so intimate it felt like I was coming home to myself.”
-J.C., 5 stars Goodreads review
2023 Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards Honorable Mention: “Audiobook”
The story continues in print and ebook, with Book 2, Shadow of the Son, and Book 3, Dark of the Earth.
Audiobook
First published February 6, 2018
383 people are currently reading
6518 people want to read
About the author
Ivan Obolensky
8 books147 followersIvan Obolensky grew up regaled by tales of his ancestors while surrounded by high society. Those stories of intrigue and adventure inspired him and nurtured his love of storytelling, which he brings to his writing, both fiction and nonfiction.
The Eye of the Moon series was colored by the stories of his youth. Book 1, "Eye of the Moon", was inspired by two questions: If life has given us gifts, what do we owe for having squandered them? To whom do we owe exactly and what will that payment be?
Set in a family estate at Rhinebeck, the plot is a complex and sophisticated web of mystery, Egyptian occultism, sumptuous elegance, and intrigue.
Its Latin American translation, "El ojo de la luna" (2020) was followed by Book 2 ("Shadow of the Son", 2021), with its translation ("A la sombra del hijo") published in 2022. The audiobook of "Eye of the Moon" was then launched in 2023, and Book 3, "Dark of the Earth" in 2024.
The Eye of the Moon series was colored by the stories of his youth. Book 1, "Eye of the Moon", was inspired by two questions: If life has given us gifts, what do we owe for having squandered them? To whom do we owe exactly and what will that payment be?
Set in a family estate at Rhinebeck, the plot is a complex and sophisticated web of mystery, Egyptian occultism, sumptuous elegance, and intrigue.
Its Latin American translation, "El ojo de la luna" (2020) was followed by Book 2 ("Shadow of the Son", 2021), with its translation ("A la sombra del hijo") published in 2022. The audiobook of "Eye of the Moon" was then launched in 2023, and Book 3, "Dark of the Earth" in 2024.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 165 reviews
December 21, 2024
3.5 stars
Rhinebeck, in upstate New York, is the opulent country estate of the Dodge family.
The manor once belonged to Lady Alice - an Egyptologist with occult beliefs and practices.
Lady Alice died in mysterious circumstances two decades ago, and Rhinebeck is rumored to harbor ghosts and spirits. After Lady Alice departed, her half-brother John Dodge Sr. became Rhinebeck's trustee, and he's responsible for overseeing the estate's finances and maintenance.
Rhinebeck has always been an exciting place for John Dodge Jr. (Johnny) and his best friend Percy. Johnny and Percy were raised together in a ritzy Manhattan apartment, and spent their boyhood summers at Rhinebeck, where they perpetrated lots of mischief.
It's now 1977, and Johnny and Percy - now 30 years old - are back at Rhinebeck for a weekend gathering.
Johnny and Percy were once in business together, but their investment firm went belly up, and the men went their separate ways.
Johnny and Percy recently got re-acquainted, and they're happy to return to Rhinebeck because they have an ulterior motive; they plan to explore the mansion and unearth Lady Alice's mystic secrets.
The Rhinebeck weekend is being hosted by John Dodge Sr. and his wife Anne.
Other guests include John's mother Mary Leland (Maw), an unpleasant woman who's IMMENSELY wealthy;
Maw's daughter Bonnie Leland (John's half-sister), who's very ambitious;
Baron and Baroness von Hofmanstal and their beautiful daughter Brunhilde;
and Malcolm Ault, who lives in England and has something to do with films.
Also present at Rhinebeck are long-time butler Stanley - who knows all the mansion's secrets;
Stanley's wife Dagmar - a wonderful chef whose cooking is to die for;
and Robert the Bruce - a white bull terrier who follows Johnny everywhere.
Rhinebeck is a very formal setting, where the household dresses for dinner, and seating is assigned for both lunch and dinner. After dining, there's coffee in the drawing room; and cognac and cigars in the library. (There's far too much cigar smoking in the mansion, but this was 1977, before smokers were relegated to the outdoors.)
The main reasons for the Rhinebeck gathering are an anniversary party for John Sr. and Anne; and a fund-raiser for the manor, whose finances have waned. Thus there's to be an auction for Lady Alice's occult collection, which is of interest to Baron von Hofmanstal and Malcolm Ault.
Aside from this, there's a tense atmosphere at Rhinebeck, because John Sr. and his half-sister Bonnie dislike each other, and are fierce rivals to be Maw's heir. To add to the drama, Percy immediately falls for the gorgeous Brunhilde.
The book's main plotline, however, revolves around two themes:
First, there's Johnny and Percy's investigation into the occult. The men find Lady Alice's secret library and some of her mystic artifacts. They also get Stanley to tell them Lady Alice's life story, and to give them Lady Alice's diary. Afterwards, Johnny and Percy summon a demon, unleash spirits, and so on.
Second, Johnny and Percy learn that the failure of their investment firm was purposely engineered by devious parties. The men are infuriated, and delve into the matter to find out how, who, and why.
Many secrets are revealed amid these developments, and there are some shocking revelations.
The story is engaging, but a bit long and slow-moving. Also, some plot points aren't credible. For instance, I don't believe people get engaged two days after they meet.
The book comes to a satisfactory conclusion (no cliff-hanger) but this is the first volume of a trilogy. I have the rest of the series, so stay-tuned.
As a bonus, Dagmar's scrumptious meals are described in detail. Here's an example of a lunch menu.
Hors d'oeuvres: Caviar on points of white toast
First Course: Smoked salmon from Scotland with small points of white toast paired with cold Sancerre.
