Sam Sacks writing for
The Wall Street Journal appreciated the non-fiction elements of the novel in contrast to Chabon's other works. Sacks said, "
Moonglow is a movingly bittersweet novel that balances wonder with lamentation." For
The New York Times,
Michiko Kakutani found that, "Mr. Chabon weaves these knotted-together tales together into a tapestry that’s as complicated, beautiful and flawed as an antique carpet. […] Although 'Moonglow' grows overly discursive at times, it is never less than compelling when it sticks to the tale of Mike's grandparents — these damaged survivors of World War II who bequeath to their family a legacy of endurance, and an understanding of the magic powers of storytelling to provide both solace and transcendence". In the Sunday
New York Times Book Review, critic A.O. Scott wrote, "Whatever else it is — a novel, a memoir, a pack of lies, a mishmash — this book is beautiful." The book was discussed in January 2017 on
BBC Radio 4's
Saturday Review. Moonglow was a finalist for the 2016
National Book Critics Circle Award in fiction. ==References==