Book: The God of the Woods
Author: Liz Moore
Pages: 478
Read on: Kindle
Read in: ~5 hours
Plot Summary: Early morning, August 1975: a camp counselor discovers an empty bunk. Its occupant, Barbara Van Laar, has gone missing. Barbara isn’t just any thirteen-year-old: she’s the daughter of the family that owns the summer camp and employs most of the region’s residents. And this isn’t the first time a Van Laar child has disappeared. Barbara’s older brother similarly vanished fourteen years ago, never to be found.
As a panicked search begins, a thrilling drama unfolds. Chasing down the layered secrets of the Van Laar family and the blue-collar community working in its shadow, Moore’s multi-threaded story invites readers into a rich and gripping dynasty of secrets and second chances. It is Liz Moore’s most ambitious and wide-reaching novel yet.
Things I Liked:
1. This book is full of retro summer vibes! It is set in a summer camp in 1975 and has all of the retro fun summer things one associates with America and Americana in the 60s-70s. So, if you are American and have experienced summer camps, then this book will be such a nostalgic read for you. Even if you are not American but have grown up with a staple diet of American movies and books set in this time period, then this book will still bring back all those nostalgic feelings.
2. Needless to say, this is a very atmospheric book. It brings alive the world around Camp Emerson, set in the Adirondacks with dense woods all around it and even a lovely lake. It also brings to life the stifling atmosphere of the Van Laar chalet, which is close to the camp grounds as well as the homes and lives of small towns around this camp, whose inhabitants often work at the camp during the summer. This is a really immersive read. Loved the writing and I think I really should go back and read Liz Moore's Long Bright River, which I have had on my Kindle for ages now!
3. Prima facie, this is a mystery book. It revolves around, and connects, the disappearances of two siblings of the wealthy, influential Van Laar family. The disappearances are 14 years apart but both take place from the Van Laar's property in and around the camp. However, this book is so much more! It is a true character study of four women of various ages, whose lives are touched and changed by the disappearances of the two Van Laar children. These women are:
~ Alice: The mother of the two kids. Alice is lost, unsure of her place in her own home and life, confused, quiet and doesn't really know how to assert herself - first to her own parents and then to her husband (Peter III) and her in-laws. She has no autonomy, is drugged up with Valium to calm her "nerves" and is not even allowed to be a real mother to her son- Bear, who goes missing in 1961.
~Tracy: A tall, gangly, insecure and under-confident 13-year-old child of divorce, Tracy is also lost and powerless in her own life. She is an introvert, who was forced into attending Camp Emerson by her dad, who is no longer interested in fathering her even for the summer. She and Barbara (the girl who goes missing in present day- 1975) become friends of sorts, which helps Tracy open up and find some inspiration to assert herself in her own life.
~ Louise: She is a 23-year-old camp counsellor, from whose cabin Barbara goes missing. Louise represents one of the "poor locals" living in one of the small towns close to the camp. A bright student with a negligent, alcoholic mother, Louise is not able to continue college in spite of receiving a full academic scholarship. She stays in an abusive relationship with her wealthy college boyfriend because he promises an escape from her life of poverty and a safe home for her 11-year-old half-brother. Louise also realises that the Van Laar family and the local law enforcement are going to pin Barbara's disappearance on her simply because her co-counsellor was a rich kid with ties to the Van Laar family.
~Judyta: A young police officer. One of the first in the State to be inducted into the Crime Investigation Bureau. Often at the receiving end of sexual harassment and patronising comments from men in her department as well as those she interviews when Barbara goes missing. Judyta struggles with asserting herself to her parents, who won't let her move out of their home, even though she has a massive commute to work. However, during the investigation into Barbara's disappearance, Judy really comes into her own and not only "solves" the cases but also learns of be more assertive and fierce.
4. The two mysteries are interesting and, while both of them are quite guess-able, the process of unearthing the truth is very engaging.
Rating: 4.5/5
This is really a great book to pick up even if you aren't a hard core mystery/ thriller/ crime fiction reader because there is a lot of social and gender commentary as well as elements of coming-of-age for several of our key characters.
