This book was excellent.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

This really was a towering achievement. I can’t imagine how Mason was able to build such a realistic world and make us care for the characters on such a profound level.

North Woods by Daniel Mason offers an immersive literary journey that skillfully traverses the turbulent history of a specific piece of land in New England. The book unfolds as a captivating narrative that manages to encapsulate a vast and expansive scope, interweaving intricate and personal stories of diverse characters over centuries.

The characters, ranging from a young Puritan couple on the run to a haunted son harbouring buried secrets, are vividly developed, creating a profound sense of empathy and attachment. Their lives unfold within the confines of a secluded house in the woods, and each character brings a unique perspective on themes such as love, ambition, family dynamics, and survival, all set against the backdrop of different historical periods. "North Woods" is a testament to Mason's storytelling prowess, providing a rich and multifaceted exploration of human experiences across time and generations.

The E-Book could be improved and more user-friendly, such as links to the chapters, no significant gaps between words and a cover for the book would be better. It is very document-like instead of a book. A star has been deducted because of this.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

'North Woods' is a stunningly written and supremely enjoyable patchwork novel spanning several centuries on a single plot of land in Massachusetts, from the 18th Century to an unspecified point in the future.

Daniel Mason uses a combination of third-person narration and other texts - ballads, letters, articles, diaries, speeches and more - to weave together the stories of the different humans who have inhabited the north woods and the lemon-yellow house that is built there, whilst giving equal weight to the animals and plants with whom their lives are intertwined.

In many ways, we are given a potted history of America in miniature - early characters include a puritan couple on the run, a runaway slave and a bounty hunter, and (possibly my favourite character) an English soldier who develops a mania for the apples that grow on the soil of his land. Violence persists across the generations, as do various forms of mental illness, allowing us to see how this is viewed by society at different times.

This might sound like a very fragmented premise for a novel, but Mason keeps introducing connections between different time periods, both natural and supernatural, reminding us of the ways in which the present is continually haunted and shaped by the past. Overall, this is a beautiful and rewarding read - thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC to review.

Flipping heck, I’ve read some good historical fiction lately! North Woods by Daniel Mason is one such book. Multiple points in history, narrative voices and styles all linked by place. Absolutely marvellous!

I don’t think I actually want to say too much about all the different characters in this book, except to say that it spans from a Puritan colony to the present day, all linked by the North Woods. It’s a gorgeous novel that had my heart in my mouth at several points and made me wish that I could see this place with my own eyes. The love of the landscape and nature shines through this gorgeous novel.

And, well, the end of this novel is the real tour de force. Utterly beautiful. A book of the year for me, that’s for certain.


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Do you ever imagine the untold stories of a place? North Woods does exactly that. It starts in the 1760s in a remote North Woods station in New England. The house, the people, the insects, the trees all get a look in, in the narrative that continues right up to the present day.

Sensational read about a cabin in the woods ...the moves moves through seasons and generations in a stunning fashion. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole story

This brilliant and wonderful story was hidden in my TBR and I loved it since I started reading.
Baroque, complex, multilayered, entertaining and thought provoking
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This novel was based on a truly original conceit - a snapshot of American history through the story of one plot of land in north Massachusetts. I'm going to say there isn't a plot as such, but there is a definite narrative arc as a cottage is built in a remote wood, an apple orchard is planted, the story of the original inhabitants plays out, and through the ravages of history a couple of ghosts influence events as much as the passage of time does, showcasing the unbreakable links between past, present and future.

This was a fascinating read, a stunning literary achievement which is never hard work. Highly recommended.

At first I found it hard to work out what was going on in this strange, episodic book, but I persevered, probably because of the compelling poetic quality of the writing, and eventually the threads pulled together into a narrative or at least a narrative of sorts, loosely linked by a piece of land.

Native Americans, an English soldier who plants an orchard, a medium, a Puritan couple, beetles – there’s a wide range of enigmatic ‘characters’, many of whom drift back into that narrative, but somehow all seem to remain subservient to the principal character of the land itself and its unresolved, unsettling presence.

I certainly found this a difficult book, and it made me work hard as a reader, but I also found it original, clever, thought-provoking, probably profound and ultimately richly rewarding. If those are the qualities you look for in a novel, I would warmly recommend it.

Thought this was a really interesting take on a time period from a perspective and location we don’t normally see.

One of the best books I’ve read this year. So autumnal and rooted in the woods and nature. I loved the characters, particularly the ones that keep reappearing.

"North Woods" by Daniel Mason attempts a unique narrative approach by weaving together short stories set in a single rural location in New England across various eras. While the concept is intriguing, the execution falls short. The verbosity of the prose becomes laborious, leading to a tedious and tiresome read. The promise of an engaging novel dissipates as the stories drag on, making it challenging to maintain interest. Ultimately, the book's ambitious concept fails to captivate, I couldn't finish it.

