The Courage Tree

By: Diane Chamberlain

Narrated by: Ann Marie Lee

Length: 13 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

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 with the others. Somehow, along the forested route from West Virginia, Sophie has disappeared.

Sophie is no ordinary eight-year-old. She suffers from a rare disease, and Janine has recently enrolled her in an experimental treatment as a last effort to save her life - despite the vehement objections of her ex-husband, Joe. Without her medication, Sophie cannot survive long. All her mother's instincts tell Janine that Sophie is alive, but time is running out.

©2001 Diane Chamberlain (P)2015 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Well-drawn characters and an unexpected and riveting plot make this a memorable thriller in the tradition of Joy Fielding and Mary Higgins Clark." ( Booklist)

✫✫ 4 Stars ✫✫

I am obsessed with the books this Author writes! I've listened to more than 1/2 of them in the last two weeks. I love the authors writing style and the seriousness off the books. I'm a romance reader normally but I am loving this women's stories that revolve around the subject matter and not the relationship.

This book kept me up way past my bedtime, I couldn't stop without knowing everything would be ok. The suspense in this story really hooked me. While the actress 7 her daughter in this book was a little far fetched and honestly not even necessary, the main characters made up for it completely.

The narration was good, she did a good job on all the different characters.

The Courage Tree

I am only a chapter in and i can go no further. I am an RN and i cannot stand it when books are not medically accurate. There is no way a child with these medical conditions would be going away to camp two hours from home in the first place. If an author is going to write about a medical condition, then do your research and make the story plausible!

My Favorite Chamberlain!

I have listened to MANY of Diane Chamberlain's books and this is by far my favorite. Sometimes her writing can be a tiny bit predictable. I didn't find this book predictable in the least. I highly recommend this book!

Hated the Narrator!

I don't understand why some narrators feel the need to speak incredibly slowly and overly enunciate every word in a breathless melodramatic tone, but that is what this narrator did and I will not order another book read by her . To give her some credit, she did the characters well but her straight narration was really annoying to me. I have loved all of Diane Chamberlain's other novels so slogged my way through this listen, but I found this story to be less enjoyable than the others and am wondering if a different narrator would have made a difference. It probably would have!

Diane Chamberlain is Masterful

The Courage Tree is another one of Ms. Chamberlain's beautiful stories of the bond between a mother and daughter, and how far it will go for love and life. A young girl goes missing after a girl scout weekend, and later the car she was last known to be in was found in a ravine, completely burned. The young girl needs dialysis. Even though the police had given up their search, her mother was bound and determined that her daughter was still alive, against all odds.

Ms Chamberlain is an absolute joy to read/listen to. I love every one of her narrators, and each book I read from her just gets better.

Highly recommend.

5 stars

Wonderful book

Stick with this book. There are frustrating people that you want to lash out at & a main character you support with all your heart. There is a mystery man that has an interesting story when it finally comes out.
I don't think I've heard a bad Diane Chamberlain book yet!!! I'm off to decide on my next one!

Really enjoyed

If you could sum up The Courage Tree in three words, what would they be?

Suspenseful, moving, heartwarming

Who was your favorite character and why?

Sophie, such a breve girl

Any additional comments?

Not sure why others didn't think this was a good book. I couldn't wait to hear what happened!

Narration voice annoying & story is not realistic

Really disappointed in this book. Characters were not believable. I really struggle when characters do such unbelievable and illogical things as though the author was just cranking out a ghost story around a campfire.

He said she said distracting and annoying not necessary

He said she said distracting and annoying not necessary.story does not need this childlike reading.

Loved it

Loved it. The story is very compelling. Narration is very good. Listened twice so I didn't miss anything.

Beautiful and moving

I love Diane Chamberlain’s books. They are moving and one can always empathise with the main characters.
Sometimes, a little long, they always have that human element that tugs in one’s heart strings. Sometimes you have to suspend your disbelief to allow for poetic licence but I highly recommend this book as well as her other novels

Compelling Reading

really good book, kept you wanting more withvevery chapter. lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing.

Loved this book.

Would you consider the audio edition of The Courage Tree to be better than the print version?

As I am unable to read the printed version, I don't know.

What did you like best about this story?

Kept my interest throughout.

What about Ann Marie Lee’s performance did you like?

It was beautifully read

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Both.

Great story, love her storytelling

I really enjoyed this book and the story line. There is alot of satisfaction in Dianne Chamberlain's stories and the way they're woven. I thought, though, that this narrator was a bit overdone and melodramatic in parts

First two thirds good, great narrator

Interesting to see how the two stories would entwine but then so many sub plot stories that detracted from the main event. Found the mother’s ‘pause’ in searching unbelievable given the character’s established personality. Still, what a jolly happy ending... contrived for which reader?

SO WORTH IT

Tense throughout the whole book, with not a single dull moment. Ending was perfect too. Highly recommend!

The Courage Tree

Loved it! Heart warming, dealt with lots of different aspects of life, acceptance and diversity appeared the theme through out the story for me!