The Forest of Vanishing Stars
A Novel
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wish list failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
The Forest of Vanishing Stars
Buy Now for $26.99
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Kristin Harmel - author's note
-
Madeleine Maby
-
Written by:
-
Kristin Harmel
About this listen
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).
©2021 Kristin Harmel Lietz. All rights reserved. (P)2021 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.What the critics say
"In this compelling coming-of-age story, narrator Madeleine Maby portrays the mysterious Jerusza in a wise and foreboding tone. The intuitive woman kidnaps Yona from Berlin just before her second birthday and raises her in the Naliboki Forest of Poland. Maby's depiction of Yona, initially brimming with curiosity and wonder, evolves to reflect the girl's growth into an increasingly self-assured young woman after Jerusza's death. As WWII approaches, Yona's purpose becomes clear: She is to help the Jews who are hiding in the forest. The author delivers a note on the historical underpinnings of this story at the end of the audiobook. Light, plaintive clarinet music introduces and ends the production." (AudioFile Magazine)
What listeners say about The Forest of Vanishing Stars
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 2021-07-19
good
I enjoyed this book, a different spin on ww1 stories I have read. I never knew about the survivor groups in the forest and enjoyed the authors notes at the end.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- NT
- 2022-02-13
Enjoyed
Started slow, but I came to be very invested in the characters and the story. Though fiction, it is based on historical events, making it even more remarkable when listening to it.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 2023-09-28
Polish holocaust survival in the woods!
I loved hearing about survival in the woods of Poland!
Descriptive and intriguing. Great characters!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- K Rice
- 2021-09-17
Worth the listen. Very impactful.
I listened to this book in the early parts of September 2021. There is so much going on in my/our world during this time. I often see such hatred and divisions, both politically and morally, between people and the comparisons between the Holocaust and what is happening now. The strength of character and hope that the Jewish people had in the face of such horrors and adversity actually gives me a wee bit of hope that my generation can come out of the division we face now. Please be hopeful with me and continue to respect one another.
Definitely worth listening to this book!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Iciclequeen91
- 2021-07-13
Inspiring
I know the book is loosely based on actual events, but it’s still amazing how the group survived under such circumstances.
It goes to show how resilient the human spirit can be.
To all the survivors we shall not forget.
Happy listening
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- D
- 2021-07-27
Excellent read performance excellent
Excellent this book is a must read. The narrator voice was perfect. Many times l closed my eyes so I can feel like I'm in the book. Amazing story line the best so far.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- M.S.
- 2022-09-01
Interesting but not great book
This is an important story from WW2, and I was curious about the forest girl story and the Jewish Resistance. Unfortunately, this book very quickly disappointed me. Not just that many parts of the book were not quite believable, too much romance and preaching just didn’t work for me.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amy Wood
- 2022-12-04
Just incredible
One of my absolute favourite listens of 2022. I just loved this take on a WWII story. Different and stunning.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!