⭐️ 3/5 stars
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📖 Length: 478 pages
📱 Format: Kindle
⏳ Read Time: 16 days
Synopsis
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.
What I thought
Sometimes you pick up a book thinking it will be the perfect in-between read, a little palate cleanser before diving back into a beloved fantasy series. That’s exactly what I thought The God of the Woods would be for me, but unfortunately, it didn’t quite deliver.
I didn’t really get into this book until the last 20%, which honestly shocked me. It took far too long to get a feel for the characters (and there are so many of them), and the timeline was scattered. While I know that fragmented structure was intentional, it just didn’t flow well for me. Most of the time I found myself nodding off or simply not caring enough to stay engaged.
That said, the final stretch redeemed it slightly. The last 20% finally clicked, the pacing smoothed out, the timeline felt settled, and I could actually follow what was happening. If I had rated the first 80% alone, it would have been a 2-star read, but that final push lifted it to a 3.
Overall, this one left me feeling flat. I can see why others might enjoy it, but for me, it wasn’t the captivating literary mystery I’d hoped for. Time to retreat back into my fantasy worlds where I know I’ll be swept away!
Have you read The God of the Woods yet? Did it land differently for you?
Let me know, I love hearing other readers takes!
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