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wonderedpages 's review for:
The God of the Woods
by Liz Moore
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I went into The God of the Woods expecting a gripping literary mystery, and for the first 417 pages, I was mostly waiting for that promise to deliver. This novel is sprawling, told through a wide cast of characters across multiple decades, and while I appreciated the ambition, I often found myself more confused than compelled.
The setting of Camp Emerson in the Adirondacks is vivid and layered, a place where generational wealth, blue-collar struggle, and buried secrets converge. I eventually came to appreciate the disjointed storytelling. It mimics how an investigator would piece together a cold case, collecting fragments of truth from various sources until the bigger picture finally emerges. But I needed more tension and less filler for a book pitched as a thriller or mystery.
By the time the story picked up (around page 418), I was fatigued from keeping track of everyone: the Van Laars, the Hewitts, the townspeople of Shattuck, and the investigators. A family tree or character guide would have helped immensely. And while I admire Liz Moore’s ability to flesh out complicated dynamics, especially the imbalance between wealth and dependency, secrecy and survival, I didn’t feel invested in the mystery. When the truth finally unraveled, I didn’t feel shocked or satisfied. I just felt done.
T.J. Hewitt and Investigator Judyta Luptack were standout characters, and I would’ve loved a tighter story centered more squarely on them. While I have never attended summer camp, I can see how the nostalgic setting might enhance the experience for some readers.
If you like a slow-burn literary novel packed with small-town drama, power imbalances, and generational trauma, this might work better for you than it did for me. But for me, The God of the Woods was an overstuffed mystery that didn’t quite earn the emotional payoff it was building toward.
The setting of Camp Emerson in the Adirondacks is vivid and layered, a place where generational wealth, blue-collar struggle, and buried secrets converge. I eventually came to appreciate the disjointed storytelling. It mimics how an investigator would piece together a cold case, collecting fragments of truth from various sources until the bigger picture finally emerges. But I needed more tension and less filler for a book pitched as a thriller or mystery.
By the time the story picked up (around page 418), I was fatigued from keeping track of everyone: the Van Laars, the Hewitts, the townspeople of Shattuck, and the investigators. A family tree or character guide would have helped immensely. And while I admire Liz Moore’s ability to flesh out complicated dynamics, especially the imbalance between wealth and dependency, secrecy and survival, I didn’t feel invested in the mystery. When the truth finally unraveled, I didn’t feel shocked or satisfied. I just felt done.
T.J. Hewitt and Investigator Judyta Luptack were standout characters, and I would’ve loved a tighter story centered more squarely on them. While I have never attended summer camp, I can see how the nostalgic setting might enhance the experience for some readers.
If you like a slow-burn literary novel packed with small-town drama, power imbalances, and generational trauma, this might work better for you than it did for me. But for me, The God of the Woods was an overstuffed mystery that didn’t quite earn the emotional payoff it was building toward.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship
Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Confinement, Drug use, Dementia, Death of parent, Alcohol