Publication
New York : Gallery Books, [2021]
Collection
Call number
Fiction H
Physical description
376 p.; 21 cm
Status
Available
Call number
Description
Fiction. Literature. Historical Fiction. HTML:Parade "Best Books of Summer" pick * Real Simple pick * She Reads "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… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member mrstreme
Yona, stolen from her parents as a toddler, knows everything about living in the forest. She knows how to survive the winter, how to catch fish, even what herbs to use to stop bleeding wounds.
But she doesn't know anything about human interaction. Taught that mankind is inherently bad and evil, Yona
Beautifully written, this survival story will bring you hope and heartbreak. I love Yona - her sense of right and wrong, her intelligence, her vulnerability. It was fascinating to learn how one could survive in the forest, even when German soldiers are lurking. The Forest of Vanishing Stars is a welcome addition to World War II fiction, showing the reader how love and hope are the greatest of all forces. Highly recommended, especially to fans of historical fiction.
Disclosure: I received an ARC of The Forest of Vanishing Stars from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
But she doesn't know anything about human interaction. Taught that mankind is inherently bad and evil, Yona
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watches humans from a safe distance, behind the safety of trees. Until she can't hide anymore. Why? Because Jewish people are fleeing villages all around Poland, and they have entered Yona's domain - the forest where their survival will depend on Yona's knowledge and generosity.Beautifully written, this survival story will bring you hope and heartbreak. I love Yona - her sense of right and wrong, her intelligence, her vulnerability. It was fascinating to learn how one could survive in the forest, even when German soldiers are lurking. The Forest of Vanishing Stars is a welcome addition to World War II fiction, showing the reader how love and hope are the greatest of all forces. Highly recommended, especially to fans of historical fiction.
Disclosure: I received an ARC of The Forest of Vanishing Stars from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member JHSColloquium
The Forest of Vanishing Stars is an engrossing fictional account of a young woman who helps Jews live in the forest during World War II to escape apprehension. Although none of her characters are based on real people, the story was inspired by actual events and the experiences of survivors.
In author Kristin Harmel's story, an old mystic woman, Jerusza, who had "always known things other people didn't," knows that a child born to wealthy and influential German parents must not remain with and be raised by them. Her destiny lies elsewhere. So she watches and waits, and when the little girl, Inge Jüttner, is two years old, she kidnaps her. The child looks up at her and says "It is you" in Yiddish, a language she has not been taught. As they are escaping, Jerusza hears "a voice from the sky, sharp and clear. "One day," the voice said, :if she is not careful, her past will return -- and it will cost her everything. The only safe place is the forest." So Jerusza takes her to the Nalibocka forest, changes her name to Yona and, although she never wanted a child of her own, raises her.
As the years pass, Jerusza teaches Yons how to exist concealed from society and dependent only on what the earth provides . . . along with the things Jerusza steals when they stealthily sneak into villages. And how to take another's life should it become necessary. As Yona grows and asks all sorts of questions, Jerusza teaches her languages, science, world religions, and how to steal books. In fact, by the team Yona is fourteen years old, the "bright, sensitive, intuitive" girl's education rivals that of any university graduate. But most importantly, Yona masters "the mysteries of the forest, all the ways to survive." Jerusza also shows her "the perils of the outside world, and reminds her that no one could be trusted." They move about once every month, leaving no trace of their existence behind.
But by the time Yona is twenty years old, the world beyond the forest has changed. They hear airplanes, explosions, and gunshots, but Jerusza refuses to answer Yona's queries about what is happening, saying only that "God is angry. We are being tested," and reminding her that she will always be protected by the forest. There are more people in the forest -- "Bad men. The horror has just begun," Jaresza cautions -- and they keep moving east. By the summer of 1941, Jerusza tells Yona that the Germans are bombing Poland and they must steer clear of Russian deserters." But Yona is only confused by Jerusza's statement.
At the age of 102, Jerusza dies in 1942, leaving twenty-two-year-old Yona on her own for the first time in her life. Yona had fleeting dreams about her first two years of life, but as she is dying, Jerusza confesses that she didn't save Yona after she was abandoned by heartless parents. "I stole you. I had not choice, you see," she admits.
After Jerusza dies, Yona wanders the forest alone until she discovers and helps a little Jewish girl who tells her, "I was running from the . . . the people who want to kill us. Because I am Jewish. They are trying to kill us all." Yona is stunned, unable to comprehend that anyone would capable of such a heinous act. Not long after, following a shattering tragedy, Yona finds a man attempting to catch a fish with his bare hands, and soon another man appears. Yona debates whether to help them. But the compulsion to intercede is irresistible, and she is convinced it is the right thing to do because it is part of a greater plan she does not yet understand. And the focus of Harmel's story transitions from Jerusza's efforts to prepare Yona for what she knows the young woman will have to face to Yona's coming-of-age and fulfillment of her destiny.
Yona has no idea how to interact with other people, live in society, or love anyone other than in the limited ways she cared for Jerusza. But she becomes a teacher and leader when she realizes that the two men are part of a larger group. She joins them and shows them how to evade the Nazis in order to survive, especially during the rapidly approaching harsh winter. She learns difficult lessons about love, and a stinging betrayal compels her to return to the world from which she was ripped as a toddler. But there are more harsh lessons to be learned there about war, sacrifice, and the atrocities of which people are capable when committed to a cause.
Through Yona, Harmel explores the question of how much power individuals have to change their own destinies. In her skillful depiction of Yona's struggle, the young woman comes face to face with her past and the life she could have led if Jerusza had not kidnapped her. She confronts the extent, if any, to which she is culpable, because she was born to German parents, for the suffering and loss of so many. One character pointedly challenges Yona, "You think you can escape who you were born to? None of us can. Can't you see that?" Yet another character assures her, "We all come into this world with our fate unwritten. Your identity isn't determined by your birth. All that matters is what we make ourselves into, what we choose to do with our lives." Yona must make the most important decision of her life: which philosophy will be embrace? Who will she become? And as she does, with everything at stake, Harmel deftly ramps up the dramatic tension to a harrowing climax.
