Yea, it wasn't great.

I loved the setting and some characters. I enjoyed being in that world for a little while. The story, especially the ending, had some issues.

I just finished it and wonder if TJ and Louise will end up together?

I finished yesterday, and am still processing. Random thoughts -

- It's not really a thriller. Mystery yes, but despite the serial killer side story, it didn't have the pace or drama of a thriller.

- While the book is long, it's still a quick read. At first I thought the author should have left out storylines like - 1) Judy/Judyta - long drive, backstory with conservative, immigrant parents, 2) Tracy's backstory, soon to be step mom, mom, etc, 3) Louise's mother & brother, 4) Delphine and her lavender marriage, etc (lots of other female characters to add to the sub-plot)

However, by adding all of these characters and backstories what you really get is a mystery and a wave of feminism in the 1960s-1970s, that comes from very different women in very different ways. That's really the underlying theme of the book, IMO. It made my rating go from 3.5, rounded down to 3.5 rounded up. I don't think the book earned the Mystery & Thriller book of the year (Goodreads), but it did likely earn Fiction of the year. I do think it will receive Book of the Month's Lolly Award 2025 (currently in the final five).

Still worth a read and a finish for anyone who has started but put it aside.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So here is a question I have after finishing the book: was John Paul actually Barbara’s secret boyfriend or not, given the mural and given that he was staying on the mountain all summer, but how does that match up with TJ’s place being where she was sneaking off to every night? Or was the mural meant to be a set up and he was there for Annabelle (but why the secrecy in that case, since everyone approved of the relationship with Annabelle)?So was the secret boyfriend story and the mural were just part of TJ’s revenge plot against John Paul? I guess given the lack of any explication of the relationship that is what we are supposed to assume. But it felt unclear to me.

I thought their initials being on Barbara’s mural was a set-up by her and TJ. They never had a relationship and didn’t know each other. John Paul was in a relationship with Donna, but only secretly, and the younger counselor (whose name I can’t remember right now LOL) the whole time.

Annabel.

Who was Donna?

Er wait no Donna was the one girl’s stepmom, LOL. The older counselor. Who was initially arrested but was let go and part of the reason TJ framed John Paul was because he beat her up when they were dating?

Louise.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So here is a question I have after finishing the book: was John Paul actually Barbara’s secret boyfriend or not, given the mural and given that he was staying on the mountain all summer, but how does that match up with TJ’s place being where she was sneaking off to every night? Or was the mural meant to be a set up and he was there for Annabelle (but why the secrecy in that case, since everyone approved of the relationship with Annabelle)?So was the secret boyfriend story and the mural were just part of TJ’s revenge plot against John Paul? I guess given the lack of any explication of the relationship that is what we are supposed to assume. But it felt unclear to me.

I thought their initials being on Barbara’s mural was a set-up by her and TJ. They never had a relationship and didn’t know each other. John Paul was in a relationship with Donna, but only secretly, and the younger counselor (whose name I can’t remember right now LOL) the whole time.

Annabel.

Who was Donna?

Er wait no Donna was the one girl’s stepmom, LOL. The older counselor. Who was initially arrested but was let go and part of the reason TJ framed John Paul was because he beat her up when they were dating?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So here is a question I have after finishing the book: was John Paul actually Barbara’s secret boyfriend or not, given the mural and given that he was staying on the mountain all summer, but how does that match up with TJ’s place being where she was sneaking off to every night? Or was the mural meant to be a set up and he was there for Annabelle (but why the secrecy in that case, since everyone approved of the relationship with Annabelle)?So was the secret boyfriend story and the mural were just part of TJ’s revenge plot against John Paul? I guess given the lack of any explication of the relationship that is what we are supposed to assume. But it felt unclear to me.

I thought their initials being on Barbara’s mural was a set-up by her and TJ. They never had a relationship and didn’t know each other. John Paul was in a relationship with Donna, but only secretly, and the younger counselor (whose name I can’t remember right now LOL) the whole time.

Annabel.

Who was Donna?

Anonymous wrote:So here is a question I have after finishing the book: was John Paul actually Barbara’s secret boyfriend or not, given the mural and given that he was staying on the mountain all summer, but how does that match up with TJ’s place being where she was sneaking off to every night? Or was the mural meant to be a set up and he was there for Annabelle (but why the secrecy in that case, since everyone approved of the relationship with Annabelle)?So was the secret boyfriend story and the mural were just part of TJ’s revenge plot against John Paul? I guess given the lack of any explication of the relationship that is what we are supposed to assume. But it felt unclear to me.

I thought their initials being on Barbara’s mural was a set-up by her and TJ. They never had a relationship and didn’t know each other. John Paul was in a relationship with Donna, but only secretly, and the younger counselor (whose name I can’t remember right now LOL) the whole time.

So here is a question I have after finishing the book: was John Paul actually Barbara’s secret boyfriend or not, given the mural and given that he was staying on the mountain all summer, but how does that match up with TJ’s place being where she was sneaking off to every night? Or was the mural meant to be a set up and he was there for Annabelle (but why the secrecy in that case, since everyone approved of the relationship with Annabelle)?So was the secret boyfriend story and the mural were just part of TJ’s revenge plot against John Paul? I guess given the lack of any explication of the relationship that is what we are supposed to assume. But it felt unclear to me.

Liz Moore’s Long Bright River and Heft are really great. The overall story in God of the Woods didn’t work but I still enjoyed her writing—her voice, I guess.

Anonymous wrote:what genre is it?

Mystery

what genre is it?

I loved this book. I thought it was great. The ending with Barbara was silly, how could TJ support this? How dangerous? She deserves prison time for it.

But the twist with Bear was great. I kind of wish I’d known the truth the whole time to look for the clues.

I was impressed with the ending. I thought it rang true. And prevented easy villians and heros.

I felt like the author ran out of time and tied everything together in a way that made no sense. and there were too many characters.

it was a shame, because I liked it until the end.