Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

North Woods by Daniel Mason

6 reviews

angorarabbit's review against another edition

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hopeful informative inspiring reflective relaxing sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

North Woods tells the story of a place through a few centuries in a 3rd person omniscient narration. The humans are flashes on the years, the real character is the place. Mr Mason tells this story beautifully in loving detail. My only complaint is that the “historical pieces” especially the songs do not quite ring true to the time they are supposedly written in. But that is a small quibble. This is a wonderful book that reminded me that life is fleeting for humans and even trees, but the place remains even as it becomes unrecognisable to those who lived on it centuries ago.
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cryptofauna's review against another edition

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emotional informative reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

1.5

what was even the point of this book. 
badly paced, no cohesive plot line or honestly any plot to begin with. had a few interesting moments in a couple of the short stories but it jumps around far too much to actually get properly aquatinted with some of the characters. (like i loved mary and alice because they were the most robust and had more time than anyone else to flesh out and have a compelling story i feel like)
i really don’t mind a book in this sort of format (one of my fav books of all time greenwoods is like this) but i feel like this did not do the multigenerational independent yet slightly connected stories well at all. 
honestly should have dnfed it but i was really hoping it would get better or have some kind of ending that tied it all up. it felt like there was supposed to be come deep meaning that i clearly missed
had high hopes for this one and i don’t understand why everyone else in these reviews is obsessed with it
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fkshg8465's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

This is one of the most interesting storytelling formats I’ve ever read. Is done effectively. It’s almost like a bunch of short stories connected through time with the setting and the part characters weaved throughout to provide continuity. It was enjoyable to read and to contemplate.
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chloesnotscared's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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atiek's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I give this book beyond a five point oh. It'll break your heart and allow you to see justice in the same breath. It'll build you back up once broken down. All of the characters's voices are palpable and I strongly recommend listening to North Woods on audio for the best experience. I will be buying a physical copy of this book some day, it is that freaking great.    
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jesselynn's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Rapturous, moving and eternal.

An incredible book. It is a true epic of life, death, nature, history, succession and reclamation. Told in many voices and styles, we follow hundreds of years of history revolving around a house deep in the woods of Massachusetts. This book haunts its reader with the voices of the past, rallies the timeless human and non-human experiences that are held in a perpetual clandestine shroud between walls, branches and soil. It is sweeping and vibrant and rich in longing and grief and nature. A truly fascinating literary joy and stellar achievement by Daniel Mason.

Thank you to John Murray Press/Hachette for the advanced reader copy.
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