The Forest of Vanishing Stars by Kristin Harmel is one of the most unique World War II novels I have EVER read, and I read a lot of historical fiction! This book portrayed a truly unique perspective on surviving during WWII. We read a lot about concentration camps, or occupation of France, or D-day, and so on, but we don't see a lot of stories about the Jews and victims who fled to the wilderness to hide and somehow desperately survive a different kind of threat. This book is beautifully written and flows flawlessly. Character development is handled with care and the depth of relationships and human connections is intricately fleshed out and believable. This story is long and a bit slow but absolutely worth reading every word.

Kristin Harmel’s latest historical fiction novel, The Forest of Vanishing Stars, was captivating!

Youna, a woman who was taken from her family and raised by an old woman in the woods finds people in her wilderness who are sick, starving and completely unprepared to survive a harsh winter. As she learns about their reasons for fleeing civilization - the Nazis and the horrific tragedies happening, she teaches them how to survive. The story-telling is masterful and the rich description and research behind the plants and animals and the history of the forest reminded me of Where the Crawdads Sing.

The audiobook included an author’s note read by Harmel herself and that prompted me to look at maps and look into other resources she talked about.

If you’re in a book club, add this to your list for Fall! Everyone will have something to say about it.

Any novel involving Poland interests me as my husband is first generation Polish American. The Forest of Vanishing Stars shares the amazing story of Polish Jews who escaped Nazi-created ghettos and fled to vast forests. This was a unique and powerful WWII story of survival against incredible odds.

With its strong connections to nature and living off the land, this novel reminded me of Where the Crawdads Sing. I respect the author’s extensive research on this and the historical aspects of the novel. The faith elements were also meaningful to me.

Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for the review copy; all thoughts are my own.

The Forest of Vanishing Stars by Kristin Harmel, 384 pages

During World War II, thousands of Jews in Eastern Europe escaped the horrors of the ghettos and concentration camps by hiding in the dense forests of their homelands. The Forest of Vanishing Stars sheds a light on that harrowing experience by focusing on a girl named Yona, who was raised in the forest by the old woman that kidnapped her as a toddler. After the old woman's death, Yona breaks away from the solitary life when she discovers small groups of escaped Jews struggling to survive. Over the course of the war, she helps them stay healthy and avoid Nazi patrols, foraging for food and stealing necessities from neighboring villages.

Told in a way that skirts the line between folktale and historical fiction, this is a compelling and beautifully told story of World War II, and one that is rarely highlighted. Well worth a read.

This is a story of survival and faith during a dark time in history. Yuna is taken as an infant and is brought up in the forest by an old woman that teaches her how to survive. She also teaches her to read, speak several languages and to kill. Not knowing what fate has in store for her Yuna discovers her true path and the importance of faith and doing what is right no matter the cost.

This is a great story that has a spiritual and mystical vibe. There were so many people that escaped Nazi terrorism by living in the woods, despite the brutal cold and harsh living conditions. Many lost their entire family and home and were devastated by the cruelty that was inflicted by the German soldiers. This story depicts their struggle and pain. Yuna's conviction and passion was so awe-inspiring that it left me thinking about the story days after I finished it.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with and advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an ARC.

I first read Kristin Harmel's The Book of Lost Names and enjoyed it, so I was especially excited to read The Forest of Vanishing Stars. This book is similar, but different. Both are historical fiction from WWII and both provide fresh perspectives on the war, but with The Forest of Vanishing Stars, the reader needs to suspend reality a bit. The good news is that the writing makes you believe in the unbelievable, so if you start the book and have a hard time with this, keep reading. You will be spun along into Yona's world, where she was raised and has survived in a forest and uses her talents to help others escape capture. Even while suspending reality, as you read, you will be intrigued by the notion that maybe one can survive in the forest for a lifetime! Definitely worth reading.

I think many people will enjoy this book, but I found parts of it difficult to believe, but that may be because i have read too many WWII books

This book was different, set during WW2, Yona was kidnapped by a women when she was 2 years old and taught how to live in the forest and live off the land. To one day help those in need and to protect her from what could be very dangerous life.

This book talked a lot of religion and a lot of unsettling ways the Germans hurt the Jews. I was not a big fan of this book but the writing was fantastic.

The Forest of Vanishing Stars by Kristen Harmel

In 1941, Inge, also called Yona, is kidnapped from her bed at the tender age of two. Jerusza, a loner woods woman, takes her and raises her in the woods to be totally self-sufficient.

With little contact with the outside world and no people skills, Yona does a miraculous job of saving groups of Jews hiding from the Nazis. Her knowledge of survival for each season, down to minute details, saves those who trust her.

Complications arise, some of which actually seem predictable, and we finally get the reason she was taken from her bed those many years ago.

