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Liked It3 of 3 members found this review helpful ““In September, after the primary, they rented an old yellow cottage in the timber at the edge of Lake of the Woods.” So begins Tim O’Brien's 1994 novel of suspense, In The Lake of the Woods. |
Didn’t Like It1 of 1 members found this review helpful “Creepy. It felt hopeless throughout. I didn't trust that anything would work out well and so read it with loathing and fear. Sorry, it just wasn't a compelling read for me...I wanted to put it down many times, but I just like to finish books. This one, I just wanted it over with. I left this book...” see full review » see other reviews » |
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“I love this book so much. Heavy writing/beautifully cryptic and mysterious/brutal and oblique. Tim O'Brien is the master. See also: The Things They Carried and Going After Cacciatto.
Andy Freeburg wrote this review 3 days ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
MACHINE GUN WIND.”
“My second favorite O'Brien book and one of my all-time favorites. He rethinks the mystery novel, and rather than telling an Agatha Christie-esque story, he unfolds the facts like an investigator, mixing in ambiguous interviews, personal histories, random quotes and ideas, and more to paint a picture of a crime (or was it?) and the people involved. Brilliant.”
Bryan G wrote this review Friday, October 2 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Top 5 fav of all time.”
Ms. McCloskey wrote this review Monday, July 27 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Power look at Nam. Gut wrenching in parts. Enjoyed the ambiguity.”
Luke H wrote this review Monday, July 27 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
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paris b wrote this review Monday, March 16 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
I recently finished the book “In the Lake of the Woods” by Tim O’Brien. This was the second book that I have read written by O’Brien. I found many characterizations that I like that intrigue me to read more books written by this author.
The book is about a politician named John Wade. John is at the height of his political c areer. He is governor of Minnesota and has recently decided to run for U.S senate. His wife Kathy who he has been with since they were both in college, believes that he has a good chance of winning. They both never anticipated such a failure of a campaign. After the devastating loss, the couple decides to move to the Lake of the Woods, Minnesota to be away from the press.
O’Brien uses many flashbacks of John’s life, to show many of his real emotions. When he flashbacks to Johns childhood it usually talks about how his drunken father would verbally abuse him constantly. John would hide from this father by learning magic tricks to hide the emotions he really felt. These magic tricks later became helpful when he went to Vietnam. He became the entertainer and people called him “sorcerer”.
One night John woke up to make a pot of tea, instead of making tea he took the boiling water and poured in on the plants screaming “Kill Jesus” (166). The next morning he woke up to find Kathy gone along with their boat. The police come and they set out a search party that finds nothing.
O’Brien never tells the reader what really happened to Kathy. It’s up to the reader to decide on their own. He does propose many ways that she could have disappeared. John could have tak en the boiling water and poured it on Kathy’s face and then went and sunk the boat with Kathy on it. Or Kathy could have just taken the boat out and skidded across the lake too fast and hit a rock sinking the boat. He even proposes that John and Kathy could have planned her disappearance so that they could start a new life together away from all the things in their past. The last theory that O’Brien gives the reader is that John might have done his last magic trick in which he creates a disappearing act and Kathy is gone forever.
I have found that this trend of leaving the reader to decide what they feel and think about a story is a trend that O’Brien uses when he writes. It’s different from many other writers because it allows you to create your own version of the story that only you know. It means that you have to think about what you want to happen. It’s almost as if you were in the story and you are making the next move.
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“This is the choice of the bookgroup for this month. It is a very interesting mystery and interesting style. I am wondering what will happen and enjoying it. It is not your typical mystery. I am really wondering about the ending....hmmmmm Hope to read some reviews to provide me some more insight. If you don't however, like to read about Vietnam flashbacks, don't read this book.”
Marcia H wrote this review Monday, February 2 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No1 of 1 members found this review helpful“Creepy. It felt hopeless throughout. I didn't trust that anything would work out well and so read it with loathing and fear. Sorry, it just wasn't a compelling read for me...I wanted to put it down many times, but I just like to finish books. This one, I just wanted it over with. I left this book exactly where I finished reading it, not wishing to pass it on.”
Gail N wrote this review Wednesday, December 17 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“A mystery, a love story, a war story, a portrait of madness ... Very upsetting. ”
Olivia Gentile wrote this review Saturday, November 29 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Haunting and different. I love this book. It doesn't fit into any category or box, and you don't finish it with all the answers. I love that. ”
Travis Thrasher wrote this review Tuesday, August 26 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
