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Chris

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Holidays on Ice

by David Sedaris

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Jul 25, 2016 11:48AM

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North Woods

by Daniel Mason (Goodreads Author)

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read in January 2024

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Chris said: " I’m still not sure I’m using the correct literary term to explain why Daniel Mason’s North Woods floored me, but based on Google and a few phone-a-friends, I’m confident (kinda) you’d describe this novel as a biblical allegory.

I say this because the I’m still not sure I’m using the correct literary term to explain why Daniel Mason’s North Woods floored me, but based on Google and a few phone-a-friends, I’m confident (kinda) you’d describe this novel as a biblical allegory.

I say this because the first third of the book both literally and figuratively paints our setting—the wilderness of western Massachusetts and the home people make in it—as Eden. Mason then works in an apple, then lots of apples, and flips both the Eve and Cain and Abel stories on their heads. At least from a gender perspective. Which felt both pointed and playful.

I have to stop myself before I also start exploring how Mason uses North Woods to skewer pastoralism—the notion that tired, besieged man can escape to nature and be restored. Mason, instead, is clearly asking, “Well, how does nature feel about that?”, showing again and again it’s a better idea to just mind your own business and stay home with the rest of the colonizers. Which was honestly…kinda refreshing.

North Woods is one of those novels that defies jacket copy and reviews. The best way I can try to describe it is with a cocktail recipe:

Take 3 parts short story collection, combine it in a shaker with 1 part epistolary, 1 part ghost story, and 2 parts historical fiction and shake for 20 seconds. Pour this into a coupe, adding a dash of George Saunders/David Sedaris absurdity. Then Garnish with healthy sprig of environmental science. Enjoy.

North Woods is the freshest book you’ll read this year—and I do encourage you to physically read it. Even the ebook won’t do it justice. Mason layers in so many pictures and poems and even footnotes that it’s almost like he wrote it saying, “good luck trying to listen to this one, bozos!” Albeit, I did listen to North Woods and still loved the full-cast reading, especially because my friend Simon Vance makes an appearance. I just had to physically re-read the first third of the book to make sure I understood what was going on. So I’d suggest getting off the ground with a physical copy first, then letting audio take over.

Five stars out of five. Not a certified unputdownable, but I’ll be talking about this one for a while.

How would you describe North Woods? Let me know in the comments—and for more unhinged books news and reviews, follow me on instagram at @the.unputdownables. ...more "

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— Nov 29, 2025 01:56PM

Jan 27, 2024 01:17PM · see review