The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

When a teenager vanishes from her Adirondack summer camp, two worlds collide

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.

Hardcover, 478 pages

Published July 2, 2024

 by Riverhead Books

3.5/5 stars

Another book that is getting a lot of chatter on social media. I grabbed a copy from Book of the Month so I wouldn’t miss out on all the hype.

Coming in at almost 480 pages I knew I was in for something. This book started out with the disappearance of 13-year-old Barbara, it was enough to grab my attention.  It didn't take long to realize that this community is a community of secret keepers and liars.   What followed was a slow paced story that began in 1975 but backtracks to many years earlier with the disappearance of her brother and some family history.

There are many layers and told from a number of POV and timelines. Most of them settle around this summer camp. For myself I found I enjoyed the writing, the family drama and the mystery. However, I did find the length overwhelming with a lot of details that really weren't necessary. 

The ending was good, it was one I didn’t anticipate. However, I didn’t get that thriller vibe and in parts found it sad/depressing and like I said before rather a bit too long.

This is my first time reading a Liz Moore book, I might give her a try again though I will look closely at the length first and maybe go with the audio which I suspect would work.

This book was part of my 2024 reading off my shelf challenge.