Very unique novel, set in the early days of New England and set through the lives and stories of several different families and eras. As a born and bred New Englander, I wanted to read this because the history here is so rich. Even the writing style matches the eras and it's very interesting overall.
Thank you to the author for this arc.

Maybe not for everyone, but for me this book was an acquired taste. I sipped the first few pages and wasn’t sure I was going to like it. But the strong writing kept me drinking. And I’m glad I read it all. It’s melodious, poetic, wildly creative, and masterfully executed.

The tale, which hinges on the inhabitants of a modest house in the New England woods, unfolds over the course of many years. It begins with Puritans and stretches to include an English soldier turned farmer, his twin daughters, a crime reporter, an artist, a con man, a student and even non-human inhabitants like a panther and a beetle.

Mason weaves magic into the ordinary as he examines the human heart. Insights into lust, envy, love, desire, fear, longing, and our connection to nature are fruits Mason helps the reader harvest. And he does it with gorgeous prose.

If the first pages put you off in any way, please hang in there and continue reading. It’s a thoughtful look at the mystery and ongoing journey of what it means to be human.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for allowing me to read an advanced copy.

I received this from Netgalley.com.

I found this book rather boring and slow, I never got involved in the story. Lots of ten dollar words for pennies worth of sentences.

2☆

This novel is an amazing look at the history and inhabitants of a house in the North Woods of Massachusetts over the life of the house. It is nicely crafted and told as if the inhabitants were still living there. I have always said if the walls could talk for any house we would be amazed at the stories they could tell. I found the book to be slow in parts and gripping in others. The characters are people that will interest the reader. A pleasant read for the most part. The descriptions of the land, the weather, the wildlife, the trees, flowers and bugs make it a delightful trip through the countryside during each generation of ownership.

I wish to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5671185919

I couldn’t finish this title, as it unfortunately didn’t really capture my interest. I was hoping it would have.

North Woods is the story of a house from its origin through all the different people who lived in it. Some of the stories are a bit interesting, but, generally I had to force myself to finish it. Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC.

I found the story line to be quite disjointed. While some of the events seemed to follow in a logical way, others seemed to me to be oddly placed. I understand the author's thought process, but I did not like the way that it was done. Not a good read for me.

I'm not even sure where to start with this book, I don't think I've read anything like this before. Without giving away the story, we get to see what happens at a house over centuries in what is eventually western Massachusetts. We start with a couple who runs away from a Puritan colony and end, well you'll have to read it for that ending. It is 👌

This book is gorgeous, funny, moving, and ambitious. It is a shape shifter of a novel, the voice and style smoothly transition to fit the era it's taking place in. You move through the seasons as the narrative moves through the years. There are 12 sections which follow the calendar, it's so subtle! The chapters are mixed with 'found' documents like hospital notes, a pulp magazine article, a captivity narrative, and an undelivered speech. Throughout, the natural and supernatural mix just as easily as the past and present. I love reading a book where I can tell the author is having fun; when you reach the beetle chapter you definitely know Mason is having a blast.

It's beautiful how it all connects. The past is alive, it stays with us and in the land -in more ways than you imagine 👻

North Woods is an absolutely spellbinding novel, full of nature, emotion, beauty and enchantment from beginning to end. It’s difficult for me to elucidate the complexities of the plot and prose that made it so successful, but nonetheless, it’s one that will stick with me for a long time and that I look forward to reading again.

This is a novel told in a narrative form, but also includes unique formats from poetry to songs to letters in order to further tell a story centered on a house in Massachusetts that survives through generations and time. The readers get to know each one of the house’s inhabitants over the years to different degrees and from different perspectives, which may make the book as a whole feel like one of short stories at times, but all of the characters and plotlines are so simultaneously intertwined that it is obviously a complete, continuous saga spanning centuries. The gorgeous descriptions of nature, from woods and trees to flowers and rivers, along with the environmental conditions impacting it all are perfectly captured and place the reader right in that western Massachusetts area.

Through Mason’s immaculate, lyrical prose, we get to see generations of birth, life and death, and ultimately rebirth in the form of nature, characters and the house that connects them all. I couldn’t get enough of the unique structure of the novel, which kept me continuously turning the pages to see not just where the story would go next, but also how I would get to experience it. While I was enchanted the whole way through, I particularly loved the ending, seeing how the entire story came full circle.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

How am I only just hearing about author Daniel Mason?! My hat is off to the man, this book was so impressive. "North Woods" follows the life of a yellow house set back in the Massachusetts forest, from its creation hundreds of years ago to the present day. There are births, deaths, murders, betrayals, redemptions... and lots of ghosts with a tremendous amount of agency.