I love comparing and contrasting book jackets for different regions. Here, in the UK, we have a portrait of one of the lovely Osgood girls holding an apple. This drew me in straight away. In the US it seems to be a catamount lounging on the ground. So sorry for you guys in the new world, that's not enticing in the least. It seems a poor choice given the wide scope of this beautifully glorious novel.

In North Woods we travel through time centred on a humble wood cabin built by early settlers in New England's wilderness. Over time the cabin is added to as people come and go and events unfold within and beyond its walls. Inhabitants take a backseat to the wondrous nature of the grounds this home dwells upon and the transformation it endures with the passing of time. Written in such a beautiful way, each new owner or occupant shares a glimpse into their life, and the time in which they live, and their impact upon the house. I ate North Woods up. It was written with exquisite language reflective of the time of each chapter. Almost like linked short stories, this is a beautifully constructed novel and I will happily recommend to all and sundry. This is one of the most rich novels I have read all year. Lovely in all regards.

*A big thank-you to Daniel Mason, John Murray Press, and NetGalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
An enchanting novel that narrates a story of the land and a house through the lives of their owners. Most original idea and characters who could seem to be chosen by the place rather that the other way round. Epic story that spans over two centuries and ends where it started. Characters who will not leave you indifferent. My personal deep emotions lie with the twin sisters and their father - what a story!

One of my favourite books of the year!! I just adored it!! I'm always fascinated by the stories that a house or area could tell, and in this book you get that in bucketloads!! It charts the ebb and flow of nature and the people in exquisite detail and I felt like I was there in the woods watching the action play out!

Set in the woods of New England the focus is around the inhabitants, both human and animal, over a long period of time and just seeing the different characters that are there at the time and the variety of stories they have to tell, and we get to see these glimpses into their lives. It starts with a man getting the house ready for his family, but enjoying the peace and quiet the area affords him and that's a feeing that you get throughout the book that the space becomes a retreat for those who come across the area, and that the connection with the nature around them is a real pull for varying reasons.

The characters introduced over the years are fascinating and the nature is beautifully described and begins to feel like extra characters too. And no matter the turmoil going on in the world and for the humans, the cycle of nature continues and it is one of those stories that is epic in its' scale and amazingly captivating. A must read!!!

The remote woods in the north of Massachusetts, a place where history has shown its cycle. A young puritan couple on the run make a home, later a young woman kidnapped by native people tries to protect her protector. A weary soldier makes a home for his twin daughters and grows apples, an artist tries to forget his love, a mother cares for her ill son and a con-man meets his match in a catamount. Over hundreds of years a small corner of world reflects change and progress.
This is a book of huge scope even though it is focused on a very small area. The first half of the book is brilliant and I loved it but started to lose a little patience halfway with the the story of the medium. Essentially this is a series of short vignettes pieced together by a geographical place and inevitably some are better that others.

This is a remarkable book. It's structure is a series of stories set over a time span of more than a hundred years. The author is clever enough to give you little hints at the beginning of each section so you know when you are and who you might be reading about in relation to the previous section.
The "where" is never in doubt as the setting is the same the eponymous north Woods. The woods change over time - an ecological theme here. They mainly change as a result of human intervention.

Having such a varied host of characters gives Mason a chance to show how well he can portray a range of characters from a resilient soldier to enmeshed twins. It also allows him to use different styles and genres. The true crime reporter's section was written with journalistic flair and a particular gallows humour.

Each section has links to other sections in terms of plots but is also rich in other resonances. It follows human interactions and impacts with and on Nature. The humans are seen as passing players against the awesome backdrop. Human history is small against this.

You sense the wry sense of humour of the author behind some stories but also his psychological insight, compassion and empathy.

One of the best books I've read this year, hence a rare 5 star. I expect to come back to this book and journey through time all over again.

This is an amazing, beautifully crafted and written novel.
It’s centred around a house and orchards in Massachusetts across the centuries, starting in the 1800s.
Mason weaves strange and fantastic tales about those who live there: some read like magical realism.
I’m struggling to do justice to the novel: it’s so rich in its imagination, storytelling and poetic writing.
Recommended: it’ll be one of the best books you read this year.

Beautifully written.
I enjoyed the way the book was written, unfortunately to me it read like a series of short stories with some connections.
The highlights for me were the Osgood Apple and their development, really interesting, the twins Mary and Alice and Henry suffering from mental illness. Sometimes I got lost in figuring out who was who or the timeline.
On the whole it was an interesting read especially the references to nature
Thank you NetGalley and Daniel.