In "North Woods," Daniel Mason showcases his remarkable talent for crafting an immersive and emotionally resonant experience. This novel is a must-read for anyone seeking an escape into a world of wonder, beauty, and the enduring power of the human spirit. While the setting is the main character, Mason populate's his novel with interesting and memorable characters who are quirky, strong, resilient, weak and whole-heartedly human.

This book was beautifully written, albeit hard to put the pieces together. It became way too metaphysical at times and was not an easy read by any stretch of the imagination. Very thought provoking and will stay with me for quite some time.

North Woods is the story of story of a house and the people who lived in it from colonial times on through an apocalyptic future. Make no mistake . This is not a typical historical novel. In North Woods, history helps set the stage but it is the woods and the people who live in them that dominate the action. The story is not about a single family but earlier incidents and characters are frequently referenced in later chapters

Mason's characters are often amusing and quirky but are just as often unpredictable and violent. I found myself being surprised more than once by their actions and sudden plot swerves. Magical realism is employed. The woods themselves are presented as a sort of Eden. (Apple trees figure prominently in the story.) They never seem to present genuine danger to anyone and are more of a refuge than a threat.

The writing through most of this book was excellent. Mason's characters are fully realized, speaking and acting appropriate to the age they live in and their station in life. The plot was entertaining but not moving emotionally . In the last part of the book I felt that it devolved into a heavy handed polemic on the environment. I am in sympathy with his views. I do think though that it would have been possible to have had a lighter touch and maintained the audience interest in the story and characters

Incredibly original story structure, and I wanted to enjoy it, but it just didn't grab hold of me the way I'd hoped. I'll certainly give it another try someday, and I'm glad that so many other readers are loving it, but it's not right for me right now.

A chilling story that revolves around a house in the woods.
It's actually a series of stories as the house changes hands over the years.
I found the 1st chapter a bit on the fantasy side. As I read it, I wasn't sure what was truly happening and what was a character's imagination.
Some of the stories were quite grounded and I enjoyed those.
Several of the stories toward the end featured appearances by the ghosts of past owners.
All in all, I liked the book.
I give it 4 stars.

"North Woods" had the unfortunate luck of being the book I picked up after a long string of sharp, intelligent, and edgy reads. I’ve chosen well lately, and because of this, the novel suffers somewhat to others I’ve read.

It may just be me, though. A handful of early reviewers are rumbling about the Pulitzer for Daniel Mason, so that should tell you something. But I’m not one of them.

The structure of the novel is original: twelve interlinked stories corresponding with the seasons and months of the year, all set around a house in a New England forest. The first story takes place in the time of the Puritans, with each subsequent tale advancing through history and focusing on the revolving inhabitants of the house. Among others, Mason writes of an apple man, spinster twin sisters, and a painter – the stories all stunning in prose and cleverly linked, many shaded with a twisted darkness and a bit of the supernatural.

Each tale, too, is couched within some of the most beautiful nature writing I’ve ever encountered. Mason paints a vivid scenic picture and shows us how the land changes over time due to human interference, climate change, and blights. His ability to illustrate the interconnectedness of our natural world is unmatched.

But while the novel’s beauty may be inarguable, Mason's stories are told simply from the surface. There’s not enough depth to them, nor enough weight, to back up the gorgeous prose. They lack emotion and intricate characterization.

Until the very end, that is. The last two stories are works of art. The characters are fleshed and real, the narrative so evocative that my overall rating for the novel jumped from three stars to four.

If only Mason had made me feel throughout the entire book as he did in his final pages. If only I had experienced a connection to all the stories, not just a few.

If only.
If only.

Only then would Pulitzer be on my lips, too.


Mark your calendars. "North Woods" publishes September 19, 2023.

My sincerest appreciation to Daniel Mason, Random House Publishing, and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions included herein are my own.

This book is BRILLIANT! I have never read anything from Daniel Mason before. What an incredible writer!! I cannot recommend this book to enough people. One of my favorite books of the year!

A Ghost Story meets Cloud Atlas with a heaping dash of Thoreau thrown in for good measure.

