Love

In The Half Moon, Keane thematically examines love. Toward the outset of the novel, the author examines the correlation between love and sacrifice when Malcolm and Jess discuss their dreams for the future. After the couple spends the majority of their savings on IVF treatments, Malcolm “wonder[s] why [pregnancy] had to be the [the dream]” they invested in (65). He tells Jess that “it was very clear to everyone except [her] that it wouldn’t work out” for them (65). When she questions why he went along with the treatments if he did not believe they could get pregnant, he confesses that he did so “because it’s what [she] wanted” (65). Through this moment, Keane suggests that love requires sacrificing personal dreams and desires for others. She pontificates that while giving to others is crucial to demonstrating love, it can also lead to resentment. While Malcolm is...