North Woods by Daniel Mason (Thank you @atrandombooks @netgalley for the #gifted eARC)

The premise is simple: a story centered around one house and its various inhabitants over the years surrounded by an orchard producing what may be the best tasting apple to ever exist. But this novel is anything but simple. It is brilliant and beautiful and I’m sure I just scratched the surface of the depths it contains.

It has been a while since I read a novel that offers such a deep exploration of the human experience, has a unique structure that engages the mind in a way that is on par with the best books I’ve read, and is also a page turner. Mason’s novel paints an incredible picture of how the unseen from the past leaves a mark on the present and the future. There are the spirits of those that came before us and the things that unknowingly, and often irreparably, impact our existence. I love how Mason demonstrates the movement of things we are not conscious of yet impact the people and places they touch. I think about this often as it relates to disease transmission/spread, but Mason’s visual descriptions of how things move are beautiful and a reminder that things unseen can create serious, permanent impacts and also be magical.

The writing is stunning. Mason is able to switch between narrative voices in a way that is thoroughly convincing and includes a depth of emotion that left me extremely moved (often to tears). The structure and use of images adds another layer of depth. The way Mason writes these characters, especially their angst, allowed me to feel it in such a profound way: the passage of time, the forbidden fruit, indiscretions, pain, the transitory existence of nature and humans that preceded us and will continue long past our existence. There is more here but the bottom line is I love it and you should read it now if you haven’t yet.

I didn’t get to the eARC before pub day but I’m glad I purchased a finished copy because carrying around/reading this beautiful book added to the joy of the experience. The only thing I dislike is that it didn’t come with one of those apples. And a calendar.

This book is perfect for anyone who finds comfort and home in the natural world. I appreciated all the characters, and I found the way the universe was built to be compelling. Although the story is based in reality, there is a magical feel to place and scene. The writing was descriptive and accessible. I find myself often recommending this book to men who don't really consider themselves readers. That's what I mean by saying the writing is accessible. It does have a literary fiction feel, but I haven't come across a lit fic book in a long while that has this much broad appeal.

Lovely writing and several compelling sequential narratives are enough to make sure I keep an eye out for Mason's next novel. This is more than a simple list of things that happened all in one spot over the years; connections linger and legacies continue to echo as time passes. A great concept expertly handled.

Daniel Mason's North Woods is a masterful exploration of the human experience, spanning centuries and generations. Set in the heart of New England, the novel follows a succession of characters who inhabit a single house, each leaving their mark on its history. It is reminiscent of other books in which the house is a character, like The Dutch House or The Lake House (though thematically different).

Mason's evocative prose brings the natural world to life, capturing the beauty and the brutality of the wilderness. The characters are complex and compelling, each with their own unique struggles and triumphs.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

North Woods, Daniel Mason, assistant professor of psychiatry, Stanford University; Random House.
A cabin and its surrounding forest bear witness to centuries of change, catalyzed by those who pass through.

This book is a series of linked stories about the inhabitants of a house or the land where it is located in Massaschuttes over the course of time--basically from Puritan times forward. Some of the stories are stronger than others but they all come together in the end. I found it slow in the beginning but it grew on me.

After three attempts to gain purchase, this reader was unable to gain any footing. Having read the publisher’s summary and many positive reviews, it still felt like I jumped into a fast-moving, multi time frame story with no anchor. I read that the book’s central character is a home which is occupied over time by each character, or group of characters. The chapters I read were lushly written, descriptive, and even poetic. I’m disappointed that I was unable to enjoy the story as the author intended. It just wasn’t my bag.

I really enjoyed this story that centred on such a unique piece of land and the history that happened around it. I actually ended up listening to the digital audiobook and it was a fantastic listen. I'll be adding this title to our Book Club collection.

An absolutely captivating novel that I thoroughly enjoyed. Mason’s approach to the multi-generational novel is both innovative and deeply engaging, offering readers a fresh perspective that is both fascinating and memorable.

Instead of focusing on a single family, Mason takes us on a journey through several centuries by centering the story around a property. This unique approach allows us to witness the evolution of a single location over time, providing a rich and intricate tapestry of human experiences and interactions. It’s a compelling way to explore the passage of time and the ways in which different lives intersect and intertwine.

The novel’s strength lies in how the lives of the inhabitants of the houses on the property seem to touch each other, creating a complex and beautifully interwoven narrative. This sense of connection adds depth to the story, making each character’s experiences feel like part of a larger, cohesive whole.

The inclusion of ghosts as a thematic element adds a delightful touch of mystique and wonder to the narrative. It enhances the novel’s atmosphere, providing a hauntingly beautiful backdrop that complements the historical and emotional richness of the story.

North Woods is a beautifully crafted novel that offers a fresh take on the multi-generational genre. Daniel Mason has created a story that is both intriguing and immersive, with a narrative that spans centuries and connects lives in ways that are both touching and profound. It’s a book that I loved from beginning to end and one that I highly recommend to anyone looking for a unique and enchanting read.

Nothing will make me want to read a book more than something as original as the story from a house’s perspective throughout decades. The people and creatures that inhabit this house and their experiences that’re cleverly linked. We meet the first to live there, two runaway Puritans, around 400 years ago through time we’re introduced to some of the most fascinating characters (two spinster sisters, a ghost, a true crime writer, an angry wildcat, and a beetle are just a few).

But it’s not just the story, it’s also the writing. Mason has a beautiful way with words that would make me incredibly envious if I wasn’t so enamoured. Through his undeniable talent, he was able to display the interconnectedness of us, nature, those before us, and those after us. And through every new character we got to spend time with, their own story, it never felt repetitive. They all had their individual and unique voice, with a clear definition between them and the others.

I had high hopes for this which usually doesn’t work out for me, but this one was a wonderful experience right from page one. Before North Woods, I had never read anything from Daniel Mason before, but now I can’t wait to dive into the rest of his work.

If you have every stared at an old building and wondered what has happened in this space over time, this is the book for you. This one of the most unique books I have ever read. It starts with a couple in the very early beginnings of European colonization of what will become the United States of America. They run away to be with each other into the north woods of new england (eventually western Massachusetts) and from there the story stays geographically as the time continues forward to our 20th century. It is small vignettes of families that find their way to this small geographic spot with integrated song lyrics, poems and folklore that can develop from said stories. I really enjoyed how the author woves these stories together and the writing perfectly placed you in the scene and mode of each short story. Some end positively, some badly just like the realities of real life. I very much enjoyed this book and will be recommending it others.

This is the story of land that endures changes over many years. Instead of a story that focuses on people on their changes over time, this is a story of the continuity and steadfastness of the land and the forces of nature that persist. It’s also a story of how we take nature for granted at our peril. The prose is beautiful. Through the experiences of the people that inhabit the land, we get an evocative sense of the seasons and elements, the insects and animals that call the land home. One character suffers a stubborn depression that only responds to being around trees. The woods are said to ‘de-hat’ another character that crosses their border, inviting him to shed the trappings of civilization upon entering. The woods that were home to wild catamount are replaced by “Catamount Acres” where one can purchase a 3 bed, 2 bath home. We name what we have eliminated. It’s not a replacement. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for an egalley in exchange for an honest review.

It's not exactly a year-round read, and because many of the book’s chapters describe harsh winters, it's a great winter read! North Woods by Daniel Mason is a novel about a single house in the woods of New England, told through the lives of those who inhabit it across the centuries. Some chapters are easier to read than others, and the graphic of this mountain lion with all sorts of silly poses made the rounds in some of my Bookstagrammer chats and we all want a poster of the cover art! Some of my friends think this book is 100% perfection in every way!

