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.

A stunningly crafted work of historical fiction. It is a book worth revisiting at least a few times (as I have done) because each reread reveals new aspects that we somehow missed earlier. Mystery, horror, lyricism -- this novel has it all. Why wasn't it on all the fiction award shortlists for the year?

I had heard great things and reviews on this one and it seemed right up my alley. Sometimes a book comes to you at the right time and sometimes not, and for this one, not for me. I may read it again in a few years, since I feel like in the right place, this would be my jam. Well written I just didn't enjoy it.

I requested this as background reading for a review we ran on BookBrowse. I thought it fantastic; one of the best books I have read in years; and I have been talking it up to many. Sadly, our reviewer didn't feel quite so positive, rating it four stars:
https://www.bookbrowse.com/mag/reviews/index.cfm/ref/9l300352/north-woods#reviews

I really wanted to enjoy this, but it ended up on my DNF list. I wasn't grabbed by any of the characters or situations. I am clearly in the minority here, because people LOVE this book. Just not for me.

This book was fascinating, unusual and ultimately, brilliant. Beautiful written with a captivating story line that was both unusual and deeply moving, I loved every word of Mason's prose. Highly recommended!

A memorable, clever book centering a yellow house in western MA and the people and creatures which called it home. I started, put it down, picked it back up and devoured.

This book tells the story of a property in Western Massachusetts from colonial times to the present. The multiple POV as time progresses was fascinating. I have been told that the audiobook is also excellent. May not appeal to readers looking for a lot of character development, but I highly recommend.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Net Galley.

An exceptional read, with dozens of interesting characters and their stories, a historical perspective, and a thought-provoking message - bundled with gorgeous depictions of nature and its glory.

This book is a literary (so historical it is almost scholarly) look at life surrounding, subsuming and begetting more life in the bountifully forested paradise adjoining a yellow house in rural northern Massachusetts. The story begins with an initial homesteading of this land by a runaway couple escaping the brutal rule of colonization in the eighteenth century, and continues through lifetimes, as occupants come and go and the tract of land endures, - changing, growing, dying and regenerating, in harmony with, and a product of, seasons and nature and the magic of all the related cycles.

“He who does good to the land shall be protected, while he who trespasses upon her will be met with most violent return. “

With human occupants changing over time, including an orchardist (“apple man”), a slave hunter, a mother and her child fleeing violent captors, a crassly predatory button manufacturer, identical cloistered spinster twins, a poignant pair of secret male lovers, and a “delusional” schizophrenic, - we meet and hear the wild and wonderful stories of each in their tenure of this selfsame yellow house and its woods.

As we, the reader, observe through this brilliantly supplied and panoramic view across the ages, (with this locale as our anchor point, and time as the variable), it’s mind-blowingly clear that as each occupant departs this life, as humans must do, their visit is indelibly written on the land left behind. They (we) have become part of it, carried along through the cycles that endure. And are bigger than all of us.

Perhaps, the author muses, (somewhat tongue-in-cheek, and somewhat metaphorically through these stories) our stewardship of this land, and our imprint along the way, can also trigger tracings, hauntings, spirits, and even dangerous unexpected creatures, unleashing violent, destructive or even devastating forces.

A message definitely worth pondering, and a book that is not to be missed.

A great big thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an ARC of this book. All thoughts presented are my own.
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This book follows a house through the years. People have raved about it. I just could not get into it and only read about 15 percent.

I really tried to enjoy this book. The writing is good, but I kept losing interest in some of the storylines. I appreciate all the accolades and awards it has received. Perhaps I was not in the right frame of mind when I read it.
It is worth reading, but it wasn't one of my more enjoyable reads of the year.

Just a beautiful treatise on the joys of being alive and being a small part of this ever-changing world.

Thanks to NetGalley for the review copy!

If only walls could talk right? Here is a story about the house itself through the ages in Massachusetts. I so loved the concept but struggled to finish the book due to the authors rambling of what I thought of as unnecessary back story. I did fall in love with the different characters who lived in the house. I was confused sometimes as to what the time period a certain character was in. The writing and nature of the woods is beautiful and I'm glad to have finished it.

I loved this book. Took me a while to figure out the way it was organized but once I did I devoured it. Was not at all what I expected but was pleasantly surprised.

I was attracted to this title because of the mention of Edgar Allan Poe. Interconnected stories that have a house as their common character. It's a good book club choice.

Okay.
Okay.

The emotional depth of this book is beyond what what I expected. And it's taken me some time to come to appreciate what has been given to us as readers.

A single seed, that's all it takes to change the future.