After being kidnapped as a toddler and raised in isolation in the German woods by a mysterious Jewish woman with powerful foresight, a young woman is shocked to find out that the world is at war. When she stumbles upon a group of Jews trying to escape the Nazi regime, she teaches them the survival skills that have kept her alive. After she is betrayed, she ends up in a German-occupied town where her past comes back to haunt her.

The Forest of Vanishing Stars is the type of historical fiction that makes you roll your eyes with how unrealistic it is. As a heroine, Yona was completely unbelievable, a girl with no character flaws but who was expertly taught in all matters - languages, medicine, religion, etc. - despite growing up in near isolation in the woods. In all, Harmel's latest is an over-the-top story that steals its best moments from inspiring real events without adding enough strength into her fictional narrative to bring it all together.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Gallery Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.