As the human dramas play out, we are reminded over and over of the beauty in the woods just outside the yellow house. The catamounts, the birds, and the apple orchards are locked in their own battle for survival against pests, fungi, and people. Nature's timetable plays out over a much longer duration than the human lifespan, which means we often fail to see and respect the plant and animal life we are interlocked with... at least, I think that's what our author is getting at.

"North Woods" is an ode human frailty and the ways in which the natural world sustains us. This is one of the best books I've read this year.

North Woods by Daniel Mason is an original and inventive novel that circles around a cabin in Western Massachusetts originally from the Puritan era which develops into a larger contemporary and ramshackle building and all those who have a connection to it. At the same time, the land, and everything tied to it, is gloriously and gently described and emphasized. The forests, birds, and trees, especially the formerly thriving American chestnut, are all recognized for their pulchritude and comfortable stature. Apple trees also play a big role in the plot. The book and its eccentric, whimsical, and sometimes brutal characters are all tied to the land and are cosseted by nature.

The characters, although discrete, are delightfully original and an integral part of the tone shifts throughout the novel. Alice and Mary, eccentric twins who remain lifelong spinsters may be the most memorable, especially after they are placed under the floorboards. The catamount (known out this way as a mountain lion) is another intriguing character who plays a large part in a violent murder.

The combination of nature in all her glory and the varied people who make their way through the centuries in this grand saga do so with grace and challenges and occasionally anger. But somehow, everything and everyone are strongly tied together and move forward in strides with intention and empathy. Daniel Mason has created a brilliant and imminently readable book.

Daniel Mason’s latest novel traces the lives of those who live in a house in the wilds of Western Massachusetts, from its first settlers who have fled a Puritan colony to those brought to its door by a 21st-century real estate advertisement (3 Bd, 2 ba). With each subsequent occupant, the writing shifts in tone, deftly moving from foreboding to bombastic, from comedy to irony. Mason’s skillful command of the story is able to craft compelling literary fiction from grisly deaths and ghostly hauntings, all stitched together with a powerful sense of place. The novel reminds us that the past is always with us, lying under our homes and our feet.

Oh, goodness. I was bewitched from the first sentence (and have to admit that the cover sang to me, given my affinity for mountain lions). And the language… it was as drinkable as the pure streams described in this novel, the scents and smells and sounds of unfettered forest. It is almost comical how many highlights are on my e-copy… A few:

"On the trees grew mushrooms large as saddles. Grey birds, red snakes, and orange newts their witnesses. The locusts tossed their flowers. The smell of hay rose from the fern they crushed. And the sound, the whir, the roar of the world.

The mist was drinking-thick, the path was stony, serpentine, vanishing into a meadow like an illusion, before emerging, just as illusory, in the wet cowlick of a wind-blown field.

I have come to the opinion, generally, that he who does good to the land shall be protected, while he who trespasses upon her will be met with the most violent return.

Everywhere the tracks of little animals, the deep steps of the deer. For the snow renders their passage legible, reveals the long night’s silent maps. "

Yes, I am a student of the earth, a nature fanatic, and an ardent reader of historical fiction. And what Mason does with these two topics – history and nature – is nothing short of miraculous, weaving and blending them into a magical story of a single place over centuries, its inhabitants of the two- and four-legged variety, even those antennaed, winged and gilled. There is an amazing circularity to the book– one character circling to another, lightly sharing themes of history and connection, without being repetitive.

Readers of linked short stories (who also love nature) might find this book incredibly appealing. I think; I’m not sure this novel is actually the same as a linked short-story connection, because it is not the characters, but the land, that ties everyone and everything together. What an apropos message for all of us earthlings as our land diminishes and is threatened daily by overuse, abuse, climate change, overpopulation, extraction and poisoning. Yet we continue, largely, to turn a blind eye. The land connects us to everything. To me, that is the crowning message of this book. It is a universal truth, over time. Note: I am not a short-story reader, because I feel I can never get deep enough into the characters. And while each section of this book introduces characters for brief periods of time, I connected with nearly all of them.

