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Summary: Fans of magic will love "In the Lake ..."
Review: Tim O'Brien took a grave risk writing "In the Lake of the Woods." He chose to fictionalize an historical event. Such an effort may not seem at all unique; however, the historical event he fictionalizes had so great an effect on the Vietnam War and on perceptions of it, that dealing with the subject matter alone had the potential to disturb, to frighten, even to enrage. Despite possible pitfalls, O'Brien masterfully transforms "In the Lake of the Woods" into a solid and fluid work.Playing heavily on magic and proffering ideas about people's fascination with it, O'Brien toys with readers, leading them on with his "Hypothesis" chapters. Readers are suspended in a continual tug-of-war until the end of the novel. At the end, readers are finally realize why magic is loved and hated, but so often enjoyed.
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Summary: Haunting
Review: Tim O'Brien hit upon myth and the sublime with this achingly sad and compelling parable. The main character, in pain from his father's suicide and the Vietnam war, and life in general, tragically hides behind masks and magic. This is not an easy read , nor to describe, but is also nearly impossible to put down. It is one of the best things I have read, and everyone I've lent it too has been haunted by it, even so far as dreaming about it (how often has that happened in one's life, to dream of a book?). If art is the maintaining of multiple levels and ambiguity, then this may well be a masterpierce. A beautifully written novel by a serious artist.
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Summary: Deeply moving, agonizingly sad.
Review: This book was published more than 5 years ago! Not only is it still in print (!), but large numbers of people are still being profoundly affected by it. Look over the comments below. Most of them were written within the past few months--ample testament, should anyone need it, to the staying power of this superb novel about a period which permanently scarred a whole generation of us.
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Summary: an excellent twist on the mystery genre
Review: I loved "The Things They Carried" Short Story collection by O'Brien, so I decided to try this novel. I was skeptical at first because I am primarily interested in his fiction dealing with the Vietnam War, but this is a large part of "In the Lake of the Woods" Like some of his other writing, O'brien circles around and around events and actions, revealing more and more of what happened. I really liked the chapters of quotations from characters as if questioned by police along with quotations about John Wade and quotations relevant to the novel. O'Brien leaves it up to the reader to decide if Wade really did make his wife disappear or not with hypothetical chapters. It is a twist on on a mystery because it doesn't tie up all the loose ends and right away it is implied no one may ever really know the truth. I think this novel would make an excellent novel to read and discuss as a group or in a class. There is just so much to talk about. If you have never read anything by O'Brien this is a wonderful place to start. If you have read anything else by him, this will not disappoint.
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Summary: THE HORRORS OF WAR
Review: This is absolutely one of the best books that deal with the tragedies and the realities of war. It starts out similar to a detective novel since the reader has to figure out whether or not a soldier from the Vietnam War is directly responsible for the disappearance and possible death of his wife. However, this extraordinary novel also focuses on a horrible incident that took place during the war and resulted in the deaths of innocent victims. A main point of the novel is how people sometimes refuse to accept or to realize the psychological effects of a war.
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Summary: Vietnam Horror & Trauma
Review: I was deeply moved by this novel. The descriptions of Vietnamese village massacres, the testimony of American soldiers at My Lai, and quotations from parallel historical events and historical figures made this book 3-dimensional. It was also in the genre of a who-done-it and what-really-happened. The historical tragedy compliments the personal tragedies (child abuse, nightmares, betrayal). To put it bluntly, I highly recommend the book.
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Summary: Examination of head and heart
Review: Tim O'Brien's novel "In the Lake of the Woods" is a terrific read. The plot is gripping and the characters well defined. O'Brien gracefully moves you throughout the entire story. From the first sentence all the way down to the very last word O'Brien had my attention. As a reader you actually participate while reading. O'Brien asks a lot from you, but that's what I enjoyed most about the book. "In the Lake of the Woods" cannot be classified as Vietnam story, a mystery, or a love story. The novel attempts to be more than that, and it succeeds brilliantly. He doesn't offer answers, but poses questions about some of the grayer issues in life. O'Brien dares you to make up your own mind. This is the first book I have read of Tim O'Brien's, but it will not be the last.
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Summary: one of my favorites!
Review: I had to read this book for my senior english class in high school and I absolutely loved it. It is full of mystery and keeps you intrigued right to the end, and even after. I finished this book over two years ago and I'm still thinking about it...it's that good!
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Summary: A Mystery and a History Lesson
Review: In The Lake Of The Woods, by Tim O'Brien, is a story of how one's past affects their current life. It's a story of emotions and the way the mind works. This story is a history lesson as well as a mystery. John Wade is a politician. His wife's name is Kathy. John loses an election for the Minnesota Senate after a dark secret from his past is printed in newspapers. John took part in a massacre of a Vietnam village during the Vietnam war. After the loss of the election John and Kathy retreat to a cabin on the Lake of the Woods to relax and get their life put together. While the couple is there, Kathy mysteriously disappears. A search is started and some blame John for her disappearance. Tim O'Brien uses description, without making the book slow and boring. I could picture the cabin and The Lake of the Woods and the surrounding wilderness. He describes feelings everyone has, but they can not put into words. I understood the emotions John was feeling. I had mixed feelings about this novel. While reading it I could not decide whether or not I liked it. Some parts of the novel caught my attention and I could not put the book down, while other parts were a struggle to get through. After finishing the book my feelings have changed. I enjoyed it. I liked the end of the novel.
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Summary: Good Book
Review: I am a senior in high school and read this book as a choosen reading assignment. Our class had previosly read O'brian's "The Things They Carried". Having liked his style I decided to try "In the Lake of the Woods". Although it was different I still liked it. If you are the type of person that likes everything fed to you then you may not like this book. It leaves lots to the reader which I found to be a strong point. This book is all in all worth reading.
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