The God of the Woods

1. General Impressions 

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• Liz Moore is the author of five novels across multiple genres. Compare The God of the Woods to some of her other books, such as Long Bright River. What thematic and stylistic patterns emerge? 
• How does The God of the Woods participate in conventions of the thriller and mystery genres, and how does it update these conventions for the cultural environment of 2024?
• Which plot twists or surprises did you find most effective? How did the novel develop mystery and suspense?

2. Literary Analysis 

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

• Like other mystery novels, The God of the Woods uses misdirection to enhance suspense and foster surprise. Which plot twists most effectively surprised you, and how? 
• Which characters did you find most relatable? Why? How did the novel encourage empathy for these characters? 
• The God of the Woods is deeply rooted in its upstate New York setting. How does this setting influence the tone and mood of the novel? How does it contribute to the novel’s understanding of class and social inequality? 
• How do the woods operate as a motif within the novel? What abstract ideas—e.g., wildness, the unknown, the unconscious—do they symbolize, and how? 
• What is the significance of the name “Self-Reliance” for the Van Laar family home? What does this name reveal about the family’s self-image? Is this image accurate? 

3. Personal Reflection and Connection 

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

• Choose a scene that provoked a strong emotional response when you read it. Analyze the scene to determine how it evoked this response and what narrative or thematic purposes this response serves.
• How does the family depicted in the book reflect your own experience of family as a source of both support and conflict? How do various characters respond to the challenges of family? 

4. Societal and Cultural Context 

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

• How does The God of the Woods comment on gender and power in late-20th-century America? Do any of its female characters find freedom or agency within a patriarchal culture? How do they do so? 
• The novel unfolds across three timelines—the 1950s, 1961, and 1975. What changes about its picture of US culture across this span of time, and what remains the same? 
• The novel was written nearly half a century after its events concluded. How does this vantage point allow it to perceive forms of inequality that may have been less visible at the time? 

5. Creative Engagement 

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

• If this book were adapted into a movie, who would you cast in the lead roles? Who would direct? Explain your choices. 
• Imagine a sequel to The God of the Woods in which Barbara narrates her own experience escaping the oppressive Van Laar family and living alone in a cabin on a remote island. What would be the best voice, tone, and point of view in which to tell this story? Try writing a prologue or first chapter. 

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