The Woman with the Blue Star

by Pam Jenoff

[Quirky Cat]

The Woman with the Blue Star, written by Pam Jenoff, is a historical fiction novel set during World War II, and it is absolutely worth the read.

The year is 1942. At only eighteen years old, Sadie Gault has already seen more horrors than most of us would care to imagine. She's forced to flee the Nazis alongside her pregnant mother. It is only with the help of a new ally that she stands a chance.

Ella Stepanek is both affluent and Polish and has found herself in a safe position despite the German invasion. However, she's willing to put that all on the line when she sees a young girl in desperate need of help.

The Woman with the Blue Star is based on a true story, which makes this tale all the more harrowing and powerful.

"Because when people look back on the history of this time, at what happened, they should see that we tried to do something."

The Woman with the Blue Star is enchanting, beautiful, and heartbreaking all in one. The fact that it is based on a real story really enhanced the tale, at least in my mind. I couldn't look away from this unlikely friendship or the words that both Sadie and Ella had to share.

Naturally, it was fascinating (and a bit dark, for obvious reasons) to learn a bit more about this time in history. There were details that I hadn't know about before this book, for good or for ill, I can't say.

I'll confess that I think I liked the first half of the novel more. The second half seemed to branch away and delve into a different genre. I didn't dislike it; I just didn't like it quite as much. However, I did appreciate the strong tones of friendship that carried throughout.

Thanks to Park Row for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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