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Where the Forest Meet the Stars
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Fiction (2019)In this gorgeously stunning debut, a mysterious child teaches two strangers how to love and trust again.
After the loss of her mother and her own battle with breast cancer, Joanna Teale returns to her graduate research on nesting birds in rural Illinois, determined to prove that her recent hardships have not broken her. She throws herself into her work from dusk to dawn, until her solitary routine is disrupted by the appearance of a mysterious child who shows up at her cabin barefoot and covered in bruises.
The girl calls herself Ursa, and she claims to have been sent from the stars to witness five miracles. With concerns about the child’s home situation, Jo reluctantly agrees to let her stay―just until she learns more about Ursa’s past.
Jo enlists the help of her reclusive neighbor, Gabriel Nash, to solve the mystery of the charming child. But the more time they spend together, the more questions they have. How does a young girl not only read but understand Shakespeare? Why do good things keep happening in her presence? And why aren’t Jo and Gabe checking the missing children’s website anymore?
Though the three have formed an incredible bond, they know difficult choices must be made. As the summer nears an end and Ursa gets closer to her fifth miracle, her dangerous past closes in. When it finally catches up to them, all of their painful secrets will be forced into the open, and their fates will be left to the stars.
After the loss of her mother and her own battle with breast cancer, Joanna Teale returns to her graduate research on nesting birds in rural Illinois, determined to prove that her recent hardships have not broken her. She throws herself into her work from dusk to dawn, until her solitary routine is disrupted by the appearance of a mysterious child who shows up at her cabin barefoot and covered in bruises.
The girl calls herself Ursa, and she claims to have been sent from the stars to witness five miracles. With concerns about the child’s home situation, Jo reluctantly agrees to let her stay―just until she learns more about Ursa’s past.
Jo enlists the help of her reclusive neighbor, Gabriel Nash, to solve the mystery of the charming child. But the more time they spend together, the more questions they have. How does a young girl not only read but understand Shakespeare? Why do good things keep happening in her presence? And why aren’t Jo and Gabe checking the missing children’s website anymore?
Though the three have formed an incredible bond, they know difficult choices must be made. As the summer nears an end and Ursa gets closer to her fifth miracle, her dangerous past closes in. When it finally catches up to them, all of their painful secrets will be forced into the open, and their fates will be left to the stars.
Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 19,379 reviews
February 11, 2019
This was an amazon first read selection for February '19. I read through it very quickly -- it is that kind of book (and I took a 'read' day this past weekend for myself).
I think that the premise and the characters were actually quite unique and built on a solid foundation. As a research wildlife biologist myself, I related to both the biologist side of Jo, but also to the complex, agoraphobic Gabe...and to the awkward, fumbling relationship dance they endured with each other. I would have given it 3.5 stars up to that point.
BUT...the book fell completely flat in the end. So much so, that as I was reading the last 10%, I was wondering if I had switched to a different book and a different author. The ending was disorganized, fantastical (in a bad way), and felt so rushed in an effort to tie up all the loose ends in just a few pages that it left me a bit disoriented. So much so that I had to read the last few pages twice to even understand what was going on. Also, after just coming off a reading high with 'Where the Crawdads Sing' and how well that author tied biology/nature to the story, this book really disappointed me in that regard. In fact, I was surprised to learn that the author was an endangered bird specialist -- this felt to me like someone writing about field research that had not experienced it. I think the author missed an opportunity to bring in that aspect more.
Final note in case it will be helpful to others. I almost went to a 1-star review because of how the main character, Jo, handled Gabe's mental illness. This book was obviously written by someone who has not experienced depression...Jo pushing Gabe to be comfortable in a city, shaving his beard off, and expecting him to just 'get over it' was triggering to me. This lack of understanding and empathy is how I am often treated by others and it infuriated me to read. 'We' need to do a better job at not dismissing depression as an 'excuse' for someone to 'hide in their bed'. It is a mental illness, not a choice.
I think that the premise and the characters were actually quite unique and built on a solid foundation. As a research wildlife biologist myself, I related to both the biologist side of Jo, but also to the complex, agoraphobic Gabe...and to the awkward, fumbling relationship dance they endured with each other. I would have given it 3.5 stars up to that point.
BUT...the book fell completely flat in the end. So much so, that as I was reading the last 10%, I was wondering if I had switched to a different book and a different author. The ending was disorganized, fantastical (in a bad way), and felt so rushed in an effort to tie up all the loose ends in just a few pages that it left me a bit disoriented. So much so that I had to read the last few pages twice to even understand what was going on. Also, after just coming off a reading high with 'Where the Crawdads Sing' and how well that author tied biology/nature to the story, this book really disappointed me in that regard. In fact, I was surprised to learn that the author was an endangered bird specialist -- this felt to me like someone writing about field research that had not experienced it. I think the author missed an opportunity to bring in that aspect more.
Final note in case it will be helpful to others. I almost went to a 1-star review because of how the main character, Jo, handled Gabe's mental illness. This book was obviously written by someone who has not experienced depression...Jo pushing Gabe to be comfortable in a city, shaving his beard off, and expecting him to just 'get over it' was triggering to me. This lack of understanding and empathy is how I am often treated by others and it infuriated me to read. 'We' need to do a better job at not dismissing depression as an 'excuse' for someone to 'hide in their bed'. It is a mental illness, not a choice.
April 28, 2022
I think so far this is one of the best book I’ve read on 2019. It’s so emotional, heart warming, poignant, amazing story of three people who try to live with the hand life’s dealt them.
Jo, in a remission from cancer, Gabe, fighting with his depression and a little girl Ursa who defines herself as an alien brings them together and seal their fates.
The story is about living not only surviving, staying strong and seeing the worthiness of your own life. Trio is surprising combination who complete which other. Jo, realistic, fighter, Ursa is positive dreamer and Gabe is wounded, exhausted, broken but not tarnished kind of hero.
It’s perfectly written book gives you hope, joy and positive look into yourself.
I think this is a fantastic debut novel and I cannot wait to read the new books of the writer sooner.
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Jo, in a remission from cancer, Gabe, fighting with his depression and a little girl Ursa who defines herself as an alien brings them together and seal their fates.
The story is about living not only surviving, staying strong and seeing the worthiness of your own life. Trio is surprising combination who complete which other. Jo, realistic, fighter, Ursa is positive dreamer and Gabe is wounded, exhausted, broken but not tarnished kind of hero.
It’s perfectly written book gives you hope, joy and positive look into yourself.
I think this is a fantastic debut novel and I cannot wait to read the new books of the writer sooner.
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March 7, 2019
There are books you read that you enjoy, there are books that you love, and then there are the books you hold in your heart. Having just finished Glendy Vanderah's stunningly beautiful debut novel,
Where the Forest Meets the Stars
, I know it will be one to cherish. What a special book this was.
Joanna Teale is an ornithologist who is recovering from a double blow: her mother's death and her own battle with breast cancer. Bearing physical and emotional scars, she returns to her graduate research on nesting birds in a rural Illinois town. She interacts with very few people—only the man from down the road who sells eggs, and those she encounters on her trips to the laundromat when the rain keeps her from her fieldwork.
One night her solitude is broken by the appearance of a barefoot young girl dressed in dirty clothes, who has bruises on her body. The girl claims to be an alien from the distant planet Hetrayeh, and she calls herself Ursa Major. She says that she is on her own type of graduate study, and can return to home only after she witnesses five miracles. (It's up to her to determine what constitutes a miracle.)
Jo is worried about what kind of a family situation Ursa has left, and even though she is concerned about her bruises, she knows the right thing is to return Ursa to wherever—and whomever—she escaped from. But Ursa sticks to her story about being an alien, and when Jo calls the sheriff to report Ursa's appearance, she runs away. And when the sheriff's deputy doesn't prove helpful anyway, Jo lets Ursa stay with her—temporarily—until she figures out what to do next.
As the days pass, Jo begins to rely more and more on Gabriel, her next-door neighbor and the "egg man," to help her figure out what to do with Ursa, since the child has become attached to him as well. Gabriel has his own traumas to deal with, including social anxiety and a host of family-related issues, but the two can't help but be drawn to one another. Inherently, however, they know that a relationship between them can't work, given the fact that Jo will return to her graduate studies in the fall, and they also know that they need to contact the police, so Ursa can be returned to her family or at least placed with a foster family.
But why hasn't Ursa shown up in any missing-children bulletins? How can this young child not only read, but understand ornithology texts and Shakespeare? Why won't she tell them the truth about where she really came from, and why does she keep endangering herself by running away every time Jo and Gabe try to get to the bottom of her family situation? There can't possibly be any truth to the story she's telling them, can there?
"Gabe started to live as Ursa did, in an infinite present disconnected from the past or future. Jo let him have his fantasy. And she let Ursa have hers."
As the summer draws to a close and all of their lives approach a crossroads, one night will change everything. It will put all of them in danger and expose the lies they've been telling themselves, and threaten to destroy the fragile trio they have built, even if it's built on a dream or a fantasy.
From the very first sentence, I was hooked on this story. It reminded me a little of Eowyn Ivey's beautiful novel The Snow Child , in that the presence of a seemingly magical child transforms those in desperate need of rescue. But Where the Forest Meets the Stars has its own magic, buoyed by Vanderah's masterful storytelling, gorgeous imagery, and the immense heart of this book.
I'll admit as I was reading this, I vacillated between wanting to get to Ursa's "real story" and hoping that she was perhaps telling the truth, despite the fact that such a resolution might require me to suspend my disbelief. But at its core, Where the Forest Meets the Stars is a story about friendship, love, bravery, and how the family we choose is often more important to us than the family we belong to, so I decided it didn't matter how Vanderah wrapped up her story.
When I saw that this book was one of Amazon's Kindle First selections last month, I really wanted to read it, but couldn't fit it in. However, I couldn't wait any longer, and nearly read the entire book yesterday during a cold, rainy day. It was one of those books you want to devour yet savor, and of course, I was sad when I finished it. But I know these characters will live in my mind and my heart for a long time to come.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2018 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2018.html.
You can follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/yrralh/.
Joanna Teale is an ornithologist who is recovering from a double blow: her mother's death and her own battle with breast cancer. Bearing physical and emotional scars, she returns to her graduate research on nesting birds in a rural Illinois town. She interacts with very few people—only the man from down the road who sells eggs, and those she encounters on her trips to the laundromat when the rain keeps her from her fieldwork.
One night her solitude is broken by the appearance of a barefoot young girl dressed in dirty clothes, who has bruises on her body. The girl claims to be an alien from the distant planet Hetrayeh, and she calls herself Ursa Major. She says that she is on her own type of graduate study, and can return to home only after she witnesses five miracles. (It's up to her to determine what constitutes a miracle.)
Jo is worried about what kind of a family situation Ursa has left, and even though she is concerned about her bruises, she knows the right thing is to return Ursa to wherever—and whomever—she escaped from. But Ursa sticks to her story about being an alien, and when Jo calls the sheriff to report Ursa's appearance, she runs away. And when the sheriff's deputy doesn't prove helpful anyway, Jo lets Ursa stay with her—temporarily—until she figures out what to do next.
As the days pass, Jo begins to rely more and more on Gabriel, her next-door neighbor and the "egg man," to help her figure out what to do with Ursa, since the child has become attached to him as well. Gabriel has his own traumas to deal with, including social anxiety and a host of family-related issues, but the two can't help but be drawn to one another. Inherently, however, they know that a relationship between them can't work, given the fact that Jo will return to her graduate studies in the fall, and they also know that they need to contact the police, so Ursa can be returned to her family or at least placed with a foster family.
But why hasn't Ursa shown up in any missing-children bulletins? How can this young child not only read, but understand ornithology texts and Shakespeare? Why won't she tell them the truth about where she really came from, and why does she keep endangering herself by running away every time Jo and Gabe try to get to the bottom of her family situation? There can't possibly be any truth to the story she's telling them, can there?
"Gabe started to live as Ursa did, in an infinite present disconnected from the past or future. Jo let him have his fantasy. And she let Ursa have hers."
As the summer draws to a close and all of their lives approach a crossroads, one night will change everything. It will put all of them in danger and expose the lies they've been telling themselves, and threaten to destroy the fragile trio they have built, even if it's built on a dream or a fantasy.
From the very first sentence, I was hooked on this story. It reminded me a little of Eowyn Ivey's beautiful novel The Snow Child , in that the presence of a seemingly magical child transforms those in desperate need of rescue. But Where the Forest Meets the Stars has its own magic, buoyed by Vanderah's masterful storytelling, gorgeous imagery, and the immense heart of this book.
I'll admit as I was reading this, I vacillated between wanting to get to Ursa's "real story" and hoping that she was perhaps telling the truth, despite the fact that such a resolution might require me to suspend my disbelief. But at its core, Where the Forest Meets the Stars is a story about friendship, love, bravery, and how the family we choose is often more important to us than the family we belong to, so I decided it didn't matter how Vanderah wrapped up her story.
When I saw that this book was one of Amazon's Kindle First selections last month, I really wanted to read it, but couldn't fit it in. However, I couldn't wait any longer, and nearly read the entire book yesterday during a cold, rainy day. It was one of those books you want to devour yet savor, and of course, I was sad when I finished it. But I know these characters will live in my mind and my heart for a long time to come.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2018 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2018.html.
You can follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/yrralh/.
August 28, 2021
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If I could just rate the first 30% of this novel I would have given this 4 stars. Sadly, I found the depiction of depression and social anxiety to be lousy and, worse still, I thought that the romantic relationship between the two leads is...worrisome.
Initially I was enjoying this story. In spite of the main characters' troubled pasts (Ursa, a child who shows signs of abuse, claims that she is an alien researching human beings; Jo is finally finishing her PhD after the death of her mother and having survived her own breast cancer—from which she is still emotionally and physically recovering; and Gabriel, a young man who sells eggs by the side of the road) the story seemed light-hearted. Jo and Gabriel begin to get to know each other thanks to Ursa, together they eat marshmallows, watch birds, go for a swim. I sort of understood why Jo and Gabriel didn't drag Ursa to the police. They worried that she would run away, or worse end up back in a potentially abusive home. They do check missing children websites and early on Jo does end up calling the police. I didn't mind that they were being somewhat irrational...I thought this is a fluffy, feel-good read, why would I want things to be too realistic?
For me things changed when the story begun focusing on the romance between Jo and Gabriel. Jo had initially dismissed him as 'egg man', but soon they realise that they have a lot in common.
