Forsyth Reads Together

2026 Forsyth Reads Together - Discussion Guide

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

Title. How do you interpret the title, The God of the Woods? What meanings did the title take over the course of the story?

Structure. Liz Moore develops two mysteries that unfold across decades. How did they connect? How did the braided timelines affect your reading experience?

Setting. What do each of the locations in the Adirondack Mountains represent?Where are the tensions between these worlds most apparent?

Characters. The wealthy Van Laars rely on the working-class community from Shattuck. How do the backgrounds of the characters influence their lives?

Self-Reliance. The Van Laars' estate is named Self-Reliance, which is a quality the family's patriarch wanted to instill in his descendants. Do you think he succeeded?

Power. What is the relationship between power, money, and personality?

Identity. How do each of the characters adhere to or subvert gender expectations?

Grief. What portraits of grief and loss exist in the story?

Fear. Jacob Sluiter and Scary Mary are mentioned often at Camp Emerson. What do each of these figures symbolize? Do you have similar scary stories from your youth?

Secrets. Are any of the secrets in this book justified? How might the characters' fates change if the truth came to light?

Justice. How is justice served at the end of the novel for each of the characters?

Genre. How does this book compare to other mystery novels you've read?

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