**spoiler alert** The God of the Woods had some of the same problems as a recent book I read, All the Colors of the Dark. It started off great, and I **spoiler alert** The God of the Woods had some of the same problems as a recent book I read, All the Colors of the Dark. It started off great, and I really looked forward to the rest of it. Then it started bogging down and going off on tangents and introducing characters who are, in the end, inconsequential and hard to keep track of. Also, in this book, the timeline and the characters go back and forth in confusing ways. Many of the characters are unrealistic. At least one of the women characters, Alice, is so weak it’s ridiculous. And what is with her sister having an affair with her husband? That did NOT fit into the story at all. Some of the plot twists are also ridiculous. And the ending� it is also ridiculous in that the detective who leaves Barbara Van Laar on the island is doing the same thing as the people who hid the death of Bear Van Laar. She is putting innocent people’s lives on the line by not revealing the truth. And comparing Barbara to a god at the end also seems so overblown� but I suppose that’s how the author got the title. ...more
The best thing about this book is all the literary references. That made it really fun to read. The author's website, it turns out, has a list and eveThe best thing about this book is all the literary references. That made it really fun to read. The author's website, it turns out, has a list and even links to all the titles referenced in the book.
The plot, however, was a bit too sentimental or heartwarming for me.
I'm glad I read it in advance of watching the movie version on Netflix.
I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed James. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because I’m not a fan of this type of picaresque (I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed James. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because I’m not a fan of this type of picaresque (a series of episodes rather than a straightforward plot) adventure story. In this one, the adventures hung together enough to really hold my interest. I really loved the way James grew in his understanding of himself and became more and more able to do the horrible, dangerous things he had to do to seek freedom for himself and his family.
By the end, I felt like the book was like an everyman story of revenge and redemption for slavery. I was crying and cheering for James all the way, but especially at the end. ...more
The Push, her first book, was so much better! I wanted to find out how this ended, but other than that, I wasn't very interested in the dramas of the The Push, her first book, was so much better! I wanted to find out how this ended, but other than that, I wasn't very interested in the dramas of the various women. Much of it seemed overdone and unbelievable. The ending did have good shock value, I suppose. ...more
This was one of my least favorite books ever. Hans said he'd give it 2 stars because he liked the dirty parts... LOL. I think the book couldn't decideThis was one of my least favorite books ever. Hans said he'd give it 2 stars because he liked the dirty parts... LOL. I think the book couldn't decide what it was trying to be - humorous, dark, scary, sexy.... and in the end it was none of those things for me. Just boring. I can't believe it has such a high review average! ...more
Loading...
