Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Le Dieu des Bois by Liz Moore

261 reviews

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

This is gonna be a book that will have me scratching my head for a little bit. I was not expecting that ending. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

hooked me right away and never slowed down! 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark mysterious reflective sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

The writting was great, very well done! However I felt like it dragged on a bit and it took me much longer to finish than most books. I was also
a bit underwhelmed by the ending but  it was still unexpected and I liked it
. I do wish that instead of providing so many different POVs and timelines, that we could’ve deep dived more into
why Barbara and TJ did what they did and what Barbara’s life was like behind the scenes
. I wanted to feel for the characters more and jumping from so many POV made that difficult. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

A thrilling read that I couldn’t put down once I really got into the book’s plot—which took a little bit but reading the different perspectives was enjoyable enough to sustain my interest until I got to the nitty gritty of the story (which, once it appears, doesn’t stop and completely pulls you in). Barbara and Tracy are such compelling characters, as is Alice but I found her sections hard to read at times due to her pension for being insufferable. I loved the ending and was satisfied with the direction Moore took. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

My full review of this book on my Substack:  https://arcanumalexandrea.substack.com/p/book-review-the-god-of-the-woods

 The women of the story are it's central orbit, and each is struggling with their own mirrored and fractured views of the same timeline. Some are trying to connect, some are reconnecting, some are finding independence, but all of them are on the heels of self-actualization.

 I did not expect this book to be such a cathartic and validating experience, versus some other books that have approached the same topics. There is something about the way that many (men) write female and/or queer trauma that feels so disgusting to me. This book was different. It discussed hard-hitting topics with tact, honesty, and a marked lack of fetishism. 

 The shift of when and where in the timeline, combined with the POV shift, allows the author to reveal clues and information in a much more impactful, careful order. Each character feels like a real person, whom is as much a puzzle as the disappearances they are trying to make sense of.  No details felt out of place, the descriptions didn’t meander, there was no flowery prose without reason. The writing style of this book flowed intentionally through the plotline like the set of streams and rivers that came to rest at Lake Joan. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Thoroughly enjoyed. Maybe it helped that I read so many reviews complaining about the non-linear narrative and changing perspectives before I got the book. I had very little trouble keeping up. I actually liked the perspective jumps as a device to keep me engaged and make the main two mysteries that much more puzzling. 

I think I would’ve liked to see evidence of longer planning for Barbara’s disappearance.

Overall, I enjoyed the story, the resolution to Bear’s case, the justice set in motion against the Van Laars and McLellans. I’m interested in reading Moore’s other works! 😃

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This book is compelling and beautifully written with a satisfying ending. It has many sad and difficult elements but is ultimately hopeful. Self reliance is a recurring theme throughout the book. There were a few threads I wish were resolved or fleshed out just a bit further but overall I really enjoyed this book.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark mysterious tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Loveable characters: Complicated

Expand filter menu Content Warnings