The book describes Yona’s courage, love of her solitary life in the woods, and we see how her past and present collide. It just missed a five star review from this reviewer, but gets a solid four stars.

Thanks to #GalleyBooks and #NetGalley for an ARC.

4 stars

You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.

This is one of the best WWII books I've read and devoured it in 2 days. It's a unique story, inspired from true life events of survival against horrible odds.

Yona (not the name her parents gave her) is two years old when an old woman kidnaps her from her wealthy German parents and takes her to live in the forests of eastern Europe during the years in which Hitler starts to gain his power. The old woman teaches Yona everything she needs to know about survival in the woods, as well as self defense and how to kill someone bigger than her. Yona is not allowed to have any contact with the outside world and knows almost nothing about what is going on. When the old woman dies Yona continues living in isolation in the woods until she comes across of group of Jews fleeing the Nazis.

The group is barely surviving and despite warnings from the old woman to stay isolated, Yona befriends them and teaches them how to survive in the wilderness. In turn, they teach her about living in a community and opening herself up to other people. When Yona is forced to enter a village, past lives collide and Yona's new-found peace and identity is shattered.

I read this book in a day and half. I just couldn't put it down. The book flows effortlessly and the author does a fantastic job of painting a picture of Yona's struggles and determination. Some atrocities of the war are described, but there is nothing too graphic depicted. A few of the side characters are well-developed as they relate to Yona and further her story along, but the other minor characters are fairly stereotypical. However, this is not too distracting because the main storyline is so compelling.

I know that there have been a plethora of WWII books released in the last several years and we're all a bit tired of reading them, but you should make an exception and pick up this amazing book. You'll thank me for it later.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Gallery Books. All opinions are my own.

I savored reading this novel. So many beautiful sentences that helped to compile the most compelling story. It evoked so many emotions - anguish, hope, love, heartbreak…

“The only thing that remained was the only thing that mattered: love - the kind that could be found in the darkness when all pretenses had disappeared, the kind borne of pain and despair and hope, the kind that was a shelter in the storm.”

I applaud the author for doing such incredible research while writing this book. I’m fascinated (and horrified) by WW2 and have read a decent amount of historical fiction that takes place during this time. This story was different. One of the things that helps it to stand out, is the story revolves a group of Jewish people who seek refuge in the forests outside of Poland to escape the Germans during WW2. Before reading this book, I had not heard that such groups existed. Harmel writes about their experience in the forest; surviving, creating families and adapting, with great clarity. I was invested in every character and every thing that happened. Whether it was a part of the main plot line or a sub story, my heart was in it. The characters were so well written and I understood them so well, that it was easy to devour them.

I absolutely recommend this book for any fan of Historical Fiction, Women’s Lit and Literary Fiction. Honestly, I think anyone reading this would be hard pressed to not fall in love with the story.

Many thanks to Kristin Harmel, Gallery Books Publishing, and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book. I read and reviewed this voluntarily and opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own. This book is available for purchase on July 6th, 2021!

I thoroughly enjoyed this story! It begins with a toddler being taken from her bed in Germany to then be raised in the forest with the old Jewish woman who took her. As a young adult, she finds herself alone when World War II begins and the Jews start hiding in her forest. But they don’t know how to shelter and eat year-round while living a hidden life so she must teach them if they are to survive. Obviously, the German soldiers are going to make appearances throughout the story but the main focus is the “family” and their struggles to survive so not really a war story. Religion also plays a role in the storyline but more in a thought provoking way, not pinning one against the other.

This story is completely fictional but inspired by true events of those that survived the Holocaust by hiding in the wilderness. The Bielski family is mentioned within the book which took me back to another 5 star non-fiction book that I read awhile back – “The Bielski Brothers: The True Story of Three Men Who Defied the Nazis, Built a Village in the Forest, and saved 1,200 Jews”. The author even interviewed one of the Bielski men while researching for this book. I highly recommend both books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for a copy of this wonderful book.

Hands down one of my favorite books of the year! Solid 5 stars. I was engaged in the story from start to finish. It is rare I stay up late to finish a book, but I devoured this book, forsaking sleep and neglecting my household duties to read this. By far Harmel's best book. I have recommended this to EVERYONE. Thank you for allowing me to read and review this!

The Forest of Vanishing Stars by Kristin Harmel is an astonishing story, well told and deeply felt. Harmel is a writer of great skill and her vivid prose brings to life this story of Jews feeling the Nazis and taking refuge in the nearby forest for years as if she spent years in the forest herself. Bookstores are filled with titles about World War II ( this is Harmel's third.), but put The Forest of Vanishing Stars at the top of your TBR pile for its originality and character development. We look forward to speaking with her on Satellite Sisters in August.

