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The ST✡R and the SHAMROCK #1
The Star and the Shamrock
Ariella Bannon has no choice: she must put her precious children, Liesl and Erich, on that train or allow them to become prey for the Nazis.
Berlin 1939.
When her husband doesn't come home one day, Ariella realises that the only way she can ensure her Jewish children's safety is to avail of the Kindertransport, but can she bear to let them go?
A thousand miles away, Elizabeth Klein has closed herself off from the world. Losing her husband on the last day of the Great War, and her child months later, she cannot, will not, love again. It hurts too much.
But she is all Liesl and Erich Bannon have.
Thrown together in the wild countryside of Northern Ireland, Elizabeth and the Bannon children discover that life in the country is anything but tranquil. Danger and intrigue lurk everywhere, and some people are not what they seem.
From the streets of wartime Berlin, to the bombed out city of Liverpool, and finally resting in the lush valleys of the Ards Penisula, The Star and The Shamrock from USA Today bestselling author Jean Grainger, is unputdownable.
Berlin 1939.
When her husband doesn't come home one day, Ariella realises that the only way she can ensure her Jewish children's safety is to avail of the Kindertransport, but can she bear to let them go?
A thousand miles away, Elizabeth Klein has closed herself off from the world. Losing her husband on the last day of the Great War, and her child months later, she cannot, will not, love again. It hurts too much.
But she is all Liesl and Erich Bannon have.
Thrown together in the wild countryside of Northern Ireland, Elizabeth and the Bannon children discover that life in the country is anything but tranquil. Danger and intrigue lurk everywhere, and some people are not what they seem.
From the streets of wartime Berlin, to the bombed out city of Liverpool, and finally resting in the lush valleys of the Ards Penisula, The Star and The Shamrock from USA Today bestselling author Jean Grainger, is unputdownable.
264 pages, Paperback
First published May 28, 2019
16057 people are currently reading
10592 people want to read
About the author
Jean Grainger
90 books1,602 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,595 reviews
January 6, 2022
I really enjoyed this book. It had a little bit of everything in it. Action, mystery, romance, war, love and death. Well research book during WWII. Now off to read the sequel!!
May 30, 2019
Jean Grainger has done it again. With each book of hers that I read I find myself thinking that she has outdone herself and how can she possibly do any better. Yet again, she has done it. I was enthralled from the opening pages. This is a wonderful combination of historical fiction, mystery, and drama. With so many World War II stories out there, oftentimes focusing on the same things, it's refreshing to read something different yet still somewhat familiar. Having had only a smidgeon of knowledge about the Kindertransport, I loved this perspective as well as seeing what the war experience was like for citizens of the United Kingdom who did not go off to war. I also love the fact that, although this is a stand alone novel, the door has virtually been left open for a sequel should she decide to write one. Fans of Jean Grainger you definitely won't be disappointed with this one.
May 31, 2019
Desperate times, desperate measures...a beautifully written story about a very difficult time in history. I cannot imagine what it must have been like for parents to put their little ones on a train taking them to another country to be cared for by strangers in order to protect the children from the horrors of War. Ms. Granger does a beautiful job of bringing history to life while creating an enjoyable, engaging and informative read. Her attention to detail is fabulous, and her characters are so richly developed, one feels as if they can just walk off the page. I absolutely love Ms. Grainger's writing style and am always sad when I come to the end of the book.
April 21, 2020
The story was interesting enough but the writing was not great. Lots of language, phrases, words that were too modern and out of place in the time period. Cliche and a little trite. Oh well.
February 20, 2020
A poorly written romance novel.
I had hoped for an interesting historical novel and was very surprised at the unsophisticated writing in this book. It took me a while to realize it must have been written as a novel for adolescents. I went back and read about the book but found no reference to it having been written for young adults. It actually turned out to be a simplistic romance novel with poorly developed characters, lots of repetition, and a predictable storyline. It was very disappointing but perhaps if I had done better research I might have been aware of the level of the writing and not wasted my time.
I had hoped for an interesting historical novel and was very surprised at the unsophisticated writing in this book. It took me a while to realize it must have been written as a novel for adolescents. I went back and read about the book but found no reference to it having been written for young adults. It actually turned out to be a simplistic romance novel with poorly developed characters, lots of repetition, and a predictable storyline. It was very disappointing but perhaps if I had done better research I might have been aware of the level of the writing and not wasted my time.
August 26, 2019
I couldn't put it down! Although set in the WWII era, this is not a Holocaust narrative per se. Poignant, intriguing. Excellent read!
October 17, 2025
I am drawn to books related to WWII and lately I’ve been reading about the kindertransport. Through this book I learned for the first time that German children were sent to Ireland. The book was sweet and touching whilst at the same time horrendous and horrendous. It is written in such a way that the horrid details were not written in such a way those with more sensitive hearts can’t read it, but enough to get a picture of what truly was happening in the world. This is the first book I’ve read from this author and am going to continue the series.
August 10, 2021
Just because The Star and the Shamrock reads like YA fiction—no big words or horrific violence, just a straightforward WW2 love/spy story about resilience, overcoming prejudice, and making sacrifices—with a happy ending, doesn't mean old adults won't like it. Of course we know that the “hero” isn’t really a spy and that our nearly perfect heroine will sort out the mystery, but not every enjoyable historical novel has to be great literature. I confess I was so drawn in at one point that I stayed up until 2 am to see how things would turn out. So who needs complex character arcs or a complicated plot when the most important thing to readers is an intriguing story, and that the main characters are likeable and sympathetic.
One amazing thing about the novel is that it appears to be self-published. The copyright page doesn’t list a publisher or any of the usual information you see in other novels—not even the ISBN number [which is at least found on the back cover’s barcode]. Unlike nearly every other modern book I’ve read, Jean Grainger doesn’t acknowledge any editors, cover or interior designers, or publicists. Yet her books are wildly successful; over 18 novels in print, 16 of them part of one of her four series. Each routinely gets thousands of 4-5 star reviews on Amazon, so she is obviously doing something right. Especially since I can’t wait to read the sequel—The Emerald Horizon.
One amazing thing about the novel is that it appears to be self-published. The copyright page doesn’t list a publisher or any of the usual information you see in other novels—not even the ISBN number [which is at least found on the back cover’s barcode]. Unlike nearly every other modern book I’ve read, Jean Grainger doesn’t acknowledge any editors, cover or interior designers, or publicists. Yet her books are wildly successful; over 18 novels in print, 16 of them part of one of her four series. Each routinely gets thousands of 4-5 star reviews on Amazon, so she is obviously doing something right. Especially since I can’t wait to read the sequel—The Emerald Horizon.
August 1, 2020
Such a wonderful book. So much happened during WWII, I had no idea of the Kindertransport and the sacrifices made by Jewish parents to save their children. This story covers an Irish village that houses a farm where the Kindertransport children and their guardians live, as well as the story of Elizabeth and her cousin's children, whom she was called upon to take care of when things got bad in Germany, as their mom is Jewish. A great read.
January 11, 2025
This was a sweet story. It was a solid 3 stars for me. I liked the story line and the kids were also a bit of a magnet. Jewish kids in Germany were able to get out before it was too late. They went to live with a distant family member and eventually end up in Ireland.
This was a little too sweet and predictable, but where it shined was the way the characters navigated their own journey. They were easy to fall in love with. I see readers responding to that in a big way. While that isn't really my thing, I can still go with 3 stars.
This was a little too sweet and predictable, but where it shined was the way the characters navigated their own journey. They were easy to fall in love with. I see readers responding to that in a big way. While that isn't really my thing, I can still go with 3 stars.
November 10, 2019
While the Republic of Ireland refused to accept refugees during WWII, County Down, as one of the Six Counties, did take in Jewish children who escaped on the Kindertransport. This was a good introduction to a topic that I knew little about, but it made me want to find a somewhat more sophisticated treatment of the subject.
January 25, 2020
The Star and the Shamrock
" She never in her wildest nightmares imagined that the quiet following of her faith would have led to this. "
Heartbreaking, yet filled with human triumph. We should all of us be this self-sacrificing.
" She never in her wildest nightmares imagined that the quiet following of her faith would have led to this. "
Heartbreaking, yet filled with human triumph. We should all of us be this self-sacrificing.
