What do readers think of Man in the Woods by Scott Spencer? Write your own review.

Rage incited the precipitating event in the novel when Paul acts in defense of a helpless animal. What I found disconcerting is that the rage evidenced early on is inconsistent with how Paul considers himself in any other aspect of his life. I would have liked to have some insight about the origin of rage that seemed so contradictory to the rest of who is.

I give this book 3 stars with great trepidation, because I absolutely love the writing style of Scott Spencer. His descriptive prose has no match with any current author that I've read. My hesitation with a higher rating stems from loss of plot momentum for the middle 50 of the book. As Paul grapples with his conscience and loses touch with reality, the book slows to an idle that endured way too long. I never learned enough about Will to be even remotely sympathetic to his death, and I found Ruby to be an over-indulged, slightly creepy child. Paul's character was well-developed and I enjoyed reading about his relationship with Kate. In the future, I might pick up another book by Spencer, once I'm able to forget how frustrated I was with this one.

A crime occurs very early in "Man in the Woods", but this is not a police procedural. In fact, the investigative works occurs mainly in the background and is presented in relatively short chapters throughout the book.

What this book is all about are relationships -- man/woman, mother/daughter, brother/sister and the key one -- man/dog and how the crime and its aftermath, along with other life issues (including the highly anticipated Y2K -- the book takes place in late 1999) impacts those relationships. Scott Spencer has a tremendous ability for character development (I had not read his previous novel, "A Ship Made of Paper" in which two of the characters first appeared) and his literary descriptions around even a simple event, like a winter sunset, are exceptional and very visual. Yet one of the most interesting characters is the hapless dog, Shep, who plays a pivotal role throughout and is key to the ending, which will likely leave many a reader speechless. I strongly recommend.

Man in the Woods is a sequel to Scott Spencer’s A Ship Made of Paper. While I enjoyed Man in the Woods, I found myself wondering more than once if I would had a better understanding of the characters and their motivations if I had read the previous novel first. Even so, Man in the Woods would make an excellent discussion book. Not only would it be interesting to discuss the moral issues the book raises, but it would also be easy to have an engaging discussion about the plausibility of the characters' responses to the choices they face.

This book has a nice crisp writing style that flows well. The premise is interesting and unusual, but the end may leave the reader scratching his or her head. Most of the characters are really “characters” and they are woven together like macramé, but some seem unnecessary or at least over-developed. I love the policeman. He could have a series of books all about him! Scott Spencer writes lots of little truisms and aphorisms that you wish you had said instead of him. The main character is full of life lessons and Truths (Notice the capital T?).

This is a well written fast-paced page turner revealing one man's quandaries as he grows from being an independent teenager into a many-talented man. Along the way he is confronted with people he meets and decisions to make which will affect his entire future.

Spencer's writing takes us along on Paul's journey to selfhood as he seeks to find the true essence and purpose of his life.

A really good read from first to last page

While Scott Spencer brings to life each of his characters in his book “Man in the Woods”, I feel there are too many characters that stray from the main story line. Man in the Woods is a story about the chance meeting of two men in the woods and how that meeting changes the lives of so many. The story revolves around Paul Phillips, a carpenter, who finds his place in the world when he meets Kate Ellis, a recovering alcoholic, and Will Claff, a cruel man who is running away from his gambling debts and the dog Woody who was renamed Shep when he is saved by Paul. The ending would be good for a discussion group.

Man in the Woods had my attention from beginning to end. It just goes to prove that it only takes a moment for something to happen to you that changes your life, in this case not for the better. Including the dog in the story provided some heartbreaking but also some lighter, tender moments. I have not read any other books by Scott Spencer, but I definitely will be reading others.