Second Course: Scotch Broth
Third Course: Series of pâtés with different sauces
Dessert: Sorbet
Caviar on points of white toast
First Course: Smoked salmon from Scotland with small points of white toast
Cold Sancerre
Scotch Broth
Series of pâtés with different sauces
Sorbet
I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Carter Roy and Vanessa Richardson, who do a fine job. I also had the novel on Kindle.
Thanks to Netgalley, Ivan Obolensky, and Smith-Obolensky Media for a copy of the audiobook.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com
January 31, 2018
I really enjoyed this book! The book starts out a bit slower than I would have liked, and at the beginning, it appeared to be a book I would not enjoy. The book takes place within the high class society, and for me, the characters were a bit harder to relate to at this point. However, the book picked up pace shortly after and didn't look back. The characters were well developed and became very relatable, despite their background story. The novel was fast paced and very intriguing. I found myself reading more and more wanting to know what was about to happen. The author does a great job at creating suspense to get the reader to want to know more. The ending of the book was strong and had a finality to it, while also leaving the possibility for a second book (which I hope there is). The book was 554 pages, and that gave a lot of time to really connect with the characters. This is both positive and negative as it allows the reader to connect with the story, but I'm now disappointed the adventure had to end.
February 4, 2018
MY FIRST REVIEW EVER!!!
WOW!! I LOVED THIS BOOK. IT WAS AMAZING. A MUST READ. I CAN'T WAIT TO GET THE HARD COPY. SO I CAN READ IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN. THIS BOOK WAS VERY WELL WRITTEN. I LOVE HOW PERCY AND JOHNNY REUNITED. I LIKE THE HOUSE MANAGER IS SO COLD BUT IN A GOOD WAY. ALL THE MYSTERY MAKES ME WANT MORE.
ONE OF THE BEST THRILLERS I HAVE READ ALL YEAR. EVERY PAGE I READ I WANTED MORE AND MORE. READING EYE OF THE MOON WAS SUCH AN ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE. THIS BOOK WAS FULLED WITH, ADVENTURE, HUMOR, MYSTERY, SUSPENSE, ROMANCE FOR ALL APPETITES. ALL THE MYSTERY AND SUSPENSE I LOVE IT. READING THIS BOOK, I WONDERED WHAT WAS IT GOING TO BE ABOUT, BUT ONCE I STARTED READING IT I COULDN'T PUT IPAD DOWN. PERCY AND JOHNNY HAD ME WANTING TO BE THERE DURING THEIR SEARCH FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ALICE. POOR ALICE PASSED AWAY READING A BOOK. EVERYTHING THAT ALICE HAD EXPERIENCE IN TRAVEL (POSITIVE) I WANTED TO EXPERIENCE IN THIS READING. THIS BOOK IS A DEFINITE MUST READ
I CAN'T WAIT TO READ THE NEXT BOOK BY IVAN OBOLENSKY.
WOW!! I LOVED THIS BOOK. IT WAS AMAZING. A MUST READ. I CAN'T WAIT TO GET THE HARD COPY. SO I CAN READ IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN. THIS BOOK WAS VERY WELL WRITTEN. I LOVE HOW PERCY AND JOHNNY REUNITED. I LIKE THE HOUSE MANAGER IS SO COLD BUT IN A GOOD WAY. ALL THE MYSTERY MAKES ME WANT MORE.
ONE OF THE BEST THRILLERS I HAVE READ ALL YEAR. EVERY PAGE I READ I WANTED MORE AND MORE. READING EYE OF THE MOON WAS SUCH AN ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE. THIS BOOK WAS FULLED WITH, ADVENTURE, HUMOR, MYSTERY, SUSPENSE, ROMANCE FOR ALL APPETITES. ALL THE MYSTERY AND SUSPENSE I LOVE IT. READING THIS BOOK, I WONDERED WHAT WAS IT GOING TO BE ABOUT, BUT ONCE I STARTED READING IT I COULDN'T PUT IPAD DOWN. PERCY AND JOHNNY HAD ME WANTING TO BE THERE DURING THEIR SEARCH FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ALICE. POOR ALICE PASSED AWAY READING A BOOK. EVERYTHING THAT ALICE HAD EXPERIENCE IN TRAVEL (POSITIVE) I WANTED TO EXPERIENCE IN THIS READING. THIS BOOK IS A DEFINITE MUST READ
I CAN'T WAIT TO READ THE NEXT BOOK BY IVAN OBOLENSKY.
May 29, 2025
3.5
Eye Of The Moon is the first in a gothic trilogy set in America so there's quite a bit of scene setting in this first part.
We are introduced to Percy and his friend, Johnny Dodge, who have buried the hatchet on old troubles to renew their lifelong friendship at Rhinebeck (Johnny's family's estate). Unfortunately the two are about to be thrown into a new set of strange circumstances that will test their friendship and commitment to each other as they delve into the mystery of what happened to Aunt Alice, Rhinebeck's original owner.
Alice was a well known collector of Egyptian artefacts and, on the day of her death, had been reading from a Book of the Dead. As the two young men discover, with the help of Stanley, Alice's manservant, the roots of the mystery lie deeper within the house and within Alice's own relationships. There is shock piled on shock for them and the other members of the Dodge family to deal with as they gather for a family summit.
Old hatreds surface and Percy will have to reevaluate everything he thought about his life while trying to hang on to his friendship with Percy and attraction to Brunnhilde, another guest. Will the revelations buried for decades be his ruin or his triumph?
This first part is just that. It sets the scene, gives you a few answers as to who people really are but leaves you with enough questions to want to read the next part. There's just enough gothic "horror" in it to satisfy but it doesn't go overboard.
