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A review by kelly_e
Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Title: Where the Forest Meets the Stars
Author: Glendy Vanderah
Genre: Domestic Fiction
Rating: 4.25
Pub Date: March 1 2019
T H R E E β’ W O R D S
Delightful β’ Mysterious β’ Immersive
π S Y N O P S I S
To escape her recent hardships, Joanna throws herself into her research on birds in rural Illinois. When a mysterious child shows up at the cabin she's renting, her world is shaken. The child, who calls herself Ursa, claims to be sent from the stars with the mission to witness five miracles. Somewhat skeptical of the child's story and past, Jo allows her to stay, soon enlisting the help of her neighbor Gabe. As time passes, more questions than answers are unearthed and the three form an incredible bond. Where the Forest Meets the Stars is a beautiful story of love and loss, of grief and pain, and ultimately what it means to live.
π T H O U G H T S
I was initially drawn to this book thanks to the beautiful cover. When I first started, I wasn't sure it was a book for me due to the magical/fantasy aspects, but I am so glad I stuck with it. The characters are believable, vulnerable, and so well developed, each with their own powerful story. How could I not feel connected to and root for Ursa, Jo, and Gabe along the way? When taken together as a whole, the story was engaging, and the writing beautiful. The careful mix of everyday life, the natural world and the mysteries of the universe offered the perfect balance here. And the nature aspect was a welcome addition, adding another layer to the dramatic storyline that I absolutely loved. It is equal parts mystery, fantasy, and romance this was an unexpected and enjoyable read for me.
π R E C O M M E N D β’ T O
β’ fans of child-centered books
β’ readers who enjoy genre bending stories
β’ most readers really
π F A V O U R I T E β’ Q U O T E S
" 'She's kind of like a baby. She didn't know she was supposed to grow up, and that makes her more fun than other grown-up people.' "
" 'As always, words fail when you most want to say the right thing.'
'People think they have to say something, and it never makes me feel better.'
'I know. I've decided language isn't as advanced as we think it is. We're still apes trying to express our thoughts with grunts while most of what we want to communicate stays locked in our brains.' "
"She had most of the book that had belonged to her parents, and she read passages from them every night before she fell asleep or when she had insomnia. As she read, her fingers touching the same pages theirs had touched, her father and mother were right there with her."
" 'When I knew my mother would be dead in a few months, I had two choices...' She looked at him. 'I could distance myself from the pain or get closer to it. Maybe because I'd lost me dad without getting a chance to tell him what he meant to me, I decided to get closer. I got so close, her pain and fear became my own. We shared everything and loved each other like we never had when death was some distance thing. In the end, part of me died with her. I'm not recovered from it even now, but I made the conscious choice to enter the darkness with her. Everyone I know who's lost someone they love has voiced regrets -they wish they'd done this or that or loved them more. I have no regrets. None.' "
Author: Glendy Vanderah
Genre: Domestic Fiction
Rating: 4.25
Pub Date: March 1 2019
T H R E E β’ W O R D S
Delightful β’ Mysterious β’ Immersive
π S Y N O P S I S
To escape her recent hardships, Joanna throws herself into her research on birds in rural Illinois. When a mysterious child shows up at the cabin she's renting, her world is shaken. The child, who calls herself Ursa, claims to be sent from the stars with the mission to witness five miracles. Somewhat skeptical of the child's story and past, Jo allows her to stay, soon enlisting the help of her neighbor Gabe. As time passes, more questions than answers are unearthed and the three form an incredible bond. Where the Forest Meets the Stars is a beautiful story of love and loss, of grief and pain, and ultimately what it means to live.
π T H O U G H T S
I was initially drawn to this book thanks to the beautiful cover. When I first started, I wasn't sure it was a book for me due to the magical/fantasy aspects, but I am so glad I stuck with it. The characters are believable, vulnerable, and so well developed, each with their own powerful story. How could I not feel connected to and root for Ursa, Jo, and Gabe along the way? When taken together as a whole, the story was engaging, and the writing beautiful. The careful mix of everyday life, the natural world and the mysteries of the universe offered the perfect balance here. And the nature aspect was a welcome addition, adding another layer to the dramatic storyline that I absolutely loved. It is equal parts mystery, fantasy, and romance this was an unexpected and enjoyable read for me.
π R E C O M M E N D β’ T O
β’ fans of child-centered books
β’ readers who enjoy genre bending stories
β’ most readers really
π F A V O U R I T E β’ Q U O T E S
" 'She's kind of like a baby. She didn't know she was supposed to grow up, and that makes her more fun than other grown-up people.' "
" 'As always, words fail when you most want to say the right thing.'
'People think they have to say something, and it never makes me feel better.'
'I know. I've decided language isn't as advanced as we think it is. We're still apes trying to express our thoughts with grunts while most of what we want to communicate stays locked in our brains.' "
"She had most of the book that had belonged to her parents, and she read passages from them every night before she fell asleep or when she had insomnia. As she read, her fingers touching the same pages theirs had touched, her father and mother were right there with her."
" 'When I knew my mother would be dead in a few months, I had two choices...' She looked at him. 'I could distance myself from the pain or get closer to it. Maybe because I'd lost me dad without getting a chance to tell him what he meant to me, I decided to get closer. I got so close, her pain and fear became my own. We shared everything and loved each other like we never had when death was some distance thing. In the end, part of me died with her. I'm not recovered from it even now, but I made the conscious choice to enter the darkness with her. Everyone I know who's lost someone they love has voiced regrets -they wish they'd done this or that or loved them more. I have no regrets. None.' "
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Gun violence, Murder, and Rape
Moderate: Cancer, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Grief, Mental illness, and Terminal illness
Minor: Chronic illness and Infidelity
Parkinson's, child neglect, drowning