The God of the Woods: A Novel
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER and ONE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES’S NOTABLE BOOKS OF THE YEAR
A NEW YORK TIMES "BEST THRILLER" and "BEST CRIME NOVEL" OF THE YEAR
PEOPLE MAGAZINE’S #1 BOOK OF THE YEAR
“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.
A NEW YORK TIMES "BEST THRILLER" and "BEST CRIME NOVEL" OF THE YEAR
PEOPLE MAGAZINE’S #1 BOOK OF THE YEAR
“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.
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Community Reviews
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✨ Summarized by Bookclubs AI
Readers say *The God of the Woods* offers richly drawn, unusual characters and an atmospheric, vivid portrayal of the Adirondacks that feels cinematic...
Spellbinding mystery that takes place in the Adirondacks. Page turner, and quick read despite the length, due to all the brief small chapters and blank pages. Ending slightly disappointing.
thenextgoodbook.com
What’s it about?
When thirteen-year-old Barbara Van Leer goes missing from summer camp it creates a stir. Her family owns the camp and her older brother went missing thirteen years earlier. Spanning from the 1950’s through 1974 and told through many eyes- this is a mystery with many layers.
What did it make me think about?
The relationship between families and communities.
Should I read it?
I read and loved Long Bright River by Liz Moore a few years ago. I have been waiting eagerly for her next book. I was so sorry to turn the last page on this book. Both books are stellar mysteries with strong character development. But the settings could not be more different. While Long Bright River takes place in the urban setting of Philadelphia, this novel is placed squarely in the Adirondack mountains. In both books, the setting is an important aspect of the story. I will say no more as you should read this one yourself. If you are looking for a great summer mystery then look no further!
Quote-
“The empty bed is Barbara’s.
She closes her eyes. She imagines herself returning, for the rest of her life, to this place and this moment: a lonely time traveler, a ghost, haunting the cabin called Balsam, willing a body to appear where there is none. Willing the girl herself, Barabara, to walk through the door. To say she has been in the washroom, to say she forgot the rule about taking the flashlight, to apologize disarmingly, as she has done before.
But Louise knows that Brabra won’t do any of these things. She senses, for reasons she can’t quite articulate, that Barbara is gone.
Of all the campers, Louise thinks. Of all the campers to go missing.”
What’s it about?
When thirteen-year-old Barbara Van Leer goes missing from summer camp it creates a stir. Her family owns the camp and her older brother went missing thirteen years earlier. Spanning from the 1950’s through 1974 and told through many eyes- this is a mystery with many layers.
What did it make me think about?
The relationship between families and communities.
Should I read it?
I read and loved Long Bright River by Liz Moore a few years ago. I have been waiting eagerly for her next book. I was so sorry to turn the last page on this book. Both books are stellar mysteries with strong character development. But the settings could not be more different. While Long Bright River takes place in the urban setting of Philadelphia, this novel is placed squarely in the Adirondack mountains. In both books, the setting is an important aspect of the story. I will say no more as you should read this one yourself. If you are looking for a great summer mystery then look no further!
Quote-
“The empty bed is Barbara’s.
She closes her eyes. She imagines herself returning, for the rest of her life, to this place and this moment: a lonely time traveler, a ghost, haunting the cabin called Balsam, willing a body to appear where there is none. Willing the girl herself, Barabara, to walk through the door. To say she has been in the washroom, to say she forgot the rule about taking the flashlight, to apologize disarmingly, as she has done before.
But Louise knows that Brabra won’t do any of these things. She senses, for reasons she can’t quite articulate, that Barbara is gone.
Of all the campers, Louise thinks. Of all the campers to go missing.”
Yes, yes, yes. This is a hauntingly beautiful story with twists and turns I never saw coming. Liz Moore does such a great job describing the setting that the image I had in my mind of this camp was so vivid I can still picture it perfectly months later. I cannot recommend this book enough.
This was a 2.5 star read for me. I unfortunately had to DNF this one. I tried really hard to work my way through it, but I felt like it never really picked up. VERY Slow burn, but I was intrigued by the overall concept of the book. I will try again later this year, and see if it was just me.
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