ArtsATL Review: Sing Down the Moon Praised for “Lush, Surreal Prose”

Robert Gwaltney’s Sing Down the Moon was recently reviewed by Rachel Wright in ArtsATL, who describes the novel as “high drama cloaked in lush, surreal prose.” The review highlights the book’s dreamlike atmosphere, layered storytelling, and its exploration of memory, inheritance, and the complexities of love and identity.

Wright notes the novel’s richly imagined setting — a magical Georgia barrier island where ghosts, folklore, and family legacy intertwine — and praises Gwaltney’s lyrical prose, which rewards careful reading with “fresh metaphor and slant turns of phrase that echo and repeat.” She observes that the story defies easy categorization, blending elements of folklore, horror, camp, domestic thriller, poetry, and high fantasy.

At the center of the novel is Leontyne Skye, a young woman navigating loss, hidden truths, and the weight of inheritance. Through Leontyne’s journey, the review emphasizes Gwaltney’s exploration of the ways people conceal the past, the fragile boundary between love and harm, and the struggle to remain true to oneself.

You can read the full review at ArtsATL:

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