What bothered me is that Jo seems suddenly interested in Gabriel. On the basis of this new 'interest' she feels that she can push her way into his private life. After he tells her that he suffers from social anxiety and depression she forces him to 'get out of his shell'. She pesters him, believing that someone can just 'snap out' of depression, tells his mother of their relationship (does one kiss institute a relationship?) when he clearly was not comfortable with her doing so (she pushes past him, goes into house, and reaches out for Gabe in front of his mother: “captur[ing] him around the waist before he got away”), when he admits that he has never been kissed, rather than giving him time, she kisses him: “His body was radiating heat—and maybe fear. He recoiled a little when she put her palms his chest.”
Gabriel doesn't like the way his face reminds him of his father and Jo thinks that she can 'snap him out' of his anxiety and self-consciousness by shaving his beard when he clearly tells her he wants to keep it. She coaxes him by saying that she loves “a clean-shaven face' and by bringing in Ursa, asking her “Don't you think he'd look handsome?”. When he says that “nope”, “no”, and “I don't want to see his face every day!” Jo ignores his wishes, kisses him and asks: “Don't you want to be irresistible to me?”
They've known each other for what, two weeks? The day after their first kiss and bang! Jo waltzes into his private life, dismissing his trauma, his boundaries and his mental health,. Because she has survived cancer she thinks that she understands all illnesses and traumas. The story, rather than showing how harmful and emotional manipulative Jo is being it shows us that it works! Gabe is cured! Apparently true love cures depression. Who knew.
If Jo was a man and Gabe was a woman this relationship readers would find that it is unhealthy, and that Jo's behaviour fringed on being emotionally manipulative. But Jo is woman so the way she treats Gabe is 'okay'.
I was so angry at Jo that I became disconnected from the narrative. Ursa seems largely forgotten, relinquished to the sidelines, and is only given a few silly/cute lines. When the truth behind her identity is revealed it seemed over the top. The ending was laughably neat.
If I could just rate the first 30% of this novel I would have given this 4 stars. Sadly, I found the depiction of depression and social anxiety to be lousy and, worse still, I thought that the romantic relationship between the two leads is...worrisome.
Initially I was enjoying this story. In spite of the main characters' troubled pasts (Ursa, a child who shows signs of abuse, claims that she is an alien researching human beings; Jo is finally finishing her PhD after the death of her mother and having survived her own breast cancer—from which she is still emotionally and physically recovering; and Gabriel, a young man who sells eggs by the side of the road) the story seemed light-hearted. Jo and Gabriel begin to get to know each other thanks to Ursa, together they eat marshmallows, watch birds, go for a swim. I sort of understood why Jo and Gabriel didn't drag Ursa to the police. They worried that she would run away, or worse end up back in a potentially abusive home. They do check missing children websites and early on Jo does end up calling the police. I didn't mind that they were being somewhat irrational...I thought this is a fluffy, feel-good read, why would I want things to be too realistic?
For me things changed when the story begun focusing on the romance between Jo and Gabriel. Jo had initially dismissed him as 'egg man', but soon they realise that they have a lot in common.
What bothered me is that Jo seems suddenly interested in Gabriel. On the basis of this new 'interest' she feels that she can push her way into his private life. After he tells her that he suffers from social anxiety and depression she forces him to 'get out of his shell'. She pesters him, believing that someone can just 'snap out' of depression, tells his mother of their relationship (does one kiss institute a relationship?) when he clearly was not comfortable with her doing so (she pushes past him, goes into house, and reaches out for Gabe in front of his mother: “captur[ing] him around the waist before he got away”), when he admits that he has never been kissed, rather than giving him time, she kisses him: “His body was radiating heat—and maybe fear. He recoiled a little when she put her palms his chest.”
Gabriel doesn't like the way his face reminds him of his father and Jo thinks that she can 'snap him out' of his anxiety and self-consciousness by shaving his beard when he clearly tells her he wants to keep it. She coaxes him by saying that she loves “a clean-shaven face' and by bringing in Ursa, asking her “Don't you think he'd look handsome?”. When he says that “nope”, “no”, and “I don't want to see his face every day!” Jo ignores his wishes, kisses him and asks: “Don't you want to be irresistible to me?”
They've known each other for what, two weeks? The day after their first kiss and bang! Jo waltzes into his private life, dismissing his trauma, his boundaries and his mental health,. Because she has survived cancer she thinks that she understands all illnesses and traumas. The story, rather than showing how harmful and emotional manipulative Jo is being it shows us that it works! Gabe is cured! Apparently true love cures depression. Who knew.
If Jo was a man and Gabe was a woman this relationship readers would find that it is unhealthy, and that Jo's behaviour fringed on being emotionally manipulative. But Jo is woman so the way she treats Gabe is 'okay'.
I was so angry at Jo that I became disconnected from the narrative. Ursa seems largely forgotten, relinquished to the sidelines, and is only given a few silly/cute lines. When the truth behind her identity is revealed it seemed over the top. The ending was laughably neat.
January 20, 2020
what an absolutely delightful surprise gem of a story.
this actually reminded me a lot of ‘the great alone’ and ‘where the crawdads sing.’ these stories are proof that an appreciation for nature and the comfort it lends can lead us to the most insightful and human of moments. i strongly believe that our environments play a crucial role in our development as people, so i really enjoyed reading about ursas search for miracles in the new world she finds herself in.
with unhurried writing and tranquil presence, this is a story meant to gently reach the goodness in all of our hearts.
↠ 4 stars
this actually reminded me a lot of ‘the great alone’ and ‘where the crawdads sing.’ these stories are proof that an appreciation for nature and the comfort it lends can lead us to the most insightful and human of moments. i strongly believe that our environments play a crucial role in our development as people, so i really enjoyed reading about ursas search for miracles in the new world she finds herself in.
with unhurried writing and tranquil presence, this is a story meant to gently reach the goodness in all of our hearts.
↠ 4 stars
April 27, 2019
Ok, I see all the glowing reviews and think that maybe I read a different book. Maybe Amazon sent the sucky version to my Kindle. The writing was weak. Character development was thin. I finished it out of spite. DO NOT waste your time.
March 11, 2019
There’s a reason (or two or three) why Where the Forest Meets the Stars is an Amazon bestseller. It’s special! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
So special, in fact, I’m unlikely to forget this story or its characters.
Joanna has had her share of trauma and grief. As a breast cancer survivor still grieving the loss of her mother, she goes back to graduate school to study birds (this in and of itself was fascinating, and a fun tidbit- the author had this same profession). Joanna has become a workaholic living a solitary life consumed by her studies.
Until, one day, Ursa, shows up at Joanna’s rental. Ursa is a young girl, a bit quirky, who doesn’t seem to have a home. She tells Joanna she’s been sent from the stars to witness five miracles. Joanna is too practical to buy this story and insists that the girl go home…Until the girl finally convinces here there is no home. Joanna thinks eventually she’ll find out more so she can help Ursa…
Jo asks her neighbor, Gabriel, for help – to find out who Ursa is, where she’s from. The more they learn about Ursa, the more confused they are. The inconsistencies in her knowledge make no sense. She’s a child well-versed in Shakespeare? (Among other conundrums).
The three become the best of friends as the summer is close to ending. Ursa has found her fourth miracle, and the fifth could happen at any time. There’s a synergy building when all of their pasts are exposed. What will the future be like for these three lovable characters?
While I guess Where the Forest Meets the Stars has a paranormal or fantasy aspect, it doesn’t feel that way. The story is grounded firmly in the here and now, and Ursa has a magical power that can be only described as love. Pure, unadulterated, innocent love. The miracles she witnesses are truly beautiful (experiencing them through her eyes melted my heart), but the beauty in Ursa is all the love she exudes to those around her and the effect she has on them as a result. Oh my goodness, Ursa! You simply have to meet her.
Where the Forest Meets the Stars is a story of friendship and the power of healing through friends. The writing is straight forward, not a spare word, easy-to-read, and so full of heart, all you are left with is hope in the end, and who doesn’t want to be left with that?
I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
So special, in fact, I’m unlikely to forget this story or its characters.
Joanna has had her share of trauma and grief. As a breast cancer survivor still grieving the loss of her mother, she goes back to graduate school to study birds (this in and of itself was fascinating, and a fun tidbit- the author had this same profession). Joanna has become a workaholic living a solitary life consumed by her studies.
Until, one day, Ursa, shows up at Joanna’s rental. Ursa is a young girl, a bit quirky, who doesn’t seem to have a home. She tells Joanna she’s been sent from the stars to witness five miracles. Joanna is too practical to buy this story and insists that the girl go home…Until the girl finally convinces here there is no home. Joanna thinks eventually she’ll find out more so she can help Ursa…
Jo asks her neighbor, Gabriel, for help – to find out who Ursa is, where she’s from. The more they learn about Ursa, the more confused they are. The inconsistencies in her knowledge make no sense. She’s a child well-versed in Shakespeare? (Among other conundrums).
The three become the best of friends as the summer is close to ending. Ursa has found her fourth miracle, and the fifth could happen at any time. There’s a synergy building when all of their pasts are exposed. What will the future be like for these three lovable characters?
While I guess Where the Forest Meets the Stars has a paranormal or fantasy aspect, it doesn’t feel that way. The story is grounded firmly in the here and now, and Ursa has a magical power that can be only described as love. Pure, unadulterated, innocent love. The miracles she witnesses are truly beautiful (experiencing them through her eyes melted my heart), but the beauty in Ursa is all the love she exudes to those around her and the effect she has on them as a result. Oh my goodness, Ursa! You simply have to meet her.
Where the Forest Meets the Stars is a story of friendship and the power of healing through friends. The writing is straight forward, not a spare word, easy-to-read, and so full of heart, all you are left with is hope in the end, and who doesn’t want to be left with that?
I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
October 29, 2023
I’ve been wanting to read this novel for awhile and this was perfect timing! This book was like a balm for my pandemic frazzled nerves! 30 pages into this novel and I knew I was in the hands of a master storyteller. I’m amazed that this was a debut novel, everything was right about this book! The plot was unique, the setting was beautiful and well described, and the characters made me both laugh and cry. I really don’t want to let them go, they are that special!!
Joanna Teale is a graduate student working on her doctorate in Biology. She has settled for the summer in the beautiful woodlands and streams of rural Illinois. She is studying the nesting habits and success or fail of the local birds nesting habits, journaling their movements extensively. She is only a few weeks into renting her small home when a girl of about nine appears at dusk from the woods. She is barefoot, dirty and clothed in only pajamas. No matter how many times Joe questions her, she insists that she’s from a planet far away and has come down to witness five miracles. Only then will she return to the Pinwheel Galaxy. Jo is a solitary woman who is dealing with a double dose of grief after losing her mother and being diagnosed with breast cancer. She knows that she should call the police and get them involved but every time she attempts this the little girl, now called Ursa, runs away.
Jo gets to know her neighbor, Gabriel, and Ursa manages to charm her way into both of their hearts. Gabe has his own scars, none that you can see, but lots that he has been dealing with for many years. He had a fractured family life and many emotional issues to deal with including depression and the inability to interact with or trust others. Despite their differences, Jo and Gabe are drawn to each other and we watch as they both learn to trust again and have hope.
For a large part of the book we get to watch as Ursa absolutely blooms in her natural world. She follows Joe on her tracking of the birds’ nests, splashes and swims in the creek and is always ready to learn and help. Her ability to absorb new information is astounding.
She goes to Gabe’s property when Jo loses her patience with her insistence that she is an alien. He keeps cows and chickens and the most exciting for Ursa, his cat has just had kittens!
We know that something will happen to reveal Ursa’s story but it is much more tragic and terrifying than could be imagined!
Ursa refuses help from everyone except Jo and Gabe. They have found her to be extremely smart and resourceful. She draws beautifully and reads Jo’s college textbooks and even Shakespeare with ease!
The ending is extremely satisfying without being unbelievable.
I was so enthralled in the story that I shut out everything else. Ms. Vanderah’s prose flows so well it is easy to lose track of time. There are other characters who are integral to Ursa’s story and are also well developed. I can’t wait to read her new book “The Light Through The Leaves : a novel” which is set to publish on April 1, 2021.
If you haven’t read this book I recommend it with all the STARS!!!!! If you need a break from the world around you, read this book. If you want to be immersed in beautiful storytelling, read this book!
“Where The Forest Meets The Stars” was a beautiful and gratifying reading experience that will be hard to beat with any book that follows.
This is a buddy read with my good friend Mary Beth who will be starting this one soon!
Joanna Teale is a graduate student working on her doctorate in Biology. She has settled for the summer in the beautiful woodlands and streams of rural Illinois. She is studying the nesting habits and success or fail of the local birds nesting habits, journaling their movements extensively. She is only a few weeks into renting her small home when a girl of about nine appears at dusk from the woods. She is barefoot, dirty and clothed in only pajamas. No matter how many times Joe questions her, she insists that she’s from a planet far away and has come down to witness five miracles. Only then will she return to the Pinwheel Galaxy. Jo is a solitary woman who is dealing with a double dose of grief after losing her mother and being diagnosed with breast cancer. She knows that she should call the police and get them involved but every time she attempts this the little girl, now called Ursa, runs away.
Jo gets to know her neighbor, Gabriel, and Ursa manages to charm her way into both of their hearts. Gabe has his own scars, none that you can see, but lots that he has been dealing with for many years. He had a fractured family life and many emotional issues to deal with including depression and the inability to interact with or trust others. Despite their differences, Jo and Gabe are drawn to each other and we watch as they both learn to trust again and have hope.
For a large part of the book we get to watch as Ursa absolutely blooms in her natural world. She follows Joe on her tracking of the birds’ nests, splashes and swims in the creek and is always ready to learn and help. Her ability to absorb new information is astounding.
She goes to Gabe’s property when Jo loses her patience with her insistence that she is an alien. He keeps cows and chickens and the most exciting for Ursa, his cat has just had kittens!
We know that something will happen to reveal Ursa’s story but it is much more tragic and terrifying than could be imagined!
Ursa refuses help from everyone except Jo and Gabe. They have found her to be extremely smart and resourceful. She draws beautifully and reads Jo’s college textbooks and even Shakespeare with ease!
The ending is extremely satisfying without being unbelievable.
I was so enthralled in the story that I shut out everything else. Ms. Vanderah’s prose flows so well it is easy to lose track of time. There are other characters who are integral to Ursa’s story and are also well developed. I can’t wait to read her new book “The Light Through The Leaves : a novel” which is set to publish on April 1, 2021.
If you haven’t read this book I recommend it with all the STARS!!!!! If you need a break from the world around you, read this book. If you want to be immersed in beautiful storytelling, read this book!
“Where The Forest Meets The Stars” was a beautiful and gratifying reading experience that will be hard to beat with any book that follows.
This is a buddy read with my good friend Mary Beth who will be starting this one soon!