There's a tad too much overt female sexuality for my taste; Percy certainly seems to be everyone's cup of tea. There's also quite a lot of monologues that I could have done without.
However, on the whole, it's entertaining and worth a read. I listened to the audiobook, which was ably narrated by Carter Roy and Vanessa Richardson. My only bugbear was the caricature nature of Stanley's wandering English accent and the generic nature of the German characters, who sounded a little like something from Hogan's Heroes or Allo Allo. But it's a minor niggle.
Recommended if you like something more on the gothic family saga lines.
Eye Of The Moon is the first in a gothic trilogy set in America so there's quite a bit of scene setting in this first part.
We are introduced to Percy and his friend, Johnny Dodge, who have buried the hatchet on old troubles to renew their lifelong friendship at Rhinebeck (Johnny's family's estate). Unfortunately the two are about to be thrown into a new set of strange circumstances that will test their friendship and commitment to each other as they delve into the mystery of what happened to Aunt Alice, Rhinebeck's original owner.
Alice was a well known collector of Egyptian artefacts and, on the day of her death, had been reading from a Book of the Dead. As the two young men discover, with the help of Stanley, Alice's manservant, the roots of the mystery lie deeper within the house and within Alice's own relationships. There is shock piled on shock for them and the other members of the Dodge family to deal with as they gather for a family summit.
Old hatreds surface and Percy will have to reevaluate everything he thought about his life while trying to hang on to his friendship with Percy and attraction to Brunnhilde, another guest. Will the revelations buried for decades be his ruin or his triumph?
This first part is just that. It sets the scene, gives you a few answers as to who people really are but leaves you with enough questions to want to read the next part. There's just enough gothic "horror" in it to satisfy but it doesn't go overboard.
There's a tad too much overt female sexuality for my taste; Percy certainly seems to be everyone's cup of tea. There's also quite a lot of monologues that I could have done without.
However, on the whole, it's entertaining and worth a read. I listened to the audiobook, which was ably narrated by Carter Roy and Vanessa Richardson. My only bugbear was the caricature nature of Stanley's wandering English accent and the generic nature of the German characters, who sounded a little like something from Hogan's Heroes or Allo Allo. But it's a minor niggle.
Recommended if you like something more on the gothic family saga lines.
July 16, 2024
Eye of the Moon (audio: Book 1 of Eye of the Moon series) 4⭐️
Narrators were AMAZING! I liked having male and female narrators and appreciate that it was produced to sound like actors vs simple narration.
Johnny and Percy have been friends since they were kids. Percy lived with Johnny’s wealthy family. He was always a bit of an outsider on the inside. Now adults, Percy joins Johnny to his family’s home to celebrate Johnny’s parents’ anniversary. It’s a several day affair with all the guests staying in the family mansion. Relationships are tested in this wealthy family drama with some spiritual/paranormal aspects (mostly related to one deceased family member). Many secrets are exposed over this stay.
I’ll admit, the fact that this is a 17 hour audiobook was a major mind block initially. I started it and immediately switched to a shorter audiobook (no fault of the book). Now that I’ve finished, I can say I really enjoyed it. Percy and Johnny’s friendship was endearing. Every character was well written. I was intrigued to see how everything came together.
Thank you NetGalley and Smith-Obolensky Media for this audio ARC. This review will be shared on NetGalley, Goodreads, and Amazon.
Narrators were AMAZING! I liked having male and female narrators and appreciate that it was produced to sound like actors vs simple narration.
Johnny and Percy have been friends since they were kids. Percy lived with Johnny’s wealthy family. He was always a bit of an outsider on the inside. Now adults, Percy joins Johnny to his family’s home to celebrate Johnny’s parents’ anniversary. It’s a several day affair with all the guests staying in the family mansion. Relationships are tested in this wealthy family drama with some spiritual/paranormal aspects (mostly related to one deceased family member). Many secrets are exposed over this stay.
I’ll admit, the fact that this is a 17 hour audiobook was a major mind block initially. I started it and immediately switched to a shorter audiobook (no fault of the book). Now that I’ve finished, I can say I really enjoyed it. Percy and Johnny’s friendship was endearing. Every character was well written. I was intrigued to see how everything came together.
Thank you NetGalley and Smith-Obolensky Media for this audio ARC. This review will be shared on NetGalley, Goodreads, and Amazon.
July 26, 2020
The book had a slow start, but slowly built on to an excellent murder mystery with tiny supernatural elements thrown in. The story has it all – a little gothic, interesting family relationships and special mention has to be made of the mansion where all this takes place – the place gives off a chill as the reader gets used to the story.
Very interesting reading.
Very interesting reading.
January 22, 2018
This is a gothic-type mystery of how Aunt Alice died while reading The Egyptian Book of The Dead. The story unfolds 20 years later where Johnny, Percy and their family and guests find out the truth amidst a celebratory dinner at Alice’s Estate “Rhinebeck”. The themes of occult, mystery, new love, old acquaintances, and new and old secrets occur in this 542 page novel.
For a book by a debut author this was very well written. I haven’t read a book written this well in a long time. The words flowed smoothly and made sense, I didn’t have to reread paragraphs. I liked that this story was new and didn’t have recurring plots that I’ve seen before.
The one thing I didn’t like and that made this book not a 5 star book for me is the length. It’s just my preference to be written at 300-350 pages. I still think this was a good read and that you should pick it up if you like gothic-type mysteries with a lot of character development and a new story line! This comes out February 6, 2018.
I gave this book 3.5-4 out of 5 stars.
*I received this advanced reading copy from the author for review.
