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lorenag5's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Animal death, Cancer, Death, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Slavery, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
danaaliyalevinson's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Which for me, I tend to be attracted to very character driven books, and so being presented with a new central character each chapter just as I was getting to know the previous one was difficult for me to get into. But what I will say is, the book is super interesting. It’s very concept driven and the concept is incredibly compelling. One of the things I really did love in its concept was the usage of ephemera. Oftentimes, between chapters, there would be things like photographs, news clippings, obituaries, poems, journal excerpts, etc, which really made the world feel so real and palpable.
So for those who love somewhat experimental concept driven books, you will likely love this. And there are multiple characters who I did find incredibly compelling and was sad to depart from so quickly when the book moved on to a new inhabitant of the house. The book is also undeniably very well written and constructed. I think that while it wasn’t a five star read for me, it would be a five star read for many others. In fact I already recommended it to two different friends who I think would absolutely lose their minds over this book based on their reading tastes. So don’t let my criticism deter you if this is the kind of storytelling you like!
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Abandonment, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
carriepond's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I loved this novel, about the interconnection between humans and nature, the way that the past shapes the present in so many ways that we can't fathom or see, and how everything (people, houses, forests, humanity itself) is both transient and ephemeral, eternal and infinite. There is an element of magic or mysticism that meshes perfectly with the mundane, and Mason treats both with equal reverence and attention. Toward the end of the novel, a character muses that "the only way to understand the world as something other than a tale of loss is to see it as a tale of change." In North Woods, we see that in action-- an apple tree rises from the ribs of a fallen soldier, a beetle is unknowingly transported deep into the forest to feast on and fell its elm trees. And the novel itself is a cycle-- beginning on a day in June, ending on a day in May far in the future.
The novel was beautiful to read, but it was also fun to read. I loved watching Mason weave together all the pieces of this epic story, and there were also parts that made me chuckle or laugh out loud, including a hilarious and prolonged sex scene between two beetles.
I loved this book!
Graphic: Murder and Injury/Injury detail
fkshg8465's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Ableism, Cancer, Confinement, Death, Hate crime, Infidelity, Mental illness, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
rednikki's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
But Mason only tells the story through the white people who have lived (or in one case, visited) there. Excluding people of color from point of view was clearly a decision Mason made. The first time we encounter the place, it is through the eyes of some of the first white settlers of the US; we never see it through the eyes of the historical people of the land. There is one section where there is a person of color living in the place, and Mason chooses to tell the story through the point of view of a white visitor instead.
Rutherford's books also usually have at least some time points where there is hope and happiness. In Mason's world, there is only misery, tragedy and despair. Sometimes it's just an undercurrent, sometimes it is overwhelming – but whenever his characters experience joy they are punished for it.
Do not recommend.
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Homophobia, Slavery, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail
ashleyjean6's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Animal death, Cancer, Child death, Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Dementia, Car accident, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
sjanke2's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Moderate: Cancer, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Sexual content, Slavery, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Dementia, Car accident, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Outing, and Injury/Injury detail
jesselynn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Thank you to John Murray Press/Hachette for the advanced reader copy.
Graphic: Ableism, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Car accident, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and War
Moderate: Animal death, Cancer, Blood, Dementia, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal cruelty, Confinement, Cursing, Fatphobia, Slavery, Suicide, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Alcohol