The Forest of Vanishing Stars: A Novel

The Forest of Vanishing Stars has moved me greatly. From the beginning until the very end, it’s a book I know will stay with me for a long time. The storytelling is as breathtaking as it is miraculous. Our main character, Yona, was kidnapped when she was two years old and lived in the forest with her caretaker. She had no human contact and she lived a lonely life. During World War II, the story really starts taking off. Yona meets a group of refugees who she teaches to survive in the forest. It’s then that she learns who she is and everything she is capable of.

I had tears running down my face so many times throughout the book. Reading about all the torture and death that the Jews had to deal with, it was hard to comprehend. The backdrop and magical realism really made the story what it was. It was beautiful and heartbreaking all at once. Harmel did extensive research and it shows. I don’t know what to do with myself now that the story is over. Yona and everyone we met in the book won’t be leaving me anytime soon.