For a book by a debut author this was very well written. I haven’t read a book written this well in a long time. The words flowed smoothly and made sense, I didn’t have to reread paragraphs. I liked that this story was new and didn’t have recurring plots that I’ve seen before.
The one thing I didn’t like and that made this book not a 5 star book for me is the length. It’s just my preference to be written at 300-350 pages. I still think this was a good read and that you should pick it up if you like gothic-type mysteries with a lot of character development and a new story line! This comes out February 6, 2018.
I gave this book 3.5-4 out of 5 stars.
*I received this advanced reading copy from the author for review.
February 3, 2018
It had been a while since I'd picked up a novel and not only finished it but gobbled it up hungrily. "Eye of the Moon" is now one of my favorite books and a concoction of all the things that spike my curiosity. The occult, family intrigues, a mansion with a dark personality of its own, and profound characters that you commit to are the stuff "Eye of the Moon" is made of.
January 3, 2025
3.5 stars rounded up
Eye of the Moon was a fun, lighthearted read. It had a good mix of humor and intrigue. It reminded me of a more sophisticated pink panther. The characters were funny and fun to unravel. I enjoyed the point of view it was told from.
I listened to the audiobook and narration was really good. 4.5 stars.
It was a bit lengthy/wordy and I wish it had moved a bit quicker. It was entertaining as an audiobook just casually listening in the car but I feel like had I not been listening I probably would have DNF'ed the e-book version just for how slow the beginning was.
Thanks to NetGalley, Smith-Obolensky Media, and Ivan Obolensky for the ALC and chance to give my honest opinion
Eye of the Moon was a fun, lighthearted read. It had a good mix of humor and intrigue. It reminded me of a more sophisticated pink panther. The characters were funny and fun to unravel. I enjoyed the point of view it was told from.
I listened to the audiobook and narration was really good. 4.5 stars.
It was a bit lengthy/wordy and I wish it had moved a bit quicker. It was entertaining as an audiobook just casually listening in the car but I feel like had I not been listening I probably would have DNF'ed the e-book version just for how slow the beginning was.
Thanks to NetGalley, Smith-Obolensky Media, and Ivan Obolensky for the ALC and chance to give my honest opinion
July 30, 2024
The story was super interesting and the banter was really top notch but it was seriously long. It felt like there was a lot of unnecessary information that really didn't seem to add to the story.
It really wasn't needed because the story had this beautiful mix of creepy prose and well written dialogue that it didn't need to be drawn out. The author has some serious skills and the narration was on point, it was just way too long.
I will be hunting down book 2 because I have questions though!
4 stars
It really wasn't needed because the story had this beautiful mix of creepy prose and well written dialogue that it didn't need to be drawn out. The author has some serious skills and the narration was on point, it was just way too long.
I will be hunting down book 2 because I have questions though!
4 stars
January 11, 2021
Absolutamente cautivador, me mantuvo atenta desde la primera página. Una narrativa sencilla de leer pero una trama que mantiene al lector con ganas de saber que sigue durante todo el libro. Leí las casi 580 páginas en menos de 36 horas. Es altamente adictivo 👏👏👏 súper felicitaciones al escritor Ivan Obolensky por su primera novela. Es maravillosa!!!
dnf
June 7, 2025I received an ARC through NetGalley for an honest review.
Well, this is my record DNF for the year @ 2%.
There are a lot of reviews running the gamut from high to low and I only made it 15 minutes into a nearly 18 hour audiobook, so there's very little to say, beyond the fact that I bounced so powerfully of the prose with its oddly weight and stacked descriptions and ludicrous tone.
Perhaps, I should have listened to my gut at my intial response the the 'delightful' note to the reader.
Your mileage may vary, but this was not for me.
Well, this is my record DNF for the year @ 2%.
There are a lot of reviews running the gamut from high to low and I only made it 15 minutes into a nearly 18 hour audiobook, so there's very little to say, beyond the fact that I bounced so powerfully of the prose with its oddly weight and stacked descriptions and ludicrous tone.
Perhaps, I should have listened to my gut at my intial response the the 'delightful' note to the reader.
Your mileage may vary, but this was not for me.
January 20, 2021
4,5⭐
Necesito digerir lo que acabo de leer antes de reseñarlo....
Oh por Dios, que final!!!!
Tengo tantas cosas que decir al respecto... y no sé por donde empezar.
Durante días no he dejado de pensar en este libro. Desde el momento en el que leí la sinopsis supe que me iba a encantar y así fue. Para ser honesta, no tengo ninguna critica negativa que hacerle a este libro, es una perfecta obra de arte, la historia de atrapa de principio a fin y el final te vuela la cabeza.
La prosa del autor es preciosa y ha creado personajes extraordinarios y muy interesantes. Creo que lo más impactante para mi fue la vibra que sentí respecto a la historia. Definitivamente Obolensky logró llevarme a Rhinebeck, podía verme en ese lugar y me sentía parte tanto de Percy como de Johnny. Los pequeños detalles sobre el antiguo Egipto que Obolensky le dió a su obra hicieron que amara la historia aun más. Y de igual forma, mezclar el pasado con el presente hacen que "El ojo de la luna" sea, para mí, un libro estupendo.
Respecto el final, creo que ha sido el mejor final que he leído, a pesar de tener una relación de amorodio. Pues me dejó con mucha intriga y justo ahora quiero saber más y más sobre Percy, Bruni, Johnny, Alice y los demás personajes, y por supuesto, los misterios que tanto Rhinebeck como los personajes que esconden.
