Scan barcode
alexandramilne's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
stephanelli's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
tigerlilliereads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
3.75
sirts's review against another edition
3.0
Sad, beautiful, enchanting... I'm also dealing with love bugs! Help!
jasmine_elizabeth's review against another edition
4.0
This was a beautiful read about finding your place in the world. Louisa finds herself at the carnival where she hopes to find her father but instead she finds trouble as someone is thieving the performers magic.
The friendships were lovely and i just loved the reveals at the end.
The friendships were lovely and i just loved the reveals at the end.
jenniferreads2's review against another edition
4.0
Sweet and well written. One of those middle grade books that even adults will enjoy.
belle_fiction's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars
The Forest of Stars really surprised me - I never thought a middle grade book would be so utterly compelling (and downright terrifying in places) nor leave me wanting more. I was initially drawn to this book by the cover which gave me strong The Night Circus vibes and having read so many glowing reviews about it on GR, decided to pick it up.
The book follows Louisa, a girl whose feet don't quite touch the ground, and she is left alone in the world after the horrible demise of her mother and the disappearance of her father who was seemingly carried away to The Forest of Stars, never to be seen again. On her quest to find her father who she has no memory of, Louisa discovers a ticket admitting her to The Carnival Beneath the Stars located near The Spark Woods.
What follows is a magical, enchanting and terrifying adventure where Louisa makes some very unique friends whilst learning that not everyone at the carnival is what they seem...
The atmosphere is light and whimsical and full of the magical splendor you feel at a circus/carnival but then shifts to become creepy, gothic and unsettling as magic and identities unravel.
This was an absolute delight to read - it was lyrical, evocative yet haunting but imbued with a sense of wonder and awe throughout. It also gave me The Night Circus, Stardust and The Ocean at the End of the Lane vibes and I love all those books! <3
Definitely recommend to lovers of magical realism and circus/carnival settings - believe me, you're in for a treat!
The Forest of Stars really surprised me - I never thought a middle grade book would be so utterly compelling (and downright terrifying in places) nor leave me wanting more. I was initially drawn to this book by the cover which gave me strong The Night Circus vibes and having read so many glowing reviews about it on GR, decided to pick it up.
The book follows Louisa, a girl whose feet don't quite touch the ground, and she is left alone in the world after the horrible demise of her mother and the disappearance of her father who was seemingly carried away to The Forest of Stars, never to be seen again. On her quest to find her father who she has no memory of, Louisa discovers a ticket admitting her to The Carnival Beneath the Stars located near The Spark Woods.
What follows is a magical, enchanting and terrifying adventure where Louisa makes some very unique friends whilst learning that not everyone at the carnival is what they seem...
The atmosphere is light and whimsical and full of the magical splendor you feel at a circus/carnival but then shifts to become creepy, gothic and unsettling as magic and identities unravel.
This was an absolute delight to read - it was lyrical, evocative yet haunting but imbued with a sense of wonder and awe throughout. It also gave me The Night Circus, Stardust and The Ocean at the End of the Lane vibes and I love all those books! <3
Definitely recommend to lovers of magical realism and circus/carnival settings - believe me, you're in for a treat!
someonetookit's review against another edition
5.0
The Forest of Stars was so cute and sweet, while also causing the reader to feel all the things. It’s the story of a girl on the search for her father following the death of her mother. Starting out as a sad but enthralling tale, Louisa’s plight is one of love, loss and what one will do in order to reunite with those they seek.
Louisa herself is a girl lost both physically and metaphorically. After her mother passes away, she leaves her childhood home in search of the man who stole her mothers heart. She feels lonely and abandoned, while also being fiercely independent as a result of necessity. When she finds a ticket to the circus that is visiting town, Louisa takes the opportunity to investigate as a travelling circus was the last place anyone saw her estranged father. In a surprising turn of events (for Louisa not the reader), the circus and its crew embrace her as one of their own, spurring our protagonist to be forced to make the decision of a lifetime – one that could lead to her living a happy life but abandoning all hope of being reunited with the father she and her mother missed so.
I really loved the majority of the supporting cast – there’s a girl who is connected to the shadows (they’re like her pets), a super strong friend who literally keeps Louisa grounded, a woman who tells misfortunes that always come to be and a ringmaster who lost something when he slowly starting turning to metal. I feel like this entire gang of misfits allowed the story of Louisa to be fully realised as they were so integral to the plot, it would have been nothing without them.
Heart-warming and full of soul, I really loved this one. The circus becomes an entity all its own, ominous, and mysterious at times while at others it is like a warm hug for Louisa and her new friends. Being based in a small clearing, the entire setting becomes a character within itself, a style of writing that has forever been a favourite of mine.
The entire narrative made me run a gamut of emotions and honestly it was a welcome change. Although relatively predictable, I feel it was an essential palate cleanser of a novel with its wistful scenery and endlessly supportive cast of misfits. While it did read as a middle grade rather than the YA it is generally advertised as being, it encompasses everything that a well written and fully fleshed out stand alone should be. I definitely recommend it to those of you who love stories with a real heart to them.
Louisa herself is a girl lost both physically and metaphorically. After her mother passes away, she leaves her childhood home in search of the man who stole her mothers heart. She feels lonely and abandoned, while also being fiercely independent as a result of necessity. When she finds a ticket to the circus that is visiting town, Louisa takes the opportunity to investigate as a travelling circus was the last place anyone saw her estranged father. In a surprising turn of events (for Louisa not the reader), the circus and its crew embrace her as one of their own, spurring our protagonist to be forced to make the decision of a lifetime – one that could lead to her living a happy life but abandoning all hope of being reunited with the father she and her mother missed so.
I really loved the majority of the supporting cast – there’s a girl who is connected to the shadows (they’re like her pets), a super strong friend who literally keeps Louisa grounded, a woman who tells misfortunes that always come to be and a ringmaster who lost something when he slowly starting turning to metal. I feel like this entire gang of misfits allowed the story of Louisa to be fully realised as they were so integral to the plot, it would have been nothing without them.
Heart-warming and full of soul, I really loved this one. The circus becomes an entity all its own, ominous, and mysterious at times while at others it is like a warm hug for Louisa and her new friends. Being based in a small clearing, the entire setting becomes a character within itself, a style of writing that has forever been a favourite of mine.
The entire narrative made me run a gamut of emotions and honestly it was a welcome change. Although relatively predictable, I feel it was an essential palate cleanser of a novel with its wistful scenery and endlessly supportive cast of misfits. While it did read as a middle grade rather than the YA it is generally advertised as being, it encompasses everything that a well written and fully fleshed out stand alone should be. I definitely recommend it to those of you who love stories with a real heart to them.