As the owner of a 213-year-old house, it was a beautiful reminder that an insignificant little patch of land might have been or still become the most significant place on the planet to someone else you'll never meet — just because they came before you or after you. And, you never know, you might just meet them after all.

this was a very interestingly crafted book. a book comprised of related short stories, it is divided into 12 parts, each a story for the 12 months of the year and varying with the seasons, and all revolving around the same house in the north woods over the years, and its different inhabitants. some of these stories were great, and engaging, and really held my attention… and some of them really lost me. i like realizing how they were all interconnected and seeing how, in such a way, we are all connected to the past and the future. toward the end there was a lot on the nature of the place and the flora and fauna; i really liked all of the tree talk though i didn’t understand much of it! not sure who i will be recommending this book to; feels like it won’t be for everyone, but i’m glad to have read it. i am grateful for the advanced copy of this book from random house publishing group via netgalley! so exciting to read a book before it’s available to the rest of the world.🍃🌳🏡🌳🍃

This is a hard one to summarize. Multiple viewpoints/generations, all tied to a gorgeous plot of woodlands. The writing is lovely…so atmospheric that the land itself becomes a leading character. Danger, love, heartbreak, illness, estrangement…all intertwined with the peacefulness and savagery of nature. Unique and extremely well done.

The northeastern part of the United States is an area rich in history and culture. In his novel, North Woods, Daniel Mason imagines the past of one parcel of land in Massachusetts, and he has invented stories the home and its surrounding fields and orchards would reveal in a series of vignettes.

I had high hopes for this book; for the most part, however, I was disappointed. The writing may appeal to many, but the stories did not seize my interest for a number of reasons, whether it was the style that did not appeal to me, or at times the plot of the story simply meandered too much for my taste. Such is life at times, isn’t it? It’s not all a bed of roses or excitement. Some stories had me scratching my head; I just did not quite follow…

However, there were several tales that piqued my interest: The book starts out with a young couple fleeing Puritan colony to start a life together, and runaway slaves…Then there’s a curious tale of a pair of sisters with a tight bond. A poet and his friend, a painter, whose letters insinuate something more. In yet another story, a future homeowner is appalled when she claims that she hears their spirits! A medium is called, but can she be believed? Next up, a man with mental illness. Then, a story called “Murder Most Foul,” narrated by a reported who received an anonymous tip about a gruesome discovery. For me, these were the highlights. I was pleased to see that some of the stories, like the poet and the artist, carried over into another. Always, there were apples, and the land. In the final narratives, a young woman, Nora, has fallen in love with nature and the North woods.

I received a digital copy of North Woods an ARC in exchange for my honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Thanks to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group, and the author.
2.5 stars

Note to publisher July 16
As of today, there seem to be no purchases on Amazon; I am not allowed to review on that site.

2.5 stars

Such a different book! I love how authors these days, change things up and mix things up creating something beautiful from what could be a mess. This was very well written.

This is a most unusual book; by equal turns fascinating and frustrating. The fascinating part: the author chronicles life on a single plot of land in northern Massachusetts over the course of American history. We meet the inhabitants of this land, both human and non-human (a catamount features prominently and one charming chapter is the story of a beetle living in one of the elm trees), both living and dead. The frustrating part: the author moves from story to story without always clarifying the time setting or the names of the characters until well into the chapter. On the one hand, this forces the reader to see the connections between the inhabitants, but on the other, it is often confusing to trace the relationships from one inhabitant to the next.

A recurring theme in the book is that, although earthly bodies may die, the characters continue to inhabit the farm during the afterlife. Some inhabitants are benevolent, some are not. Some characters report hearing voices or sounds, others do not. A healthy dose of magical realism allows us to see that characters continue to communicate with each other after their earthly life is over (a pair of sisters is the prime example of this).

I'm not sure if the author intended us to come away with the thought that there is a piece of each inhabitant in a property throughout history, or if it is just this particular property that affects its inhabitants. In either case, I'm not completely sold.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

An amazing literary story of home, humans and animals. Vividly described and ambitious. Not for all, but if you are willing to give this book a try you will not be disappointed.

Summer means spending time in nature and reading about the great outdoors. I searched @NetGalley for a few titles, fiction and nonfiction, that suited my mood. Let me know if any of these fit your summer mood.

The Last Ranger by Peter Heller seemed a natural place to start. He writes about the great outdoors with the grace and reverence of someone in awe of the natural world. One can count on Heller to strike a perfect balance between a strong sense of place, dramatic tension, character development and well written prose.)

Ren is a park ranger at Yellowstone charged with breaking up camper disputes, saving clueless tourists from themselves and keeping poachers at bay. The heart of the story revolves around the conflicts that arise between naturalists, hunters and the Yellowstone homesteaders. The action begins when Ren finds his friend Hilly, a wolf biologist, nearly dead with her leg caught in a trap. But was it meant for a wolf or his friend?
(Pub Date: 25 July 2023)

North Woods by Daniel Mason is the story of a place and home in the woods of Massachusetts. It is the story of the people who over the centuries have inhabited the land, called it home and left their imprint. The reader follows the succession of inhabitants who found shelter, sustenance, sanctuary and in some cases captivity.

