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A review by madincrafts
North Woods by Daniel Mason
challenging
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
I really like interesting and unique books, and this one was both.
The structure of the book is a succession of stories of people who interacted with a single plot of land in the north woods of New England. The stories are intriguing, but not long enough to really settle in to knowing the characters, but that’s the point of the book. Time will always continue to pass. Things that happened in the past have effects on the future, but history keeps moving forward.
A modern scientist leads an art exhibit featuring paintings from a mid-1800s painter who ate fruit from trees that were tended by a pre-revolutionary war farmer and which originally grew from a seed buried in the stomach of a Puritan soldier. Stories are all connected, but time keeps moving forward.
I especially liked that the writing style of each section of the book matched the historical era: Hawthorne-esque prose for the Puritans, pulpy sensationalism for the 40s crime writing, etc.
There were a few sections of the book where I worried the author was getting a little lost in the sauce, but the ending brought me back around again.
This is a weird one, and probably not for everyone, but I’m glad I read it.
The structure of the book is a succession of stories of people who interacted with a single plot of land in the north woods of New England. The stories are intriguing, but not long enough to really settle in to knowing the characters, but that’s the point of the book. Time will always continue to pass. Things that happened in the past have effects on the future, but history keeps moving forward.
A modern scientist leads an art exhibit featuring paintings from a mid-1800s painter who ate fruit from trees that were tended by a pre-revolutionary war farmer and which originally grew from a seed buried in the stomach of a Puritan soldier. Stories are all connected, but time keeps moving forward.
I especially liked that the writing style of each section of the book matched the historical era: Hawthorne-esque prose for the Puritans, pulpy sensationalism for the 40s crime writing, etc.
There were a few sections of the book where I worried the author was getting a little lost in the sauce, but the ending brought me back around again.
This is a weird one, and probably not for everyone, but I’m glad I read it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Violence, and Murder
Minor: Animal death, Cancer, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail