Overview
Indie Next List pick for July 2021 * Parade “Best Books of Summer” pick * Real Simple summer reading pick * SheReads “Best WWII Fiction of Summer 2021” pick
The New York Times bestselling author of the “heart-stopping tale of survival and heroism” (People) The Book of Lost Names returns with an evocative coming-of-age World War II story about a young woman who uses her knowledge of the wilderness to help Jewish refugees escape the Nazis—until a secret from her past threatens everything.
After being stolen from her wealthy German parents and raised in the unforgiving wilderness of eastern Europe, a young woman finds herself alone in 1941 after her kidnapper dies. Her solitary existence is interrupted, however, when she happens upon a group of Jews fleeing the Nazi terror. Stunned to learn what’s happening in the outside world, she vows to teach the group all she can about surviving in the forest—and in turn, they teach her some surprising lessons about opening her heart after years of isolation. But when she is betrayed and escapes into a German-occupied village, her past and present come together in a shocking collision that could change everything.
Inspired by incredible true stories of survival against staggering odds, and suffused with the journey-from-the-wilderness elements that made Where the Crawdads Sing a worldwide phenomenon, The Forest of Vanishing Stars is a heart-wrenching and suspenseful novel from the #1 internationally bestselling author whose writing has been hailed as “sweeping and magnificent” (Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author), “immersive and evocative” (Publishers Weekly), and “gripping” (Tampa Bay Times).
Review
Yona was stolen from her rich, German parents when she was just 2 years old. She was raised by an old woman in the forest. She learned how to survive and how to hide. So when she encounters some Jews who have escaped the ghetto, she does everything in her power to save their lives, including contacting her real father.
Yona is a character I adore. She is tough and has a big heart. She struggles to overcome her fear of people and of situations she has never experienced to keep everyone safe. Even though so much is out of her control, this does not stop her.
This is a a bit of a new take on WWII for me…and I have read them all! I have read a few stories about people living in the forest. But, I have not read one as detailed and as interesting as this one. I was completely captivated by the setting, the intensity and the characters!
Need a fantastic WWII book…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
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