In Yona, Harmel has crafted an endearing and empathetic character. The elements of magical realism she injects into the tale are extremely effective at emphasizing the book's themes. Her prose is descriptive and vibrant, with just the right level of detail to keep readers engaged during the first part of the book as Harmel sets the stage for the wrenching, heartbreaking events that occur later in the story when Yona matures and discovers her true purpose in life. Along the way, Jerusza's beliefs and predictions serve as reminders that immortal forces have always been and continue to be at work in Yona's life. But that Yona will, ultimately, be the person she chooses to be.
Harmel says she is drawn back to writing historical fiction set in the World War II-era because there are so many fascinating stories to tell and those stories remain relevant eight decades later. It was a dark period in history, but many of the tales serve as reminders that light always prevails. Indeed, light plays an important role in The Forest of Vanishing Stars in which the forest itself serves as a fundamental character. Yona moves in and out of the light the forest provides, hiding herself and others in darkness, emerging back into the light cautiously when it is safe to do so. As she is growing up, Yona and Jerusza sleep in the forest under a bright canopy of the same stars that the refugees wish upon as they wait for the war to end. Those stars sometimes remain unseen for months on end as winter descends, making it easier for Yona and the refugees to conceal themselves from their would-be captors. "You can hardly see them above the trees. They disappear deep in the forest, don't they?" one of the refugees observes. "By the grace of God, may we all be vanishing stars." As the refugees cautiously light the candles in the menorah Yona makes for them, they experience "light in the darkness. The hope of a miracle."
Just as the refugees who survive declare that they must live in order to honor their dead, Harmel is committed to honoring those who were impacted by World War II with her fictional tales. With The Forest of Vanishing Stars she has excelled at doing so. It is an exquisite, compassionately crafted, memorable story. A must-read for all fans of World War II-era historical fiction.
Thanks to NetGalley for an Advance Reader's Copy of the book.
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Thousands of Jews built self-sufficient communities that existed hidden away until the war ended and it was safe to emerge.In author Kristin Harmel's story, an old mystic woman, Jerusza, who had "always known things other people didn't," knows that a child born to wealthy and influential German parents must not remain with and be raised by them. Her destiny lies elsewhere. So she watches and waits, and when the little girl, Inge Jüttner, is two years old, she kidnaps her. The child looks up at her and says "It is you" in Yiddish, a language she has not been taught. As they are escaping, Jerusza hears "a voice from the sky, sharp and clear. "One day," the voice said, :if she is not careful, her past will return -- and it will cost her everything. The only safe place is the forest." So Jerusza takes her to the Nalibocka forest, changes her name to Yona and, although she never wanted a child of her own, raises her.
As the years pass, Jerusza teaches Yons how to exist concealed from society and dependent only on what the earth provides . . . along with the things Jerusza steals when they stealthily sneak into villages. And how to take another's life should it become necessary. As Yona grows and asks all sorts of questions, Jerusza teaches her languages, science, world religions, and how to steal books. In fact, by the team Yona is fourteen years old, the "bright, sensitive, intuitive" girl's education rivals that of any university graduate. But most importantly, Yona masters "the mysteries of the forest, all the ways to survive." Jerusza also shows her "the perils of the outside world, and reminds her that no one could be trusted." They move about once every month, leaving no trace of their existence behind.
But by the time Yona is twenty years old, the world beyond the forest has changed. They hear airplanes, explosions, and gunshots, but Jerusza refuses to answer Yona's queries about what is happening, saying only that "God is angry. We are being tested," and reminding her that she will always be protected by the forest. There are more people in the forest -- "Bad men. The horror has just begun," Jaresza cautions -- and they keep moving east. By the summer of 1941, Jerusza tells Yona that the Germans are bombing Poland and they must steer clear of Russian deserters." But Yona is only confused by Jerusza's statement.
At the age of 102, Jerusza dies in 1942, leaving twenty-two-year-old Yona on her own for the first time in her life. Yona had fleeting dreams about her first two years of life, but as she is dying, Jerusza confesses that she didn't save Yona after she was abandoned by heartless parents. "I stole you. I had not choice, you see," she admits.
After Jerusza dies, Yona wanders the forest alone until she discovers and helps a little Jewish girl who tells her, "I was running from the . . . the people who want to kill us. Because I am Jewish. They are trying to kill us all." Yona is stunned, unable to comprehend that anyone would capable of such a heinous act. Not long after, following a shattering tragedy, Yona finds a man attempting to catch a fish with his bare hands, and soon another man appears. Yona debates whether to help them. But the compulsion to intercede is irresistible, and she is convinced it is the right thing to do because it is part of a greater plan she does not yet understand. And the focus of Harmel's story transitions from Jerusza's efforts to prepare Yona for what she knows the young woman will have to face to Yona's coming-of-age and fulfillment of her destiny.
Yona has no idea how to interact with other people, live in society, or love anyone other than in the limited ways she cared for Jerusza. But she becomes a teacher and leader when she realizes that the two men are part of a larger group. She joins them and shows them how to evade the Nazis in order to survive, especially during the rapidly approaching harsh winter. She learns difficult lessons about love, and a stinging betrayal compels her to return to the world from which she was ripped as a toddler. But there are more harsh lessons to be learned there about war, sacrifice, and the atrocities of which people are capable when committed to a cause.
Through Yona, Harmel explores the question of how much power individuals have to change their own destinies. In her skillful depiction of Yona's struggle, the young woman comes face to face with her past and the life she could have led if Jerusza had not kidnapped her. She confronts the extent, if any, to which she is culpable, because she was born to German parents, for the suffering and loss of so many. One character pointedly challenges Yona, "You think you can escape who you were born to? None of us can. Can't you see that?" Yet another character assures her, "We all come into this world with our fate unwritten. Your identity isn't determined by your birth. All that matters is what we make ourselves into, what we choose to do with our lives." Yona must make the most important decision of her life: which philosophy will be embrace? Who will she become? And as she does, with everything at stake, Harmel deftly ramps up the dramatic tension to a harrowing climax.
In Yona, Harmel has crafted an endearing and empathetic character. The elements of magical realism she injects into the tale are extremely effective at emphasizing the book's themes. Her prose is descriptive and vibrant, with just the right level of detail to keep readers engaged during the first part of the book as Harmel sets the stage for the wrenching, heartbreaking events that occur later in the story when Yona matures and discovers her true purpose in life. Along the way, Jerusza's beliefs and predictions serve as reminders that immortal forces have always been and continue to be at work in Yona's life. But that Yona will, ultimately, be the person she chooses to be.
Harmel says she is drawn back to writing historical fiction set in the World War II-era because there are so many fascinating stories to tell and those stories remain relevant eight decades later. It was a dark period in history, but many of the tales serve as reminders that light always prevails. Indeed, light plays an important role in The Forest of Vanishing Stars in which the forest itself serves as a fundamental character. Yona moves in and out of the light the forest provides, hiding herself and others in darkness, emerging back into the light cautiously when it is safe to do so. As she is growing up, Yona and Jerusza sleep in the forest under a bright canopy of the same stars that the refugees wish upon as they wait for the war to end. Those stars sometimes remain unseen for months on end as winter descends, making it easier for Yona and the refugees to conceal themselves from their would-be captors. "You can hardly see them above the trees. They disappear deep in the forest, don't they?" one of the refugees observes. "By the grace of God, may we all be vanishing stars." As the refugees cautiously light the candles in the menorah Yona makes for them, they experience "light in the darkness. The hope of a miracle."
Just as the refugees who survive declare that they must live in order to honor their dead, Harmel is committed to honoring those who were impacted by World War II with her fictional tales. With The Forest of Vanishing Stars she has excelled at doing so. It is an exquisite, compassionately crafted, memorable story. A must-read for all fans of World War II-era historical fiction.
Thanks to NetGalley for an Advance Reader's Copy of the book.
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LibraryThing member susan0316
With her last several books, Kristin Harmel has become one of the top authors of WWII historical fiction. She always writes well researched books with strong and resilient women and leaves her readers with stories that they won't forget. She has become one of the few authors that I will her books
In 1922, Jerusza, a wizened old lady, steals two year old Yona from the home of her wealthy German parents. She raises Yona deep in the woods of eastern Europe. She brings Yona up to understand nature and to protect herself from the outside world. When Jerusza dies in 1941, Yona has never been to a village or talked to anyone. Her 'alonenness' is gone when she decides to help a Jewish family who are in the woods to try to escape from the Nazi soldiers. They tell her what is going on in the world and about the persecution of the Jewish people by the Nazis. She vows to herself to keep the group safe and teach them all that she knows about life in the forest and how to avoid capture and certain death. In turn, Yona learns a lot, too - she learns what it's like to be part of a family and learns to love and care about other people.
The part of the book when Yona is in the woods with this group is suspenseful. There is infighting within the group even as they all struggle to stay hidden from the soldiers. There is a problem finding food for all of the group and occasional trips to a village are filled with danger. This is a book about love and family and working together to take care of each other.
Be sure to read the author's notes at the end of the book to learn more about her research and the real people that inspired this story.
This is another powerful, beautifully written novel that you don't want to miss.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review.
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without knowing anything about them because I know that I'll be getting a fantastic book.In 1922, Jerusza, a wizened old lady, steals two year old Yona from the home of her wealthy German parents. She raises Yona deep in the woods of eastern Europe. She brings Yona up to understand nature and to protect herself from the outside world. When Jerusza dies in 1941, Yona has never been to a village or talked to anyone. Her 'alonenness' is gone when she decides to help a Jewish family who are in the woods to try to escape from the Nazi soldiers. They tell her what is going on in the world and about the persecution of the Jewish people by the Nazis. She vows to herself to keep the group safe and teach them all that she knows about life in the forest and how to avoid capture and certain death. In turn, Yona learns a lot, too - she learns what it's like to be part of a family and learns to love and care about other people.
The part of the book when Yona is in the woods with this group is suspenseful. There is infighting within the group even as they all struggle to stay hidden from the soldiers. There is a problem finding food for all of the group and occasional trips to a village are filled with danger. This is a book about love and family and working together to take care of each other.
Be sure to read the author's notes at the end of the book to learn more about her research and the real people that inspired this story.
This is another powerful, beautifully written novel that you don't want to miss.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review.
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LibraryThing member CassiesBooksReader
The Forest of Vanishing Stars by Kristin Harmel is a Historical World War II Novel set in the European wilderness. Historical Fiction is a favorite of mine and this book has an unusual perspective on World War II Europe.
Yona’s life seems unbelievable in this time period but her story is
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I appreciate the opportunity and thank the author and publisher for allowing me to read, enjoy and review this book. 5 Stars
Yona’s life seems unbelievable in this time period but her story is
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fascinating and I could not put this book down. The hope, bravery and perseverance of the people was inspiring. When we are oppressed by evil we should pray for the same strength. Ms. Harmel’s books always have an interesting view of life with exceptional and realistic characters.I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I appreciate the opportunity and thank the author and publisher for allowing me to read, enjoy and review this book. 5 Stars
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LibraryThing member fredreeca
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
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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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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LibraryThing member BettyTaylor56
I love Ms. Harmel’s books and think this may be her best so far. Her newest book is a story of hope, courage, bravery, survival, and love. It is also a story of determining who we are inside and how to become that person.
Yona was born to a German family and named Inge. But when she was two years
As the Nazis gained ground in Poland, thousands of Jews fled to the deep forests of Eastern Europe to escape their clutches. When Yona encounters some of these Jews, she feels she must help them survive. But because she has been isolated deep in the forest throughout her life, she has no social skills. All this leads to a fascinating story of underground bunkers, danger, hardships, trust, conflict, and betrayal. But through it all, Yona learns how to open her heart to others. And when Yona comes face-to-face with her past, her world is turned upside down.
Ms. Harmel did intense research so she could tell the story of the real-life Jews who lived this story. The writing was so vivid that I felt an emotional connection with the characters. I could feel their fear, their hunger, their shivering in the harsh winters, and the solace that came from looking up at the stars from deep within the forest.
I highly recommend this stunning book to all historical fiction fans.
Yona was born to a German family and named Inge. But when she was two years
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old, she was stolen from her parents by a woman named Jerusza and renamed Yona. Living in the forest, Jerusza taught Yona valuable survival skills. These skills would be the key to Yona’s survival and her ability to save other lives. As the Nazis gained ground in Poland, thousands of Jews fled to the deep forests of Eastern Europe to escape their clutches. When Yona encounters some of these Jews, she feels she must help them survive. But because she has been isolated deep in the forest throughout her life, she has no social skills. All this leads to a fascinating story of underground bunkers, danger, hardships, trust, conflict, and betrayal. But through it all, Yona learns how to open her heart to others. And when Yona comes face-to-face with her past, her world is turned upside down.
Ms. Harmel did intense research so she could tell the story of the real-life Jews who lived this story. The writing was so vivid that I felt an emotional connection with the characters. I could feel their fear, their hunger, their shivering in the harsh winters, and the solace that came from looking up at the stars from deep within the forest.
I highly recommend this stunning book to all historical fiction fans.
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LibraryThing member PitcherBooks
Too much reliance on fairytale tropes for such a serious subject.
The amazing enigmatic mystic elder/teacher, the kidnapped girl-child almost disney-like in her perfection, raised in the wilderness, perfectly trained both morally and physically, to rescue Jewish refugees from future Nazi murderers.
Full of shallow disney-like rock-em, sock-em action, adventure, suspense and thrills. A pale and unrealistic echo of the reality that inspired the novel.
One failed romance with a slightly flawed man but luckily followed by a perfect romance with a tragic hero. The contrived and unlikely meeting with an crazy, evil and obsessed father.
Having read a number of first hand accounts, this "too precious" novel just does not sit well with me. Characters of little depth left me unmoved. This novel is lacking in authenticity; it does not bring the harsh realities to life. I found it wavered between twee, silly and insulting. It trivializes horrors from a too current past.
If you want to read a Holocaust Lite novel - this is it. I would not recommend it to anyone other certain tweens and teens who are completely unable to deal with the reality of non-fiction accounts. - pb.
Stunningly great and utterly riveting titles I would recommend instead:
1. Diary of Anne Frank
2. Survival in Auschwitz by Primo Levi
3. Walls: Resisting the Third Reich--One Woman's Story by Hiltgunt Zassenhaus
4. A Woman of No Importance; The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win WWII by Sonia Purnell
5. Hiroshima by John Hersey
6. Black Rain by Masuji Ibuse
7. House of Sixty Fathers by Meindert DeJong
The amazing enigmatic mystic elder/teacher, the kidnapped girl-child almost disney-like in her perfection, raised in the wilderness, perfectly trained both morally and physically, to rescue Jewish refugees from future Nazi murderers.
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Full of shallow disney-like rock-em, sock-em action, adventure, suspense and thrills. A pale and unrealistic echo of the reality that inspired the novel.
One failed romance with a slightly flawed man but luckily followed by a perfect romance with a tragic hero. The contrived and unlikely meeting with an crazy, evil and obsessed father.
Having read a number of first hand accounts, this "too precious" novel just does not sit well with me. Characters of little depth left me unmoved. This novel is lacking in authenticity; it does not bring the harsh realities to life. I found it wavered between twee, silly and insulting. It trivializes horrors from a too current past.
If you want to read a Holocaust Lite novel - this is it. I would not recommend it to anyone other certain tweens and teens who are completely unable to deal with the reality of non-fiction accounts. - pb.
Stunningly great and utterly riveting titles I would recommend instead:
1. Diary of Anne Frank
2. Survival in Auschwitz by Primo Levi
3. Walls: Resisting the Third Reich--One Woman's Story by Hiltgunt Zassenhaus
4. A Woman of No Importance; The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win WWII by Sonia Purnell
5. Hiroshima by John Hersey
6. Black Rain by Masuji Ibuse
7. House of Sixty Fathers by Meindert DeJong
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LibraryThing member Twink
I've been enjoying the myriad WWII books that are popping up everywhere. My latest listen is The Forest of Vanishing Stars by Kristin Harmel.
Inga is only two when she is stolen from the home of her parents by an old woman. Things get a bit mystical here as the old woman takes Inga (now known as
The premise intrigued me...what is Yona's purpose? Will she make contact with other people? How will the war tie in? Is she going to be safe? The connection with others is one the first questions answered. Can you imagine having seen only one person in twenty years and having no concept of what the 'real' world is like, despite being taught?
The scenes and the events in the forest are based on real events. Harmel provides a detailed author's note at the end, giving us the real accounts of the Jews who survived by hiding and living in the forest for years. It's quite fascinating. Gentle readers, Harmel's recounting of this piece of history also contains descriptions of atrocities committed by the Germans.
The Forest of Vanishing Stars is also a search for meaning, purpose, faith, relationships and yes, romance for Yona. I liked Yona and her inner strength. There are a large number of supporting characters as well. A few of these felt like caricatures, there for a specific purpose. Zus however was well drawn and I found him to be quite believable. And full of hard earned wisdom. "Your identity isn’t determined by your birth. All that matters is what we make ourselves into, what we choose to do with our life".
The reader was Madeleine Maby. She has an well modulated voice and her speaking speed is good. Her tone is somewhat 'full' if that makes sense. It's not as crisp as I prefer. Her voice is expressive, rising and falling to illustrate the tension and events of The Forest of Vanishing Stars. She captures Yona's innocence with her voice and it grows stronger as Yona does.
Inga is only two when she is stolen from the home of her parents by an old woman. Things get a bit mystical here as the old woman takes Inga (now known as
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Yona) to live in the forest and teaches her how to survive. She also tells Yona that she has a very important purpose to fulfill. The two are alone for almost twenty years, until the old woman's death. And now Yona is alone. And the war has begun...The premise intrigued me...what is Yona's purpose? Will she make contact with other people? How will the war tie in? Is she going to be safe? The connection with others is one the first questions answered. Can you imagine having seen only one person in twenty years and having no concept of what the 'real' world is like, despite being taught?
The scenes and the events in the forest are based on real events. Harmel provides a detailed author's note at the end, giving us the real accounts of the Jews who survived by hiding and living in the forest for years. It's quite fascinating. Gentle readers, Harmel's recounting of this piece of history also contains descriptions of atrocities committed by the Germans.
The Forest of Vanishing Stars is also a search for meaning, purpose, faith, relationships and yes, romance for Yona. I liked Yona and her inner strength. There are a large number of supporting characters as well. A few of these felt like caricatures, there for a specific purpose. Zus however was well drawn and I found him to be quite believable. And full of hard earned wisdom. "Your identity isn’t determined by your birth. All that matters is what we make ourselves into, what we choose to do with our life".
The reader was Madeleine Maby. She has an well modulated voice and her speaking speed is good. Her tone is somewhat 'full' if that makes sense. It's not as crisp as I prefer. Her voice is expressive, rising and falling to illustrate the tension and events of The Forest of Vanishing Stars. She captures Yona's innocence with her voice and it grows stronger as Yona does.
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LibraryThing member kristy1992
I always learn something new when I read a Kristin Harmel novel. After reading several WWII novels, I thought I would take a break for a while but this one was just too intriguing to hold off any longer. The extensive research Kristin does is evident throughout the story. Her characters are well
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developed and illicit emotions from you while reading. The beginning of the book was different and I was not sure where it was going with why an elderly woman would kidnap a child and take her to the forest to save her. It is not until the last chapters you discover why Jerusza had to take Yona/Inga many years ago. I loved the twist! Another excellent book from Kristin! Show Less
LibraryThing member thewanderingjew
The Forest of Vanishing Stars, Kristin Harmel, author; Madeleine Maby, narrator
Jerusza is in the eighth decade of her life. It is 1922. She is in Berlin. All of her life she has listened to the voices in her head, advising her and warning her of events to take place. If she isn’t unstable, she
Yona finds that she cannot walk away from those in need, and often, there is danger. She discovers love and loyalty and their opposites. The old woman had cautioned her about human emotions and attachments, but she no longer adheres to her rules. She discovers secrets which shake her to her very foundation. She feels guilt and confusion. She and Jerusza moved often and interacted with no one. She has no place she calls home or people she identifies with as family, but everyone demands to know to whom or what she belongs. Some people need her to identify herself more fully, but she cannot. She doesn’t understand why it is important. If you trust her, what difference does it make. The very essence of Hitler’s theories about Jews are contradicted by that simple question. If you respect her as a Christian, if she is compassionate and heroic, if she saves your life, when you find out she is not one of you, not a Jew, perhaps not a Christian, why should you not respect her still? Why should she suddenly be untrustworthy and threatening. She learns that hate is taught and sometimes cannot be reversed. She learns that some people are unkind and jealous. She learns that some people are disloyal.
This book is unique in its analysis of the characters. Their loss and their grief, their guilt and their shame, their specific identity and feelings of loyalty to their own kind is presented through the eyes of a child brought up outside of civilization, belonging to no one in particular and having no particular identity of her own. As she searches for it, she encounters real love for the first time. She had experienced anger occasionally from Jerusza, but never deceit. The world around her, often confounded her. She had been untouched by society’s ills because she was protected by the forest. For her, there were simple truths. Was she Jewish? Did it matter? Was she good? Were her actions harmful? Was she a threat? Was she helping or hurting the individuals she met? Sometimes the outcome of her intervention was not what she expected.
If the person you are with is a good person, someone you respect, isn’t that person the same regardless of their religion, sexual preference, color? If you find her identity is not what you thought, has she changed or have you? Is she not the same good person? If you reject a person based on their identity, are you not then becoming the image of your enemy, the same one who wants to destroy you because of the identity they attribute to you? The tragedies and secrets revealed in the novel are both touching and shocking. To whom do we owe allegiance? Is it possible to sacrifice oneself willingly for the greater good or is something else driving heroes? Is it vengeance? The history is carefully adhered to, but the use of the supernatural voices that advised Yona and Jerusza sometimes stretched credulity.
Much has been written about the horrors of the Holocaust and the murder of millions of innocents during World War II. It was a war started by Hitler. The Germans and the Axis powers who supported the violence and barbarism, turned a blind eye to the horror, brutality, death and destruction for their own personal gain. It will forever be an indelible stain on our history because the depth of man’s inhumanity to man was beyond the belief of most normal people. There is no analysis that can find a legitimate way to excuse or even understand the mindset that overtook the leaders of a part of the world with a kind of mob hysteria, allowing even their citizens to turn a blind eye to the torture and murder of a monumental number of blameless victims. Millions of people are not here today because of the Holocaust horror. Families were robbed of their history, their homes and their heritage. The world was robbed of the genius of these people and their contributions. This book exposes the hypocrisy of those involved. Shame on all of them.
Jerusza is in the eighth decade of her life. It is 1922. She is in Berlin. All of her life she has listened to the voices in her head, advising her and warning her of events to take place. If she isn’t unstable, she
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seems to have the gift of second sight. She has been told to take a two year old child, named Inge and raise her in the forest. Her parents are not good people. She steals the child from her bedroom and brings her deep into the forest. She changes the child’s name from Inge to Yona, meaning dove. Yona has the birthmark of a dove on her wrist. A dove is the symbol of peace. She demands that Yona obey her unconditionally and as the years pass, she makes her promise to always remain in the forest to be safe. She knows that terrible things are coming, but she insists that the forest will provide for her and protect her. She provides Yona with books, teaches her to speak several languages, and how to survive in the forest. She teaches her about the secrets of the foods in the forest, how to heal, hunt, fish and kill. She can sustain herself totally without any contact with the outside world. She teaches her about Jewish culture, but does not say if she is Jewish. Yona does not identify as anything specific. She does not know if she belongs anyplace else but alone in the forest. After two decades, Jerusza dies at the ripe old age of 102. Yona is alone. She grows curious about her background. Who were her parents? She sets out to find out if she was ever loved. She disobeys Jerusza. As she travels through the forest, she meets people and discovers the feeling of both belonging and loneliness. She also discovers that some people do not trust her, and she does not understand why. Often, she too feels the gift of second sight and can anticipate coming danger. Is she a witch?Yona finds that she cannot walk away from those in need, and often, there is danger. She discovers love and loyalty and their opposites. The old woman had cautioned her about human emotions and attachments, but she no longer adheres to her rules. She discovers secrets which shake her to her very foundation. She feels guilt and confusion. She and Jerusza moved often and interacted with no one. She has no place she calls home or people she identifies with as family, but everyone demands to know to whom or what she belongs. Some people need her to identify herself more fully, but she cannot. She doesn’t understand why it is important. If you trust her, what difference does it make. The very essence of Hitler’s theories about Jews are contradicted by that simple question. If you respect her as a Christian, if she is compassionate and heroic, if she saves your life, when you find out she is not one of you, not a Jew, perhaps not a Christian, why should you not respect her still? Why should she suddenly be untrustworthy and threatening. She learns that hate is taught and sometimes cannot be reversed. She learns that some people are unkind and jealous. She learns that some people are disloyal.
This book is unique in its analysis of the characters. Their loss and their grief, their guilt and their shame, their specific identity and feelings of loyalty to their own kind is presented through the eyes of a child brought up outside of civilization, belonging to no one in particular and having no particular identity of her own. As she searches for it, she encounters real love for the first time. She had experienced anger occasionally from Jerusza, but never deceit. The world around her, often confounded her. She had been untouched by society’s ills because she was protected by the forest. For her, there were simple truths. Was she Jewish? Did it matter? Was she good? Were her actions harmful? Was she a threat? Was she helping or hurting the individuals she met? Sometimes the outcome of her intervention was not what she expected.
If the person you are with is a good person, someone you respect, isn’t that person the same regardless of their religion, sexual preference, color? If you find her identity is not what you thought, has she changed or have you? Is she not the same good person? If you reject a person based on their identity, are you not then becoming the image of your enemy, the same one who wants to destroy you because of the identity they attribute to you? The tragedies and secrets revealed in the novel are both touching and shocking. To whom do we owe allegiance? Is it possible to sacrifice oneself willingly for the greater good or is something else driving heroes? Is it vengeance? The history is carefully adhered to, but the use of the supernatural voices that advised Yona and Jerusza sometimes stretched credulity.
Much has been written about the horrors of the Holocaust and the murder of millions of innocents during World War II. It was a war started by Hitler. The Germans and the Axis powers who supported the violence and barbarism, turned a blind eye to the horror, brutality, death and destruction for their own personal gain. It will forever be an indelible stain on our history because the depth of man’s inhumanity to man was beyond the belief of most normal people. There is no analysis that can find a legitimate way to excuse or even understand the mindset that overtook the leaders of a part of the world with a kind of mob hysteria, allowing even their citizens to turn a blind eye to the torture and murder of a monumental number of blameless victims. Millions of people are not here today because of the Holocaust horror. Families were robbed of their history, their homes and their heritage. The world was robbed of the genius of these people and their contributions. This book exposes the hypocrisy of those involved. Shame on all of them.
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LibraryThing member pdebolt
In this unique, somewhat mystical, novel, an elderly woman kidnaps a child from her bedroom in Berlin, and takes her to live in the forest. They live there for twenty years, during which time the woman teaches the girl how survive in the forest. The woman also teaches the child she names Yona
The author's notes and acknowledgements at the end of the book are especially interesting. It was well researched, and will lead me to learn more the tragic events in the cruel and gruesome history of the Nazis in Poland during WWII.
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several languages and the meaning of life. Meanwhile, WWII begins to rage, with man's inhumanity to man a constant threat. The old woman dies at the age of 102 when Yona is forced to trust the people she encounters in the forest, who are seeking shelter from the Nazis' wrath. She becomes one of them and teaches them the survival skills they will need in the forests of eastern Europe. Yona eventually meets the man whom the old woman has named as her father. To her horror, he is a high-ranking Nazi soldier with the power of life and death over the Jewish people she has come to love. The author's notes and acknowledgements at the end of the book are especially interesting. It was well researched, and will lead me to learn more the tragic events in the cruel and gruesome history of the Nazis in Poland during WWII.
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LibraryThing member bookwyrmm
A fictional tale of survival during the Holocaust with a hint of magical realism.
