A review by lucybbookstuff
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

I definitely liked this. Two very interesting and satisfying interconnected mysteries. Great exploration of the themes of class, privilege, and respect for the outdoors. A very lush and atmospheric setting. And characters I really grew to like and root for.

I'm not sure this should be classified as "literary fiction" though. It does have really top notch character work for a thriller, and some intermittently beautiful prose and thought-provoking moments. But it was very much a mystery thriller first. The characters were well-constructed, but not very deeply explored. The plot and pacing were all in service of laying out a good mystery more than anything else.

The time jumps were a lot, and there were maybe a few too many POVs. I was able to keep up well enough, but a lot of people may find it very annoying. I did get frustrated now and then when we'd be on the cusp of a big reveal, and then switch POVs and time periods for several chapters. But the storytelling mostly made up for those moments.

Overall, really liked and definitely recommend as a somewhat more cerebral thriller!