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The Colour of Hope
The Colour of Hope Madison, Susan
509 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
July 1, 2025
I read this book for the first time about 25 years ago. When a few decades later you still remember how a book made you feel, then it’s something special, don’t you think? This was, as I recall, the first book to make me ugly cry, sobbing even. And when I remembered, I wanted to read it again to see if it stood the test of time, and it did.
Yes, there’s a lot of drama, but in essence this is a book about human relations, about grief, about love. How we make our choices and how they effect others, mainly the people we love the most.
This author did an outstanding job, showing their knowledge of human connections and emotions. The way they describe the grief, the pain and unbearable hurt when losing a child is done so realistically, I have hardly come across any other book that matches the impact like this one has.
It’s still beautiful, still painful and yes, there were tears again. One of the most hurtful books I ever read.
Yes, there’s a lot of drama, but in essence this is a book about human relations, about grief, about love. How we make our choices and how they effect others, mainly the people we love the most.
This author did an outstanding job, showing their knowledge of human connections and emotions. The way they describe the grief, the pain and unbearable hurt when losing a child is done so realistically, I have hardly come across any other book that matches the impact like this one has.
It’s still beautiful, still painful and yes, there were tears again. One of the most hurtful books I ever read.
September 4, 2010
I absolutely loved this book - great beach read while sitting on the beach in Maine and wonderful story line that really makes you think about what is important in life. Couldn't put it down! Wish my library had other books by this author!
May 24, 2017
One dimensional characters in cliched situations, spouting cliched dialogue, packed in an unbelievable and predictable plot. Even at only 164 pages it was a waste of time.
September 18, 2013
I quit reading Danielle Steele ages ago because I had enough to cry about in my own life and didn't want to read books that made me cry. This book made me cry in many places. It's the story of a husband, wife, teen age acting out daughter and a younger son - Will. The mom - Ruth - works long and hard as a lawyer. The dad - Paul - is a Professor. Josie, besides being a typical unhappy teen is an artist. Ruth inherited a home in Maine and it is their summer, sometime weekend get away house. I don't want to give too much away, so it is hard to say much more. The parents marriage can't seem to survive the tragedies that occur. There is loss, redemption, choices I could never have made. Yes, I hate to cry this much over a book, but I would recommend it highly.
July 20, 2009
I felt myself being weighed down while reading this book by the multitude of tragedies that kept happening to this family. There was no good parts in this book, no happiness for them. Mostly it just depressed me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 13, 2015
By far one of the most depressing books I have read!!
November 21, 2015
Excellent book. Didn't want to put it down. Had tears in my eyes at times.
November 12, 2017
Absolutely riveting, gut-wrenching, soul-searching book. Have plenty of tissues on hand when you read this book.
May 30, 2018
Depressing and pointless book. Over the top drama and really unlikeable characters. Total waste of time. Skipped most of it.
January 15, 2019
I hated it at first; I think it went on maybe 50 pages longer than it needed to be. I would say the first 75 and the last 75 pages were my favourite. Some of my gripes with it were probably rooted in forgetting that this was written in a different time, so there are gender stereotypes and jokes that wouldn’t really fly today, but overall I liked it after I finished it and finally found myself very attached to the characters.
July 14, 2023
I've truly enjoyed this book. I keep tearing up at several parts of it. It's a tale of loss, of rediscovering the beauty of being a family and most of all, of love. The characters are all so lovable especially brave Will. I think I love his character most of all. This is my second time reading it as the story felt familiar as I continued reading the book. It was definitely worth my time reading it a second time!
June 3, 2017
Niet slecht geschreven maar nogal erover qua dramatiek en het einde is echt te onwaarschijnlijk voor woorden.
January 4, 2019
Powerful story of priorities, treasuring everyday blessing,love, loss, grief and peace.
December 10, 2020
Very sad!!
April 10, 2021
Sad but hopeful. An enjoyable book.
June 23, 2021
Me encantó, es una historia bastante completa tiene de todo un poco
March 27, 2022
Beautifully written but sad.
October 29, 2022
Ruth and Paul Connelly have a great life, thriving careers, 2 children and a holiday home. It is almost too perfect until a boating accident changes their lives forever.
May 24, 2025
Yes, it is emotional and depressing which is why I kept having to set it aside to return later. But I had to finish it.
February 1, 2013
I have to start this out with a confession. I cheated. I accidentally dropped the book and lost my page. When I picked it up and leafed through, I found out what happened at the end of the story. So, I started there. I'm really thankful I did, too, because I wouldn't have stuck with the middle part of the story where it dragged on through character and storyline development.
It's the story of a family that is torn apart by a self-centred 17-year old girl that reacts just like you'd think a self-centred brat would react. She had a chip on her shoulder (probably from being a know-it-all-teen and a self-centred brat). The family was out sailing when they were caught in a storm. The last thing the girl saw before getting tossed out of the boat was her younger brother passed out and nearly fell out of the dinghy, mum yelled for him and grabbed him. When she washed ashore, she didn't go seek out her family; instead, she ran away to "punish" her mother, and thus tearing apart the family.
That being said, it's a pretty good story in a Lifetime TV sort of way. It's a bunch of drama I can't see happening in real life, but that's what makes it a story. If you read the beginning and the end like I did, you still get really touching moments, too. The ending is all stupidly happy without drama, but hey, it's supposed to make you feel good. (Which is not generally the type of books I go for, hence the two stars.)