LibraryThing member debs4jc
An outstanding blend of WWII fiction and fantasy elements.
At first this novel didn't feel like a WWII historical fiction book. An old woman hears God's voice telling her to go into the city and steal a baby away and raise the child in the forest. It sounds like the start of a fantasy- yet the city
Fans of WWII fiction who think they have read every different kind of novel that there is to read about the war will find that there are still plenty of twists, plenty of surprises to be found in stories like this one. I loved how it felt a bit like a fantasy at first, and how Yona wrestled with difficult questions of identity and belonging all throughout the book. This was an excellent novel and I could hardly put it down until I was finished. I highly recommend it.
At first this novel didn't feel like a WWII historical fiction book. An old woman hears God's voice telling her to go into the city and steal a baby away and raise the child in the forest. It sounds like the start of a fantasy- yet the city
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is Berlin and the forest is in Poland, and a ruler named Adolf Hitler is about to come to power. Still the first part of the novel details how Jerusza teaches Yona the art of surviving in the forest, and how Yona longs for something she has never had - a true family. Shortly after Jerusza dies, Yona starts to encounter other people in the woods. They are Jews fleeing for their lives. Yona was raised knowing the Jewish traditions, for Jerusza was a Jew, though she was also taught about other religions as well. And Yona knows that by birth, she is German. Yona has a deep sense of right and wrong, however, and to her it is always right to help a fellow human being who is in need. So, even though she has always been taught to be fearful of other people and to stay away from them, she begins to help those that she finds lost and alone in the forest. Soon she finds herself living with a band of Jewish refugees. But living in a community brings new challenges for Yona, who knows little about the ways that groups of people operate. And the ever-present danger of discovery by the Nazi's keeps the group moving to avoid danger after danger. Will Yona find the true family that she has always longed for? Will the Jews of the forest be able to survive against overwhelming odds? The reader has to keep reading to the end to find the answers to these questions!Fans of WWII fiction who think they have read every different kind of novel that there is to read about the war will find that there are still plenty of twists, plenty of surprises to be found in stories like this one. I loved how it felt a bit like a fantasy at first, and how Yona wrestled with difficult questions of identity and belonging all throughout the book. This was an excellent novel and I could hardly put it down until I was finished. I highly recommend it.
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LibraryThing member rmarcin
I devoured this book in one sitting. I was captivated by the story of Inge/Yona. Stolen as a child and raised in the forest, Yona is destined for bigger things, but she doesn’t know what. When the Germans start murdering Jews, and Jews begin to find refuge in the forest, Yona becomes a guide to
This is a beautiful story of trust, survival, love, loss, perseverance, determination, and empathy. I loved every word.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy. All opinions are my own and freely given.
#KristinHarmel #NetGalley #ForestOfVanishingStars
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groups, teaching them how to survive. This is a beautiful story of trust, survival, love, loss, perseverance, determination, and empathy. I loved every word.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy. All opinions are my own and freely given.
#KristinHarmel #NetGalley #ForestOfVanishingStars
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LibraryThing member sbenne3
I am a huge fan of 1940s historical fiction, but this one just didn't hold my interest. I didn't find the characters to be very endearing and didn't think there was very good closure on the main character's connection back to her childhood. I also got a bit bored as the traveling through the forest
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was a very common theme. The book was well written, I just didn't connect with the premise or the characters. Show Less
LibraryThing member Jynell
Kristin Harmel is magic when she writes. She has this power of bringing her stories to life, making the reader feel as though they are involved in the story, and writes such beautiful tales of woe and love.
The Forest of Vanishing Stars is no exception. I felt everything Yona was feeling - from the
The Forest of Vanishing Stars is no exception. I felt everything Yona was feeling - from the
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isolation, to love, to betrayal. I cannot imagine all she endured. I appreciated the view into her life during this time, the small acts that allowed her to survive, and the constant faith. Show Less
LibraryThing member mlhershey
Okay.....a little repeticious. Main character was a bit unbelieveable, however I was impressed by the amount of research author had done
LibraryThing member JanaRose1
As an infant, Yona is kidnapped from her German parents by Jerusza. A mystic, Jerusza believes she has been guided to take Yona for a greater purposes. Jerusza teaches Yona how to survive in the forest, and imprints on her the need to be cautious and wary of civilization. After Jerusza's death,
I did not love the mystical elements throughout the book. I did enjoy Yona's story, and her interactions with people in the forest. This was an interesting holocaust novel with a unique perspective. Overall, 3 out of 5 stars.
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Yona encounters Jews fleeing from Nazi encampments. Yona teaches them to survive, and slowly finds herself trusting them.I did not love the mystical elements throughout the book. I did enjoy Yona's story, and her interactions with people in the forest. This was an interesting holocaust novel with a unique perspective. Overall, 3 out of 5 stars.
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LibraryThing member JoniMFisher
Astounding story of depth which reveals the scope of good and evil in humanity. Full of twists and turns and memorable characters. I highly recommend this book! If you read Where the Crawdads Sing you will enjoy this story set in the forests of Poland during WWII.
