This is truly a captivating page turner, creatively beautiful and exquisitely styled. It is an extremely unsettling and disturbing tale that skillfully weaves history and mystery together.

John Wade, a 41-year-old Vietnam veteran, has recently suffered a failed Minnesota senatorial bid, which shatters his facade of success. As a child, John was an illusionist, and as an adult politician, he has honed these skills.

Seeking solace from his defeat, John and his wife Kathy go on vacation in the deep Minnesota woods. However, in this secluded place, John's tether to reality snaps. A veteran of the My Lai massacre, John's flashbacks merge with the present day in a terrifying nightmare quality.

Late one night, while boiling a kettle of water for tea, John decides to boil and kill the houseplants. His mind is disorganized and rapidly deteriorating. He vaguely remembers the possibility of walking down the hall to his wife's bedroom with another pot of boiling water... and then awakens the next day to find her gone.

O'Brien is masterful in his ability to use the dark woods as a metaphor for inner secrets and demons, blending illusion with reality as we accompany John on his slippery path of insanity in his search for truth.

This book definitely deserves five stars!

John Wade, who is running for the U.S. senate,遭遇了一场惨败。近二十年来，他一直隐藏着一个黑暗的秘密，而这个秘密突然曝光了。Wade和他的妻子逃到了明尼苏达州北部的深林里，以躲避公众的视线，并试图修复和重新开始他们的生活。然而，到达不久后，他的妻子却从他们的湖边小屋神秘失踪了。

这是一个黑暗而令人不安的故事，尤其是当读者发现Wade的秘密时。原来，他曾是一名年轻的士兵，参与了美莱村大屠杀。这个秘密通过一系列可怕的闪回被揭示出来。

这个故事变得充满了神秘、幻觉和秘密。伍兹湖成为了这些欺骗和破坏性主题的完美背景。O'Brien是一位优秀的作家，他似乎也在与自己内心的战争恶魔作斗争。

在这片深林中，Wade不仅要面对过去的阴影，还要寻找失踪的妻子。他的生活陷入了混乱和迷茫，而读者也被卷入了这个充满悬疑和惊悚的故事中。每一个转折都让人意想不到，每一个秘密都让人震惊不已。这是一部让人深思的作品，它揭示了战争的残酷和人性的复杂。

My life is too short for another 220 pages with two unsympathetic and never quite understandable characters.

The woman disappears without a trace, while her mass-murdering man tries to come to terms with his election defeat.

And since it's never clarified anyway whether her constantly stalking man has her on his conscience, or whether she drowned in the lake while fleeing in a boat with a 1.5-horsepower motor, I give up.

I simply don't have the patience or the inclination to invest more time in this story that seems to lead nowhere.

There are so many other books and experiences out there waiting for me, and I'd rather focus on those that can offer more engaging and fulfilling content.

Maybe someone else will find value in this narrative, but for me, it's just not worth the effort.

Retrospective Review

First off, this is an incredibly wild, weird, dark, confusing, and highly creative novel. You should be aware from the start that you won't get anything resembling a traditional narrative. It's non-linear in just about every possible way a book can be non-linear. However, don't let that deter you. The way this book is structured truly impressed me and has stayed with me since I read it sometime between December 2019 and February 2020. But I'll come back to that later.

This novel is about a Vietnam Veteran (and we'll return to this aspect as well) who is hiding some dark secrets. He is also very much in the public eye as he is running for office. As the dark secrets from his past begin to surface, his wife goes missing into the endless lakes and forests of Northern Minnesota, a landscape that I love. And really, that's about all there is to the plot. This book is a probe, an exploration into the psyche of trauma and repression. It's also a mystery, sort of, but the real story lies in its themes. A dark past that may never truly leave you. This is a theme that has been explored quite extensively in fiction, and it's incredibly fascinating to me to see all the different perspectives out there.

Now, let's get back to the Vietnam Vet business. This book is written by Tim O'Brien (not the political writer). O'Brien is a Vietnam Vet who has an amazing story in his own life. I first heard of him from Ken Burns's brilliant documentary on The Vietnam War, where he is prominently featured. His most famous "novel" is The Things They Carried, and I use quotations because it's a book that is both fact and fiction, written as a memoir. I suppose O'Brien himself is the only one who truly knows what is fact and fiction in the book, but either way, it is a brilliant work and is often regarded as one of the greatest war books ever written, and rightfully so. O'Brien has also written a memoir of the war, If I Die In A Combat Zone, which is also well worth reading. I bring all this up because this book is also a significant exploration of the war, but in a much different way than the previously mentioned books.

This is a purely psychological exploration of the hellish landscape of a man's mind who may or may not have committed some horrible acts and is nonetheless living with all kinds of guilt, PTSD, and other psychological distress.

I chose to write this review a year and a half after reading the book because of how incredibly creative and well-written it is. This is a completely unique novel; I have never read anything like it, and I think it's worth checking out if you're into non-linear and stream of consciousness style narratives.

Tim O'Brien is an interesting and inherently likable guy. I was inspired to buy several of his novels after seeing his interviews in Burns' documentary because I liked him. He comes across as a genuine, kind, and honest person who is dealing with his own consequences from the war, and there's no doubt that writing these novels was therapeutic for him. He is also a good storyteller, and that is immediately evident in his interviews. I definitely recommend giving his books and interviews a look.

This review has provided an in-depth look at the novel, its author, and the various aspects that make it a remarkable piece of literature.

Whether you're a fan of war literature, psychological explorations, or simply looking for something different and engaging, this book is definitely worth considering.

It offers a unique perspective on the Vietnam War and the lasting impact it can have on a person's life and psyche.

So, if you're ready to embark on a wild and thought-provoking literary journey, give this book a try. You won't be disappointed.

To know is to be disappointed. To understand is to be betrayed. All the petty hows and whys, the unseemly motives, the abscesses of character, the sordid little ugliness of self and history – these were the gimmicks you kept under wraps to the end.

It is better to leave your audience wailing in the dark, shaking their fists, some crying How?, others Why?

Dreamlike & menacing O'Brien takes a tired plot and sets it alight. His creation - John Wade: soldier, stalker, politician, husband, The Sorcerer.

Did he kill his wife?

It is the author's trickery that is to be admired: his use of repetition and rhythm unsettles, his hypothesis and evidence persuades but in the end none of that matters. This is a study on hunger, war, the cost of wanting what was never given, stealing love with tricks, the burden of blood - blood shared and blood spilt.

This book is a fascinating read by an exciting writer. I highly recommend it to all those who enjoy a good mystery with a touch of the supernatural. The story will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end, and you will be left with a sense of wonder and awe at the end.

Among the glowing review snippets in my paperback copy of this book is one from Harper's Bazaar, calling it a "postmodern thriller."

As much as I generally have a knee-jerk hate reaction to anything labeled "postmodern" or "experimental" (I blame Don DeLillo for this), I think that description is accurate and yet I really enjoyed this book.

On the surface, this is the mystery of what happened to the wife of failed senatorial candidate John Wade. After a scandal from his past service in Vietnam surfaces (the story is set in 1986) and permanently torpedoes John's political ambitions, John and his wife Kathy retreat to a cabin on the Lake of the Woods in Minnesota, broke and broken. Soon Kathy disappears and suspicion immediately falls on John. Although many details are different, this book reminded me a bit of Gone Girl: lots of musing on the fun house mirror of identity and what happens when a spouse's reaction doesn't align with what the socially mandated face of grief should be.

If you need a mystery that ends with Professor Plum in the conservatory with a whatever though, this isn't the book for you right now. O'Brien is interested in a lot more than a mystery tale here, and he writes beautifully even when he's writing about war, which you know if you've read his other, more famous works.

There's also a lot of ambiguity in the story, by meticulous intent. I'm still not sure how much of the story was "real" and how much was speculation on the part of the unnamed narrator, which made me consider the realness of fiction and the fiction in fact just as the characters do. He also used an actual historical event in Wade's backstory, mixing real and fictional characters. I'm still a little ambivalent about this choice, frankly. Partly because it was confusing, and partly because I wasn't sure whether the My Lai massacre should have been used as a plot point, although it was done with finesse and thoughtfulness. Maybe it wouldn't have had the same impact if the real thing had been rendered into a thinly veiled fiction.

(He's also a Vietnam vet - he served roughly around the same time as my Dad - so maybe it's not my place to say what he can or can't write about.)

Highly recommended, at any rate.

Easily one of the most engaging books I have ever read!

O'Brien is a truly gripping storyteller. He has this remarkable ability to immerse the reader deep into each character's mind. His writing style is simply outstanding. It is as chilling as it is captivating, and it has the power to evoke every single kind of emotion within the reader.

This story serves as a profound and deep reflection of human nature. It delves into the intricate complexity of human emotion, connection, and introspection.

The relationship between John and Kathy is a prime example. Although it is turbulent, it is firmly rooted in love and loss, in passion and in fear. This story is an excellent illustration of how secrets hold a powerful grip on our minds. They infiltrate our lives in the most insidious ways, and we often go to great lengths to suppress them from our thoughts and shield our loved ones from their power.

As I turned the final page, I was left with an immediate desire to start reading the book all over again. It was that captivating and engaging.

  It was a truly dreadful period in their lives, and they yearned with all their hearts to find happiness. They craved for it, yet had no clear understanding of what it truly entailed or where to even begin their search. This lack of knowledge only intensified their longing.

4.5 stars. When the heinous war crimes of a politician come to light, he and his wife flee the scandal and seek refuge in a cabin on the shores of Lake of the Woods, hoping for a quiet place to heal their wounds. However, when his wife mysteriously vanishes in the middle of the night, the peace they had so desired disappears along with her.



In the Lake of the Woods has been on the periphery of my awareness for many years, and I'm extremely glad that I finally got the chance to read it. I found it utterly captivating and nearly flawless in its presentation. It successfully straddles multiple genres, including psychological thriller, love story, and war story. Tim O'Brien structures the book impeccably, seamlessly weaving together the past and the present in a way that truly enables the reader to get to know and understand his characters. His writing is confident and haunting, and there are several scenes that will remain etched in my memory for a long time due to his masterful portrayal.



The most powerful sections of the book for me were those related to Vietnam, which were both horrifying and thought-provoking. O'Brien delves deep into the nature of the human psyche, exploring not only how war itself can impact a person but also how denial can play a role, and how blindly following orders and committing atrocities in the name of duty can have profound and life-changing consequences.



Chilling and complex, In the Lake of the Woods provides no easy answers but is still somehow completely fulfilling. It's like nothing I've ever read before and a reading experience that I'm certain I'll never forget.

The thing about Tim O'Brien...that's a rather peculiar way to commence a sentence, but let's go with it. The thing about Tim O'Brien is that he truly has a book to suit every reader.

He possesses that old school literary craftsmanship, yet he is astonishingly versatile, without being overly flamboyant.

The Things They Carried will forever remain, in my view, one of the crowning achievements of 20th-century English writing, regardless of the genre. Going After Cacciato is also truly excellent, although perhaps it has reached a somewhat smaller readership.

I finally got around to reading In the Lake of the Woods. In this work, O'Brien presents life through multiple layers of glass and mirrors. Here, he writes in the style of a thriller, yet without sacrificing character, humanity, or the essence of life. There's an election, a married couple, their relationship, the backdrop of Vietnam, and before that, a childhood and a family. O'Brien throws a veil of PR and politics over the entire narrative, and yet the characters and their stories are never muddled. They are always sharp and clear, or as clear as life, family, and relationships can be. O'Brien excels at being unpretentious. He offers no easy answers and doesn't lead the reader to any. Did people emerge from Vietnam with troubles? Obviously. Did some of them enter Vietnam with troubles? Certainly. Is war a problem? Yes. Are many other things as well? We know the answer to that. He neither blames nor defends, but like the rare and best storytellers, he shows, and shows, and shows. We see so much, and it's painful how much we are at a loss, right up until the end, to answer any questions or solve any problems, despite the copious amounts of evidence.

It's simply breathtaking. A page-turner that often has a significant impact on the position of your stomach in your body. Just read it already!

When a student I am tutoring described this book to me (as a result of my asking about an assignment concerning it), I wasn't at all interested.

However, I make it a habit to read the works my students are reading so I am able to help them better.

I was thrilled by it. I had only read The Things They Carried before this, but I'd rate this one right up there with it.

John Wade has issues. His father committed suicide when he was young, and the two had never been close. He never received a compliment from his father, only mockery.

John became a magician and a good one. His father, of course, never understood why. But John felt powerful and in control when doing tricks, and this became his life goal: control.

He also set up "mirrors" in his head to see things differently and forget what he wanted to.

These mirrors came in handy after John, a Vietnam War soldier, participated in the My Lai massacre. But he didn't forget completely. When assigned a desk job, he changed his company to A Company instead of the notorious Charlie Company.

Meanwhile, John met a woman in college, fell in love, and wanted to possess her. Yes, he spied on her to make sure she wasn't cheating. Amazingly, she married him when he returned from Nam.

From then on, John devoted his life to politics, rising to Lieutenant Governor in Minnesota and aiming for the US Senate. Then his past at My Lai was exposed, and his world crashed. His wife Kathy was stunned but said nothing. She was actually happy the political life she disliked had ended.

The couple went to the Lake of the Woods to recover and decide their future. They were broke, directionless, and had no clear future.

Then Kathy disappeared. At first, everyone thought she went for a walk and got lost. But when the boat and motor were gone, they thought she took it out. Weeks passed as the search continued.

The neighbor John told about Kathy's disappearance found a strange thing: all the house plants were scalded with hot water and were rotting.

The book revolves around the suspicion that John did away with his wife. Several chapters are titled Hypothesis and Evidence, each offering a different story of what could have happened and statements from locals, Kathy's mother and sister, and literary or expert selections on relevant topics.

I won't spoil the ending, but if you like complex plots that don't follow the usual paths, you must read this book and other works by Tim O'Brien.

Lt. Governor John Wade and his wife, Kathy, have fled to a cabin in rural Minnesota following a devastating loss in John's Senate campaign. This defeat came after his connection to Thuan Yen in the Vietnam War was revealed. Just days after their arrival, Kathy mysteriously disappears.

The story is told in a disjointed sequence through chapters that detail the Wade's history, from their initial meeting to the time of Kathy's disappearance. There are also chapters titled "Hypothesis" and "Evidence" that gradually expose a disturbing psychological profile of John.

Tim O'Brien is often criticized for his portrayal of the Vietnam experience, and sometimes justifiably so. However, I personally admire his efforts on several fronts. Firstly, I value the fact that he gives a voice to the men and women of that era, even if it's not without flaws. Secondly, I believe he is a brilliant author. The disjointed approach he takes to this subject is challenging and wouldn't work in most cases. But in this instance, it is perfect. Despite bombarding the reader with multiple thoughts simultaneously, he skillfully weaves together the character for the eager reader. Even in a work where the Vietnam experience is secondary, the reader is still exposed to important historical events. It amazes me how many people, who are knowledgeable in other areas of history, are unfamiliar with Vietnam and/or Korea. Regardless of your opinion of O'Brien's handling of this era, at least he explores the crucial benchmarks of the time. I found his use of the "Evidence" chapter in this work to be particularly effective.

This book offers a great mystery, important American history, and a fascinating psychological study. It's a must-read for anyone interested in these topics.

Very poignant and haunting, this book truly left a deep impression on me. I have always been highly affected by books that gradually unfold a horrible truth. What made it even cooler was that it was set in Minnesota, and reading about the familiar landmarks like University Ave added a special touch.

The book delves into a plethora of different topics. It explores the Vietnam war and its profound impact on one's psyche, as well as abuse, magic, love, and politics. Initially, I thought it might be overwhelming to have so many ideas crammed into one book. However, I soon realized that they are all thematically interconnected. The author does an excellent job of delving deep into the mind of a broken man, making us question how we create illusions for others and ourselves to cope with our life experiences.

The structure of the book is also quite interesting and a bit experimental. It is highly nonlinear, alternating between the past and the present, revealing a little more with each flashback. Moreover, the way O'Brien writes these sections, incorporating both fictional and real interviews/quotations from people, is captivating. And every now and then, there would be a footnote that is not just a citation but rather the author's musings on a topic related to the quotations. It's a hidden gem that jumps out at you when you first notice it.

This is the second book by Tim O'Brien that I have read, having read The Things They Carried in high school. I will definitely have to explore other books he has written in the future.