El trabajo que Ivan Obolensky realizó con este libro es admirable. Necesito más libros así. ❤
Necesito digerir lo que acabo de leer antes de reseñarlo....
Oh por Dios, que final!!!!
Tengo tantas cosas que decir al respecto... y no sé por donde empezar.
Durante días no he dejado de pensar en este libro. Desde el momento en el que leí la sinopsis supe que me iba a encantar y así fue. Para ser honesta, no tengo ninguna critica negativa que hacerle a este libro, es una perfecta obra de arte, la historia de atrapa de principio a fin y el final te vuela la cabeza.
La prosa del autor es preciosa y ha creado personajes extraordinarios y muy interesantes. Creo que lo más impactante para mi fue la vibra que sentí respecto a la historia. Definitivamente Obolensky logró llevarme a Rhinebeck, podía verme en ese lugar y me sentía parte tanto de Percy como de Johnny. Los pequeños detalles sobre el antiguo Egipto que Obolensky le dió a su obra hicieron que amara la historia aun más. Y de igual forma, mezclar el pasado con el presente hacen que "El ojo de la luna" sea, para mí, un libro estupendo.
Respecto el final, creo que ha sido el mejor final que he leído, a pesar de tener una relación de amorodio. Pues me dejó con mucha intriga y justo ahora quiero saber más y más sobre Percy, Bruni, Johnny, Alice y los demás personajes, y por supuesto, los misterios que tanto Rhinebeck como los personajes que esconden.
El trabajo que Ivan Obolensky realizó con este libro es admirable. Necesito más libros así. ❤
February 17, 2021
Did not like this one.
I found the characters flat and soulless. Greedy and narcissistic. The world's got enough of that.
So frankly it was hard to give a shit who "won"...and who "lost", whatever that was.
“... it's hard to like a book whose central characters are not likeable.” (T.C. - a friend of mine on Goodreads)
The plot is so overwrought, that i found it implausible. I heard myself laughing:
"Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine"
(Rick Blaine, Casablanca)
at the thought that Alice could be so close to Bromley & Mary that she'd hear the conversation perfectly, but not be recognized by a man who, we are to believe, is (at least) somewhat obsessed with her. And then, what that spun into motion - sperm is everything? Character is nothing?
Additionally, i was irritated by multiple errors (King Tut's daddy's birth century off by 2800 years?).
The above, and the repetitive take home message of YES! to avarice and shallowness, left me empty.
As my youngest would say: "Please, no".
I found the characters flat and soulless. Greedy and narcissistic. The world's got enough of that.
So frankly it was hard to give a shit who "won"...and who "lost", whatever that was.
“... it's hard to like a book whose central characters are not likeable.” (T.C. - a friend of mine on Goodreads)
The plot is so overwrought, that i found it implausible. I heard myself laughing:
"Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine"
(Rick Blaine, Casablanca)
at the thought that Alice could be so close to Bromley & Mary that she'd hear the conversation perfectly, but not be recognized by a man who, we are to believe, is (at least) somewhat obsessed with her. And then, what that spun into motion - sperm is everything? Character is nothing?
Additionally, i was irritated by multiple errors (King Tut's daddy's birth century off by 2800 years?).
The above, and the repetitive take home message of YES! to avarice and shallowness, left me empty.
As my youngest would say: "Please, no".
January 30, 2018
What a great time I had reading Ivan Obolensky’s Eye Of The Moon! Full of wonderfully fresh characters, it’s a story full of stories that become interwoven as the novel unfolds. Looming over the book and all the characters is the fabulous estate of Rhinebeck, part gothic castle, part Downton Abbey and part upstate New York country home. The estate holds many secrets, mysteries and the hearts of all who have lived there or hope too. But it’s the characters that we take with us and hope to see again. Finely drawn, unique and complex these are less characters in a book and more people we come to know better as we spend time with them. Comedy, romance, death, passion, mystery and magic are all elements that drive the story. Full of suspense and always revealing new surprises this novel is just plain fun to read.
December 12, 2017
This was such a surprise. If you love big house mysteries, Downtown Abbey, and Cluedo 'who done its' , you will love this. It is a modern day mystery. Gothic and a wee bit of supernatural thrown in for good measure. It was really entertaining, I loved every minute of it. Each character has a good role and story, nobody is left out. The two main characters, Percy and Johnny, oh sorry, and Robert the Bruce (dog), bounce off each other well. The story pulls you in as more things are discovered, and more secrets unearthed. This is a great read for a winters night. Highly recommended.
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October 12, 2023EYE OF THE MOON by Ivan Obolensky is a richly layered Gothic mystery that'll delight readers with hidden rooms and ancient curses.
Read the full review on BookTrib.com
Read the full review on BookTrib.com
November 29, 2020
A Rhinebeck, una mansión campestre que pertenece a la familia Dogde llegan después de muchos años Percy y Jhonny, dos amigos que durante la infancia compartieron mucho tiempo allí. Esta vez es diferente, sin embargo, pues ya no son niños que husmean las habitaciones y hacen travesuras, sino que son adultos que quieren desenmarañar el misterio que es la muerte de Alice, una familiar controversial que falleció en esa misma casa bajo dudosas circunstancias.
La pluma de el autor es algo rebuscada pero no llega a ser prosa púrpura. Está narrado en primera persona por Percy, y esto hace que varios misterios se mantengan pues solo sabemos lo que él ve/piensa.
Le destaco mucho el carácter que le ha dado a las mujeres en la novela. Me encanta que sean atrevidas, desafiantes, extrovertidas; mi favorita ha sido Bruni, una chica tan inteligente que hasta los hombres la consideran peligrosa.
