North WoodsNorth Woods
What it's about
A house in the woods of western Massachusetts, and everyone who lives there over three hundred years: two young lovers fleeing a Puritan colony, an English soldier who becomes an apple farmer, twin sisters, a painter, a con man, a true-crime story, a ghost, even a beetle. Their stories are told in letters, songs, case files and many voices.
Why it's worth reading
It was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Goodreads Choice Award. It's a playful, moving novel about time, nature and the traces we leave.
You'll love it if you liked
Cloud Atlas
The Overstory
Cloud Cuckoo LandGood to know
Each section is different in style, which some readers find disjointed. There's a murder and some dark episodes.
By the numbers
- Readers53 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics25 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller32 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz37 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #79 of the 116 historical novels we rank
- #167 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #246 of the 481 new books we rank
- #1398 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving, Epic, Adventurous
If you like this, read next
Babel
The Island of Missing Trees
Circe
The Underground Railroad
The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida
A Tale for the Time BeingExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is North Woods worth reading?
Yes. It was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Goodreads Choice Award. It ranks #1,398 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 69.2 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is North Woods about?
A house in the woods of western Massachusetts, and everyone who lives there over three hundred years: two young lovers fleeing a Puritan colony, an English soldier who becomes an apple farmer, twin sisters, a painter, a con man, a true-crime story, a ghost, even a beetle. Their stories are told in letters, songs, case files and many voices.
How long does it take to read North Woods?
About 10 hours (385 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after North Woods?
If you liked it, try Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell, The Overstory by Richard Powers or Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr.