The Lies We Told by Diane Chamberlain

The Lies We Told by Diane Chamberlain – Review

The Lies We Told by Diane Chamberlain is an insight into the effect that lies can have on the lives of people who love each other.

My Book Review Rating:

Fiction or non-fiction? What’s the genre?

This one is a wonderful work of fiction.

Why did you decide to read this book?

I became a fan of Chamberlain last year after reading The Lost Daughter (The secret life of CeeCee Wilkes) so when I was offered an advanced review copy of her latest novel I couldn’t say yes fast enough!

Summarise the plot – without revealing the ending!

The novel revolves around two sisters; Maya and Rebecca Ward, and the chapters alternate between the sisters to tell the story from their point of view.

Both sisters are physicians, but that’s about as far as the similarities go. Maya is cautious and timid and treats children from the safety of her office, while Rebecca is the risk taker who travels the world offering medical services in disaster zones.

When a hurricane hits the coast of North Carolina Rebecca heads out to join the rescue operation along with Maya’s husband Adam. When he sees the sheer devastation and the number of injured children Adam urges Maya to join them.

In a twist of fate Maya’s helicopter crashes in the forest and she finds herself stranded on a small island, cut off from civilisation and caught in the lives of the strangers who rescued her. As Maya tries desperately to let her loved ones know she is alive the search party gives up hope of ever finding a survivor and Rebecca and Adam find themselves drawn to each other.

What did you like about this book?

I enjoyed hearing the story being told from two sides. Chamberlain focuses on the lies that people tell to their loved ones to protect them. And how these lives can grow and take on a life of themselves which can actually have a much more devastating effect.

What did you think of the main character?

Although the story is told from the perspective of both Maya and Rebecca I feel that Maya is the main character here. She is the cautious one and both Rebecca and Adam wrap her in cotton wool. But actually Maya demonstrates that she has more courage and fight in her than either her sister or her husband.

Are there any other interesting characters in the book?

Simmee is the girl who nurses Maya back to health, she lives on a small island with her husband and an old lady who was the midwife at Simmee’s birth. She is a wonderful character who has her own secrets and tells her own lies to protect both herself and the life of her unborn baby.

What did you think about the ending?

I was really surprised by the way the story ended and it took me a while to decide whether I appreciated it or not. I think I can understand why Chamberlain chose to close the tale in that way though.

Have you read any other books by this author? What did you think of them?

Yes, The Lost Daughter (The secret life of CeeCee Wilkes) and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Reviews from other readers

• S Krishna’s Reviews
• Book Crazy
• Coffee, Books and Laundry

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	Title: The Lies We Told Publisher: Mira Average review rating:   List Price: $13.95 Sale Price: $8.14 Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Free Shipping Available
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Enjoyed it!   Review Date: August 26, 2010 Reviewer: Karen, Midland, NC This is the story of two sisters who suffered a terrible event in their youth and the secrets they never discussed thereafter. Just like her other books, Ms. Chamberlain tells her stories from more than one viewpoint. In The Lies We Told, you get to see the story unfold from both Maya's & Becca's views. From fear to anxiety to extreme guilt, you are able to get inside their heads and you can truly experience their emotions. I recommend it! Enjoyed the story - HATED the ending!!   Review Date: August 12, 2010 Reviewer: Jennifer Medlock, AZ The Lies we Told is a good book, but I hated the ending. Maya and Rebecca Ward are sisters that went through a tragic past together and as they have grown older they couldn't be more different. Rebecca is the one with no roots-the risk taker, she works for DIDA, a medical organization that travels to all the disasters in the world to provide medical care. Maya, her sister, who also happens to be a doctor, work in a hospital. Maya is married to Adam and they are desperate to have a baby. Maya has had many miscarriages and it is starting to take a toll on her marriage. Adam wants a bit of excitement too and has signed up to do a run with DIDA at least 2 weeks out of the year which frightens Rebecca to no end. A terrible hurricane hits the coast of North Carolina and Adam and Rebecca are sent to help, but once there they realize that the situation is terrible and that they could use Maya's help. Maya is reluctant, but she thinks that she could help her marriage if she goes to the disaster sight to help out. The author does a fabulous job and setting the scene. The reader has a very clear picture of the disaster and of the relief efforts at the airport and the descriptions of the people are heartbreaking. After a few days Maya is sent with one of the helicopters and it crashes. For me this is where they book turned for me. Maya is fighting for her life, upset that her husband and sister might think she is dead and what are Rebecca and Adam doing...fighting their attraction to each other, WHAT??? For me it was ridiculous. Adam and Maya were supposed to love each other a great deal and the bond between Rebecca and Maya was one forged by tragic circumstances, BUT that doesn't stop Rebecca and Adam from being pulled together????? I won't say anything else on the subject as I don't want to give away all the little details, but at this point, I could NOT like the characters of Rebecca and Adam. It just didn't seem to fit with the story. AND the ending....hated it....let's just wrap it up in a pretty little bow?!? It seemed to easy and too insane to end the book that way. I like this author and I will continue to read her books, but I have to say that this one was not my favorite....great idea, great start, and then she lost me. Great story   Review Date: August 7, 2010 Reviewer: Mountain bluebird, Iowa Okay, I admit it. I am a huge fan of Diane Chamberlain. I have read her books for many years and loved them all. This one does not disappoint. Chamberlain is a former psychologist/social worker and really understands people very well. She has seen some of the darker sides of life and the effects that secrets and lies have on people. She weaves stories that just keep you on the edge of the chair. I am not going to write too much about the story because I don't want to spoil it for anyone. I thought the cover blurb on the book had too much information and I was glad I didn't read it until after I read the book. This is the story of two sisters with a rather complicated history and relationship. Both are doctors. One is married to a doctor and is trying to have a baby without success. The other sister is a free spirit who works at disaster sites all over the world. The two sisters are close and the one husband is great friends with the other sister too. Each sister has her own secrets and while they are close, the lies between them could tear them apart if they ever discuss them. While they are all three working at the site of a terrible hurricane and flood they become separated and cannot communicate for quite a while. The story follows each sister through the time of separation. What I love about all of Chamberlain's books: There are always surprising twists and turns No matter how much I think I have everything figured out, I am usually wrong The characters become like friends and you hate to see them go when you finish the book Her locations are always interesting Interesting characters always inhabit her stories. What I love about this book: The description of the airport where the disaster victims are brought Interesting backwoods North Carolina characters. It was very well researched as usual. I could not quit until I learned how it came out in the end. Entertaining   Review Date: August 3, 2010 Reviewer: Holly Kincaid, Indiana, USA I have never read a Diane Chamberlain book before even though I have often seen them in the store over the years. When given the opportunity to read this one, I grabbed it since my interest was piqued. Going into it, I wasn't sure what I was getting (a little nervous that it would be all fluff and no substance). In this case, anyway, I found this to be what I refer to as a beach read with substance. To give a frame of reference, authors that I put in the category are Jodi Picoult, Jane Green, and Elin Hilderbrand. This is a group of authors that I find myself highly entertained, quickly turning pages to find out what happens next and not overwhelmed with hidden meanings that need to be analyzed and contemplated for days. In this novel, the main characters are two sisters who suffered through the tragedy of losing their parents (both murdered in the driveway of their home) and yet seemed to turn out very well-adjusted. Both are doctors but one sister works for a disaster-aid group (Rebecca) and the other has become a pediatric ortho specialist (Maya) in a typical office setting. Their stories are told in alternating chapters and the book primarily focuses on a two-week period when two hurricanes strike North Carolina. Both end up responding to the disaster as well as Maya's husband Adam who is also a physician. While transporting injured patients to a hospital, Maya's helicopter goes down and Rebecca and Adam have to deal with the emotions of all that plus the stress of living in a disaster area taking care of patients in very difficult circumstances. If you can possibly avoid reading the back of the book, I would recommend it. Too much of the story is divulged and very little of the storyline is a surprise to the reader - way too many spoilers in my opinion. What kept this from being a 5 star book for me was how many things shifted in the relationships in a very, very short period of time. I don't want to give anything away and spoil it for the reader, but I had difficulty buying into some of the changes that occurred and the novel lost points for believability. Even with that one complaint, it is still a very good read and I will be looking for other books by this author in the furure. Good, quick read...perfect for a summer travel book   Review Date: July 25, 2010 Reviewer: Linda Holman, Chatsworth, CA United States This is my first book by Diane Chamberlain. It hooked me from the beginning. The story revolved around two sisters, Maya and Rebecca, who are both survivors of a brutal murder of their parents when they were younger. Rebecca, at 18, resolves to take care of her 14 year old sister, so she does not have to go into foster care. The book opens with this brutal act, and then quickly fast forwards to the present day. Maya is a pediatric orthopedic doctor, and her husband Adam is an anesthesiolgist. After several attempts at having a baby, Maya miscarries after her third attempt. Maya's sister, Rebecca, couldn't be more different than Maya. Rebecca flies all over the world as a disaster relief doctor, and has a physical relationship with another doc named Brent, who is just like her. She is determined to NOT have children and doesn't even know why she should get married when Brent asks her to. A disaster reminiscent of Hurricane Katrina strikes close to home, and Rebecca encourages Adam, and then Maya, to assist in the relief efforts. I found this a fascinating read for the most part, but it started falling apart for me near the end. When Maya goes missing, Rebecca and her brother in law, Adam, turn to each other to get through this terrible ordeal, and Rebecca starts to see that it is possible she has resisted settling down as a way to fill in the void that was created from not dealing with the loss of her parents. I thought that the book lacked a bit in the back story, such as how Maya and Rebecca put themselves through school, although there was brief mention of a life insurance policy and the sale of the family home. I also felt that Rebecca's actions when her sister was missing were inconsistent with the character we got to know throughout the book. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book, and depending on the subject, I would read a book by this author again.
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