It's the story of a family that is torn apart by a self-centred 17-year old girl that reacts just like you'd think a self-centred brat would react. She had a chip on her shoulder (probably from being a know-it-all-teen and a self-centred brat). The family was out sailing when they were caught in a storm. The last thing the girl saw before getting tossed out of the boat was her younger brother passed out and nearly fell out of the dinghy, mum yelled for him and grabbed him. When she washed ashore, she didn't go seek out her family; instead, she ran away to "punish" her mother, and thus tearing apart the family.
That being said, it's a pretty good story in a Lifetime TV sort of way. It's a bunch of drama I can't see happening in real life, but that's what makes it a story. If you read the beginning and the end like I did, you still get really touching moments, too. The ending is all stupidly happy without drama, but hey, it's supposed to make you feel good. (Which is not generally the type of books I go for, hence the two stars.)
January 10, 2010
This is the first book by this author that I have read and will definately read her others. Really enjoyed it and found it was a bit of a tearjerker.
Back Cover Blurb:
Carter's House in Sweetharbor, Maine, has been in Ruth's family for generations. Now she, her husband, Paul, and their children, 16 year old Josie and Will, 14, spend the summers there. There are tensions between Ruth and Paul - they seem to have drifted apart since she re-built her high-powered career as an attorney - and Josie is a nightmare of adolescent resentment and rebellion. Only Will still seems to be happy, uncomplicated. One day, in the wake of ferocious family rows, all four of them sail out to a nearby beauty spot to celebrate Will's birthday. On the way home they are caught in an unexpected storm and Josie is swept away.
Josie's puntured life-jacket is found a few days later and she is pronounced dead, although there is no body to bury. Frozen denial is the only way Ruth can cope with her grief, and she throws herself into her work to the exclusion of her marriage and her surviving child. Josie's name cannot be mentioned, and eventually Paul leaves home in despair.
Then further tragedy strikes - it will make or break what is left of their once-happy family.
Back Cover Blurb:
Carter's House in Sweetharbor, Maine, has been in Ruth's family for generations. Now she, her husband, Paul, and their children, 16 year old Josie and Will, 14, spend the summers there. There are tensions between Ruth and Paul - they seem to have drifted apart since she re-built her high-powered career as an attorney - and Josie is a nightmare of adolescent resentment and rebellion. Only Will still seems to be happy, uncomplicated. One day, in the wake of ferocious family rows, all four of them sail out to a nearby beauty spot to celebrate Will's birthday. On the way home they are caught in an unexpected storm and Josie is swept away.
Josie's puntured life-jacket is found a few days later and she is pronounced dead, although there is no body to bury. Frozen denial is the only way Ruth can cope with her grief, and she throws herself into her work to the exclusion of her marriage and her surviving child. Josie's name cannot be mentioned, and eventually Paul leaves home in despair.
Then further tragedy strikes - it will make or break what is left of their once-happy family.
August 7, 2016
The first chapter starts out with a teenage daughter talking to her mother with a trash mouth like I couldn't believe. I mean the swearing never stopped. No respect..and her mother just chalks it up to her being 16 and growing up and hormones and all that.
They go boating for the son's birthday to an island off Maine. The Maine descriptions were good and I enjoyed that part.
Various tragedies happen to this family..death, seperation,ect. By the end of it, I was emotionally exhausted.
They go boating for the son's birthday to an island off Maine. The Maine descriptions were good and I enjoyed that part.
Various tragedies happen to this family..death, seperation,ect. By the end of it, I was emotionally exhausted.
July 24, 2016
A teenage daughter that seems to think that the world should revolve around her. There is a boating accident and an accident that causes problems for the family. You get the feeling early on that there is something odd about the daughter. Did she really die? Where is the body?
These are things that you ask as you read. Then there is the son....
Another gap filler as far as the story goes. Not a bad read if you have nothing else to read.
These are things that you ask as you read. Then there is the son....
Another gap filler as far as the story goes. Not a bad read if you have nothing else to read.
February 13, 2020
Tragically the book doesn't live up to its name. There are so many sad things happening, but instead of feeling sorry for the characters you start getting irritated with them. And it just keeps on progressing. The only reason I have given 2 stars is for Will. Definitely won't recommend it to anyone.
February 21, 2016
This book was on the desk in our Rancho la Puerto casita. Obviously, the topic called to me. The plot was rather predictable though and I didn't feel connected all to the mother (the story is told from her perspective).
March 16, 2016
The ending was too far-fetched for me. Until that point, I had really enjoyed this book. The ending dropped my feeling of this book from a 4 to a 3. If you read this one, the ending may spoil it for you.
May 8, 2019
La historia podría haber dado tanto de si...
Pero se queda en una lectura algo insulsa, apenas entretenida y el final me decepcionó bastante, eso es lo que me remató, que no salvara la narración al menos con un final más coherente o de un modo que me impactara.
Pero se queda en una lectura algo insulsa, apenas entretenida y el final me decepcionó bastante, eso es lo que me remató, que no salvara la narración al menos con un final más coherente o de un modo que me impactara.
February 10, 2009
just shows that life is not fair and not perfect as we want them to be. touching story of a tragic family life
December 31, 2009
A wonderful read, very thought provoking. Made me cry to see the lenghts family will go to to hurt each other.
February 9, 2015
I don't like books that use foul language. This book had way too much for me. It's unnecessary in my opinion..it just spoiled the whole plot for me.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews