North Woods

A Novel

De: Daniel Mason

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

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

Reseñas de la Crítica

"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

once in a lifetime author

Never listened to anything like this and never will . Stunning masterpiece, seriously. One of my favorite books of all time.

Absolutely brilliant!

Loved the premise of the house being at the center of story. Loved the different narrators -all were perfectly chosen for each part. Rich cast of characters and stories. Truly exceptional storytelling.

Will re-listen to this one

Amazing stories. Beautiful writing. Great voices. And you feel it all linked together like the small yellow house in the woods.

Stunning

I heard of this book watching an interview with the editor of the New York Times Times book review who cited it as one of the best books of 2023
I can hardly describe how absorbing and enchanting this story is. I can’t recommend it highly enough

Excellent story, even better audio book.

Both charming and poignant. A wonderful story in every way. The audiobook really adds to the dimensionality. Highly recommended!!!

Very well-written and performed

At first I wasn’t sure that I understood where the book was going but I am so glad that I stuck with it. It’s a whole tapestry of American studies research with one place at its center. There’s also a lot of dry humor directed to the listener and very well performed by the narrators, Highly recommend!

Intricate and beautiful

What an amazingly thought out story! As a history fan, I especially loved the integration of our country’s arc from pre revolutionary to current times. Bonus points for the artful integration of natural history and apparent impacts of our country’s development on forests and wildlife. Just stunning!

Poetic and Haunting

This kept me engaged through the end. Each character was made real, each story surprising. The author weaved nature in his characters’s lives, the forest was as much a part of the story as any person or plot.

Just loved this book and was sad when it ended.

Memorable characters throughout.
Wonderful descriptions of surroundings and emotions. I read it first, then listened to it. Each time I liked it more. Highly recommended.

Surprising

This book was surprising at curve but came together well in the end and still managed to surprise me again!