It’s nearing the end of the Summer of 1975 at a summer camp owned by the wealthy Van Laar family. Louise, a counselor at the camp does her usual morning check-in on the girls in her bunk. This morning one of the girls is missing. Not just any camper. The Van Laar’s daughter Barbara. And Barbara isn’t the first of the Van Laar children to go missing. Her brother, Bear, has been missing for fourteen years and no trace of him has ever been found. The camp immediately mobilizes to find Barbara. The wealthy families that come to the woods to vacation and the blue-collar families that live in the town have a complicated relationship. Their lives are further entangled in the search for the missing girl and everyone has secrets they’d rather keep.
I somehow read two books in a row about a child going missing, at night, while camping. As an indoorsy person myself, I can’t entirely relate to the need to leave the climate-controlled environment of my home. If these books are to be believed, going outside is how 100% of all tragedies occur. I suggest staying inside and reading. It is a much safer hobby.
The God of the Woods is a fantastic journey to solve two mysteries set fourteen years apart. The narrative moves around time with reckless abandon but does so in a way that, for the most part, is easy to follow and feels like piecing together a mystery. I greatly appreciated the timeline that opened each chapter. It was a simple way to help me keep my footing throughout the narrative.
From the opening chapter, it delves into the main conflict. Following each character, I learned their backstory and motivations. The cast of The God of the Woods has depth. It shows how the relationship between the wealthy and the working class is governed by economic inequity and social expectations. It dives into the complicated family relationships and the lengths people will go to to maintain the status quo. By the end, you might know more about the Van Laar’s secrets than your own.
Overall, this is an interesting, fast, and compelling read. I do feel like there are more characters than necessary. Some people could have been entirely left out and were given entire chapters from their perspective. At times, it felt like I was keeping track of a lot of people, periods, and threads but for the most part, they are all woven together well.
I recommend reading The God of the Woods. I do not recommend doing so in the actual woods.
Pick up The God of the Woods at bookshop.org here.
Discover more from Stressy Lemon
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
