American Saturday Review: The Lies We Told by Diane Chamberlain
June 26th, 2010 by Leah
Maya and Rebecca Ward are both accomplished physicians, but that’s where the sisters’ similarities end. As teenagers, they witnessed their parents’ murder, but it was Rebecca who saved Maya from becoming another of the gunman’s victims. The tragedy left Maya cautious and timid, settling for a sedate medical practice with her husband, Adam, while Rebecca became the risk taker.
After a devastating hurricane hits the coast of North Carolina, Rebecca and Adam urge Maya to join them in the relief effort. To please her husband, Maya finally agrees. She loses herself in the care and transport of victims, but when her helicopter crashes into raging floodwaters, there appear to be no survivors.
Forced to accept Maya is gone, Rebecca and Adam turn to one another—first for comfort, then in passion—unaware that, miles from civilization, Maya is injured and trapped with strangers she’s not certain she can trust. Away from the sister who has always been there to save her, now Maya must find the courage to save herself—unaware that the life she knew has changed forever.
As we grow throughout life there are things that happen to us that become a part of who we are forever. Sometimes those situations that become the layers of our character are so traumatic that we intentionally hide them from those we love the most. For Maya and Rebecca, sisters and the only surviving members of their family, the details behind one incident in particular are so traumatic that they’ve kept them from each other though their love runs deeper than any other. By so doing their lives are impacted from that moment on, and for more reason than the sudden and tragic death of their parents.
On a whole, The Lies We Told is an amazing story that’s beautifully crafted by Diane Chamberlain’s beautiful writing. I absolutely loved the story as it was told by both Maya and Rebecca. Both the characters were so well developed even from the very first few pages. And their sometimes drastic personality differences made the story an incredibly interesting read. It’s also the underlying theme of the lies we tell that transforms the story and explores the impact of our honesty (or dishonesty) on those around us.
Also, I should add, that as a person who has struggled with infertility, both personally and within my immediate family, the first chapter was excruciating to read. In fact, I almost put it down after reading it. I’m glad I didn’t, but Chamberlain did such an incredible job painting that unbearable experience of almost having something you’ve longed for and then losing it just before it was yours. So well that it was hard to read. The remedy she presents in the story is one I wouldn’t have expected and isn’t revealed until very close to the end. In fact, if I had any qualms about the book, it would be the ending and how the main characters lives ended on a happy, but not quite right place.
Overall, The Lies We Told was an impressive story about relationships and the impact our choices have on those around us. I adored the main characters in the story and was terribly sad that they didn’t end up quite how I was hoping. The Lies We Told was a thought provoking story with just the right amount of suspense and adventure to keep me glued to the pages until the very end. This beautifully written and thoughtful story is definitely worth picking up soon, if you haven’t already.
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy for review!
Posted in 2010 releases, American Saturday, Book Reviews, Rating: 4/5 | No Comments »