Justo cuando crees que tienes dos respuestas a un misterio, salen tres más y eso hace que te mantengas pegado a cada capítulo. La mezcla de drama, misterio y algo de paranormal es genial, creo que todo está bien organizado de modo que pese al enredo de subtramas, no quedan cabos importantes sueltos.
Lo que sí me ha faltado ha sido más emoción entre los personajes, refiriéndome a que todos parecen tiesos, marionetas y no personas reales pasando por momentos sorprendentes. Las conversaciones en especial, incluso cuando sueltan/revelan algo BRUTAL, son monótonas y apagadas, no he sido capaz de "darles voz" en mi cabeza a la mayoría de personajes porque todos hablan igual.
Es un libro que avanza lento sin ser pesado pero hay que digerirlo con calma y con toal concentración o te perderás entre sus hilos.
⭐Ideal para los amantes del Thriller, de los misterios que incluyen secretos familiares, las tramas adultas y los mayordomos amables y siniestros.⭐3/5⭐
September 30, 2020
Why isn’t this book on the best seller lists?
It has a plot to die for, characters who are very real, albeit in some cases a bit larger than life, and a history and setting imbued with more than a touch of the magical and the occult, all against a credible background of how the super rich live, thrive, screw up and die. Its worldly sophistication in in a class with Edith Wharton, and the dialogues in the crucial scenes are bold, stunning and wise. If any of these factors interest you, I predict you won’t be able to put this book down with equanimity until it is over. Then you will ask: “when will the sequel be published?”
It has a plot to die for, characters who are very real, albeit in some cases a bit larger than life, and a history and setting imbued with more than a touch of the magical and the occult, all against a credible background of how the super rich live, thrive, screw up and die. Its worldly sophistication in in a class with Edith Wharton, and the dialogues in the crucial scenes are bold, stunning and wise. If any of these factors interest you, I predict you won’t be able to put this book down with equanimity until it is over. Then you will ask: “when will the sequel be published?”
September 14, 2020
An interesting read.
I took my time reading this book because I found it very interesting. The references to the occult held my attention as this is a subject that I find fascinating. The ending was a surprise regarding lineage but I could have had less of the financial dealings. Read this- I do recommend it.
I took my time reading this book because I found it very interesting. The references to the occult held my attention as this is a subject that I find fascinating. The ending was a surprise regarding lineage but I could have had less of the financial dealings. Read this- I do recommend it.
October 21, 2021
I connected to this book from the first word to the last. I enjoyed it tremendously. I read it in Spanish and I am hoping to read it again in English.
There are a couple of things like some animosity between two characters of the past that I hope is developed further in the second book, but I am eager to know what happens next.
There are a couple of things like some animosity between two characters of the past that I hope is developed further in the second book, but I am eager to know what happens next.
September 12, 2020
This was a fun book that I enjoyed reading. Nice paced suspense that drove my reading through the entire book. Plus good touches of humor with some real emotional underpinnings for the charactors.
I'm looking forward to his next book.
I'm looking forward to his next book.
April 28, 2021
Esta historia comienza de una manera incierta en donde crees que te encontrarás con algún drama familiar por cuenta de un tema casi que banal, pero a medida que van avanzando los capítulos la cosa comienza a cambiar y la trama se entremezcla con algo de misterio, fantasmas y dioses que viven alrededor de los protagonistas desde siempre.
Podría decir que la base del libro es lo suficiente enganchante para hacerte leer sin detenerte, seguramente por la curiosidad de saber en que acaba todo o como hará el autor para cerrar los muchos conflictos en los que Percy y Johnny se ven atrapados, especialmente el primero quien es, además, el narrador de la historia.
Sin embargo esto no es motivo suficiente para evitar que me sintiera un tanto perdida y mareada por instantes, y es que mientras en una parte me estaban contando y retratando todo un misterio de asesinato, que posiblemente involucraba entidades mayores a las físicas, al capítulo siguiente regresaban al drama familiar por temas de herencias y un lenguaje económico y empresario que hace desconectar de las otras narraciones, aún cuando se supone que todas van implícitas en lo mismo.
Tuve inconveniente con creerme los giros que da la historia de Percy como tal, siento que hubo huecos en ese sentido y que todo fue más bien a conveniencia del autor para poder solucionar todo el entramado que había creado al inicio, y de no ser este el caso, al menos sí que fue mi sensación; además de esto puedo afirmar que la historia posiblemente me hubiera gustado mucho más si se aprovechaban los recursos que tenían para crear problemas que, algunas veces pudiendo sonar clichés, generarían mayor tensión y conflictos más interesantes que bien podrían haber aumentado la intensidad de algunos que ya se presentaban, como es el caso de Bruni como el interés amoroso, en niveles diferentes, para Percy y su mejor amigo, o la enemistad con Lord B.
Aún con todo esto, el libro tiene algo que logra volverlo llamativo y fácil de leer, te genera dudas que deseas resolver a medida que avanzas en la lectura, y, lo que más me gustó quizá, fue el uso de la mitología principalmente egipcia, incluso tocando temas como maldiciones y la tan misteriosa reencarnación, algo que pocas veces se usa como elemento principal y relevante en tramas de este estilo.
¿Lo recomiendo? A las personas que tengan gusto por la cultura egipcia mítica, a quienes les llamen la atención los dramas de herencias familiares, y quizá a aquellos que buscan algo entretenido para el fin de semana donde el nivel de intriga sea medio-alto, para que piensen mientras resuelven las dudas pero no se quemen el cerebro en el proceso.
Para ser el primer libro del autor, siento que lo hizo más que bien.
