The God of the Woods - Liz Moore

The God of the Woods

By Liz Moore

  • Release Date: 2024-07-02
  • Genre: Family Fiction & Literature
Score: 4.5
4.5
From 2,694 Ratings
$14.99 On itunes Buy on Amazon

Description

ONE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES’S NOTABLE BOOKS OF 2024

A NEW YORK TIMES BEST THRILLER OF 2024

A NEW YORK TIMES BEST CRIME NOVEL OF 2024

PEOPLE MAGAZINE’S #1 BOOK OF THE YEAR

ONE OF NPR’S “BOOKS WE LOVE” 2024

ONE OF TIME MAGAZINE’S “100 MUST-READ BOOKS OF 2024”

"A long novel that at first is hard to put down. By page 200, impossible." —Stephen King

“Extraordinary . . . Reminds me of Donna Tartt’s 1992 debut, The Secret History . . . I was so thoroughly submerged in a rich fictional world, that for hours I barely came up for air.” —Maureen Corrigan, Fresh Air, NPR

“This expertly paced thriller …has the kineticism of a well-crafted miniseries.” —The New Yorker

When a teenager vanishes from her Adirondack summer camp, two worlds collide

Early morning, August 1975: a camp counselor discovers an empty bunk. Its occupant, Barbara Van Laar, has gone missing. Barbara isn’t just any thirteen-year-old: she’s the daughter of the family that owns the summer camp and employs most of the region’s residents. And this isn’t the first time a Van Laar child has disappeared. Barbara’s older brother similarly vanished fourteen years ago, never to be found.

As a panicked search begins, a thrilling drama unfolds. Chasing down the layered secrets of the Van Laar family and the blue-collar community working in its shadow, Moore’s multi-threaded story invites readers into a rich and gripping dynasty of secrets and second chances. It is Liz Moore’s most ambitious and wide-reaching novel yet.

Reviews

  • A page turner

    5
    By Jewel....
    A tragic story over a span of years. A look at what it was like for a female investigator, from a strict Polish family, in the early seventies. And a story of a brave boy named Bear and a free spirit named Barbara.

  • God of the Woods

    5
    By YayaNetski
    This book kept my interest all through. Told by several characters and bouncing between different years it pulls together many lives. The setting is a home and camp in the Adirondack Mountains. The affluent owners of the property are a dysfunctional ( business obsessed father and sad ,alcoholic mother), family who ‘s young son, Bear, went missing years ago. Years later his sister, Barbara , is missing from the camp .

  • Darned good book

    4
    By Gerithegreek
    I rarely run in to a book I have a hard time putting down. This one is among the rarities. Lots of likable characters. Lots of unlikable ones, as well. I found many of the lesser wealthy characters being little more than greedy stereotypes. Alice was passive and docile to the point of seeming unbelievable. None of them seemed to have any redeeming qualities. I thought the dizzying back and forth between narrators, narratives, and chronology a bit annoying and confusing, but thus are mysteries told . . . makes the more mysterious. Some of the activity was almost deus ex machina—like Louise's sudden uncharacteristic decision to be a feminist dominatrix. I couldn’t buy it. It was out of character for her. That’s probably why it didn’t receive literary awards even though it did get a lot of praise. All in all I’m glad I read the book. I'd like to find another that holds my interest as well.

  • Intriguing

    4
    By TLD2024
    The numerous characters and time periods woven into this story made this book very challenging but enjoyable. It reminded me of childhood memories and the bonds we make as children, which form who we are. The life lessons taught are also invaluable.

  • The God of the Woods

    5
    By Nancy Clancy
    I loved this book! Every chapter weighed in with more possible scenarios of whodunit! But, the storyline had heart and soul in it! Great book!

  • This was highly recommended but I found the plot unsettling. I just did not like this at all.

    2
    By LAL987654321
    Also, it is too confusing in the beginning! It is so dark but not in an entertaining way. It’s rare for me to say this but u don’t like this book at all!

  • Too drawn out, overwrought, with a tacked-on, ridiculously rushed ending

    2
    By tura-not-happy
    Wasted an awful lot of reading time with this book. I had high hopes, and wanted to love this book, considering the rave reviews and that it was named as one of NYTimes best of the year. Very disappointing.

  • Fabulous writing

    5
    By Michele Khoury
    Engaging characters kept me turning the pages. Ms. Moore provided clues to the two mysteries, and then deftly lead the reader to suspect other scenarios.

  • Tedious

    3
    By Acex2
    A 476 page chore until last 50 pages

  • Keeps you interested

    5
    By kblair-12
    None of the people in story are perfect and it’s written well

Comments

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