May 28, 2022
Title:
The Star and the Shamrock
Author: Jean Grainger
Series: The Star and the Shamrock #1
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 3.5
Pub Date: May 28, 2019
T H R E E • W O R D S
Intriguing • Predicable • Simple
📖 S Y N O P S I S
When Ariella's husband doesn't return, she knows the only way to ensure her children's safety is to entrust them to Kindertransport, where she's arranged for a family cousin, Elizabeth, to care for them in Liverpool. When raids destroy Elizabeth's home there, the children and her are forced to return to the Irish countryside where Elizabeth grew up with nothing but the clothing on their backs. Here they come to find a community of other refugees, but not everyone is who they say they are.
💭 T H O U G H T S
As a lover of historical fiction, I picked this book up on a whim in order to fulfill a prompt for a scavenger hunt TBR event within my bookclub. I knew nothing about it going in, and I was left satisfied when I was finished.
Let me expand a little, this is my no means the deep, emotional WWII historical fiction I have come to know and love. It was different (my first WWII from an Irish perspective) yet familiar (triumph and sacrifice during a horrific time). It is a simple story with a little mystery, a touch of romance, and based on historical events. What I love most about historical fiction is being introduced to historical topics I know nothing or very little about, and The Star and the Shamrock did just that with the Kindertransport, an organized rescue effort of children from Nazi-controlled territories in the months leading up to the start of WWII. It opened my eyes to what it would have been like for parents to put their child on the trains not knowing if they'd ever see them again. The unconditional love and sacrifice parents made in order to protect their children from what lay ahead.
At times it did feel as though this was written for young adults, as the writing pretty simple and not overly emotional, there was a lot of repetition that editing would have a helped, and of course, the plot line was quite predictable from the get go.
All that to say, a novel doesn't have to have a complicated plot and/or complex characters to be successful. Basic writing can be enough when the story is interesting, I particularly appreciated the exploration of family build on love. I look forward to picking up the next book in this series at some point.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• WWII historical fiction enthusiasts
• readers wanting something quick and informative
⚠️ CW: death, death of parent, death of partner, war, anti-Semitism, miscarriage
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"They say that grief is the price of love, but it was a price she could never pay again."
Author: Jean Grainger
Series: The Star and the Shamrock #1
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 3.5
Pub Date: May 28, 2019
T H R E E • W O R D S
Intriguing • Predicable • Simple
📖 S Y N O P S I S
When Ariella's husband doesn't return, she knows the only way to ensure her children's safety is to entrust them to Kindertransport, where she's arranged for a family cousin, Elizabeth, to care for them in Liverpool. When raids destroy Elizabeth's home there, the children and her are forced to return to the Irish countryside where Elizabeth grew up with nothing but the clothing on their backs. Here they come to find a community of other refugees, but not everyone is who they say they are.
💭 T H O U G H T S
As a lover of historical fiction, I picked this book up on a whim in order to fulfill a prompt for a scavenger hunt TBR event within my bookclub. I knew nothing about it going in, and I was left satisfied when I was finished.
Let me expand a little, this is my no means the deep, emotional WWII historical fiction I have come to know and love. It was different (my first WWII from an Irish perspective) yet familiar (triumph and sacrifice during a horrific time). It is a simple story with a little mystery, a touch of romance, and based on historical events. What I love most about historical fiction is being introduced to historical topics I know nothing or very little about, and The Star and the Shamrock did just that with the Kindertransport, an organized rescue effort of children from Nazi-controlled territories in the months leading up to the start of WWII. It opened my eyes to what it would have been like for parents to put their child on the trains not knowing if they'd ever see them again. The unconditional love and sacrifice parents made in order to protect their children from what lay ahead.
At times it did feel as though this was written for young adults, as the writing pretty simple and not overly emotional, there was a lot of repetition that editing would have a helped, and of course, the plot line was quite predictable from the get go.
All that to say, a novel doesn't have to have a complicated plot and/or complex characters to be successful. Basic writing can be enough when the story is interesting, I particularly appreciated the exploration of family build on love. I look forward to picking up the next book in this series at some point.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• WWII historical fiction enthusiasts
• readers wanting something quick and informative
⚠️ CW: death, death of parent, death of partner, war, anti-Semitism, miscarriage
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"They say that grief is the price of love, but it was a price she could never pay again."
June 8, 2022
This novel explores the feelings of desperation, loneliness and impotence when war wrenches loving families apart. Although based on the massive displacement of young Jewish children from their Nazi-occupied countries during WW2, the story is very relevant to events taking place today in Ukraine. The author's prose draws a very sympathetic and realistic picture of the children's constant fears and Elizabeth's devotion to their well-being.
Running alongside the main element of family separation, the story becomes a thriller when we learn about the Nazi attempts to run a spy network in Northern Ireland with the promise of a united Ireland at the end of the War. One of the adult refugees (Daniel) is arrested on suspicion of supplying drawings of a new RAF base in Northern Ireland to the German authorities. Elizabeth has had strong feelings for Daniel although she has kept them under control for a long time since the death of her husband in WW1. The author includes several clues in the text to help the reader work out who the spies really are.
I enjoyed reading the novel and would recommend it to folks who have some knowledge of the Kindertransport during WW2 and the historic religious divisions within Northern Ireland that still carry on today.
Shaw Callon, author of The Simon Montfort Spy Series, wrote this review.
The Star and the Shamrock
Running alongside the main element of family separation, the story becomes a thriller when we learn about the Nazi attempts to run a spy network in Northern Ireland with the promise of a united Ireland at the end of the War. One of the adult refugees (Daniel) is arrested on suspicion of supplying drawings of a new RAF base in Northern Ireland to the German authorities. Elizabeth has had strong feelings for Daniel although she has kept them under control for a long time since the death of her husband in WW1. The author includes several clues in the text to help the reader work out who the spies really are.
I enjoyed reading the novel and would recommend it to folks who have some knowledge of the Kindertransport during WW2 and the historic religious divisions within Northern Ireland that still carry on today.
Shaw Callon, author of The Simon Montfort Spy Series, wrote this review.
The Star and the Shamrock
January 17, 2022
This was a book club selection but due to disruptions in the schedule, it hasn't been discussed yet. It's the first of a trilogy. The author appears to self publish and says this is her fourteenth novel.
At 1st I thought she had beat the rap as far as difficulties of self-publishing authors. That's because I overlooked an initial big bend in character required to serve the plot -- overlooked it and kept right on going. Later I found a couple more on facing pages. There were some grammatical errors. The happy ending was utterly conventional.
You may think that's nitpicking. But if one is reading to be transported, such occurrences will bring one down to earth with a thud. And I do want to be transported. Don't want to see the puppet master pulling the strings behind the curtain. Not only that, I would rather be learning something new or seeing some connection I hadn't seen before. Reading a book that takes on antisemitism is nice but would like it not to seem like too much of a fairy tale.
I realize my tastes are not those of the majority. Recently I was gratified that people at my library were queuing up for Dara Horn's recent nonfiction book. There was a queue of eight. But a little novel I accidentally bought on sale from Audible (having mistaken an aspect of the subject matter) had a library queue of 23. And my tastes have become more critical: as a child I began reading in order to be transported and doubt I ran into as many stumbling blocks then. Have I become a grouch?
Anyway, a pleasant read and not entirely a waste of time.
At 1st I thought she had beat the rap as far as difficulties of self-publishing authors. That's because I overlooked an initial big bend in character required to serve the plot -- overlooked it and kept right on going. Later I found a couple more on facing pages. There were some grammatical errors. The happy ending was utterly conventional.
You may think that's nitpicking. But if one is reading to be transported, such occurrences will bring one down to earth with a thud. And I do want to be transported. Don't want to see the puppet master pulling the strings behind the curtain. Not only that, I would rather be learning something new or seeing some connection I hadn't seen before. Reading a book that takes on antisemitism is nice but would like it not to seem like too much of a fairy tale.
I realize my tastes are not those of the majority. Recently I was gratified that people at my library were queuing up for Dara Horn's recent nonfiction book. There was a queue of eight. But a little novel I accidentally bought on sale from Audible (having mistaken an aspect of the subject matter) had a library queue of 23. And my tastes have become more critical: as a child I began reading in order to be transported and doubt I ran into as many stumbling blocks then. Have I become a grouch?
Anyway, a pleasant read and not entirely a waste of time.
August 19, 2020
The challenge many had to face in Hitler's Germany was how to protect their innocent children, and this story tells of the fate of some who were sent away on Kindertransport, an effort that saved 10,000 children. In this case two children are featured who were sent to Ireland.
It is framed romantically with emotion and manages to tell a simple story of finding love and redemption under the worst of conditions.
Kindle Unlimited
It is framed romantically with emotion and manages to tell a simple story of finding love and redemption under the worst of conditions.
Kindle Unlimited
September 25, 2025
“He who saves one life saves the world entire.”
I have read many books about World War II and the Holocaust, but knew nothing about the Kindertransport that transported thousands of Jewish children from Nazi-controlled Europe to Britain.
Ariella Bannon makes the heart wrenching decision to put her children, Liesl and Rich, on the train to Britain to her husband's distant cousin she has never met, Elizabeth Klein. Elizabeth is a kind, caring woman who welcomes the children with open arms. After bombings destroy Elizabeth's house and the surrounding area in Liverpool, she and the children have nothing left. They travel to Elizabeth's home town of Ballycreggan, County Down in Ireland where they settle down in the house Elizabeth grew up in.
“The deeply held belief of peace-loving nations in which people had a right to be whoever they wanted, practice whatever faith they wanted, was horribly juxtaposed by the horrors of what Hitler was trying to do.”
Elizabeth's devotion to the children and the way she explains the horrible things happening around them was a true testament to author's message of hope, love and perseverance. I am glad this is a series because I cannot wait to get back to Ballycreggan and this incredible family.
I have read many books about World War II and the Holocaust, but knew nothing about the Kindertransport that transported thousands of Jewish children from Nazi-controlled Europe to Britain.
Ariella Bannon makes the heart wrenching decision to put her children, Liesl and Rich, on the train to Britain to her husband's distant cousin she has never met, Elizabeth Klein. Elizabeth is a kind, caring woman who welcomes the children with open arms. After bombings destroy Elizabeth's house and the surrounding area in Liverpool, she and the children have nothing left. They travel to Elizabeth's home town of Ballycreggan, County Down in Ireland where they settle down in the house Elizabeth grew up in.
“The deeply held belief of peace-loving nations in which people had a right to be whoever they wanted, practice whatever faith they wanted, was horribly juxtaposed by the horrors of what Hitler was trying to do.”
Elizabeth's devotion to the children and the way she explains the horrible things happening around them was a true testament to author's message of hope, love and perseverance. I am glad this is a series because I cannot wait to get back to Ballycreggan and this incredible family.
March 29, 2021
While this is another WWII book (which I said I didn't want to read another of!) it is very, very good ... and Irish, too, so of course I loved that. Also learned a bit about the Irish in WWII. A lovely story of love and acceptance, and overlooking differences to help one another. An engaging mystery, a bit of romance, cute kids ... and gorgeous Ireland ... what's not to like? While the war stories are difficult to fathom and harder to comprehend, they are dealt with in a way that doesn't completely overrun the senses.
September 23, 2024
I really admire Jean Grainger’s writing style and her works. The story is captivating and has a touch of mystery and romance. I’m not much for reading sequels but I can’t wait to read the next book in this series!
June 4, 2020
England 1939.
THE STAR AND THE SHAMROCK explores an unusual dimension of the Holocaust: Jewish children from Europe living in a small town in Northern Ireland to protect them from the Nazis.
After she married a Jewish man, Elizabeth Klein became estranged from her Catholic mother. She moved to London from Ballycreggan in Northern Ireland and resolved to never return even though her husband died the morning of November 11, 1911, and their child died soon afterwards. “They say that grief is the price of love, but it was a price she could never pay again.” To help her deal with her grief, a nun suggested she become a teacher.
One day in 1939 in Berlin, Ariella Bannon’s husband left their home and didn’t return. The Nazi rule was escalating and life for Jews was becoming more dangerous. She heard of a kindertransport to take Jewish children to England and thought that may be the way to save her children, Liesl and Erich. She had a distant cousin in London who might be willing to take them.
Soon after the children arrived, the Nazis begin to bomb London. Elizabeth’s mother had recently died and left her the house in Ballycreggan. Reluctantly, Elizabeth decided to relocate.
Newly independent Ireland did not take the Allies’ side during the war. It preferred to remain neutral. Nevertheless, both the Catholics and Protestants in the Irish Free State refused to take refugees, their anti-Semitism one of the few things on which they agreed.
THE STAR AND THE SHAMROCK is the story of life in Ballycreggan for the children, their foster families, their school, the townspeople, and other characters who have come to the town.
The people of Ballycreggan were as welcoming Elizabeth could have hoped for. Their support would be needed. Other Jewish children were also being cared for in the village.
After the village was bombed one night, many of the adults said it was because the Jewish children. They also suspected that there was a spy living there.
One major subplot revolves around Daniel Lieber. His parents were Jewish but became Catholic in 1900. While they didn’t formally convert, Dan and his sister were raised Catholic and never knew about their Jewish ancestry. Many in the village decided that he was the spy.
Elizabeth spoke the rabbi working with the children about her fears that Danny would be killed. He pointed out the irony of her concern for the life of one Jew when hundreds of thousands of others were dying in Europe. “It strikes me, that because Daniel is an individual, and a person who touched your heart, you care so much. Each of those put on a train east, each person beaten to death on the street or worked to exhaustion in a quarry mine, they too are individuals, and their presence on earth touched the heart of another. It is as if we can only process what is happening in the small level – one man, one community. The reality of what is happening in Europe is too hard for one person to understand. The scale is too big.”
THE STAR AND THE SHAMROCK is an interesting story but is too repetitious. There are a few instances that seem unlikely: Even though many German Jews had assimilated, I don’t think an Orthodox rabbi would have approved of a concert on a Friday night or a movie on Saturday afternoons. Bat
The idea of a girl becoming a bat mitzvah was very rare and, while the rabbi might have agreed to have one under the special circumstances, I rather doubt it. Other girls would also want one so it would not have been a one-time occurrence. And sunset at 9:30 PM during the school year seems impossibly early.
THE STAR AND THE SHAMROCK explores an unusual dimension of the Holocaust: Jewish children from Europe living in a small town in Northern Ireland to protect them from the Nazis.
After she married a Jewish man, Elizabeth Klein became estranged from her Catholic mother. She moved to London from Ballycreggan in Northern Ireland and resolved to never return even though her husband died the morning of November 11, 1911, and their child died soon afterwards. “They say that grief is the price of love, but it was a price she could never pay again.” To help her deal with her grief, a nun suggested she become a teacher.
One day in 1939 in Berlin, Ariella Bannon’s husband left their home and didn’t return. The Nazi rule was escalating and life for Jews was becoming more dangerous. She heard of a kindertransport to take Jewish children to England and thought that may be the way to save her children, Liesl and Erich. She had a distant cousin in London who might be willing to take them.
Soon after the children arrived, the Nazis begin to bomb London. Elizabeth’s mother had recently died and left her the house in Ballycreggan. Reluctantly, Elizabeth decided to relocate.
Newly independent Ireland did not take the Allies’ side during the war. It preferred to remain neutral. Nevertheless, both the Catholics and Protestants in the Irish Free State refused to take refugees, their anti-Semitism one of the few things on which they agreed.
THE STAR AND THE SHAMROCK is the story of life in Ballycreggan for the children, their foster families, their school, the townspeople, and other characters who have come to the town.
The people of Ballycreggan were as welcoming Elizabeth could have hoped for. Their support would be needed. Other Jewish children were also being cared for in the village.
After the village was bombed one night, many of the adults said it was because the Jewish children. They also suspected that there was a spy living there.
One major subplot revolves around Daniel Lieber. His parents were Jewish but became Catholic in 1900. While they didn’t formally convert, Dan and his sister were raised Catholic and never knew about their Jewish ancestry. Many in the village decided that he was the spy.
Elizabeth spoke the rabbi working with the children about her fears that Danny would be killed. He pointed out the irony of her concern for the life of one Jew when hundreds of thousands of others were dying in Europe. “It strikes me, that because Daniel is an individual, and a person who touched your heart, you care so much. Each of those put on a train east, each person beaten to death on the street or worked to exhaustion in a quarry mine, they too are individuals, and their presence on earth touched the heart of another. It is as if we can only process what is happening in the small level – one man, one community. The reality of what is happening in Europe is too hard for one person to understand. The scale is too big.”
THE STAR AND THE SHAMROCK is an interesting story but is too repetitious. There are a few instances that seem unlikely: Even though many German Jews had assimilated, I don’t think an Orthodox rabbi would have approved of a concert on a Friday night or a movie on Saturday afternoons. Bat
The idea of a girl becoming a bat mitzvah was very rare and, while the rabbi might have agreed to have one under the special circumstances, I rather doubt it. Other girls would also want one so it would not have been a one-time occurrence. And sunset at 9:30 PM during the school year seems impossibly early.
