What do you think?
Rate this book
The ST✡R and the SHAMROCK #2
The Emerald Horizon
Berlin, 1944 Ariella Bannon is being hunted. Someone is determined to betray her, but she has survived against incredible odds, and the end is in sight. She will be reunited with her precious children, no matter what it takes. Meanwhile, Liesl and Erich have found a home in Ireland away from the chaos of war-ravaged Europe. As the dark news of what has happened to their fellow Jews filters through, they are torn - love for their mother and their home on one hand, and the profound sense of peace and belonging they have in Ballycreggan on the other. Like all of the other children who escaped Nazi territory on the Kindertransport, they must wait to hear the fate of their loved ones. For their foster parents, Elizabeth and Daniel, their dearest wish, that Ariella would survive the war, is also their deepest fear. Would her return mean the loss of the children they have come to think of as their own? As the Third Reich crumbles under relentless Allied bombs, Ariella is careful, but Berlin is a very dangerous place to be, and somebody knows she survived. Can she take one last enormous risk to be reunited with Liesl and Erich or will her betrayer see her finally captured? The Emerald Horizon is the long awaited sequel to the best-seller, The Star and the Shamrock .
252 pages, Paperback
First published January 3, 2020
7931 people are currently reading
2693 people want to read
About the author
Jean Grainger
88 books1,582 followersJean Grainger was born in Cork, Ireland. She has been a tour guide of her beloved home country, a teacher, a university lecturer and a playwright. She began writing fiction at the suggestion of her clients on tours, many of whom were sure all the stories she told them would make for a great book. Her first book, The Tour, has become a Number 1 bestseller on Amazon. It tells the story of a disparate group of American visitors to Ireland, who, along with their Irish tour guide have a life changing experience in the magical Emerald Isle.
Her second book, So Much Owed, is a family saga set during the Second World War. The story centres on the Buckley family of West Cork and how their lives are pulled in different directions as they become embroiled in the war. It is a sweeping family saga of intrigue and romance against the background of occupied Europe.
In her third novel, Shadow of a Century, she tells a tale of a battered old flag found in New York in 2016, a century after it was used during the Easter Rising, when Ireland made her final bid for freedom from Great Britain. This tells the story of a journalist who uncovers a story, one with much more to it than a flag.
Her fourth novel, due out in Spring 2016, Under Heaven’s Shining Stars, is set in the 1970s in Cork, Ireland and is a novel about friendship. Three boys, Liam, Patrick and Hugo, though from very different backgrounds are united in a deep but often times challenging friendship. As their lives progress, only by staying strong, can they prevail. Or fail.
Her novella, Letters of Freedom, tells the story of Carmel, stuck in a pointless marriage, when a figure from her past emerges and changes everything with a ‘like’ on Facebook. This quick read will touch your heart.
She lives in Cork with her husband and her two youngest children. The older two come home occasionally with laundry and to raid the fridge.
Her second book, So Much Owed, is a family saga set during the Second World War. The story centres on the Buckley family of West Cork and how their lives are pulled in different directions as they become embroiled in the war. It is a sweeping family saga of intrigue and romance against the background of occupied Europe.
In her third novel, Shadow of a Century, she tells a tale of a battered old flag found in New York in 2016, a century after it was used during the Easter Rising, when Ireland made her final bid for freedom from Great Britain. This tells the story of a journalist who uncovers a story, one with much more to it than a flag.
Her fourth novel, due out in Spring 2016, Under Heaven’s Shining Stars, is set in the 1970s in Cork, Ireland and is a novel about friendship. Three boys, Liam, Patrick and Hugo, though from very different backgrounds are united in a deep but often times challenging friendship. As their lives progress, only by staying strong, can they prevail. Or fail.
Her novella, Letters of Freedom, tells the story of Carmel, stuck in a pointless marriage, when a figure from her past emerges and changes everything with a ‘like’ on Facebook. This quick read will touch your heart.
She lives in Cork with her husband and her two youngest children. The older two come home occasionally with laundry and to raid the fridge.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 800 reviews
January 8, 2022
This was such a good short series. Remember the characters from the first book. Or you will start off confused like me. This book continues with “Mom” and where she is in the war in Berlin. Then to Ireland. Captures much of the horrific parts of the war. More so than the first. If you read the first you have to continue with this one. Usually i don’t read back to back. I am glad I did this time! Everything well written and researched!
January 31, 2020
This was even better than the first book! I could not put this book down.
March 19, 2020
Both the Books in this series are so good
First book finished during #COVID19Quarantine. Such a good one! I liked it even more than book #1, and I loved that one!
First book finished during #COVID19Quarantine. Such a good one! I liked it even more than book #1, and I loved that one!
March 16, 2020
What a lovely story
This story is heartwarming and gut wrenching at the same time. The suffering of the Jewish people during World War II is so difficult to read about. However, I think it is important for us to know so it is not forgotten. I had never really heard about the kinder transports, so this was a new part of history for me. I could not imagine what those parents went through putting their babies on trains not knowing if they would ever see them again!
This story is heartwarming and gut wrenching at the same time. The suffering of the Jewish people during World War II is so difficult to read about. However, I think it is important for us to know so it is not forgotten. I had never really heard about the kinder transports, so this was a new part of history for me. I could not imagine what those parents went through putting their babies on trains not knowing if they would ever see them again!
January 25, 2020
Heartwarming story
Another beautiful story by Jean, with just the right amount of heartache thrown in to make it more authentic. A really good read , and look forward to the next ☺
Another beautiful story by Jean, with just the right amount of heartache thrown in to make it more authentic. A really good read , and look forward to the next ☺
August 16, 2021
I highly recommend reading The Star and the Shamrock, the first book of this series about two Jewish children who escape Germany on the Kindertransport, before this one. I couldn't decide between 3 and 4 stars because this novel is really two stories intertwined. The one I really liked involved Ariella, the mother left behind in Berlin whose trials and tribulations are detailed as she manages to survive until the Allies liberate the city. Most Holocaust novels seem to focus on the death camps, so I appreciated how this one gave me a different perspective. Not that it wasn't dark and disturbing.
The other POV comes from Elizabeth, the Irish woman who takes in the children and cares for them from 1939-1945, a continuation of Book 1. Unfortunately, the Ireland scenes, where everyone is safe while they wait for the war to end, can't compare to the riveting German ones filled with danger and suspense. We expect that Ariella will likely survive and be reunited with her children, but how she does is so much more compelling than reading how the Kindertransport children worry about the families they left behind, whom we know were unlikely to survive. I would have given this book 5 stars if it had primarily told Ariella's story, with only an occasional scene set in Ireland.
The other POV comes from Elizabeth, the Irish woman who takes in the children and cares for them from 1939-1945, a continuation of Book 1. Unfortunately, the Ireland scenes, where everyone is safe while they wait for the war to end, can't compare to the riveting German ones filled with danger and suspense. We expect that Ariella will likely survive and be reunited with her children, but how she does is so much more compelling than reading how the Kindertransport children worry about the families they left behind, whom we know were unlikely to survive. I would have given this book 5 stars if it had primarily told Ariella's story, with only an occasional scene set in Ireland.
February 27, 2022
I was drawn into this more than in book 1 of the series. I cried at the end
January 5, 2021
This is the 2nd book in The Star and the Shamrock series. This continues the story of Ariella, mom of Liesel and Erich, who have gone via kinder transport to live with their fathers cousin whom they have never met in London. It’s the story of survival of a Jewish woman(Ariella) in Berlin from 1939-1945. She was hidden in the attic of her postal delivery clerk Frau Braun after she found Ariella wandering the streets. Quick easy read and a good story of survival.
October 3, 2024
Love this series.
January 23, 2021
Maybe 3.5 stars. I really liked the first book of the series but found myself skimming through the parts in Ireland of this one. The storyline there was pretty repetitive and kind of fluffy with Elizabeth trying to make things smoother for the group. The "fascination" the characters had of converting to Judaism were in a religious sense to me not necessarily being converted to their religious beliefs but liking their lifestyle. I did love how the community worked and helped each other, regardless of religion.
The parts in Germany were gripping!
The parts in Germany were gripping!
January 9, 2020
This author has the ability to write a story that has me experiencing many emotions before I have even finished two chapters. Her characters live through the best and worst of times while maintaining their humanity and their ability to help others. The heartbreak of the Jews during WWII is illustrated in book one and continues in a slightly different way in this one. An excellent read.
April 25, 2020
Wonderful
I loved "The Star and the Shamrock", and this sequel is just as thrilling, sad, and hopeful. I don't know how Jean Grainger does it, book after book, but her stories are alive with historical accuracy while focusing on a few characters in whose lives we become totally invested. She is a master storyteller.
I loved "The Star and the Shamrock", and this sequel is just as thrilling, sad, and hopeful. I don't know how Jean Grainger does it, book after book, but her stories are alive with historical accuracy while focusing on a few characters in whose lives we become totally invested. She is a master storyteller.
May 2, 2020
I love these!
I really enjoy these characters, and want to keep on reading. These are hard to put down! Can't wait to read another.
I really enjoy these characters, and want to keep on reading. These are hard to put down! Can't wait to read another.
April 23, 2022
The second book in “The Star and and the Shamrock” series is a lovely historical novel. It may seem odd to describe a book that covers the horror of WWII in Germany as “lovely”, but the spirits, perseverance, hope and love of the characters shines through.
The second book finds the children from the Kindertransport, Liesl and Erich, blossoming in the love of Elizabeth and Daniel. The other Jewish children have also been welcomed into the village of Ballycreegan. All they can do is pray for their families, lost to the Nazis, and wait out the war. Meanwhile, in Berlin Liesl and Erich’s mother, Ariella is somehow persevering through the horrible hardships and devastation of the Nazi regime.
I hadn’t realized that there were “submerged Jews” who remained alive in Berlin and Germany during the war. Their stories, and the actions of the Germans who helped them, are quite moving and beautiful. I highly recommend this series. The characters are appealing and the history is important. The story is told in a loving way, without extremely graphic descriptions of the horrors.
