Book Review: "The God of the Woods" by Liz Moore

Yep, this one sure did live up to the hype. I waited a few weeks to read The God of the Woods to let all of the praise die down a little bit, so perhaps I wouldn’t be let down. And I definitely wasn’t!

In the summer of 1975, Barbara Van Laar goes missing from her summer camp in upstate New York. Barbara’s parents own the camp, but have nothing to do with it; they leave the camp’s operations to a family they’ve known for generations.

While the disappearance of the camp owners’ daughter is a big deal, what makes things worse is that Barbara’s older brother Bear disappeared 14 years ago in the same woods, and his body was never found. Could tragedy have struck twice?

We get a front seat for the investigation of Barbara’s disappearance through the eyes of a young female investigator. We also learn about the history of the Van Laar family and all that transpired when Bear disappeared years before. The book is narrated by many people, and shifts back and forth in time between the 1950s and 1975.

Liz Moore is a storytelling genius. This book of nearly 500 pages takes a little bit to gain momentum, but there are so many secrets and connections that are revealed, little by little. I honestly was surprised by how some of the book wrapped up, but focused more on the rich character development than the mysteries themselves.

I’ve read all of Moore’s books, and this is definitely my favorite. It’s an emotional story of family, friendship, secrets, and loyalty, but it’s also a penetrating look at how the wealthy can get away with so much and not face consequences.