I do wonder, however, if this novel will appeal more broadly. I know many people who “don’t like to read about trees and nature.” Well, then, this book definitely isn’t for you. This novel reads like a love story to Mother Earth, for her resilience, her heartache, her victories over the elements, over man, over war. It’s also an ode to history, itself, complete with an amateur historian, backyard birders, orchardists, researchers who study the history of flora and fauna, artists who capture time. Within these pages are ballads, mystery magazines – and people, of course, many of whom have a spiritual connection to this place in western Massachusetts, many of whom suffer mental health issues.

In this book, readers will find the natural world, the supernatural, flawed characters, jealousy, rage, goodness, evil, ambition, history (so thrilled to see the mighty American chestnut and its fabled … and sad… fate presented here – along with the history of colonialism, the French-Indian War, the American Revolution, the Civil War, Biblical history, etc. – none of it was sanctimonious).

Truly a masterpiece. The elemental aspects of this book – the magic, the otherworldliness – was just sublime. This is a thinking reader’s kind of book, because after you ‘sit’ with this book a bit longer upon turning the last page, you’ll see so much more than the characters on the page. You’ll uncover thematic significance and adroit symbolism. You’ll see how connected we really ARE to our good Earth and how resilient she is.

An intriguing look at the passage of years, layers of time, and what parts of ourselves we leave behind. Will make you want to find a bare patch of land and throw down an apple core.

You’re either going to love or hate this book. At first, I wondered what I was getting myself in to. Because this book is written in a way that evokes a Victorian gothic novel, I found it hard to find my balance initially. The book is really a series of stories, with the house and land surrounding it as the focal point, you may not like all the stories, as was the case with me. The first story made me want to quit, but then the following stories grabbed my interest. About halfway through, I was struggling again until the POV changed and once again I was invested in the story.

I don’t want to give away too much of the plot besides what the Goodreads blurb mentioned, but my favorite stories of the old house were of Osgood and his daughters, which were some of the earliest stories. And then the story of the poet, writing to his dear friend living in the west while unhappy with the life he created with his wife. The crime reporter and his story late in the book was most interesting and held my attention. I wish all of the stories grabbed me the way these stories did, because it would have been a five-star read for me then. Instead, I’ll rate it only 4-stars.

This is a beautifully written piece of literary fiction that’s worth reading despite its unevenness. I’ll have to check out the author’s Pulitzer Prize-nominated work soon.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Random House in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was an incredible book, both for the story and the writing. Please see my full GoodReads review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5728716654

You've probably heard expression, "If walls could talk." Well, in the North Woods saga, they can. From Puritan lovers seeking refuge from retribution to oddly and eternally connected twin sisters to a suspicious crime reporter to a starry eyed painter to a real life panther, generations of inhabitants weave their stories into the bedrock of the home. The nearby apple orchard holds their secrets. Lots of secrets. This unique, quirky, masterful story will keep you turning pages well into the night.

Beautiful, unique,
epic love story to home,
a home, New England.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


I write haiku reviews on Instagram but am happy to provide more feedback.

I absolutely loved this book. The story revolves around a cabin in the woods and its surrounding land. Over several hundreds of years, the reader is introduced to the people that find themselves drawn to this place. The house, the land and the people who live there are constantly evolving. Chapters read like short stories where we get a glimpse into their lives and the history of who they are. This house witnessed it all...death, love, jealousy, murder, sanctuary...but above all it is the connection they felt to this home.
The descriptions of the apple trees, the meandering rivers, and open fields and the woods full of wild live are a joy to read. I highly recommend this book! Each chapter kept me riveted and wanting more. I was sorry to see it end. I received an ebook from the publisher through Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very interesting premise. For the most part, I found it well executed. It follows the residents of a house through time since the 1600s. Who the people are and how they are related to each other is not always clear upon reading their individual story. Often, it becomes clear in following chapters. Sometimes the characters are only tied together by the house. Figuring this out was intriguing, but it also could be frustrating when the mystery went on too long. I also had to guess the approximate time frames based on background events such as the elm tree blight.
I did not especially enjoy the poetry, but poetry is not my thing. Those who are more interested in poetry may appreciate these sections. I skimmed them and did not miss anything key to the overall plot.
The section in which insects are the main characters was absolutely brilliant. It is one of the most creative pieces of fiction I have ever read. It was well-researched and hilarious! I would have read the whole book just for this part. Extremely well done.
I would recommend this to anyone who likes US historical fiction and wants to try something different. This book feels new and fresh. I would read this author again.
Thanks the the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.