Kristin HarmelThe Forest of Vanishing Stars: A Novel

A hauntingly beautiful and deeply human story set during one of history’s darkest times. With lyrical prose and emotionally rich storytelling, Harmel invites readers into a lesser-known corner of World War II history—Jewish refugees surviving in the forests of Eastern Europe.What makes this story stand out is its unique blend of folklore-like mysticism with gritty, raw historical detail. There is the brutality of the Holocaust, but it is balanced hope, love, and resilience. Yona is a fascinating character—both innocently unworldly and grounded, shaped by nature but driven by a profound moral compass. Her evolution from outsider to protector is powerfulI could feel the seasons change, the weight of hunger, and the ever-present fear of discovery.I was overwhelmed by the strength of the human spirit, the power of chosen family, and the quiet heroism of those who risked everything to protect others.

I considered reading The Forest of Vanishing Stars for several months, but vacillated because one, it was in hardback and those things are expensive. Two, the market is absolutely saturated in World War II fiction at the moment. But when I finally found it in paperback, and at the local price club no less, I could resist no longer.I'm glad I stopped resisting. The Forest of Vanishing Stars is not only a great story, but truly unique in the plethora of World War II fiction available today. That is yes, the Nazis are the enemy. Yes, the protagonists are Jews in hiding, and yes, those Jews are part of the resistance. But this is not your typical World War II story. This is not The Paris Library or The Book of Lost Names or The School for German Brides or any other current book. It's not Night or Schindler's List.There's truly nothing like Forest of Vanishing Stars out there right now. Here, the protagonists are resisting not through writing pamphlets or running an Underground Railroad-type operation or blowing up bridges. They're resisting purely through surviving, continuing to breathe, continuing to live. Here, the main hero or heroine is not a librarian, university student, soldier, nurse, or unwilling civilian. She's a literal forest dweller, a woman who has grown up knowing nothing but the woods, who finds safety and love in them almost like a nymph or fairy (except she's a billion times smarter and tougher). Here, the enemy is not just a random Nazi or collaborator. It's actually a person with a deep connection to heroine Yona, who will force her to make impossible choices--or are they impossible for her?That plot alone kept my pages turning at a clip I never expected. Additionally, I grew to enjoy the characters. Except for Yona and a couple others, not many of them are fleshed out, simply because there are so many. However, that's mostly okay. I loved getting to know and rooting for Yona, both as an individual and as a leader of her group. I loved her intelligence, her toughness, her tenacity, and her humanity. That is, I cringed when she did some selfish or foolish things, like leaving Chana's family or walking away because of what Aleksander did. Then again, would I have done anything different? Characters who make me ask such questions always stick in my mind because they're human.Speaking of questions, I loved the questions and ethical dilemmas of this book. I especially loved how Kristen Harmel presented them. That is, as a reader, you think you know the answer to certain questions like, "Was Jerusza wrong to take Yona from her parents just because of a premonition?" Or, "Was Yona right to confront Juttner in the ways she did, and make the final choice that she did?" But as the book goes on, as the scenes unfold, you find there are layers to the ethical dilemmas. I think readers will come to different conclusions depending on their personal ethics, as I did. But just the fact that a World War II story plumbed these depths, when so many don't, kept my attention.I also enjoyed Kristen Harmel's spiritual threads. Now, I normally read Christian fiction, some of which is subtle and some of which is more overt, and this is not a "Christian" book. It's not a "Jewish" book, either. In fact, there's a lot of talk about all roads leading to God or people finding salvation in different ways, which is not my belief. However, I deeply respected the Jewish and Christian faiths in this book, and how they worked together. I respected Yona's spiritual journey, and how her encounters with both these faiths, plus Jerusza's version of Judaism, plus her insistence on education in all religions, played into that. I also liked the idea of God speaking to Yona and Jerusza through dreams or spiritual messages, such as Yona's dream of ravens. I didn't always agree with what they did in response to those messages, but again, I respected where these women were coming from and the spiritual thread itself.If I could have anything I wanted from The Forest of Vanishing Stars, I would have wanted a bit more character development for some of the other characters. I also personally would not have chosen to give Yona a romance with anyone; the romantic threads personally didn't do much for me and took away from who she was as an independent person focused on survival. Maybe if that had been left for an epilogue or something, it would've been okay. I also wanted to know more about the twist with Yona's birth mother. Maybe if there had been more clues and more foreshadowing, or maybe if Yona had embraced Judaism a bit more. With all that being said however, Forest of Vanishing Stars truly is a unique and remarkable book. It gets my hearty recommendation.

Great book and story

I loved this book. This was probably the best historical fiction of the time period I’ve ever read. I couldn’t put it down, and I know it will stay with me for a very long time. Highly recommend!

What an amazing story based on such a sad time in history. I had no idea about the peop!e hiding in the forests of Poland.

As enjoyable and easy a read as this was, I’m only able to eke out four stars. The plot was extremely predictable and the “gifts” the main character possessed were simply too convenient. Some of the other characters in the book pegged her appropriately at one point, and she should have worn a super-woman cape! Lastly, I found the ending to be terribly unsatisfying. When a main character is badly injured, there needs to be some sort of resolution besides she married and lived happily ever after.Now that I’ve said all of that, I will state that Harmel knows how to create tension, lots of conflict, and a sensitive, likeable character. Yona is all of that, and when she’s kidnapped at two years old by an odd, mysterious old woman, she’s stolen away from a life that will be opportunely touched upon later in the story. Yona’s survival skills, instincts, and intelligence is given to her all within a forest, where (I have no clue where they were getting the books on language and medicine…) things were peaceful and without complication—provided you know which mushrooms to eat and which ones to leave alone! With the advent of WWII, Yona finds herself abruptly alone, curious, and highly susceptible to helping others. She assists struggling Jewish refugees, straight from the ghettos of Poland to live in the forest and find food, as wells as create shelters.When Yona leaves her new-found family and wanders into a village, she gets more than she bargains for, meeting and caring for a wounded child amid the peace of an abbey. Yet another unexpected relationship pops up that is both terrifying and provides closure to a major plot point. Yona flees, returning to the forest to discover that her home is with the “family” she’s made of the Jewish refugees. Amid German hunts for these very people, she helps provide a place of hiding and participates in forages for food—a deadly risk that the refugees elect to take.Harmel provides a fast-paced story and a lot of wonderful descriptive elements that are both tantalizing, touching, and well-written. However, the unlikely plot and rather unbelieveable abilities of Yona and Jeruzcha prevent me from awarding this book 5 stars.

This book was absolutely incredible. My heart broke, it soared and got broken again. I could picture the forest as if I were there. The tragedy of this era in history should never be forgotten. I love how the author has kept it alive so we can remember it for generations.