Describing the storyline of Daniel Mason’s NORTH WOODS — here goes: the happenings that occur within a New England forest over the course of 400 years — hardly does justice to the magic and mystery that emerges throughout this utterly original novel. Mixing narrative forms, from traditional 3rd person narration to 18th century song lyrics to speeches to letters written by a painter of the Hudson Valley School to a doctor’s case notes on a schizophrenic, and capturing modes of language appropriate to the corresponding time period, author Mason has crafted an always surprising account of the beings — both human and animal, natural and supernatural — that experience the North Woods and the yellow house built there long ago, from two lovers fleeing into the woods to escape the societal constraints of the Puritans to the graduate ecology student in modern day who crashes her car at the edge of the forest. Desire, betrayal, escape and the harsh beauty of the natural world are some of the big ideas here but in the end, it is our reluctance to see and understand the essential truth of living that becomes the novel’s central conflict. “The only way to understand the world as something other than a tale of loss,” Mason writes, “is to see it as a tale of change.” Filled with gorgeous prose, this one is a dazzler.

Read If You Like: Richard Powers (THE OVERSTORY), Barbara Kingsolver (UNSHELTERED), Anthony Doerr (CLOUD CUCKOO LAND)

I loved the premise of this one, but the writing style just wasn't for me. I can definitely see the appeal of this book for other readers but it just wasn't my preference. More character driven novels are hit or miss for me.

This book is a series of twelve intertwined stories tied to a house in the New England forest. The stories begin with the original house being built by Puritans and follow its history through indigenous encounters, apple growers, spinster twins, a painter to the present.

The stories are rich with beautiful natural prose painting scenic pictures. They allow us to envision the land changing due to climate, blights and human interference illustrating the interconnection of our natural world. Although the natural aspects of the book are stunningly written, the story aspects are not as compelling. Generally, the characters are not very complex (with the exception of those in the last two stories). At times, it was easy to loose interest in the book due to the distinctly written stories.

I want to thank the author, Daniel Mason, Random House Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and honestly review this book.

In North Woods, author Daniel Mason crafts a spellbinding historical novel that explores the intricate connections between humans, their environment, and the passage of time. A Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Best Historical Fiction (2023), it stands out for its unique structure and rich storytelling.

Twelve interlinked stories, each corresponding to a season and month of the year, make up the book. Set around a house in the woods of New England, these tales span centuries, beginning with a young couple escaping their repressive village in colonial Massachusetts. Their humble cabin becomes the backdrop for an extraordinary succession of inhabitants from precolonial days to the present day.

Among these inhabitants are an English soldier turned apple cultivator, his twin daughters who survive war and famine, a crime reporter who uncovers a mass grave, a lovelorn painter, and a psychiatrist visiting a resident with possible schizophrenia. Each story ends in tragedy.

Mason’s storytelling shines in its ability to weave together disparate narratives and genres—from indigenous tales and folk ballads to true crime and speculative fiction. The connections across time are subtle, yet reveal how deeply intertwined our lives are with the places we inhabit.

However, the writing rhythm requires some getting used to, and a few storylines might not appeal to all readers, especially those involving homosexuality, the paranormal, and horror elements.

The author’s literary ambition and the depth of his research, particularly in the detailed descriptions of nature, are remarkable It’s a multifaceted—sometimes peculiar—story about a house, its human and ghostly residents, and the surrounding nature, posing timeless questions about how we live on after we're gone. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

** Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a comp of this title. The opinions are my own.

This book is brilliant. From the first.
Line to the last line.I was completely hooked. Each of the characters, whether human or not were well written and the story moved along at a good pace.This one is definitely going on my shelf!

I don't know what all the fuss for this book is about. Big snooze for me don't really care about what happens to a cabin I guess. Removes the reader from caring about the characters.

I absolutely loved everything about this book. It reads as a novel, but could be a collection of short stories, an epistolary, nonfiction. The imagery was beautiful. I have already purchased this book and have recommended to my friends and family. We will be reading and discussing this book for our book club.