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

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

Absolutely the best. That’s it.

I’ll never see the woods the same way again. The descriptions of nature and the passing of time are incredible; the way the characters are introduced according to the time period of history is fascinating. Each section of the book describes a different point in time and character’s lives as seen from the same perspective of a tiny cabin in the woods of Northern Massachusetts. I am a creaky old h.s. English teacher, and this is one of the best novels I’ve read in the past 30 years.

Unexpected American ghost story

I had no idea what I was getting into when I started this book. The performance by the readers, as I listened to the audiobook, was truly amazing! This is an American ghost story, wrapped up in a plethora of short stories, set in the woods around a yellow house in the North woods of Massachusetts. I loved the prose, the writing is simply beautiful. However, for my personal reading taste, it’s a little bit dark and kind of strange. The ending is fantastic though. What an incredible writer! Honestly, though, I wouldn’t really recommend it.

For me… 2023 book of the year

This is absolutely astonishing.

In a nutshell, it tells a 400 year history in Massachusetts all taken place in a single house. The narration is beyond exquisite. The story is complex - the narration makes it easy to follow.

The writing is exquisite- The story so beautifully told no only through the exquisite characters but through the trees, plants, animals and insects as well.

Great story, well told

The way the story played out over decades, centuries through the lives and many stories of those connected to a single yellow house in western Massachusetts was amazing. Excellent narration. Loved it more than I expected.

Imaginative approach

I loved that place is central to the story while people come and go. It is an accurate portrayal of the relative impact of each life.

Couldn’t put it down

Fascinating take on the evolution of nature and civilization. Very unique story of many stories.

Excellent!!

Enjoyed every second of this story…well thought, well written, & well read examination of the spirit of place. Didn’t want it to end. Don’t always like stories read in multiple voices on Audible but the performances here were excellent and added to the story. Highly recommend!!!

Bravo

Bittersweet. Unique and original concept. In turns sad, funny, poignant. Loved the narration, loved the story. Highly recommend

Inventive

Not like every other book. This starts off slow but quickly gains speeds. The characters will grab you. Juicy!

An absolute joy

What a terrific story of the natural and supernatural through time in the north woods