I hesitated about recommending this book, but it is so powerfully written, and some of the scenes – particularly the more horrific ones – are so vivid that I had to recommend it solely on that basis. (I won’t reveal the particulars of one very powerful scene, but I am sure the grotesque events described in excruciating detail will stay with me for a very long time.)

The main problem I had with this book is that it focuses almost completely on two incidents in the main character’s life: his participation in the massacre at My Lai during the Vietnam War and an incident in an isolated cabin at a northern Minnesota lake many years ago. Granted, these are the pivotal events of John Wade’s life (as is the suicide of his father, which is also constantly touched upon), but the narrative continually circles these two events, so that after several chapters it feels as if we are going over the same ground over and over again. We crave some new information, and the horror loses its power to horrify, particularly in the Vietnam scenes. The book spirals back out of this pattern at the end when it becomes very dark, very disturbing and very engrossing yet again.

Another reason I liked the book was its narrative structure; it reads like the unfinished manuscript of a frustrated true-crime writer. This unnamed writer gradually becomes another character in the story, whose obsession with what happened at the Lake of the Woods and the mystery of Kathy Wade’s disappearance drives the story forward. At the end, this mystery is never neatly solved, which may annoy some readers, but I enjoyed the ambiguity and the opportunity to make up my own mind about what happened between the husband and wife in the dark night. ( )

No one writes about the horrors of the Vietnam War, from those who were there, than O'Brien. Having long ago read "The Things They Carried" and loved it, picked up a copy of this one at a used book sale. This book is enormously disturbing on so very many levels, e.g., a U.S. soldier carrying out unhuman orders; a man living with the horror as he tries to assimilate back into life; reflection of an alcohlic father who died far too soon; a troubled marriage that was obsessive from the onset; and that past that brings a politician crumbling down. O'Brien is also a master of the surreal ... is it real, is it not, is it imagined? But all that said, the overt mystery we never see solved grew tedious for me. The character development is so excellent and the outside "evidence" sources fascinating, but the book basically has various endings and lets the reader draw conclusions as to what happened. That ultimately made it a rather unsatisfying read as it felt like snippets of life, not a true story. I guess the point is that life is a mystery, but still, I had hoped for more. But I am glad I read it, the vivid imagery, both good and bad, will resonate for some time, it is that powerful. Only recommended for those with incredibly strong stomachs (the most horrific "fictional" scenes of war in recent memory) and a desire to learn about the dark underbelly of human nature. Not for everyone, but if you like your fiction dark and disturbing, you will like this one. ( )

A great mystery that offers a dozen different answers but ultimately ends ambiguously, but he open feel only adds to the scintillating mystery. O'Brien's characters are slowly revealed through the chapters as more complex with deeper, darker secrets than you could imagine. One of the best features of this novel is the fact that the landscape, nature, and setting in general all reflect the emotions of the characters and their actions; it even reflects the reader's own suspicions. The symbolism in the lake of the woods--and the woods themselves--is amazing.

This novel also begs the question, is a happy ending so difficult to believe in? And why do we need an answer? Isn't the fun of mysteries the not knowing? Once we know the secret to the magic trick, it's not half as charming or clever as we thought...

Overall, a great book, if a little chilling. It certainly makes you think (but not overthink). ( )

The first 40 pages of this book almost had me put the book down. I couldn't stand the "evidence" chapters. They seemed so gimmicky and lazy. I kept reading however and for the most part enjoyed the rest of the story.
There are some truly well written passages, but I just couldn't get past the "footnotes as narrative" mechanism for telling this story. Perhaps it’s the history buff in me. Perhaps it’s my undergrad memorization of the Chicago Style Writing Manual. Whatever it is, using footnotes to indiscriminately describe fictional and nonfictional elements just irked me. From the get go, I knew that there was not going to be an official ending to this mystery. But by the time I got to the end, Tim O'Brien was inserting footnotes in the "evidence" chapters describing his personal feelings and takes on the characters as if they were real people. This really bothered me because these were fictional characters he created and he seemed to be trying to give us another point of view on them by implying that he really didn't know what they were up to. Post-modern some might say, but as far as story telling goes it was just confusing and it really didn't help me think about it in any new way. It just seemed like poor writing.
I will give him this: the character of John Wade was a messed up dude, even before the war. A very convincing creeper. I really couldn't figure out why Kathy was in love with him. He didn't really exhibit any healthy qualities. Perhaps Kathy just found all the stalking and lack of communication romantic? Anyway, the chapters that dealt with the war were the most fascinating to me, and makes me want to read more something nonfiction by Tim O'Brien.
Also, the setting of The Lake of the Woods was a good pick and he did a great job of making me feel the emptiness and monotony of the place, in spite of its apparent beauty. I ended up exploring the google earth Lake of the Woods for a good half hour, and indeed it is immense and foreboding. I could easily see someone getting lost in a boat out there. I also liked the cartographic anomaly of “The Angle” and how this could have been incorporated more into the book.
So, what does Mr. O'Brien want us to get out of this story? Some things come to mind: the Vietnam War could make a kinda creepy guy into a really messed up creepy guy; or in the end it doesn't really matter if a guy gets away with murder, there is no point in having closure. Perhaps it is just that society can never be the judge of complex human lives. Was it ambiguity that O’Brien was going for? Or maybe he just couldn’t make up his mind.
Overall, a pretty good story, scarred by creative yet confusing use of post-modern footnotes. ( )

maybe his best book ( )