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Lightning Tree

by Sarah Dunster (Goodreads Author)

3.68 of 5 stars 3.68 · rating details · 66 ratings · 31 reviews

After surviving the tragic deaths of her parents and her baby sister and a harrowing trek across the plains to Utah, it s no surprise that Maggie's nights are plagued by nightmares. But after years of harsh treatment by her foster family and memories that seem to hint at an unthinkable crime, Maggie is forced to strike out on her own to separate the facts from the lies.

Paperback, 375 pages

Published April 10th 2012 by Cedar Fort, Inc.

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Aug 10, 2012 Christine Jensen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 5-star-reads

I found this to be a very interesting book. Maggie is such a likeable heroine. She tries hard to do what is right; has realistic faults; makes mistakes and tries to learn from them. I felt connected with Maggie and ached for her as she made painful discoveries about her past. The story progressed well and while it did not have the ending I expected, it ended well. There were many interesting twists to this story; events did not always progress as you would have expected, so it keeps the reader o...more

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Jun 27, 2012 Melanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

It is the early 1800's in Provo Utah and Maggie and sister Giovanna have been fostered by the Aldens for over 4 years, since their parents were killed. Maggie never quite feels like she belongs with the Aldens and that she is treated as a 2nd class person because of her French/Italian background. Dressing in worn clothes she feels she is a charity case to those around her.
Maggie starts having dreams of guns and indians. She dreams of wars and the death of her parents. She dreams of a baby and i...more

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Jun 18, 2012 Kathryn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Great story, starts out a little slow as you meet the characters and the plot is developed, but then hooks you as you get invested into the characters lives and want to see how they work through their problems on the journey. The journey are ones like: how a person doesn’t choose her family they just are, how to leave the past in behind so you can live for the present and the future, and how the change in feelings can cause a change in relationships.
I really became immersed in the book emotional...more

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Jun 09, 2012 Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, historical, kindle

middle school & up

Maggie & her sister Giovanna have lived with the Aldens even since their parents died after crossing the prairie and there was no one else to take them in. Maggie is mostly content to accept the benign neglect of Ma Alden as normal. This begins to change when Maggie starts to have dreams of Ma Alden smothering a baby. Maggie soon is convinced that the baby is the baby sister she'd forgotten. She is desperate to know (and afraid to find out) what really happened to her b...more middle school & up

Maggie & her sister Giovanna have lived with the Aldens even since their parents died after crossing the prairie and there was no one else to take them in. Maggie is mostly content to accept the benign neglect of Ma Alden as normal. This begins to change when Maggie starts to have dreams of Ma Alden smothering a baby. Maggie soon is convinced that the baby is the baby sister she'd forgotten. She is desperate to know (and afraid to find out) what really happened to her baby sister Noemie.

My first thought on starting this book: Where the hell is the punctuation? There were no periods, no question marks, no exclamation points and not nearly as many commas as there should have been. There were also some random capital thrown in for good measure. All of which made it a bit confusing at times to correctly read sentences. This was probably just because I was reading an ARC. Hopefully, they punctuated before publishing.

My first thought on finishing this book: "That's it?" I have no quibbles with the story. I enjoyed it. But the story didn't end. It just stopped. Not stopped like it was setting up a sequel either. Although, it made me want one anyway.

Maggie is a good character. She's hard-working but still got some spunk to her. We meet Maggie just at the point in her life when it is becoming clear that she and her sister are treated differently than Ma Alden's "real" daughters. They are fed and clothed but not taught or educated even as much as the other girls. (Which wasn't all that much to begin with; we're talking about 1857-ish here.)
As Maggie's suspicions grow, I really admired the way she was determined to protect her little sister (she originally had two little sisters- the living one, Giovanna and the dead one, Noemie.) You definitely can't accuse Maggie of sitting around and waiting to be rescued.

As I think about the story, it seems almost like a morality tale to me. Which could explain, or at least justify, the ending. Well, the stopping point anyhow. There isn't really much resolution but if you learn from the moral of the story you may be able to discern what should happen next.

The stopping is actually what would make this great for a writing class. The assignment? Finish Maggie's story. What happened next? And I can't ask any more leading questions because of my vow to remain spoiler free.

Verdict: get it. Give a copy to every writing teacher in your school.
Warning: it is about Mormons so it is probably going to piss off somebody. Either the Mormons because it alludes to some historical events they'd probably rather forget or others because it mentions Mormons. There is one tiny mention of multiple wives although really it is barely noticeable.

