Such a beautifully written story based on historical events.

Following Yona's story was inspiring and heartbreaking to know what pain and suffering had occured.

Oh how I loved this book. As a Jew, I freely admit that I love love to read stories about my people though I worried not a little about the fact that here I was, reading another Holocaust book, and maybe it was time to find a different niche. But I have absolutely no regrets about Forest of Vanishing Stars. It’s not just another Holocaust book and on the contrary, it explores survival in a space that gets so little note: Jewish survival in the abundant forests of Eastern Europe, and not just mere survival, a revival of their sense of self and need to fight on in whatever way possible.

I don’t want to go into a lot of details because my dear readers, I want you to discover the story and it’s many twists on your own. I will say that while this is a Jewish story, it is ultimately a human story in every way: a story of a search for a place in the world, a story of belonging and a story of love and light in the darkest moments of life,

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. 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 a compassionately crafted, memorable story. A must-read for all fans of World War II-era historical fiction.

I have read most of this author's books, and enjoyed them all, but this must be the best. It covers a very dark period in history during WW2. Taking place in Germany, Poland and Belarus it is about a group of Jews, hiding from the Nazis in the forest. It is incredibly well researched and descriptions are so vivid I felt as if I was there with them. The main protagonist is a young woman who was kidnapped from her wealthy family. Her strength and knowledge of the forest helps a group of Jews to survive.

I thought Kristin Harmel's The Forest of Vanishing Stars to be a great read. I would love to read more by her in the future. Four stars

The Forest of Vanishing Stars

There hasn't been a book about WWII and the Holocaust that has stuck with me long past the close of the book since Number the Stars by Lois Lowery that I read as a 5th grader. Till now with The Forest of Vanishing Stars by Kristin Harmel, each book I have read by her has left its mark on me in someway. However this one has remained with me since I closed the book after the last page. This book brings to life the horrors a group of people went through because of their ethnicity and religion as well as what happened to those who tried to help. And while the heroine is fictional the horrors her own father would have subjected her and her mother to simply for only being half German. Sometimes truth is easier to be told through story.


I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

I really enjoyed The Forest of Vanishing Stars by Kristin Harmel. In the past, I overdid it with World War II novels so I had taken a break from them, but needed an easy read and this was just the ticket! I really enjoyed the angle of this story - a young woman who grew up in a forest that ends up helping Jews fleeing the Nazis. There were parts of the story that seemed a little implausible to me (how Yona was kidnapped from her Berlin home at age two by Jerusza, and how they survived in the forest for so long... and also, the ending)... but if you look at the book with the lens of mystery, fantasy, and adventure... it is a delightful book. There is intrigue and suspense, but also kindness, history, and romance. This is genuinely a wonderful story even though it takes place during a difficult part of history.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free advanced ebook copy to read and review. All opinions are my own.

This was an enthralling novel that told of the horrors of war and how one girl and some Jews survived the wilderness. It is rich in historical detail and I enjoyed the author’s note at the end. The story was heartbreaking.
Many thanks to Gallery Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book was definitely unique! I have read a lot of WWII books, and this storyline was unlike anything I have ever read. As always, these books and stories are very inspiring. I could tell that Kristin put in a lot of research into this one and loved reading the author's notes at the end. Overall- I loved reading Yona' story.

I enjoyed this story, but not quite as much as previous Harmel works. I liked the different aspect of the setting, and the fact that the characters were in hiding and relied on the woods for protection. I just found myself wanting more from the characters and their interactions. It all felt very forced to me, for the sake of moving the plot along.

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

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 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

An amazing story about identity, morality and answering the call to do what is right in the face of risk. This book is breathtaking in depth and sense of place and it was a moving piece of literature and historical fiction sure to impress readers.

The Forest of Vanishing Stars is yet another fabulous story of Kristin Harmel's. As a Jewish person, I always like delving into her stories. This book tells not only a tale of history, but magic and faith as well.

Another Kristin Harmel book that is brilliantly written. I absolutely loved this this book. If you haven’t read this book or any book by Kristin Harmel I don’t know what your waiting for. Go read them.

I have always loved stories about World War II, and think they are so important to tell. In The Forest of Vanishing Stars, Yona is raised in the wilderness after being stolen from wealthy German parents. After her kidnapper dies, Yona eventually finds herself helping Jews fleeing the Nazis. Yona is able to keep many people safe, as a result of the survival skills she learned growing up. This book had an interesting concept, but I felt like the first half dragged on. Yona kept stumbling upon different people to help. The ending gets more interesting once she is confronted with her past. The authors note showed that Harmel did a lot of research for this book, but I was just hoping for a little more. I think there was just too much of Yona hiding out in the woods, going on and on for me to fully enjoy it.

I have read a lot of World War 2 books. It is a period I enjoy reading about but often times need to take a break after reading so many books that are similar. The Forest of Vanishing Stars, to me, was a fresh new perspective for this time period. It is an aspect that I was not as familiar with and with the author's note seeing how well researched this book was it truly earned 5 starts in my book.

The book starts with a hint of magical realism and has some aspects that may require some suspension of belief or a very strong belief in higher powers. That being said I think it was worth the storytelling that these stretches allow for. Yona was stolen as a 2 year-old child by an 82 year-old woman, Jerusza, who saw it as a necessity. She raised her in the woods, teaching her to be self-sufficient and a survivor. She also taught her to be wary of other humans.

When Jerusza passes away Yona finds herself wandering alone the woods of Poland. As she moves she comes across a group of Jews escaping the ghetto. She quickly realizes that without her help they will not survive and decides her purpose is to help these individuals in need before resuming her independent life. What she doesn't forsee is the impact that living with and depending on others will have on her future.

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 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.

Story: Yona, stolen as a toddler, has lived in the forest all of her life. She hardly remembers the life in Berlin that she had. But the woman who took her, Jerusza, has taught her to take care of herself in this forest, and she has not even been in a village. She knows the forest, how to fish, feed herself, take shelter, and travel without the outside world. Yet after Jerusza dies, she is alone, and then she finds people who need her help, the Jewish who had run into the woods to escape prosecution from the Nazis. She beings to help them, and she learns more about herself and also the world around her. What will happen to her, will she be found out, or will they all survive? This story is based on what really happened in WWII, though it is fictional. Will she find her family, does she want to find her family, and who will she embrace into her heart?

Final Notes: The Forest of Vanishing Stars 10/5 Stars!!!

I want to thank the author for writing this wonderful novel, one of the best novels I have ever read, and Netgalley for letting me read and review it! I cannot thank you enough, I will keep looking for all of her books, and I am planning on purchasing the audiobook of this, as a Christmas gift for myself! Yona is one of the most complex heroines I have ever met, and I felt her struggle, it was as if I was in the forest with her and as her during her story as it unfolded. If you only read one book this year, This is The Book!!!! I could have written so much more, but I do not want to bore or spoil this wonderful book! Until the next time, A Girl and Her Tablet is saying I’ll be seeing you soo soon!

I have enjoyed Kristin Harmel as I love historical fiction, specifically WWII historical fiction. And with so many of these titles out there, Harmel is still able to keep this category refreshing! I enjoyed this story, however I felt it was a bit slow the first quarter of the way through. However, the book was thrilling and had a mystery element to it that I enjoyed. Her writing is very engaging and I will recommend!

I struggled with the beginning chapters of this book, because of the mystical overtones - not what I expected. But the majority of the book was more typical of Harmel's writing and quite heart-wrenching. I was unaware of the large numbers of Jews who hid from the Nazis in the deep forests. I recommend this book for those who are looking for historical fiction with a touch of magic and romance.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.