Curse of a Winter Moon

By Mary Casanova

Book Overview

Six years ago, twelve-year-old Marius lost his mother during the birth of his brother, Jean-Pierre, and her dying wish was that he watch over his brother. But because Jean-Pierre was born on Christmas Eve, villagers believe he is marked with the curse of the loup garou--the werewolf. Protecting Jean-Pierre has been a never-ending struggle as townsfolk constantly eye the boy with dread and suspicion. To make matters worse, his country is swept up in a hysterical campaign to find and destroy enemies of the Church, and now the villagers have made Jean-Pierre their target. Marius must defy the ruling institutions of the time to save his brother's life--and his own.

Winner of a 2001 Minnesota Book Award, Curse of a Winter Moon is a harrowing story of one boy's fierce devotion to his family as he battles against prejudice and fear.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0816692076
• ISBN13: 9780816692071
• Release Date: January 2014
• Publisher: University of Minnesota Press
• Length: 144 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.1" x 8.2"
• Age Range: 10 to 13 years
• Grade Range: Grades 5 to 8

Customer Reviews

a hard life

Marius is pulled back and forth between his father being a heratic and his brother supposedly a werewolf he tries to help them both but loses one to the law.

This is a Young Adult Must Read

In "The Curse of a Winter Moon", Marius deals with universal timeless issues of maturity by dealing with the unexpected death of his mother and consequently bearing the responsibility of his little brother, Jean-Pierre. That task wasn't going to be easy considering the townspeople had labeled Jean-Pierre as a loup garou (werewolf), cursed by his birth on Christmas Eve.The plight of Marius and Jean-Pierre away from the ravage and hypocritical Catholic rule and superstitious villagers keep young adult readers at the edge of the page while dealing with age-old issues of good verses evil."Curse of a Winter Moon" is a historical novel set in 16th century France, a time when the Catholic church was ruling with an iron fist - condemning commoners who could read (and consequently think for themselves) as heretics, punishable by death. Marius displays to young readers a maturity that is able to discern right from wrong, strength to endure the villager's contempt for his family, and a hope-based survival mindset for a better future.I used this novel as a read-aloud in my 10th grade classes. I strongly recommend this novel not only for its believable historical accounts, but also for the gripping story of Marius' eye-opening experiences to the harshness and cruelty of the world and the tenderness and loyalty of the bonds of family. My students would agree, this novel is truly a must read!

Curse of a Winter Moon is Fabulous for the Whole Family

My daughter checked out Curse of a Winter Moon from our library and I was interested in the cool yet haunting illustration on the cover. After reading the book, I can say that the cover picture is enigmatic, dark, yet beautiful, and immediately captures author Mary Casanova's twin themes of danger and protection. Marius, a 12-year-old boy who lives in France in the 1500's must try to protect his younger brother, Jean Pierre from the fear and ignorance that often flared into violence in medieval Europe. Because Jean Pierre was born on Christmas eve, the people at that time believed he was cursed by the mark of the loup garou--the werewolf.The book is filled with many interesting characters--the old woman who cares for the family, the quiet but strong blacksmith father who has more than one secret, Marius, who is so good at playing the lute (like an old form of guitar), and his uncle, Brother Gabriel, a monk who travels all around Europe and is now in the area.Even after reading the book, I still wonder about some of the characters and what might have happened to them later. Did Jean Pierre stay safe? Did Marius become a professional minstrel? What about Brother Gabriel--did he continue to travel and have an influence on events during such a dark time in history? I hope author Mary Casanova will consider a sequel to this wonderful book. I am looking forward to talking with my 8 and 11 year old daughters about the book after we read it together.

Curse of a Winter Moon, by Mary Casanova

This historical fiction novel is set in 16th century France, a time and place unfamiliar to most readers, yet the reader is immediately pulled into the historical tumult of that era. The characters, first met in a gripping scene of emotional turmoil in which Marius' baby brother is born on Christmas Eve, come fully alive and real and the reader immediately connects with them. The setting, full of sensory images, immerses the reader into time and place, not to mention predicament. An intricate plot builds with suspense and danger, as Marius must take responsibility for his baby brother, whom the villagers suspect is a werewolf because of his Christmas Eve birth. This is an outstanding story. I hope there will be sequels---I want to continue on with these characters!

How Intriguing!

When Marius' little brother is born on Christmas Eve, the people in his 16th century French village are superstitious that Jean-Pierre is a loup-garou, a werewolf. This well-researched book relays so much detail about everyday life in a village 400 years ago that it's hard to believe Casanova wasn't there! However, it's the characters who make the book come alive. Marius, his father, Madame Troubene, Brother Gabriel (I hope we hear more about him in another book), the reprehensible Abbott, the all-too-believable butcher . . . these are memorable characters. And what a marvelous hero Marius is. I couldn't put this book down until I had finished it.