The God of the Woods by Liz Moore was compelling and immersive.

Synopsis

From the author of LONG BRIGHT RIVER, a Barack Obama Pick and a New York Times bestseller, comes a once-in-a-generation story; a novel you’ll never forget.

Some said it was tragic, what happened to the Van Laars.

Some said the Van Laars deserved it. That they never even thanked the searchers who stayed out for five nights in the freezing forest trying to help find their missing son.

Some said there was a reason it took the family so long to call for help. That they knew what happened to the boy.

Now, fifteen years later, the daughter the family had in their grief has gone missing in the same wilderness as her brother. Some say the two disappearances aren’t connected.

Some say they are.

Audiobook Review

5 stars

It’s always difficult to review crimes and mysteries books without giving away any spoiler but let’s give it a try.

The plot in a nutshell:

Switching between past and present , we read about two disappearances in the same rich family: the Van Laar.

Fourteen years ago, Bear, their son, disappeared while on a walk with his grandfather. A search party was organized and some would say that the Van Laar didn’t seem very motivated to find their missing boy. Except his mom, Alice, who was devastated and has never been the same.

Present time: Barbara, the thirteen year old daughter vanished from camp. This time, the police has been called in early on. A suspect has been taken into custody but Juditha, a young inspector, is not convinced they have the right suspect.

The story is told between past and present and from four point of view.

-Alice, the mother.

Alice is the character who made me feel rage.  Rage at what had been done to her. Married at eighteen years old to an older guy, Peter the third, heir of the Van Laar family she has been chosen for her youth and naivety. Her only use would be to breed an heir. Her husband thought her dull and simple. Feeling lacking, with no love from her husband, Alice will drink to feel disconnected from her sad reality. And after Bear disappearance, she will take prescribed pills.

Alice will end up being an empty shell and that made me furious to know what had been done to her to push her to become just a floating shadow in life.

-Tracey, Barbara’s friend at camp.

Tracey is one of these characters you can’t help but love. A teenager in all her uncertainty. Like the odd duckling. But when Barbara Van Laar, icon at the camp became her friend, she will soon become popular by association. Barbara will teach survival to Tracey. And Tracey will never be the same again.

-Louise.

Louise is a camp counselor. A young woman who is fighting to feed her brother, to beat the odds because life has always thrown lemons in her direction. She has a rich but bad “fiancé” and that relationship will reveal very problematic.

I loved Louise because she is strong and street smart. I feared for her, hoped she would “make it”.

-Juditha.

Juditha is a young inspector. The first woman in police in her state. Working in a men’s world, young she has a lot to prove. Her intuition will guide her all along as well as her work ethic. She is a good person and extremely smart. I loved reading her POV, wondering if she would be the first (and only) to find what really happened.

The plot slowly unfolds and piece by piece the mystery is revealed. I guessed the truth but very late in the story. Liz Moore has a very compelling writing, rich with details that had me visualizing the woods and the characters in technicolor. I was honestly engrossed in that atmospheric story, filled with family secrets, dysfunctional relationships, courageous women and gorgeous nature.

The narrator, Saskia Maarleveld, did once more an amazing job.

Thanks for reading.

Sophie