Podría decir que la base del libro es lo suficiente enganchante para hacerte leer sin detenerte, seguramente por la curiosidad de saber en que acaba todo o como hará el autor para cerrar los muchos conflictos en los que Percy y Johnny se ven atrapados, especialmente el primero quien es, además, el narrador de la historia.
Sin embargo esto no es motivo suficiente para evitar que me sintiera un tanto perdida y mareada por instantes, y es que mientras en una parte me estaban contando y retratando todo un misterio de asesinato, que posiblemente involucraba entidades mayores a las físicas, al capítulo siguiente regresaban al drama familiar por temas de herencias y un lenguaje económico y empresario que hace desconectar de las otras narraciones, aún cuando se supone que todas van implícitas en lo mismo.
Tuve inconveniente con creerme los giros que da la historia de Percy como tal, siento que hubo huecos en ese sentido y que todo fue más bien a conveniencia del autor para poder solucionar todo el entramado que había creado al inicio, y de no ser este el caso, al menos sí que fue mi sensación; además de esto puedo afirmar que la historia posiblemente me hubiera gustado mucho más si se aprovechaban los recursos que tenían para crear problemas que, algunas veces pudiendo sonar clichés, generarían mayor tensión y conflictos más interesantes que bien podrían haber aumentado la intensidad de algunos que ya se presentaban, como es el caso de Bruni como el interés amoroso, en niveles diferentes, para Percy y su mejor amigo, o la enemistad con Lord B.
Aún con todo esto, el libro tiene algo que logra volverlo llamativo y fácil de leer, te genera dudas que deseas resolver a medida que avanzas en la lectura, y, lo que más me gustó quizá, fue el uso de la mitología principalmente egipcia, incluso tocando temas como maldiciones y la tan misteriosa reencarnación, algo que pocas veces se usa como elemento principal y relevante en tramas de este estilo.
¿Lo recomiendo? A las personas que tengan gusto por la cultura egipcia mítica, a quienes les llamen la atención los dramas de herencias familiares, y quizá a aquellos que buscan algo entretenido para el fin de semana donde el nivel de intriga sea medio-alto, para que piensen mientras resuelven las dudas pero no se quemen el cerebro en el proceso.
Para ser el primer libro del autor, siento que lo hizo más que bien.
June 9, 2025
que forma de disfrutar este libro por dios
ARC obtenida en NetGalley
En este libro acompañamos a Percy que se reconcilia junto a su amigo de la infancia Johnny, luego de un evento que los llevó a distanciarse años, Johnny invita a nuestro protagonista a pasar el fin de semana en Rhinebeck, hogar de la infancia de ambos a celebrar el aniversario de sus padres. Esta estancia en el hogar de su infancia, los llevará a experimentar varios encuentros con personajes nuevos y resolver dudas de la tía de Johnny, Alice. Alice fue una presencia importante en su infancia y un personaje sumamente misterioso y enigmático pero respecto a su fallecimiento los jóvenes no tienen ninguna información al respecto. Es en este libro se abarcan varios misterios, secretos familiares y confrontaciones ¿, involucrando a toda la familia Dodge de la cual Percy siente (a veces) que forma parte.
Esta lectura para mí fue algo que definitivamente no esperaba, me interesó aún cuando no entra dentro de mis géneros usuales pero algo sobre como estaba planteado me llamó la atención. El libro comienza con un mapa de personajes, lo cual es muy útil porque definitivamente hay varios personajes y con relaciones entre ellos muy confusas, es sumamente importante recordar quien es quien y cuál es su rol en la familia.
Me gusto bastante la forma en la que esta redactada al libro, como lecto a uno le surgen muchas dudas y estas son respondidas en un tiempo perfecto, ni muy temprano ni muy tarde. Pese a que el comienzo fue medio lento y me costó seguir leyendo, ya llegando a un punto (su 20% de la lectura) ya no quería dejar de saber que es lo que iba a pasar. Disfruté bastante a los personajes sobre todo a Johnny y Percy, la amistad entre ellos es digna de admirar, literalmente son hermanos aunque no compartan sangre.
Creo que las revelaciones que nos son presentadas son espectaculares y muy interesantes, este libro tiene un aspecto mágico que le da a la historia un sabor peculiar y refrescante, no hay nada mejor que leer dramas familiares mezclado con la superstición, la magia y los secretos.
Cabe aclarar que el libro esta ambientado en una época más antigua y este ambiente le queda perfectamente a la historia, no tendría el mismo impacto de ser ambientada en nuestra era moderna o en la época medieval, todo 10/10.
Para mí fue una historia de 5 estrellas, le recomiendo a cualquier persona a darle una oportunidad y disfrutar de este libro. Ya estoy ansiosa por leer el siguiente libro, sobre todo por el final.
5/5 estrellas.
ARC obtenida en NetGalley
En este libro acompañamos a Percy que se reconcilia junto a su amigo de la infancia Johnny, luego de un evento que los llevó a distanciarse años, Johnny invita a nuestro protagonista a pasar el fin de semana en Rhinebeck, hogar de la infancia de ambos a celebrar el aniversario de sus padres. Esta estancia en el hogar de su infancia, los llevará a experimentar varios encuentros con personajes nuevos y resolver dudas de la tía de Johnny, Alice. Alice fue una presencia importante en su infancia y un personaje sumamente misterioso y enigmático pero respecto a su fallecimiento los jóvenes no tienen ninguna información al respecto. Es en este libro se abarcan varios misterios, secretos familiares y confrontaciones ¿, involucrando a toda la familia Dodge de la cual Percy siente (a veces) que forma parte.
Esta lectura para mí fue algo que definitivamente no esperaba, me interesó aún cuando no entra dentro de mis géneros usuales pero algo sobre como estaba planteado me llamó la atención. El libro comienza con un mapa de personajes, lo cual es muy útil porque definitivamente hay varios personajes y con relaciones entre ellos muy confusas, es sumamente importante recordar quien es quien y cuál es su rol en la familia.
Me gusto bastante la forma en la que esta redactada al libro, como lecto a uno le surgen muchas dudas y estas son respondidas en un tiempo perfecto, ni muy temprano ni muy tarde. Pese a que el comienzo fue medio lento y me costó seguir leyendo, ya llegando a un punto (su 20% de la lectura) ya no quería dejar de saber que es lo que iba a pasar. Disfruté bastante a los personajes sobre todo a Johnny y Percy, la amistad entre ellos es digna de admirar, literalmente son hermanos aunque no compartan sangre.
Creo que las revelaciones que nos son presentadas son espectaculares y muy interesantes, este libro tiene un aspecto mágico que le da a la historia un sabor peculiar y refrescante, no hay nada mejor que leer dramas familiares mezclado con la superstición, la magia y los secretos.
Cabe aclarar que el libro esta ambientado en una época más antigua y este ambiente le queda perfectamente a la historia, no tendría el mismo impacto de ser ambientada en nuestra era moderna o en la época medieval, todo 10/10.
Para mí fue una historia de 5 estrellas, le recomiendo a cualquier persona a darle una oportunidad y disfrutar de este libro. Ya estoy ansiosa por leer el siguiente libro, sobre todo por el final.
5/5 estrellas.
November 24, 2022
This was an enjoyable read! Steeped in Egyptian folklore, this mystery/thriller kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the story. The writing style was especially nice and made it easy to get immersed. I did find the pace to be a little slow at times, but all in all I still really enjoyed it. Can definitely recommend!
July 4, 2024
After 20 years, two childhood friends (Johnny and Percy) meet up to investigate the mysterious death of Johnny's aunt Alice who mysteriously died while reading the Egyptian Book of the Dead. This story is engaging and very Lovecraftian in a modern way. I will be reading the next two books in this series! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC/audiobook which drew me into this mystery series.
August 19, 2024
What a fantastic Victorian Style, modern day mystery! I got some cozy vibes and some Agatha Christie vibes while enjoying this on audiobook. The narrators are absolutely wonderful and the plot was engaging. I cannot recommend this one enough!
November 25, 2024
I listened to the audio version of this occult murder mystery. The narrators were excellent. The story started off a little slow and it took me a little bit to really get into it, but once I did, I really enjoyed it. I'm glad I listened to it though, instead of reading the 500 some pages. It may have been too slow of a start for me to actually get into reading. Most of the story is the characters relating what happened in the past, to bring it to where they are now. The characters are Intriguing, and you are able to get to know them well. Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to listen to this audiobook.
March 2, 2020
Light-hearted & Fun, Not really "gothic"
I really enjoyed most of this novel, but it really isn't "gothic" -- the story is more of a "drawing room mystery" with quirky, wealthy characters interacting in an elegant old mansion in New York state. The main characters are likeable and I was very intrigued by the mystery lurking in the background of the plot (a mysterious death, ancient artifacts, spooky happenings, etc.).
Unfortunately, the ending of the novel left many loose ends. Most annoying was the fact that a nasty character who was portrayed as an evil person throughout the book, gets off scot-free in the end, and the violence that person wrought is minimized. Also annoying: the house itself is described as full of mysterious energies, but there are very few examples of actual hauntings or other mysteries during the course of the story. It felt like the author ran out of steam and didn't feel like doing the work to provide a certain scenes, including a satisfying ending.
Too bad the author didn't flesh out the supernatural elements more, because the characters have great depth and are entertaining and likeable. The plot is decent too, but could have been even better with a bit more effort by the author. Perhaps there will be a sequel? That could help tie up the loose ends. Overall, I liked this story, but wish it had more "meat" in certain sections.
I really enjoyed most of this novel, but it really isn't "gothic" -- the story is more of a "drawing room mystery" with quirky, wealthy characters interacting in an elegant old mansion in New York state. The main characters are likeable and I was very intrigued by the mystery lurking in the background of the plot (a mysterious death, ancient artifacts, spooky happenings, etc.).
Unfortunately, the ending of the novel left many loose ends. Most annoying was the fact that a nasty character who was portrayed as an evil person throughout the book, gets off scot-free in the end, and the violence that person wrought is minimized. Also annoying: the house itself is described as full of mysterious energies, but there are very few examples of actual hauntings or other mysteries during the course of the story. It felt like the author ran out of steam and didn't feel like doing the work to provide a certain scenes, including a satisfying ending.
Too bad the author didn't flesh out the supernatural elements more, because the characters have great depth and are entertaining and likeable. The plot is decent too, but could have been even better with a bit more effort by the author. Perhaps there will be a sequel? That could help tie up the loose ends. Overall, I liked this story, but wish it had more "meat" in certain sections.
June 14, 2025
I received this audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review! This was the first audiobook I ever listened to, I'm typically a book in hand type of person. I was very satisfied with this book, I absolutely loved the story and the narrators were fantastic! They really brought this story to life and I was easily lost in it. I appreciated that each chapter began with the narrator announcing the chapter number and the flow of the story was perfect for me. It was also easy to differentiate between when different characters were speaking. I've enjoyed historical fiction and mystery/thrillers for forever, and this story was very much my cup of tea. I could go on and on gushing about this book. If you like this genre, I would very much recommend it!
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