The Woman in the Trees: A novel about America's first approved Marian apparition

The story is well-researched and interesting. I found the connections with other historical events like the Civil War especially interesting. The experiences of the Belgian immigrant family gave me an appreciation for all the sacrifices made to start a new life in America by these early pioneers.

Book given to 5th and 6th grade Catholic school students. Teacher and student report is extremely positive.

Great novel for young adults

Living near the Shrine of O L O G H and knowing the history of the fire and the apparition, really made the story entertaining. Enjoyable story, wonderful characters, and will recommend to others to read.

This was a compelling and realistic novel about the comparatively little known apparition of Our Lady during the mid-1800's in Wisconsin. It appeals both to teens and adults. It details in biographical form of the hardships of pioneer living and of transmitting the Faith, as well as the miracle of their safety in the terrible Peshtigo fire.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel. It’s written very well. Some parts are intense I agree and would also wait until age 11 or 12 to read it. I am blessed enough to live in Wisconsin temporarily and was able to visit the apparition site and shrine. I highly recommend making the pilgrimage.

My 11 year old daughter loves this book. She enjoys the time period it is set in and had never heard of this apparition before so it was definitely a worthwhile purchase. She has already read it a few times in the month and a half we have had it. She said that the only thing that was difficult about it was that the timeline bounces around quite a bit as the story unfolds, which was hard for her to follow but she figured it out. She also said it was a little intense. I wouldn’t recommend it to younger readers for that reason—I think 11 is the youngest I would go, especially without having first read the book myself. I hope to soon! I’m sure my younger children will enjoy it and learn from it once they get a little older.

I thought this was an excellent read, in fact I gave it to my church book club to read. We all enjoy it and many were not even aware of this vision of our lady. I would recommend it to anyone.

The Woman in the Trees will appeal to a variety of readers: children, teens, adults, fans of historical fiction and fans of religious fiction, specifically those interested in appearances of the Blessed Mother. There's a lot to be learned here about the Peshtigo fire, Our Lady of Good Help (the U.S.'s only Church-approved Marian apparition), and American life around the time of the Civil War. That's not to say this is a dry textbook. On the contrary, it's a richly human story of a loss, suffering, hope, and faith through the eyes of a young girl (and later, young woman), Slainie, who encounters the enigmatic seer Adele Brise. I found this the perfect introduction to the history of Our Lady of Good Help, both for myself and for my children. Recommended reading for Catholics and non-Catholics alike.