Sofia is a 13-year-old brilliant reader who aspires to be a book reviewer. Since she was 8 years old, on select weeks, Sofia shares her favorite books with other young people her age! She is one of the most well-read youth that we know, so she is highly qualified for this role!
Dear readers,
Let me introduce you to… Under the Same Stars by Libba Bray! A fantastic historical fiction novel that keeps you on the edge of your seat! This book is told from three locations in time, one in a small town in Germany during WWII, another in West Berlin in the 1980s, and the last one in Brooklyn, during COVID. All of these settings are told in third-person omniscient narration, meaning you get to see these worlds through the eyes of, essentially, an all-knowing cloud, which knows all the characters’ feelings and tells the story that way. I read this book with my mom, in our book club, and it was amazing to discuss all of the important events happening in this book! I would highly recommend finding someone to read Under the Same Stars with, since it helps you dig deeper into the themes and meaning of the story. We loved this book and I hope you do too!
Goodreads Summary
It was said that if you write to the Bridegroom’s Oak, the love of your life will answer back. Now, the tree is giving up its secrets at last.
In 1940s Germany, Sophie is excited to discover a message waiting for her in the Bridegroom’s Oak from a mysterious suitor. Meanwhile, her best friend, Hanna, is sending messages too—but not to find love. As World War II unfolds in their small town of Kleinwald, the oak may hold the key to resistance against the Nazis.
In 1980s West Germany, American teen transplant Jenny feels suffocated by her strict parents and is struggling to fit in. Until she finds herself falling for Lena, a punk-rock girl hell-bent on tearing down the wall separating West Germany from East Germany, and meeting Frau Hermann, a kind old lady with secrets of her own.
In Spring 2020, New York City, best friends Miles and Chloe are slogging through the last few months of senior year when an unexpected package from Chloe’s grandmother leads them to investigate a cold case about two unidentified teenagers who went missing under the Bridegroom’s Oak eighty years ago.
My Thoughts
Under the Same Stars is an amazing novel, which led me to think more deeply about how history connects to our current lives, and what we can learn from it. I love that this novel is told from three different perspectives, since it makes the story a lot more interesting and complex, although at the beginning, my mom found the perspectives a bit difficult to follow; though as we kept on reading, this problem went away, as the storylines became more connected and we began to remember the characters better. I love that this book always kept me and my mom on our toes, we were always making theories about what could happen next, and mostly being surprised when something else happened! Out of all of the characters, I think Jenny was the most fun to talk about with my mom. Her actions were always so irrational that we couldn’t help discussing what we would have done, and what potentially caused her to act that way. Along with its detailed characters, Under the Same Stars is also written beautifully. The way that Libba Bray puts moments into words is spectacular, adding complexity and emotion into the story. My favorite quote is “Don’t die in the waiting room of the future”(Bray 68), which I find very inspirational and motivating.
Under the Same Stars was so good that my mom and I took it on vacation and still finished it on time, which is very unusual for us. This book just kept on getting more exciting so we had to keep on reading! Additionally, if you appreciate when a book has a nice cover, when you take the sleeve off of Under the Same Stars, which we did so it wouldn’t get ripped on the flight, there is a beautiful golden tree on the front! The tree is so detailed, and fits with the gorgeous red tree rings on the unbound edges of the book! This book has received a handful of compliments, which has never happened to another book I have read! I will embed a photo below so you can see! Under the Same Stars is an amazing book that both my mom and I loved, so I hope you will enjoy it too!
I would recommend Under the Same Stars for ages 14+, because of the difficult topics, advanced reading level, and the complex storyline. Some of the more difficult topics in this book include WWII, the COVID pandemic, George Floyd, homophobia, violence, and death.
**Thanks so much, Sofia!**
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