281 upvotes, 19 direct replies (showing 19)
View submission: The Best Books of 2024 Winners!
I feel like I’m the only person who didn’t LOVE God of the Woods. It was just okay for me.
Comment by cariboucannon at 19/01/2025 at 21:07 UTC
98 upvotes, 1 direct replies
I feel the same! I thought it was okay- HATED the ending, thought it was a wildly inappropriate way to handle a situation. Didn’t quite understand the hype and intrigue.
Comment by evilqueenislandgirl at 19/01/2025 at 20:44 UTC
23 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Did not love it at all.
Comment by birdie1108 at 20/01/2025 at 00:30 UTC
24 upvotes, 1 direct replies
I enjoyed it, but mostly because I grew up in the same exact area it took place, so I found it a bit nostalgic. It felt too long, I think it could’ve paced faster and been about 100 pages shorter.
Comment by pm-me-neckbeards at 20/01/2025 at 04:26 UTC
11 upvotes, 0 direct replies
A beautifully written book in which nothing much happens.
Comment by discojing at 20/01/2025 at 06:07 UTC
11 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Same. What’s with all the hype? It had a 4+ rating on goodreads which means it probably wasn’t going to be terrible but people were waxing poetic saying it was their favorite book of 2024—were there slim pickins this year? It was “fine”, but spent a whole lot of time building up to an unfulfilling and rushed ending. I grew tired of her staccato writing style as well.
Comment by Unable_Row9165 at 19/01/2025 at 23:00 UTC
20 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I agree I finished it but the payoff was not worth it.
Comment by Takatukah at 19/01/2025 at 20:53 UTC
6 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Is it literary fiction or mystery/thriller?
Comment by Jcote12 at 21/01/2025 at 20:35 UTC
6 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I don’t even know who else to tell this to but I have to tell someone. Reading about this book made my heart stop—because it is *eerily* similar to a story I wrote a few years back. Right down to some of the names, and the same exact setting! My version had more culty vibes with the family in charge of the camp, but still. Weird coincidence. I’ve shared it with my old students, but now I feel like I could never truly put that story out there.
Sorry to throw that at you, stranger. I’m just completely stunned and had to tell somebody.
Comment by rainsong2023 at 19/01/2025 at 21:12 UTC
7 upvotes, 0 direct replies
No, you’re not alone. I DNF’d it. It didn’t live up to the hype for me.
Comment by OutsidetheCanvas at 20/01/2025 at 23:48 UTC
4 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Some of the imagery was nice. Mostly just meh though and not really interesting. It did however lead me to Long Bright River which I loved.
Comment by CoolMarzipan6795 at 20/01/2025 at 20:45 UTC
3 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Nope same. Thought it was going to be a little super-natural what with the color and was disappointed.
Comment by Direct-Bread at 20/01/2025 at 13:39 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Ditto
Comment by SaintPhebe at 21/01/2025 at 01:37 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
It was so dry and procedural. The characters felt like caricatures with their shallow, predictable inner lives. Some have said this is a character driven book but I don’t agree. Moore doesn’t seem interested at all in exploring interiority. It’s all plot, which can be fine, except when the plot makes promises it doesn’t keep. And is boring about it.
The writing is nothing special, very this happened then that happened. The timeline jumps did manage to create some suspenseful moments, sure, but they all lead to disappointing explanations. Got tired of the robotic, TV police show style dialogue. Why couldn’t just one character say something surprising? Even the serial killer stayed in the lines, a sort of Hannibal lite without the philosophizing.
What angered me the most was the title. It hints that something at least slightly mysterious may be at play, but no! The world we are given is flat, not evocative in the least. I only got through it because it was something mind-numbing to listen to while I did the dishes before bed. I did find a certain comfort in how boring it was, if that makes sense.
Comment by mekanical_hound at 21/01/2025 at 16:11 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Yeah, I started the audiobook, but didn't get far. Not my thing, I guess.
Comment by SoOverItAll2024 at 21/01/2025 at 19:46 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Me too. Just ok. Meh
Comment by emilycatqueen at 20/01/2025 at 17:46 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I DNFed about 40% in. I was listening to the audiobook and it was hard to follow.
Comment by erriuga at 01/02/2025 at 22:58 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Naw, I didn’t like it either. I hated the jumps in time for each POV. I think the issues could have been easily solved and like a lot of people say - the pay off at the end wasn’t there. I could gather what was going to happen and thought oh that’s it?
Comment by nerfpants at 16/02/2025 at 09:34 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Exactly the same as me. Read it and felt like it was…fine.
Then read All The Colors of the Dark and am still thinking about that book. It now lives in my bones.
Comment by ssssunshine at 19/01/2025 at 20:38 UTC*
1 upvotes, 2 direct replies
Edit: for some reason I thought this thread was about All the Colours of the Dark. 🤦♀️ I’m very excited to read God of the Woods!
I bounced off it really quickly. I didn’t enjoy the writing style and given the tough subject matter, I didn’t want to continue unless I was gripped. I also didn’t enjoy his previous book so he’s just not take right author for me!