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poetdreaming's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
districtreads's review
4.0
Cross-posted to http://off-the-book.org.
Like Lolita told by Lolita herself, The Wood of Suicides gives you a very psychological kind of insight into the protagonist's mind. Laurel Marks is seventeen, and on the cusp of adulthood. Sent away to boarding school after the death of her father, who she obsessively admired and desired in turns, she starts to fantasize about her English teacher.
Her teacher, Hugh Steadman, is a Byronic hero to young Laurel. He’s handsome, loves poetry, and slowly falls in lust with Laurel. He becomes her new father figure and love interest all at once. If this sounds a bit creepy, you’re right – but Woolett does a great job with Laurel’s voice. Laurel’s narration is self-evaluating, introspective, and provocative. It’s easy to become mesmerized by this story as the downward spiral ultimately becomes clear.
Young love at its most destructive, the tale so many fantasize about – that of a young girl and her teacher – turns into a dark, twisted anti-romance with a bittersweet ending.
This is not an easy read by any means, but I consider that a compliment. There are a considerable amount of literary references – to Freud, to the Greek myths of old, to Romanticist poetry. I frequently underlined particularly admirable turns of phrase, or lush descriptions. Some readers may not be well-versed with Greek myth, but Woollett twines it in without making it seem like a history lesson.
While I didn’t consider Laurel likable, I don’t think that’s necessary to enjoy this novel. It’s a fantastic debut, and I loved the novelty of an unreliable narrator with a coquettish air. I would recommend to fans of the literary master Vladimir Nabokov, or, on the guilty pleasure end of the spectrum, fans of the Ezra /Aria relationship on Pretty Little Liars.
And on that note…
http://www.off-the-book.org/2014/02/book-review-wood-of-suicides-by-laura.html
Like Lolita told by Lolita herself, The Wood of Suicides gives you a very psychological kind of insight into the protagonist's mind. Laurel Marks is seventeen, and on the cusp of adulthood. Sent away to boarding school after the death of her father, who she obsessively admired and desired in turns, she starts to fantasize about her English teacher.
Her teacher, Hugh Steadman, is a Byronic hero to young Laurel. He’s handsome, loves poetry, and slowly falls in lust with Laurel. He becomes her new father figure and love interest all at once. If this sounds a bit creepy, you’re right – but Woolett does a great job with Laurel’s voice. Laurel’s narration is self-evaluating, introspective, and provocative. It’s easy to become mesmerized by this story as the downward spiral ultimately becomes clear.
Young love at its most destructive, the tale so many fantasize about – that of a young girl and her teacher – turns into a dark, twisted anti-romance with a bittersweet ending.
This is not an easy read by any means, but I consider that a compliment. There are a considerable amount of literary references – to Freud, to the Greek myths of old, to Romanticist poetry. I frequently underlined particularly admirable turns of phrase, or lush descriptions. Some readers may not be well-versed with Greek myth, but Woollett twines it in without making it seem like a history lesson.
While I didn’t consider Laurel likable, I don’t think that’s necessary to enjoy this novel. It’s a fantastic debut, and I loved the novelty of an unreliable narrator with a coquettish air. I would recommend to fans of the literary master Vladimir Nabokov, or, on the guilty pleasure end of the spectrum, fans of the Ezra /Aria relationship on Pretty Little Liars.
And on that note…
http://www.off-the-book.org/2014/02/book-review-wood-of-suicides-by-laura.html
catdance23's review against another edition
4.0
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
It's hard to talk about the book without giving away some spoilers so read on at your own risk. I'll hide the major ending spoiler though.
Where do I start? I really, really liked this book. I finished this at midnight and stayed up for another hour just absorbing and thinking about everything that happened in the book.
It's short in pages (a little under 200) but very dense in content.
When I first started the book even though the synopsis says that she has an affair with her teacher I thought I was dealing with an unreliable narrator. The story is told from the perspective of Laurel, a 17 year old girl who idolizes her father to the point of being jealous of her own mother. There isn't really any explanation given as to how or why her feelings for her father become so intense. After he dies she is sent to a boarding school and promptly falls for her English teacher, Mr. Steadman.
Since it is told from Laurel's perspective and she becomes so obsessive so quickly I wondered if all of the meaningful glances weren't in her head and everything was innocent on his side. Turns out those glances did mean something and after his slow, skillful seduction in the classroom they end up consummating their relationship in the middle of the woods.
What follows next is the telling of how their relationship evolves/devolves over the course of the school year. This is no romantic, sexy schoolgirl/teacher fantasy. This is a toxic, corrosive, and delusional relationship on both sides.
There are so many good discussion points that come out of this book like Laurel's hatred of womanhood, derision of her mother, and her quest to stay a schoolgirl.
Someday, however, if I were to go on living, I would be forced to become a woman; to take on the essential characteristics that disgusted me as much as they did him. It was my misfortune to have been born into a sex that I despised, a sex whose inherent physicality precluded all hopes of divinity.
The many contradictions of Laurel's feelings from idolization of her teacher to disgust at the physical act with him. At one point she is very aware that he only wants her because she is schoolgirl but she's not able to resist this relationship that has developed.
I had fallen in love with his contradictions, with his blend of flesh and godliness,bourgeois and bohemian, brute lust and cold refinement.
Since he's an English teacher there are many references to literature and poetry which only added to the depth of the story.
What made this book work for me was the writing. I was a little worried in the beginning that it was going to be way over my head but once I got into it I could appreciate it. The writing is beautiful. The melancholy and obsessive voice of Laurel is well done.
I like to think that I was born in those woods, in a flash of green and stream of sepia sunlight – the mythic haze of that Marin County Monday. Everything before that September day was simply a prelude, leading up to the shock of my conception: bereft, kneeling, as he stood like a god in my sunlight, his white shirt ablaze.
He was fluent, he was limpid, he conducted himself with ease. He shot me meaningful glances, full of black, liquid fire, as he read from Don Juan – seeking my face with every mention in the poem of the words “heart”, “love”, and “desire”.
The only thing that didn't ring true was the end.
If you want a book that will give you a lot to think about you should definitely pick this up.
It's hard to talk about the book without giving away some spoilers so read on at your own risk. I'll hide the major ending spoiler though.
Where do I start? I really, really liked this book. I finished this at midnight and stayed up for another hour just absorbing and thinking about everything that happened in the book.
It's short in pages (a little under 200) but very dense in content.
When I first started the book even though the synopsis says that she has an affair with her teacher I thought I was dealing with an unreliable narrator. The story is told from the perspective of Laurel, a 17 year old girl who idolizes her father to the point of being jealous of her own mother. There isn't really any explanation given as to how or why her feelings for her father become so intense. After he dies she is sent to a boarding school and promptly falls for her English teacher, Mr. Steadman.
Since it is told from Laurel's perspective and she becomes so obsessive so quickly I wondered if all of the meaningful glances weren't in her head and everything was innocent on his side. Turns out those glances did mean something and after his slow, skillful seduction in the classroom they end up consummating their relationship in the middle of the woods.
What follows next is the telling of how their relationship evolves/devolves over the course of the school year. This is no romantic, sexy schoolgirl/teacher fantasy. This is a toxic, corrosive, and delusional relationship on both sides.
There are so many good discussion points that come out of this book like Laurel's hatred of womanhood, derision of her mother, and her quest to stay a schoolgirl.
Someday, however, if I were to go on living, I would be forced to become a woman; to take on the essential characteristics that disgusted me as much as they did him. It was my misfortune to have been born into a sex that I despised, a sex whose inherent physicality precluded all hopes of divinity.
The many contradictions of Laurel's feelings from idolization of her teacher to disgust at the physical act with him. At one point she is very aware that he only wants her because she is schoolgirl but she's not able to resist this relationship that has developed.
I had fallen in love with his contradictions, with his blend of flesh and godliness,bourgeois and bohemian, brute lust and cold refinement.
Since he's an English teacher there are many references to literature and poetry which only added to the depth of the story.
What made this book work for me was the writing. I was a little worried in the beginning that it was going to be way over my head but once I got into it I could appreciate it. The writing is beautiful. The melancholy and obsessive voice of Laurel is well done.
I like to think that I was born in those woods, in a flash of green and stream of sepia sunlight – the mythic haze of that Marin County Monday. Everything before that September day was simply a prelude, leading up to the shock of my conception: bereft, kneeling, as he stood like a god in my sunlight, his white shirt ablaze.
He was fluent, he was limpid, he conducted himself with ease. He shot me meaningful glances, full of black, liquid fire, as he read from Don Juan – seeking my face with every mention in the poem of the words “heart”, “love”, and “desire”.
The only thing that didn't ring true was the end.
Spoiler
Going from hatred of women to a lesbian relationship in a matter of a couple months, maybe less, seemed a bit of a stretch.If you want a book that will give you a lot to think about you should definitely pick this up.
oddandbookish's review against another edition
5.0
I received this book for free through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers.
Wow. I loved this book. Both Laurel and her teacher were really strange, but in a good way. Laurel was a very fascinating character. I also really loved the author's style of writing. Very poetic. This book also held my interest the entire time. I couldn't stop reading it. The story sort of reminded me of something a Lana Del Rey song would be about. Overall, it's a great book.
Wow. I loved this book. Both Laurel and her teacher were really strange, but in a good way. Laurel was a very fascinating character. I also really loved the author's style of writing. Very poetic. This book also held my interest the entire time. I couldn't stop reading it. The story sort of reminded me of something a Lana Del Rey song would be about. Overall, it's a great book.
jennicakes's review against another edition
4.0
I haven't encountered too many novels that accurately portray the fierceness of teen girl sexuality this well.
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