North Woods

A Novel

By: Daniel Mason

Narrated by: Mark Bramhall, Michael Crouch, Jason Culp, Mark Deakins, Jayne Entwistle, Billie Fulford-Brown, Arthur Morey, George Newbern, Kirsten Potter, Simon Vance

Length: 11 hrs and 5 mins

Publisher's summary

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW TOP TEN BOOK OF THE YEAR

A WASHINGTON POST TOP TEN BOOK OF THE YEAR • FINALIST FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD AND THE MARK TWAIN AMERICAN VOICE IN LITERATURE AWARD

A sweeping novel about a single house in the woods of New England, told through the lives of those who inhabit it across the centuries—“a time-spanning, genre-blurring work of storytelling magic” (The Washington Post) from the Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of The Piano Tuner and The Winter Soldier.

“With the expansiveness and immersive feeling of two-time Booker Prize nominee David Mitchell’s fiction (Cloud Atlas), the wicked creepiness of Edgar Allan Poe, and Mason’s bone-deep knowledge of and appreciation for the natural world that’s on par with that of Thoreau, North Woods fires on all cylinders.”—San Francisco Chronicle

New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice • A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: Time, The Boston Globe, NPR, Chicago Public Library, The Star Tribune, The Economist, The Christian Science Monitor, Real Simple, Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Bookreporter

When two young lovers abscond from a Puritan colony, little do they know that their humble cabin in the woods will become the home of an extraordinary succession of human and nonhuman characters alike. An English soldier, destined for glory, abandons the battlefields of the New World to devote himself to growing apples. A pair of spinster twins navigate war and famine, envy and desire. A crime reporter unearths an ancient mass grave—only to discover that the earth refuse to give up their secrets. A lovelorn painter, a sinister con man, a stalking panther, a lusty beetle: As the inhabitants confront the wonder and mystery around them, they begin to realize that the dark, raucous, beautiful past is very much alive.

This magisterial and highly inventive novel from Pulitzer Prize finalist Daniel Mason brims with love and madness, humor and hope. Following the cycles of history, nature, and even language, North Woods shows the myriad, magical ways in which we’re connected to our environment, to history, and to one another. It is not just an unforgettable novel about secrets and destinies, but a way of looking at the world that asks the timeless question: How do we live on, even after we’re gone?

©2023 Daniel Mason (P)2023 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"It makes sense that a story this expansive would employ a wide array of audiobook narrators. The result is too good to miss.... With each tale of shifting inhabitants, the listener is treated to a performance by one of several gifted narrators. Simply put, there is not a weak section in this audiobook. The storytelling itself is original, and each narrator is perfectly cast for their section. Characters and their struggles are thoughtfully portrayed, and each narrator's voice suits the time period depicted. History blends seamlessly with the supernatural and natural worlds, and the performances are consistently powerful to bridge the spaces between." (AudioFile)

“Dazzling...a brave and original book, which invents its own form. It is both intimate and epic, playful and serious. To read it is to travel to the limits of what the novel can do.”—The Guardian (US)

“A time-spanning, genre-blurring work of storytelling magic.... Each chapter germinates its own form while sending out tendrils that entwine beneath the surface of the novel.... As [Mason] floats through thrillers, a bit of comic noir, erotic paranormal fiction and other genres, it’s hard to imagine there is anything he can’t do....”—The Washington Post

“Gorgeous...a tale of ephemerality and succession, of the way time accrues in layers, like sedimentary soil.”—NPR

One of the most beautiful books I have read in a while

This is gorgeously written. A patchwork of lives/souls and stories that connect back to an 18th century yellow house in western Massachusetts. Unexpectedly, it became a love letter to nature and it’s fragility at the hands of humans. Moving.

History of a House

The writing is intelligent, the story is interesting and done with a creative and unusual approach from the author. It’s refreshing to read something that is very different from most books. It made me think about the stories told about prior occupants of houses and how those stories are probably completely wrong and that the story itself is so much more interesting than we will ever know.
The people reading each character’s story in a style that reflects various eras over the existence of the home adds depth and makes their stories and the house’s history come alive.

Fabulous

This was a fabulous book. I loved the audible reading as well. I was amazed at the many different styles of narration from both the authors and performers.

A glorious depiction of a yellow house, it’s apple trees, and life itself

A splendid, surprising novel that beautifully depicts the never ending circles of life. Mason’s writing about the natural and supernatural worlds simply rivets. The actors’ performances are uniformly amazing. Five stars indeed.

The cycle of living brings no relief to any of the caretakers of this plot of land

I kept waiting for some glimmer of hope for the people who passed through these woods. Different voices enhanced the mysteries unfolding, but the book left me empty.

Fantastic!

I'm not really sure about everything that happens in this book, but I will certainly listen to it again to try and sort it! It is a wonderful story (a ghost story of the best kind) with many twists. Very good narration.

Terrific!!!!

Superbly written. Top notch narration. A keenly entertaining epic reach through time that carried me along without overwhelming. Witty, serious, charming, deep, somber, smart and delightful- I am smitten with this book.

creative wonder of a tale

this very well may be my new favorite book of all time. marvelously well crafted story. fantastic acting. to be honest, i will start it again tomorrow AND buy a hard copy.

So intense and original, brilliant!

This is a wonderful, original, textural tale
So immersive and with excellent narration
Highly recommend !!

Fabulous!

You won’t be sorry you took the time to read and understand this tour de force