The second book finds the children from the Kindertransport, Liesl and Erich, blossoming in the love of Elizabeth and Daniel. The other Jewish children have also been welcomed into the village of Ballycreegan. All they can do is pray for their families, lost to the Nazis, and wait out the war. Meanwhile, in Berlin Liesl and Erich’s mother, Ariella is somehow persevering through the horrible hardships and devastation of the Nazi regime.
I hadn’t realized that there were “submerged Jews” who remained alive in Berlin and Germany during the war. Their stories, and the actions of the Germans who helped them, are quite moving and beautiful. I highly recommend this series. The characters are appealing and the history is important. The story is told in a loving way, without extremely graphic descriptions of the horrors.
May 27, 2021
I'm glad I waited till the library had both this & The Star & the Shamrock available atthe same time so I could read them together & not be left hanging. WWII has given us such a variety of stories & this was an aspect new to me. I already knew about Kindertransports but did not know that some of the children ended up on a farm in Northern Ireland. Both of these books are quick reads but full of excitement, suspense, love + new information for anyone interested in this period.
June 3, 2022
It was very necessary to read this book after the star and the shamrock. Reading about Ariella's harrowing tale of survival in Germany at the tail end of the war was enrapturing. It's incredible to see how people will or will not change, how they are willing to lose their humanity in order to survive, and the strength and resilience of a mother's love. It was a bit surprising how neatly it tied up at the end, but the overall journey was a remarkable read. Especially so given the current Russian war and crimes committed against Ukrainians which likely mirror the crimes committed against German civilians during "liberation." It really is incredible how humans can be so kind and so wretched.
November 20, 2020
Continuation saga - outstanding
The same characters we grew to love in book1 are back. Great story with so much drawn from the truth on history. Jean makes you feel like they are your family. The tenacity that German Jews had to have just to survive, in spite of such pure evil. It must never happen again.
The same characters we grew to love in book1 are back. Great story with so much drawn from the truth on history. Jean makes you feel like they are your family. The tenacity that German Jews had to have just to survive, in spite of such pure evil. It must never happen again.
June 30, 2025
This book was a beautiful tale of survival and love, undying mother-led fierceness for one’s children; and the horrors of human capability without a conscience. The odds of survival are smashed by the main characters insistence to find out if her kids survived. Lots of sad scenes of sexual, physical and verbal abuse from Nazis, but not too descriptive to be inappropriate.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 19, 2020
Even better than the first book!
I loved reading from Ariella’s perspective, a much interesting story compared to Elizabeth’s. Perfectly captured the fear of being a Jew in WWII.
I’m definitely really curious what the third book will be about. Probably about adjusting to life after the war, but I fear that won’t be as interesting as the topic of Ariella’s survival.
I loved reading from Ariella’s perspective, a much interesting story compared to Elizabeth’s. Perfectly captured the fear of being a Jew in WWII.
I’m definitely really curious what the third book will be about. Probably about adjusting to life after the war, but I fear that won’t be as interesting as the topic of Ariella’s survival.
October 5, 2020
An excellent sequel to The Star and the Shamroock
A charming depiction of life in the little Irish village which took in the orphans of the Kindertransport contrasting with the horrifying depiction of Berlin under Hitler and then Russia. A very sensitive exploration of the challenges in caring for children whose status is uncertain and of the fears the children harbor. All in all, I found the book compelling.
A charming depiction of life in the little Irish village which took in the orphans of the Kindertransport contrasting with the horrifying depiction of Berlin under Hitler and then Russia. A very sensitive exploration of the challenges in caring for children whose status is uncertain and of the fears the children harbor. All in all, I found the book compelling.
July 27, 2021
One of my MANY favorite quotes from this book: "So I don't judge people by their nationality, only by their actions." Human kindness in this story transcended all else. Definitely inspires you to make the world a better place by performing small and large acts of kindness!!
July 20, 2020
The book was the second in the Star and the Shamrock series. It was so good. Now on the the third book in the series.
September 7, 2020
Absolutely amazing read! Great second book in series; a little different twist. Looking forward to starting the third and final book of the series.
January 6, 2021
I loved this book and the book that came before it. Absolutely recommend!
May 12, 2021
2nd in the series...as WWII ends...although fiction, I’m sure there were families who went through very similar experiences.
January 13, 2024
What a great story enjoyed both books!!!
April 24, 2024
Sweet story about the trials during the darkest times in history. Became predictable towards the end but still enjoyed the plot.
August 10, 2023
I loved this 2nd book in the series "The Star and the Shamrock" and can't wait to follow the characters as they navigate life post World War II.
July 30, 2025
I liked it better than the first one, The Star and the Shamrock, which had a very obvious spy. This one focuses on the end and aftermath of WWII, with references to the hardships but a focus on life in Northern Ireland and individual characters' experiences.
October 31, 2025
Excellent! I’m hooked. I love reading WWII history both non-fiction and faction. This book took a bit of a different approach than others I’ve read—all the way to reuniting after the war. Well done. Great characters who felt real. I need to finish the series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 800 reviews