Under The Same Stars

In New York City, during the pandemic, Miles and Chloe stay connected through late-night phone calls and Zoom calls. During one call Chloe shares a package she received from her grandmother that has them searching for answers.

In 1980 Jenny arrives with her family to live in West Berlin. When she meets punker Lena, her world changes. She also encounters an old lady who shares fairy tales that hide secrets.

It all starts back in 1939 Kleinwald, Germany, and two close friends Sophie and Hanna who are the 'good' girls and part of the Nazi youth movement. Sophie is a dreamer and storyteller who loves the romance of the Bridegroom's Oak. People write letters and hide them in the tree, hoping to find romance. But WWII is close at hand and the dreams of a happily ever after are shattered with Hitler's advance. The forest that once was a sanctuary from the horrors of war is no longer safe.

What worked: Once again Bray has delivered a winning tale! She has a real talent for drawing you into her story with multi-developed characters and rich worlds. I devoured this novel that had two best friends in 2020 searching for unanswered questions that lead back to WWII Germany and a tree that promises if you write and leave a letter there, your true love will answer back.

I love how effectively the stories are all connected. Sophie and Hanna are more like sisters. Hanna is the perfect Aryan model with her athleticism, fair skin, blonde hair, and commitment to the Hitler Youth movement. Sophie though is more quiet and a romantic at heart. She loves stories and her father owns a bookstore in their little town. Their relationship becomes more complex when Hanna returns from volunteer work in Poland. She has her own secrets. The brutality of Hitler's regime is shown by the 'hunter' who comes to their small village.

Woven throughout is a fairy tale of the hare and the deer. There's symbolism tied to the mystery that Miles and Chloe try to solve. I love this extra layer because it shows readers the magic that Sophie loves with fairy tales. Only in this case, the story is her own.

Jenny feels suffocated by her overbearing parents. A chance encounter with Lena opens her eyes to the Punk lifestyle and the danger that comes with it. Jenny peels back the girl her parents expect and embraces who she really is. Jenny and Lena's relationship is tumultuous. One moment it's exciting and another scary. Bray does a great job showing the divided Germany before the Berlin Wall came down and the danger it held.

Great pacing and engaging characters set in different time periods. All face difficult and at times dangerous challenges but each has their own sprinkle of hope.