This is the remarkable story of a young woman who uses her knowledge of the wilderness to help Jewish refugees escape the Nazis during WW2. This girl was kidnapped from her German home at a very young age and grew up with a woman in the forest. After her kidnapper dies, she is left alone until she meets up with refugees on the run from the Nazis. She teaches them how to survive in the forest, and elude the Nazis.

The Forest of Vanishing Stars by Kristin Harmel is a wonderfully unique story. World War II historical novels are one of my favorite genres, I have read copious amounts of them. Upon reading The Forest of Vanishing Stars it is not like any story of this era I have read. Kristin Harmel brings a fresh story that is absolutely compelling and unique. The story Ms. Harmel writes is based in historical fact and was thoroughly well researched. The title is perfect for this novel.

The setting is in the forests of Poland. Through Ms. Harmel’s writing you can smell the trees, hear the crunch of the leaves, the running of the streams and see the stars at night. Her descriptive language is enchanting. You see yourself walking through the forest with her characters.

Since it is during World War II it is regarding the heartbreaking events of the Jewish people who lived in Poland during the massive and senseless obliteration of three million lives taken at the hand of the Nazi’s.

While I never give away details of the plot I found my self in awe of how Kristin Harmel develops her characters. They are deep, rich, full of emotion and so real that you find yourself sad when they are sad, frightened when they are frightened and cheering them on in their successes. The characters leap off the page into your mind and heart and will stay there long after the book is finished.

Succinctly, it is a coming of age story. The plot of the novel follows Yona, born in Berlin to Germans and was stolen as a child. She was raised in the forest by her woman captor. Yona is a woman who will prove to be the very thing that these escapees need. The story comes to life while telling the story of the Jewish people living in the forests of Poland to save themselves from the Nazi’s. As many seek refuge in the forest, they quickly discover the many dangers that lie within, and the challenges faced while remaining hidden from the Nazi’s. Little do they know that wandering the forest is a strong heroic woman who will help them survive. Yona, much to her own surprise, becomes a powerful ally to these people. Her moral and religious compass compels her to help, save and care for them.

Congratulations to Kristin Harmel for writing another breathtaking, gripping, educational, ‘couldn’t put it down’ novel. The Forest of Vanishing Stars is a novel that should not be missed. I eagerly await to see what Ms. Harmel has in store for us next! Well done.

I would like to thank Gallery Books, Kristin Harmel and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another Kristin Harmel novel that I couldn’t put down! THE FOREST OF VANISHING STARS is a beautifully written and unique novel that immerses the reader in a story stunning story, based on actions that I was previously unaware of.
There is a touch of magical realism, especially in the beginning, but there is also an abundance of faith, resilience, and heroics of ordinary people that shine through this novel that make it extraordinary. THE FOREST OF VANISHING STARS is an extensively researched WWII historical novel that shines another light on the treatment of Jews by the Nazis and the lengths many were forced to go to to survive.
There is so much I could say about this wonderful novel, but I will let you read it for yourself. This is another Kristin Harmel novel that had me staying up WAY past my bedtime because I couldn’t bear to stop reading it.
Thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of the novel. All opinions are my own and freely given.
#TheForestofVanishingStars #KristinHarmel #GalleryBooks #SimonandSchuster

Kristin Harmel does it again. Honestly.

As one of my favorite authors, I was so so eager to read Harmel's newest release and it was definitely worth the wait. I think it is a little slower paced than some of Harmel's other novels - but I think the pacing is replaced with such fascinating detail about the forest, how to survive, and the characters managing incredible circumstances.

I also so appreciated the author's note in the back, giving additional context to the story and shedding some light on the real people that endured parts of this story. Defiance has long been a movie I love, so I loved getting this woman-focused story about the same part of history.

Also, I loved Yona's own personal journey related to her identity, her history, and her future.

I received an ARC of this novel from Gallery Books via Netgalley in exchange for my review. I don't think I have read a Kristin Harmel book that I didn't learn from and love. This book is no exception! I just can't seem to read enough books about WWII. There are so many things to learn and stories that need to be told so I was really excited to pick up another book on this subject. This story was stunning. It is unimaginable the depths of courage and strength people needed to have to survive this period of history. As with most of Harmel's stories many parts of her books are based upon true events and this one is no exception. This is a haunting read that will stay with you long after you put it down. I highly recommend it.

WOW what a fabulous read of a time we were very fortunate to not have lived in. This story gives us so much important information about the Jews and their life back in the early 1900’s . This stunning novel will keep you reading, praying for this families that had to endure so much and losing everything as well their families. It will be inside for a long time and reminding you to be thankful and kind to every person every religion.