Clair de Lune
Jetta Carleton
Harper Perennial
304 pages
Allen Liles is a a farm girl, born and raised, who is determined to become a writer. She is reasonable enough to realize that she has to be more realistic, so in order to make ends meets, she takes a job working as a college professor, and puts her aspirations on the back burner.
Allen realizes quickly that teaching isn’t as bad as she had anticipated. She is only a couple of years older than her students, and she forms a bond with some of her more studious pupils, most notably George and Toby.
George and Toby are in Allen’s modern writing seminar and they become so interested in the subject matter that they often stay after class to discuss literature and the meetings quickly involve into a threesome. Allen, Toby and George start meeting at Allen’s apartment numerous times a week and go out on the town together as well. George becomes a third wheel though once Toby and Allen begin to grow closer, and it begins to seem as though Allen’s infatuation with Toby could put an end to her teaching career.
Given that Clair de Lune takes place in 1941, it is well before the time of Mary Kay Letourneau. It is easy to see how Allen’s situation could get out of hand, although at times I was shocked that she could be so naive. She seemed much too young to be a college professor but she also became a very likeable character for me.
I knew nothing about this book but I immediately volunteered to participate in the tour because I have been meaning to read Carlson’s other book, The Moonflower Vine. I knew very little about Clair de Lune and I am glad I went into it not knowing much. The simplicity of the prose really struck a chord with me and I found myself flying through the book at lightening speed. I am even more excited to read The Moonflower Vine now!
About Jetta Carleton
Jetta Carleton was born in 1913 in Holden, Missouri, and earned a master’s degree at the University of Missouri. She worked as a schoolteacher, a radio copywriter in Kansas City, and a television advertising copywriter in New York City. She and her husband settled in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where they ran a small publishing house, The Lightning Tree. She died in 1999. The Moonflower Vine was, until now, her only published novel.
Jetta’s Tour Stops
Tuesday, March 6th: A Bookish Way of Life
Monday, March 12th: Unabridged Chick
Tuesday, March 13th: The Bluestocking Society
Monday, March 19th: Amused By Books
Wednesday, March 21st: BookNAround
Thursday, March 22nd: Life In Review
Friday, March 23rd: “That’s Swell!”
Monday, March 26th: The Lost Entwife
Tuesday, March 27th: Review By Lola
TBD: Jo-Jo Loves to Read!
TBD: Lit Endeavors
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: book review, tlc book tours |
ReviewsbyLola's Blog 
The more positive reviews for this book I read the more interested I am in picking it up! I’m glad the author went with simple prose especially given the subject matter. Thanks for the review!
It does seem as though this is a read that makes the reader really think, and I find the fact that this happened so long ago fascinating as well. I love the way you’ve described this book, and feel like it’s something that I need to check out. I can imagine that I would love this one. Great review today!
This book sounds riveting! I love that Allen wants to be a writer and is a college prof. although she sounds young for the job and I wonder what her qualifications are…but this was a different time, many years ago. I’m kind of surprised and also interested by how close she becomes to 2 of her students. I’m curious if she’s lonely or grew up too fast. I also wonder where George ends up in all this!
I definitely want to read this book. Your review got me hooked, thank you for a great job on this post, Stephanie!
I bet that would have been quite shocking in 1941! Sounds like a good book!
It seemed odd that she “took a job as a college professor” — like you can just apply to do that. I guess I got hung up on the farm girl part. : )
It was definitely different back then! Allen didn’t even have a teaching degree!
I’d like to read this one for the time period alone. She sounds like an interesting character.
Oh, this one sounds good. Thank you for introducing me to it, I hadn’t heard of it before.
As I read the reviews of this one I keep finding myself thinking of the modern day news stories (like Mary Kay that you mentioned) … seems like this kind of thing has been going on for a long time.
Glad you enjoyed this one! Thanks for being on the tour.
[…] 23rd: “That’s Swell!”Monday, March 26th: The Lost EntwifeTuesday, March 27th: Review By LolaWednesday, March 28th: Jo-Jo Loves to Read!TBD: Coffee and a Book ChickTBD: Lit […]