LibraryThing member Romonko
This is a WWII novel, and it definitely points out another side of WWII and the impact that it had on Polish Jews. It is based on true events and fleshed out with real and likeable characters. During the war there were a number of Polish Jews that escaped from the carnage in their towns and
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villages , and from the ghettos, and escaped to live in hiding in the forest. They lived a nomadic existence travelling every few days in order to survive. Yona is a young woman who was taken from her German parents at the age of two, and she lived a nomadic existence in the forest with the woman who had stolen her for years before the war began. When the war began, Yona came across some of the nomadic Jews and helped them to survive in the forest for years. The story is heartbreaking, but it is also filled with hope and the strength of humanity living in appalling circumstances. I loved the history behind this novel, and I enjoyed the characters, but I thought it focused too much on romance, to the point where I lost interest and skipped through those sections. I am not a fan of the romance genre, and did not feel that this aspect fit into this storyline. That is why I gave it three stars. I do wish they'd list romance in the list of descriptions about novels. This is the second or third time that I have come across it, and I always feel the same way. Kirsten Harmel's writing is beautiful as always. If you enjoyed "The Tattooist of Auschwitz, or books similar to that, you'll love this book. Show Less
LibraryThing member techeditor
The beginning of THE FOREST OF VANISHING STARS seems like a fairytale. Yona has lived deep in a forest, away from society, since she was 2 years old, when she was stolen from her German parents in the 1920s. The almost magical woman who took Yona brought her up to be well read and well prepared
After the woman who raised Yona dies, she lives by herself in the forest until she encounters a small group of Jews who have escaped the ghetto and come to the forest to hide. But they don't know how to survive in the woods. Yona teaches them. She knows instinctively when they are in danger and need to move. As time goes on, more Jews in hiding join their group. They endure and survive because they have Yona, and, for the first time in her life, she feels like she has family.
The majority of THE FOREST OF VANISHING STARS is based on truth. In the 1940s groups of Jews really did hide from German soldiers deep in the forest, they really did use those survival techniques, and they really did endure the hardships and persevere as described in the book. So I thought wrong when I decided too soon that I wasn't going to like it.
Also, be sure to read the "Author's Note" at the end of the story.
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with survival skills. She seemed to know ahead of time that Yona would one day need those skills to lead a group of desperate Jews in hiding from the Germans in the 1940s. Even the book's tone sounded to me like Kristin Harmel was telling the story to a youngster. So I thought when I read this fairytale-like beginning that I would not like the rest of it.After the woman who raised Yona dies, she lives by herself in the forest until she encounters a small group of Jews who have escaped the ghetto and come to the forest to hide. But they don't know how to survive in the woods. Yona teaches them. She knows instinctively when they are in danger and need to move. As time goes on, more Jews in hiding join their group. They endure and survive because they have Yona, and, for the first time in her life, she feels like she has family.
The majority of THE FOREST OF VANISHING STARS is based on truth. In the 1940s groups of Jews really did hide from German soldiers deep in the forest, they really did use those survival techniques, and they really did endure the hardships and persevere as described in the book. So I thought wrong when I decided too soon that I wasn't going to like it.
Also, be sure to read the "Author's Note" at the end of the story.
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LibraryThing member pennykaplan
An amazing story based on fact of persecuted Jews hiding and surviving in the Polish forest during WWII. Sometimes almost a fable appropriate for this horrific story.
LibraryThing member janismack
What an incredible story of jewish people fleeing Nazi terrorism to survive in the forest. Yona a young woman raised by Jerusza to survive alone in the forest, meets up with a group of people fleeing the towns under Nazi occupation. She becomes instrumental in their survival. Recommended.
LibraryThing member Maydacat
A two-year-old girl is stolen from her German parents. Her kidnapper somehow senses that this young girl has a much greater destiny to fulfill. The old woman teaches this youngster many things. They live in a forest, making do with what nature supplies as well as what the old woman can steal. Two
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decades later, it does seem like this now young woman will have a special destiny. She encounters some Jews who have fled the Nazis and are hiding in the forest. They are intellectuals, and have little of the skills needy to survive in the deep woods. Now, this woman understands what her purpose in life is, and helps more than one group of Jews to survive until it is safe to return. This book is well written, though the subject matter is brutal, and the many deaths, heart-rending. It would have been a stronger book had the author eliminated some (or all) of the romantic passages. They just didn’t seem to fit the main thrust of the story. The supernatural overtures were also out of place, in my opinion. Was it a sixth sense that these two women of forest had, or something more? Also without explanation is the voice the woman heard in times of danger, and the feeling the “dove” on her wrist sent her. The story had plenty of substance, it didn’t need these additions. Show Less
LibraryThing member Jacsun
We know right away: this is not just another WWII book. It's written by the talented Kristin Harmel and there's only one place for it: somewhere above the five-star rating. This is one powerful book: 384 pages of multiple stories within one.
It's a spiritual journey of a young girl, Yona, who is a
It's a book on survival. Her kidnapper takes Yona at two-years-old and becomes her teacher to show her the ways of the forest. Yona learns tips on how to kill, how to heal. She learns languages, science and religious beliefs. She knows how to find food for those that are starving.
It's about the need for social interaction with other which brings emotions to the surface. How easy it is to fill like a misfit when you're just trying to help.
It's a historical account of Jewish groups that escaped the ghettos during WWII exposing once again the horror of the brutal acts committed by the Nazis. Yona teaches them with her knowledge how to survive.
And finally, it's a book of love.
Kristin Harmel has the gift to tell stories with strong messages on a number of levels. My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this advanced copy.
It's a spiritual journey of a young girl, Yona, who is a
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free spirit with hopes of always doing good things for mankind. She learns: truths lie within you and "be sure your heart is open to hear the answers."It's a book on survival. Her kidnapper takes Yona at two-years-old and becomes her teacher to show her the ways of the forest. Yona learns tips on how to kill, how to heal. She learns languages, science and religious beliefs. She knows how to find food for those that are starving.
It's about the need for social interaction with other which brings emotions to the surface. How easy it is to fill like a misfit when you're just trying to help.
It's a historical account of Jewish groups that escaped the ghettos during WWII exposing once again the horror of the brutal acts committed by the Nazis. Yona teaches them with her knowledge how to survive.
And finally, it's a book of love.
Kristin Harmel has the gift to tell stories with strong messages on a number of levels. My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this advanced copy.
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Awards
Indie Next List (July 2021)
LibraryReads (Monthly Pick — July 2021)
Language
Original publication date
2021-07
ISBN
9781982158941