September 4, 2024
This 100% is going to be in my top 10 reads of this year. Not your ordinary WW2 HF and I’m here for it. Plus it’s the first in a series. Loved. Can’t wait to go back to Ballycreggan
June 9, 2019
Another excellent story
Jean's love of her country is evident, again, in another wonderful story, this one unique as it's set in Northern Ireland. No spoilers here, but like all her other stories, this includes history, sorrow, joy, intrigue, community and above all reconciliation and love.
I have read everything she has written and love the variety: historic love stories, friendship through trials, courage in war, strangers turned into friends & family. Try each series and you'll love the characters and stories so much, you'll be sad to finish the book.
Because of her amazing talent for storytelling, I've fallen in love with Ireland and am planning to visit many of her story settings (and hometown) this fall.
Jean's love of her country is evident, again, in another wonderful story, this one unique as it's set in Northern Ireland. No spoilers here, but like all her other stories, this includes history, sorrow, joy, intrigue, community and above all reconciliation and love.
I have read everything she has written and love the variety: historic love stories, friendship through trials, courage in war, strangers turned into friends & family. Try each series and you'll love the characters and stories so much, you'll be sad to finish the book.
Because of her amazing talent for storytelling, I've fallen in love with Ireland and am planning to visit many of her story settings (and hometown) this fall.
June 21, 2019
The Star and The Shamrock is an incredibly moving book from a very talented author. When Liesl and Erich were put on the Kindertransport by their desperately afraid mother non of them knew what would become of them. Elizabeth had no idea what to expect when she agreed to give these children a home. What happen next is a poignant and heartrending tale of despair, hope, love, acceptance, fear and community. There are a host of great characters and many layers to this wonderful book and Jean Grainger writes of this awful time with honesty and compassion. This book touched my heart and I didn't want to put it down. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
February 18, 2020
I loved this book and was thinking during the first half that it might deserve 5 stars, but when Daniel got arrested, the plot floundered. The identity of the spy was so obvious... two possible suspects, but one was not investigated seriously. All of the clues were ignored.
I did love learning about Kindertransport and Ireland. The story of the 2 children was sweet, but they were perfect children just as Elizabeth was a perfect foster mother. Maybe too perfect but the happily-ever-after ending fit the story.
I did love learning about Kindertransport and Ireland. The story of the 2 children was sweet, but they were perfect children just as Elizabeth was a perfect foster mother. Maybe too perfect but the happily-ever-after ending fit the story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 5, 2020
Yet another of Jean Grainger's wonderful stories, this dealing with the practice of German Jews getting their children to safety during Hitler's atrocities, focusing on 2 children and the woman who took them in and provided safety and security for them. I am anxious to read the sequel.
August 24, 2021
This is a new author for me and all I can say is, "Wow!" The story is a unique twist on a WW2/Holocaust story. Liesl and Erich Bannon are two young Jewish siblings who are sent to a distant cousin in Ireland via the Kindertransport program. Elizabeth Klein is the distant cousin in Ireland who is not Jewish but who's deceased husband was. From here, the story develops into an intriguing story of danger and intrigue along the coast of Ireland. I look forward to reading more about these characters in sequels.
Go Cards! L1C4!!
Go Cards! L1C4!!
March 3, 2025
Very clean and heartwarming considering this being another angle on WWII history, and one I thoroughly enjoyed! This time, you meet another type of diaspora in which Jewish German children are transported by their parents to relatives in Ireland to keep them safe from the Nazis. There are spies, there is love, there is perseverance and grit - all the makings of a satisfying read.
March 21, 2025
Absolutely incredible!!! Elizabeth is everything I want in a character. She’s strong and resilient. Steadfast and loving. Taking care of her foster children after being sent from Germany during the most terrifying time in their lives. Settling in her childhood home, her and the kids make a new life, fall in love, catch a German spy and become a family. I will definitely finish the series!!
May 23, 2022
Excellent telling of the plight of the Jewish people during World War II. Ariella, who lives in Berlin finds herself in a dilemma to keep he two children safe. She sends them on a kinder transport to Liverpool, England to her husband's cousin who she has never met. Elizabeth is a widowed school teacher who's home is bombed. Eventually, she takes the children back to her home in Ireland. Riveting story.
July 5, 2023
Another warmly written and interesting story about bravery and kindness in the face of conflict and persecution. I can't wait to read the sequel!
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