February 11, 2021
2020 F.A.B. Bookclub pick # I.❤️. F.A.B.
August 2, 2021
Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah (Author), Lauren Ezzo (Narrator)
This may be a time when I would have enjoyed the book better if I hadn't listened to the audiobook. I feel like I need to attend a rock concert for several hours so that I can get the shrill whines and yelling of Joanna and Ursa out of my head. Being so annoyed by listening to them made me more critical of other things, I think, such as how often there would be long strings of short dialogue, ending with "he said", "she said", "he said", "she said", over and over.
Joanna Teale, a grad student and cancer survivor, is spending the summer doing ornithology research next to the property of Gabe, who suffers from several mental issues. Into Jo's life (and then Gabe's life), comes a girl who is most likely a runaway. Jo sees obvious bruises on her including one that looks like someone grabbed her around the neck. The girl claims to be an alien, who is inhabiting the body of a dead girl and her name is Ursa.
Ursa super duper smart and Jo and Gabe will keep reminding us how smart she is and that trying to get her official help is next to impossible because she's so very smart. So mostly they just hang out with this little girl, for several weeks, despite the fact that Jo will be going back to her college the next month and either leaving the girl where she is or taking her with her, which will be even more illegal than harboring and endangering the life of a minor.
I wish I could have just turned off my mind for this one and could have enjoyed the magic more, instead of coming up with way too many objections to the actions of Jo (and Gabe, but I feel like his a victim in some ways). Rest assured, in the end, lots of things get fixed up just fine, including for people on the sidelines that seem to be caught in the magic of the story.
This is a Kindle Unlimited audio selection.
This may be a time when I would have enjoyed the book better if I hadn't listened to the audiobook. I feel like I need to attend a rock concert for several hours so that I can get the shrill whines and yelling of Joanna and Ursa out of my head. Being so annoyed by listening to them made me more critical of other things, I think, such as how often there would be long strings of short dialogue, ending with "he said", "she said", "he said", "she said", over and over.
Joanna Teale, a grad student and cancer survivor, is spending the summer doing ornithology research next to the property of Gabe, who suffers from several mental issues. Into Jo's life (and then Gabe's life), comes a girl who is most likely a runaway. Jo sees obvious bruises on her including one that looks like someone grabbed her around the neck. The girl claims to be an alien, who is inhabiting the body of a dead girl and her name is Ursa.
Ursa super duper smart and Jo and Gabe will keep reminding us how smart she is and that trying to get her official help is next to impossible because she's so very smart. So mostly they just hang out with this little girl, for several weeks, despite the fact that Jo will be going back to her college the next month and either leaving the girl where she is or taking her with her, which will be even more illegal than harboring and endangering the life of a minor.
I wish I could have just turned off my mind for this one and could have enjoyed the magic more, instead of coming up with way too many objections to the actions of Jo (and Gabe, but I feel like his a victim in some ways). Rest assured, in the end, lots of things get fixed up just fine, including for people on the sidelines that seem to be caught in the magic of the story.
This is a Kindle Unlimited audio selection.
March 1, 2019
4.5 or maybe 10 stars, I don't know. My mind is still blown. Don't ask me about stars right now.
Oh wow! I know I shouldn’t begin a review with Oh Wow but I was so blown away with Where the Forest Meets the Stars that it has taken a few days to put words to my thoughts (and you see how well that has gone, right?) Oh wow is what I have come up with so far.
Joanna Teale is an ornithologist is safely tucked away in a researcher’s cabin on the marshes of southern Illinois where she is completing her graduate studies on nesting practices. It is here that she is healing her body and soul after a battle with breast cancer. Nearby is Gabe, the “egg man,” who lives on the farm up the road and is battling demons of his own. Into their lives a young girl wanders. She calls herself Ursa and claims to be an alien in search of five miracles. It is obvious to Jo that the girl needs help on multiple levels, but the girl is brilliant and cagey and every time that Jo attempts to turn Ursa into the “authorities” she eludes them, leaving Jo to care for the girl until Jo can unravel Ursa’s secrets and find out her past. Surely she isn’t really alien, is she? As Jo and Gabe begin caring for Ursa, they find themselves enveloped in a healing process of their own. But there are secrets yet to be uncovered that will have devastating effects on them all.
Where the Forest Meets the Stars is truly a magical tale. In the beginning you wonder if, in fact, it is going to fall into the realm of paranormal. Soon, however, you realize that the magic and wonder that Ursa possesses isn’t fantasy but rather the wonderment of love and that love; true, unselfish, altruistic love, has a healing, restorative effect on those with whom Ursa comes in contact. The miracles that Ursa seeks, baby birds in a nest or new kittens being born, pale in comparison to the miracles she brings to the lives of those around her. This is a story of forgiveness, friendship, restoration and, most importantly, love. It is simply but poignantly written, almost as a parable, and is one I encourage you all to read.
Oh wow! I know I shouldn’t begin a review with Oh Wow but I was so blown away with Where the Forest Meets the Stars that it has taken a few days to put words to my thoughts (and you see how well that has gone, right?) Oh wow is what I have come up with so far.
