The God of the Woods by Liz Moore: A Gripping Tale of Family, Trauma, and the Power of Nature

Conclusion

The Van Laar family is defined by their immense wealth and their sprawling estate, aptly named "Self-Reliance" . Moore uses this setting to establish a central irony: while the family patriarchs prize independence, they are utterly dependent on the working-class locals of the nearby town, Shattuck, to maintain their gilded isolation . The 1975 investigation into Barbara’s disappearance, led by the pioneering female investigator Judyta "Judy" Luptack, serves as a catalyst for unearthing the rot within the Van Laar dynasty . Key Characters and Perspectives

Dual Timelines: The plot alternates between 1961, when 8-year-old Bear Van Laar vanishes, and 1975, when his 13-year-old sister Barbara disappears from Camp Emerson.