I was drawn in by the structure of the novel which reads like a story collection centered around the North Woods’ inhabitants. It is layered with explorations of home, family and their relationship to place. (Pub Date: 19 Sep 2023)

Journalist Gloria Dickie‘s Eight is in turns heartbreaking and hopeful. Dickie travels the globe to examine the plight of eight remaining species of bear, from the bile farms of Vietnam to the vanishing ice floes of North America. She meets scientists and conservationists striving to reverse the unparalleled challenges faced by these beautiful creatures. Interweaving history, science, and myth, Dickie speaks to the indelible place bears hold in our culture and warns what we stand to lose if we do not act.
(Pub Date: 11 July 2023)


I’d like to thank @NetGalley, @AAKnopf, @RandomHouse and @WWNorton&Company for the privilege of reading these advanced readers copies.
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What a unique idea, writing about a static place and all the people who inhabit it.

The descriptions are vivid and beautiful. You can smell the grass, and the flowers, and see the ponds and the moss. The author takes us back about 400 years to the first inhabitants of the humble cabin.

A pair of lovers running from a Puritan colony. A soldier who forgets battles to focus on apples, spinsters surviving war and hardship to die of silly things.

The scene is set beautifully and serves as a backdrop for a story of nature and human nature. Each story seems to have a deeper meaning and I loved every minute of this one.

Does anyone else smell a Pulitzer?

NetGalley/ RHPG, September 19, 2023

This enchanting, etherial book will stay with me for a very long time. It is the story of a humble house which over many, many years houses and shelters a diverse set of people all building their stories upon what came before them. First there are the Puritan lovers who escape from their strict sect to live freely in the humble home and worship God the way they want to. There are the Artist and Poet who fall into a forbidden love and whose spirits decide to remain with the house long after they are gone. The apple obsessed retired military man whose relatives think he is crazy to want to plant and produce apples - The Wonder. And his two daughters, the sisters Mary and Alice both obsessed with apples, but in different ways. Even the beetles that make this house a home for their children (larvae) to thrive have a unique story to tell. It is a magical journey of beautiful words, humor, love and the story of a lifetime. I cannot recommend this book highly enough, it is a work of art and a love letter to nature and humanity.

I could not get into this book at all. Needs some additional editing to reduce some of the superfluous language.

North Woods by Daniel Mason

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book.

This book might be subtitled, “What we do for love:” love of place, nature, parents, children, siblings; romantic love and illicit love, platonic and physical.

This remarkable collection of linked stories is told in different voices from different times, with many contemporaneous social and cultural issues explored. These range from colonial settlers in the 17th century, to apple growers in the 18th and the Loyalist perspective in the Revolutionary War, to the slave catcher in mid-19th century, the séance in the early 20th century, and the treatment of mental illness in the mid-20th. There are riddles, ballads, and ghost stories, and writing that seems to come right from the first-hand accounts of captured colonial settlers as well as Victorian authors like Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins, and 1950’s-60’s pulp crime fiction. Bobcats reappear, real, stuffed, and phantom, as do serving girls with almost identical names: Anne, Annie, and Anneli.

North Woods reads like the written equivalent of an old-fashioned zoetrope, a hand-held rotating device in which a strip of slightly different pictures of the same object spin around, creating an impression of change in the image. In North Woods, the place gradually comes into view as the dense forests and mountains of western Massachusetts which first appear as a haven for runaway Puritan lovers, then a sanctuary for a colonial woman kidnapped by Indians, then the site of a famed apple orchard, a dwelling for a run-away slave and her child. It is a home for the nature scenes desired by a Victorian painter, a possible investment for an industrialist, the site for the roamings of a schizophrenic.

Over time the forest is transformed by nature and man, and yet the home site, now a yellow house built in the 1700’s, remains, serving as place for varied epiphanies as it is visited by new people and old ghosts. As the author writes, “The only way to see the world other than a tale of loss is to see it as a tale of change.”

With well-done magic realism, this book captures both loss and change, giving a vivid and thought-provoking perspective on humans and their humanity across time.

Two things can be true at the same time. This book is not my cup of tea, and it will also be on many best of lists for 2023. Mason uses a New England plot of land to tell a 400 year history of humankind, and what we do well and what we do not do well to each other and to the land entrusted to us. 4 stars rounded up for the sheer scope of Mason’s accomplishment. I am confident this book will be talked about a lot this fall. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC.