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415th out of 962 books
—
102 voters
The Courage Tree
by
Diane Chamberlain (Goodreads Author)
Eight-year-old Sophie Donohue just wanted to be like every other little girl. Which is why her mother, Janine, reluctantly agreed to let her go on the weekend camping trip with her Brownie troop. But when Janine arrives to pick up Sophie after the trip, her daughter is not among the others. Somehow, along the forested route from West Virginia, Sophie has disappeared.
Sophi
Mass Market Paperback, 410 pages
Published
April 19th 2002
by Mira Books
(first published February 1st 2001)
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I have been on a Diane Chamberlain kick. This one out of all the books I have read of hers was my least favorite but it still was a good story. Janine is the mother who courageously admits her child into the clinical trial of a new medicine against the advice of her ex-husband, Joe and her cynical parents. Because Sophie is doing so well on the clinical trail Janine her mother allows Sophie to go to a summer camp. On the way home there is a car accident and Sophie gets lost in the woods. This bo...more
Can't fault this author, even though this isn't the very best example of her writing it's still an exciting and gripping read with loads to keep your interest going, twists and turns and human emotions at their most raw.
A little girl with a serious illness is receiving a revolutionary new treatment which seems to be helping her so much her mother allows her to go off on a camping weekend with her friends, but when she goes to collect her, all the other kids pile off the bus but 8 year old Sophie...more
A little girl with a serious illness is receiving a revolutionary new treatment which seems to be helping her so much her mother allows her to go off on a camping weekend with her friends, but when she goes to collect her, all the other kids pile off the bus but 8 year old Sophie...more
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This is the first book of Diane Chamberlain's that I've had to say I did not like, hence, the two star rating. I did finish reading it but I was doing major skimming near the end. I'd lost all interest in the story because I knew from early on how it was going to end. Okay, there was one twist that I didn't guess but it was just plain stupid as far as I was concerned. I figured out Lucas' secret long before the author spilled the beans. Not only that, but the main character, Janine (the mother o...more
Aug 25, 2008
Denise
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Jodi Picoult fans
Recommended to Denise by:
Readers at Diane's blog: www.dianechamberlain.com
Shelves:
female-author,
fiction
Diane's books are always full of complex interesting characters, good plots, family relationships and drama, suspense and many secrets to be revealed in the end.
"If you take a leaf from the courage tree and put it under your pillow at night. You'll wake up with all the courage you'll need for the day." Is courage something you can find outside of yourself or does it only exist within? At the heart of this book is a courageous, strong little girl with a life threatening kidney disease. She must endure dialysis treatments mulitple times a week and has been robbed of the normalcy most kids experience day to day. Her mother finally lets her go away to Girl...more
The Courage Tree by Diane Chamberlain is a story about a mother who never gave up on what she believed in and a daughter, who despite all criticism of her mothering, she raised the same way. Sophie Donohue was dying of renal failure and her mother opted for a last chance alternative treatment. One would think this book would detail her last moments of the disease but instead Sophie never returns home from a camping trip and the search for answers ensues.
This book intertwined many elements to kee...more
This book intertwined many elements to kee...more
Diane Chamberlain never ceases to amaze me with her beautiful novels. The characters are so real I always feel like I'm a part of the stories!
There is such a connection between mother and daughter that touched me in the deepest part of my soul. I was rooting for both mothers and yet it seemed impossible that both would get what they needed. Whew...I was surprised at every turn of this novel and could not put it down...totally devoured it.
It's hard to take care of a sick child...whether they're...more
There is such a connection between mother and daughter that touched me in the deepest part of my soul. I was rooting for both mothers and yet it seemed impossible that both would get what they needed. Whew...I was surprised at every turn of this novel and could not put it down...totally devoured it.
It's hard to take care of a sick child...whether they're...more
I received a few Diane Chamberlain books for Christmas and am just working my way through them. She does a good job keeping you reading and they are fast paced and quick to read which has been great as I seem to have a lot of reading time lately.
This book was my least favorite Diane Chamberlain book so far. I cannot really say what I disliked so much without spoilers. I am all for a bit of suspense but I dont like when it is given away so early, all of the heavy hinting right through the rest o...more
This book was my least favorite Diane Chamberlain book so far. I cannot really say what I disliked so much without spoilers. I am all for a bit of suspense but I dont like when it is given away so early, all of the heavy hinting right through the rest o...more
(376 pgs.) An eight-year old girl goes missing while on the way home from a scouting trip. She has a rare genetic disorder and needs dialysis. This story is about a mother's search for her daughter even after it is given up by everyone else. (It is also a romance.) Threading into the story is another mother's anguish and redemption of her daughter who is in prison for murder. Somewhat interesting book. Quick read. I did not appreciate the in-depth sexual descriptions. They added nothing to the b...more
Wow, another fantastic novel by Diane Chamberlain - this book was particularly masterful at creating suspense, hope and belief around every corner. I felt such hatred toward Janine's mother throughout most of the book, and almost as much for her father...I was up and down about how I felt about Joe, Janine's ex-husband, but mostly I understood him, even when I was upset by his actions or words, I understood where he was coming from....I was able to feel his pain and his love and his anger....and...more
The Courage Tree grips the reader from the start. It's difficult to stop reading.
Janine and Joe are divorced and have usually agreed on the course of treatment for their sick 8-yr. old Sophie. This time, however, Janine has Sophie undergoing a targeted herbal treatment. Sophie has been doing remarkably well where nothing in the past has worked for her. Both Joe and Janine's parents are vehemently against this treatment, believing that only conventional doctors know what they're doing and that co...more
Janine and Joe are divorced and have usually agreed on the course of treatment for their sick 8-yr. old Sophie. This time, however, Janine has Sophie undergoing a targeted herbal treatment. Sophie has been doing remarkably well where nothing in the past has worked for her. Both Joe and Janine's parents are vehemently against this treatment, believing that only conventional doctors know what they're doing and that co...more
This author has been compared to Jody Piccoult but she is not as graphic and her story lines are not as harsh. The subject matter is not as deep/disturbing either. This one had a few cuss words and it kind of made me think that it was going down an icky road but that was apparently the twist. The twist atleast in this book was not as twisted as some of Piccoult's. This is only the first one that I have read of hers and I want to read more so we will see if my opinion changes.
This is a great story about relationships and family. I loved the characters and the way the author gave insights to why they were as they were. It was a quick read and I was anxious to get to the end. I felt the fear of the Mother is the book and sometimes I got to the point of panic for her. The added characters who supported the story were lifelike and downright scary. I enjoyed this book and it's on its way through my group of reader friends.
This was the second book I read by Chamberlain and I really enjoyed it. The only complaint I have is that the story builds so much and she does such a great job of making you feel the pain, but then it wraps up so quickly that I felt at a loss. The plot was strong and pulled you in a very subtle way without being overly dramatic. I couldn't imagine being in the position of Janine and fighting to find my daughter and no one believing she was still out there. It was a great story and I will contin...more
Easy read that easily sucks you into the story. However, it was an extremely stressful read. It was painful reading about an 8-year-old girl who is missing and the anguish the parents experience not knowing if she were dead or alive. Also, I did not appreciate a couple of unnecessary brief but in-depth descriptions of intimacy. Chamberlain is a good story teller with lots of twists and surprises however.
I really enjoyed this book. The flashbacks to explain the different relationships came at exactly the right time, the suspense built up quite a bit as you got towards the middle, and I was very shocked with the twist near the end. It took about 100 pages before I was completely sucked in, but then I couldn't put it down. I hadn't read Diane Chamberlain before but now I'll have to check out her other stuff.
Not my favourite by Chamberlain - I found that I was unable to connect with the characters and that so many aspects of the plot line were incredibly implausible. However, she is a master of suspense and kept me hanging til the very end... where she wrapped things up too quickly and without full explanation. Her other work is fantastic, but The Courage Tree is my least favourite thus far.
This novel is deserving of far more than the five stars I gave in this review. What a fantastic and gripping novel! Diane Chamberlain, again came through with a real gem in The Courage Tree.
The author always has a way of making me either love, or hate the characters, but I always feel a connection, feel as if I know them. Long after the novel is finished, I find myself thinking of the characters and this novel is no different.
The Courage Tree, is one that is full of suspense, drama, twists and...more
The author always has a way of making me either love, or hate the characters, but I always feel a connection, feel as if I know them. Long after the novel is finished, I find myself thinking of the characters and this novel is no different.
The Courage Tree, is one that is full of suspense, drama, twists and...more
While I found this compelling, wanting to find out what happened with the Sophie, the 8 year old girl lost for days after a camp and needing treatment (I ended up staying up one night to read finish it,)I still didn't find it as satisfying a read as some other Diane Chamberlain books.This was mainly due to the characters. I found the characters of the mother, Janine and Joe, the father of the child and Janine's ex annoying in their bickering and behaviour and the Janine's parents and the grandpa...more
This book is hard for me to rate. The story was good, but the characters I didn't really care for. I felt that the mother was too weak, the parents too unrealistic, and the ex-husband a bit childish. The only attachment I had was for the little girl and the wanting for her to be found. It's a hit or miss, I guess. Some loved it, others not so much. I guess I fall into the latter.
Right it's a puzzle-filled book but sometimes I think that the puzzles and solutions weren't really woven perfectly and that they were just forced to fit into the spaces, but when I try to really think about it, well, the mystery's got a point but... okay, well, I just don't think it's flawless enough to just get you oohing and aahing. Well, my opinion.
I enjoyed this book and it was a fairly fast read. The characters are interesting and well written but there is definitely a lot of drama in this book with a plot involving illness, a car accident, a missing child, a convict on the loose, etc.
I did enjoy this book, but like a few others here, I thought The Secret Life of Cee Cee Wilkes was even better.
I did enjoy this book, but like a few others here, I thought The Secret Life of Cee Cee Wilkes was even better.
Jun 03, 2012
Bethany Foster
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Jodi Picoult and Kristin Hannah fans
Diane Chamberlain's books kept coming up in my Amazon recommendations, so I finally caved and decided to give one a try. I went into it open minded, but without high hopes and was pleasantly surprised. I just spent a rainy Sunday afternoon lost in this book...I read it in one sitting, and am looking forward to reading some more of Chamberlain's books.
I had heard great things about this author, but this book was just ok. It had some good twists and turns, but they were a tad predictable. Everything ended too tidily as well, which was a smidge boring. I am still going to try some of Chamberlain's newer books to see how they fare. I would recommend this book to someone wanting an extremely easy, don't have to think about anything, kind of book.
A fitting title. This book focuses on the values of courage and faith. It is a deeply touching and emotional story, that grips the reader with enough suspense that it is very hard to put down. The main character, Sophie, reminds us that, no matter the situation, we must have hope-- and that hope is not merely an abstract concept
The Courage Tree is probably the best book I have read this year. Reading as a writer, I admired the seamless weaving of the complex plot, the detailed development of the characters, the steady pacing of the action, and the wording chosen for maximum effect. These aspects of this well-written novel made it come alive to this reader.
Meh. The book seemed way too long to me. I constantly felt like, how can we be to page 200 and only *this* has happened? So drawn out. I didn't feel that the characters were very well-developed in general, especially Lucas.
In short, an awful lot of book and not an awful lot of anything happening. I'd skip it.
In short, an awful lot of book and not an awful lot of anything happening. I'd skip it.
I may finally have burned out on this author. I'll wait a few months and come back to her. Her books are getting a bit predictable. I figured out the "big secret" almost immediately and could then guess almost everything else that was going to happen. Plus the main character was just too wimpy for me to stomach.
This was my favorite Diane Chamberlain book that I have read. Its based in the wilderness of West Virginia and involves a small girl getting lost in the woods and a momther and father who will stop at nothing until she is found. It's definately a page-turner that you will not want to give up until finished.
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I'm the author of 22 novels published in more than eleven languages. I like to write complex stories about relationships between men and women, parents and children, brothers and sisters, and friends. Although the thematic focus of my books often revolves around family, love, compassion and forgiveness, my stories usually feature a combination of suspense, mystery and intrigue.
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