**oh-- the book isn't available for Kindle on Amazon. Which is really funny considering the ARC I read was on my Kindle. I wonder why publishers make eARCs available to reviewers but don't make it available for purchase? Plainly, they had the ebook or they couldn't have sent it to me for review. **
http://www.lifeisbetterwithbooks.com/...(less)

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May 03, 2012 Katrina Noble rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a great read that had everything I would want in a novel. First off I loved the main character Maggie and felt the author painted a very 3 dimensional view of who she was. Her internal dialog was very realistic and she was likable. Second, I loved the setting. Despite the fact that I am LDS and have lived in the areas depicted in the story, I know little to nothing of the controversy in that particular era. The author addressed it well and it provided a unique backdrop without overshado...more

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Apr 30, 2012 L_manning rated it 4 of 5 stars

Maggie has had a hard life. While crossing the plains traveling to Utah, she lost her parents. Soon, she was also separated from her brother. Now she lives with the Aldens, and life isn't that grand. Maggie feels like she is treated as second-class when compared to her adopted sisters. After happening upon an old possession of her mother's, Maggie begins having dreams about a strange baby. She also has dreams about what happened to her adopted father while he was a away for a while. Strange rumo...more Maggie has had a hard life. While crossing the plains traveling to Utah, she lost her parents. Soon, she was also separated from her brother. Now she lives with the Aldens, and life isn't that grand. Maggie feels like she is treated as second-class when compared to her adopted sisters. After happening upon an old possession of her mother's, Maggie begins having dreams about a strange baby. She also has dreams about what happened to her adopted father while he was a away for a while. Strange rumors abound, but Maggie's dreams are stranger. If that's not enough, Maggie is getting older and everything is changing between her and some of her best friends (who happen to be boys). Secrets will be spilled and truths will come out, but Maggie may not be ready for it all.

This book was so interesting! I felt drawn into it immediately. I found Maggie to be a particularly interesting character. She wanted so badly to feel grateful to the Aldens for taking her in, but she couldn't help but feel that things just weren't right. The author did a fantastic job of creating a sense of suspense. There were times I think I was really worried for Maggie's well-being. Discovering the secrets people had been hiding was very surprising. I felt so badly for Maggie, and I couldn't help but be very happy that she was able to find so many people willing to help her. The dynamics between Maggie and her adopted family were fascinating. I also really enjoyed the Hosters. They were definitely a great example of doing the best they could with what they had.

I also really liked the historical aspects of the story. There were a lot of things going on in that time, and this book made me want to grab a history book to read more about those things. I sped through this book. It really keeps you wanting to read it to find out what happens. You may even stay on the edge of your seat for some parts. I highly recommend this book for people who enjoy mysteries and history. It will keep you guessing and entertained until the end.

Galley provided for review.(less)

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Apr 15, 2012 Kathy Russo rated it 3 of 5 stars

Lightening Tree by Sarah Dunster was a very interesting book.
I was initially drawn to this book because of the cover—beautiful, no?—, but once I started reading the story, I quickly realized that this book was a truly a diamond in the rough. A real gem to behold.

This book was set during the 1800's and the author easily pulled me into that time.
Magdalena Chabert has been plagued with dreams that she just can't figure out, no matter how hard she tries. One might think that it is due to the fact...more

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Apr 10, 2012 Cathy rated it 3 of 5 stars

It's the 1800's in Provo, Utah. Johnson's Army has been pestering the LDS people, so they've all moved south out of their main city of Salt Lake City to wait out the soldiers. Magdalena Chabert has finally made a friend, who happens to be one of the step-daughters of Brigham Young. It's strange to Maggie that she's finally made a friend, she's always been kind of the odd one out with the young people of Provo, but knowing Mariah has changed that for her. Unfortunately Mariah and her family are h...more

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Apr 03, 2012 Kristina Cardoza rated it 4 of 5 stars

SUMMARY
I enjoyed reading the novel Lightning Tree by Sarah Dunster!! It's 1858, and Magdalena Chabert has been living at the Aldens' home for about 4 years, but never before has she had dreams--nightmares, actually--as horrifying and mysterious as these!...But even though they are scary, she senses a bit of truth in them...has Ma Alden done something unspeakably terrible? Maggie wants to know the truth--but will trouble arise from her suspicion and curiosity?

AUTHOR BIO
Miss Sarah Dunster is the...more

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Mar 20, 2012 Brenda Casto rated it 4 of 5 stars

I must admit I was initially drawn to this book because of the cover, but once I started reading the story I quickly realized that this book was a true gem.
Magdalena (Maggie) Chabert has been plagued with dreams that she just can't figure out. It is understandable though, because her parents and baby sister died while traveling across the praire to Provo. She and her sister Giovanna were taken in by the Alden's after her parents died, and Ma Alden had always told her there was nothing left of he...more

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Mar 14, 2012 Colleen rated it 5 of 5 stars

What a epic story to read. I love reading fictions that are also based on history. This young lady Maggie truly has had a hard life. First with losing her parents on the trek to Utah, then losing her baby sister after the family who took them in settled in the valley. So many different emotions plague this book and you cant help feel what Maggie is feeling in the many situations that make themselves known throughout the book. The truth whether you want to hear it or not can change the course of...more

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Mar 16, 2012 Carrie Ardoin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: posted-on-blog, from-netgalley, tour

Young Magdalena (Maggie) Chabert has come across the plains to live in Provo. During the trip, she lost her parents and baby sister, so she and her younger sister Giovanna have been taken in by the Alden family, where they have been cared for during the past 4 years.

Then, Maggie starts to have startling dreams. She's seeing visions which, from what she hears, may actually be true. When she has her most disturbing dream yet, she knows she must find out the truth. But will it destroy her, or set h...more Young Magdalena (Maggie) Chabert has come across the plains to live in Provo. During the trip, she lost her parents and baby sister, so she and her younger sister Giovanna have been taken in by the Alden family, where they have been cared for during the past 4 years.

Then, Maggie starts to have startling dreams. She's seeing visions which, from what she hears, may actually be true. When she has her most disturbing dream yet, she knows she must find out the truth. But will it destroy her, or set her free?

Although this book is quite different from anything I have ever read, I still found it enjoyable. Maggie is a nice protagonist. She is a bit headstrong and proud, but I feel like most everyone who lived during the pioneer days was--or, they had to be. She is also fiercely protective of her little sister, which I can relate to, being the oldest of 3 siblings.

Since this book is set back in the 1800's, the language and style did take some getting used to for me. But once I did, I found it refreshingly different. Not too many books I read regularly use the words "reckon" and "confound it." (There were also several typos and grammatical errors that made reading stilted sometimes--but as the copy I read was a NetGalley ARC, I'm not sure if the book will be edited before distribution.)

What I really liked the most about this book was the sense of community. Back in those days, everyone relied on everyone else just to get by. If you had anything extra, you shared with those who had none and you didn't think anything of it. I know our modern world would be a much better place if this was still the attitude mankind adopted towards our neighbors.

There wasn't much action in this book, but there was a bit of suspense. I also was rather taken aback by the twist at the end--I definitely didn't see it coming, and I enjoy that in a book.

This book would be a great read for anyone who wants to escape into the past for a while--I'm not even really sure if it could strictly be classified as a Young Adult book. I think readers of all ages could take something from this book.(less)

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May 29, 2012 Suzana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Be prepared to cry and hurt, but then hope as you read Lightning Tree.

Maggie is such a strong character who is completely unaware of her own inner strength. She is also flawed, but who isn't.

Things I thought about: How accurate are dreams? How accurate is our perception of family members? Can we have a flawed recollection of events in the past? How does that recollection color our views of family members? Can siblings have different recollections of past events than us? The strength it takes t...more

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Mar 14, 2012 Lexie added it

Shelves: read-in-2012

This book is unique blend of history, coming-of-age, and mystery all wrapped into one. It is different than any book I have ever read, especially in the LDS genre. However, that is not necessarily a bad thing and was actually a refreshing change.

One of my favorite things about this book was the development of Maggie, the main character. Even though Maggie lived during the 1800s, it was amazing how similar she was to a modern day teenager. She is a stubborn and headstrong 16-year-old (weren't we...more

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Jan 06, 2013 Gayle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2013

3.5 stars (but I'll round up). I loved the underlying theme in this story of family and what all that entails. The main character went through a hard coming-of-age journey with some very emotional events along the way. The historical setting of the early Mormon settlers in Utah County during the mid-1800's was also interesting and not one I have read a lot about. However, it wasn't until the middle of the book that a date was referenced at all and it kept referring to the "Cedar incident" as if...more

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Jul 04, 2012 Heidi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction-lds

This story is a good example of how we can get caught up in our own heads and can let nighttime dreams and half-forgotten memories taint our reality. As we go through life and deal with difficulties and poor treatment from others it is easy to let resentment make things worse than they would have been otherwise. I found myself wondering right along with Maggie if her dreams were accurate or not and feeling her pain as she tried to sort through things as she slowly starts to discover what really...more

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Jul 18, 2012 Stephanie Mason rated it 3 of 5 stars

Struggling to find her place among her foster family and in a Mormon pioneer town on the edge of religious and civil conflict, Maggie Chabert must find the truth about her past. At the tender age of 15 she has left behind her country, her parents, and her brother with only her young sister and herself to care for. What Maggie comes to realize is that "family" exists all around her in the form of caring people who are all willing to help her grow into the person God would have her be, if only she...more

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Apr 11, 2012 Donna rated it 3 of 5 stars

Historical fictional account of Maggie Chabert. A young woman who doesn't know who she can trust. She faces many of the uphill battles of most young girls today. Amazingly, this book is set in the 1800's.
Maggie is a true pioneer, a strong young woman who must take control of her own destiny.

This book is vastly different from anything I've recently read. Not much action, no vampires, no mythological creatures...but it was still an enjoyable read. The ending is a great twist, unexpected.

I look f...more

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Oct 24, 2012 Norah Baron rated it 4 of 5 stars

Interesting book. It starts out slow but gets better. I found it odd that the author eluded to historical events but never came out and said it was talking about said event. What I found most interesting about this book is how your mind can make you believe something happened in a specific way but in reality the truth is far different.I can't say I loved this book and I probably wouldn't read it again. However it kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the book.

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Dec 27, 2012 Jenny Stringham rated it 3 of 5 stars

I thought the characters were great and it was interesting how the people came together though out the book. However, the story line was a little drawn out and hard to get through. If you are reading this book to get an idea of immigrants who settled in Utah then it can be interesting, but if you want actual history of what the "cedar incident" is then there isn't any detail. I'm still trying to figure out why it had the title Lightning Tree.

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Apr 26, 2012 Elizabeth B rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a lovely book, a wonderful tale of coming of age, a family “mystery” of sorts and characters that are fully fleshed and tightly drawn. Some readers may struggle with the dialect but I think they will still easily drop into the story without much difficulty. Although this probably isn’t a good title for reluctant readers, fans of the Little House series and American Girl books will relish this title. I found the description hauntingly realistic and the writing lyrical enough to draw me in...more

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Aug 31, 2012 Melissa rated it 1 of 5 stars

This was VERY poorly edited ....I'm not a guru on Literature and even I could see how badly this book was written, there were so many grammatical errors to the point of annoyance.....The story was dumb too, It didn't give you a very good picture of the early Saints in Provo, it was dark and it never explained the whole mystery of the "Cedar" incident, it's like we should know it or something, I just didn't like it!

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Jul 22, 2012 Jan Norton rated it 5 of 5 stars

I didn't want this book to end. I wanted to continue with Maggie & Henry's courtship and lives. I learned a lot about the early history of Provo and the concerns of the time. Having been born in Provo, it made it more personal. I'd love to ready more books by Sarah Dunster.

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Aug 11, 2012 Lydia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Really enjoyed this book...maybe its the pregnancy hormones but I cried a bit through it. Not everything flowed as well as it could have but I loved the overall story and the little bits of history embedded. I ached for the main character...

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Sep 20, 2012 Meredith rated it 4 of 5 stars

An engaging look into life on the frontier with the pioneers, along with an education on a period of history I knew almost nothing about. bookxray.blogspot.com

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Apr 16, 2012 Laura Craner rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-in-2012

Check out my review at A Motley Vision

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Apr 22, 2013 Betsy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Set in the early days of Provo, Utah, in the late 1850s, The Lightning Tree tells the story of Magdalena Chabert. Maggie's parents died crossing the plains, and she has been adopted by the Aldens. She starts having disturbing dreams, both about the business down in Cedar and about her family of origin. Maggie must work through some personal issues, played out on the background of her community's tension and worry surrounding what we know today as the Mountain Meadows Massacre. A little dramatic,...more

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May 22, 2012 Karla rated it 4 of 5 stars

Really enjoyed this book - great characters, backdrop, and story.

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May 18, 2013 Lorrie rated it 4 of 5 stars

I liked how you worked out the relationships in this book, well done.

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Jul 21, 2012 Lisa rated it 2 of 5 stars

I had a hard time getting into this book...I didn't care for it too much.

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About Sarah Dunster

Sarah Dunster is an award-winning poet and fiction writer. Her poems have been published in Dialogue: a Journal of Mormon Thought, Segullah Magazine, Sunstone Magazine and Victorian Violet Press. Her short fiction piece, Back North, is featured in Segullah’s Fall 2011 issue. She is a contributing author to Fire in the Pasture: 21st Century Mormon Poets, and her novel Lightning Tree was released Ap...more

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