The God of the Woods
Ratings54
Average rating4.2
15
Ratings54
Average rating4.2
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 with the most likes.
I loved this book. The story line was riveting from the start. I loved how the book was written and formatted with multiple character point of views and timelines.
WOW!!! I would be shocked if this wasn’t at least nominated for Book of the Year. This was such an incredible read, touching on themes of love, heartbreak, betrayal, and the fact that everyone has something to hide. I was most touched by the perspectives of the various women in this book. With each one, the reader will notice that freedom and what it means to them (along with what they would sacrifice in order to obtain it) is a shared theme. I can’t say much more about it without spoiling it, other than the fact that I simply couldn’t put it down and it did not at all feel like a 400+ page read. Brava to Liz Moore on a masterpiece!
I scooped this up on NetGalley from the description just bc I love summer camp, even though I don't normally love mysteries. It was definitely a page turner for me and I liked the different POVs. For me I sort of......might have preferred a book that just focused on Barbara's disappearance rather than Bear's? Or I don't know, I see how it all comes together, I think I mostly just didn't like the reveal that the real killer was the mentally ill mom??? and/or I suppose her husband and doctor who overmedicated her? :|
But overall I liked the voices here and the depiction of the camp was so realized to me.
A double mystery story about two siblings who went missing, 15 years apart. This was a good yarn, told from multiple perspectives, keeping you on your toes. But the author made some choices towards the end that felt too manipulative, guiding your suspicions one way before snapping them 180 degrees right after. Still, pretty entertaining, even if a tad bit too long maybe.