Joanna Teale is an ornithologist is safely tucked away in a researcher’s cabin on the marshes of southern Illinois where she is completing her graduate studies on nesting practices. It is here that she is healing her body and soul after a battle with breast cancer. Nearby is Gabe, the “egg man,” who lives on the farm up the road and is battling demons of his own. Into their lives a young girl wanders. She calls herself Ursa and claims to be an alien in search of five miracles. It is obvious to Jo that the girl needs help on multiple levels, but the girl is brilliant and cagey and every time that Jo attempts to turn Ursa into the “authorities” she eludes them, leaving Jo to care for the girl until Jo can unravel Ursa’s secrets and find out her past. Surely she isn’t really alien, is she? As Jo and Gabe begin caring for Ursa, they find themselves enveloped in a healing process of their own. But there are secrets yet to be uncovered that will have devastating effects on them all.
Where the Forest Meets the Stars is truly a magical tale. In the beginning you wonder if, in fact, it is going to fall into the realm of paranormal. Soon, however, you realize that the magic and wonder that Ursa possesses isn’t fantasy but rather the wonderment of love and that love; true, unselfish, altruistic love, has a healing, restorative effect on those with whom Ursa comes in contact. The miracles that Ursa seeks, baby birds in a nest or new kittens being born, pale in comparison to the miracles she brings to the lives of those around her. This is a story of forgiveness, friendship, restoration and, most importantly, love. It is simply but poignantly written, almost as a parable, and is one I encourage you all to read.
March 27, 2021
What a wonderful and unexpected surprise 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘔𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘴 turned out to be! I was just kinda throwing it at the wall to see if it would stick and I ended up in love with this book.
𝙅𝙤, 𝙖 𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙫𝙤𝙧 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙡𝙮 𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧, 𝙢𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙖 𝙨𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙮 𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙗𝙞𝙧𝙙 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙧.
𝙂𝙖𝙗𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙅𝙤'𝙨 𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙣𝙚𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙗𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙪𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙙𝙚𝙝𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣𝙭𝙞𝙚𝙩𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙚𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣.
𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙩𝙤𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣, 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙜𝙞𝙧𝙡 𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙨 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙘𝙡𝙖𝙞𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙣𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙐𝙧𝙨𝙖 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙨𝙝𝙚'𝙨 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙖𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙙𝙮 𝙝𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙨𝙝𝙚'𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙡 𝙨𝙝𝙚'𝙨 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙛𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙢𝙞𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙡𝙚𝙨.
I realize this book was purposely written to tug on it's readers heart strings and manipulate an emotional reaction and for me it worked. I laughed and I cried. I love the messages it holds about resilience, acceptance and compassion.
𝙅𝙤, 𝙖 𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙫𝙤𝙧 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙡𝙮 𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧, 𝙢𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙖 𝙨𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙮 𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙗𝙞𝙧𝙙 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙧.
𝙂𝙖𝙗𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙅𝙤'𝙨 𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙣𝙚𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙗𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙪𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙙𝙚𝙝𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣𝙭𝙞𝙚𝙩𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙚𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣.
𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙩𝙤𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣, 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙜𝙞𝙧𝙡 𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙨 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙘𝙡𝙖𝙞𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙣𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙐𝙧𝙨𝙖 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙨𝙝𝙚'𝙨 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙖𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙙𝙮 𝙝𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙨𝙝𝙚'𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙡 𝙨𝙝𝙚'𝙨 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙛𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙢𝙞𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙡𝙚𝙨.
I realize this book was purposely written to tug on it's readers heart strings and manipulate an emotional reaction and for me it worked. I laughed and I cried. I love the messages it holds about resilience, acceptance and compassion.
March 29, 2019
Its not a hype! I could not pull away!!!
This book is soooooo easy to love!!!
There is storytelling...
and then there is
FRESH- ORIGINAL- DELICIOUS - MASTERFULLY -ENCHANTING - TOTALLY
ENDEARING- storytelling...
This is one of THOSE books you want to read!!!!!
Go in blind! TRUST all the High Ratings!!!!
Wonderful- wonderful
- wonderful!!!!!! 🥰
This book is soooooo easy to love!!!
There is storytelling...
and then there is
FRESH- ORIGINAL- DELICIOUS - MASTERFULLY -ENCHANTING - TOTALLY
ENDEARING- storytelling...
This is one of THOSE books you want to read!!!!!
Go in blind! TRUST all the High Ratings!!!!
Wonderful- wonderful
- wonderful!!!!!! 🥰
April 30, 2019
The big mystery here is the 4+ rating for this book. Child appears out of nowhere claiming to be an alien ... the book had a good start but slowly devolved into melodramatic affair. The kid turns into a whiny brat, Gabe's issues are resolved in an expedient manner (years of abuse, depression, and mild agoraphobia vanish in love's wake? ... not believable), and the same with our protagonist's issues. Everyone's issues simply fell away. Everything wraps up and works out perfectly for everyone - in other words, unrealistic. It was part soap opera and part fairy tale. Not my kind of book. For me, this was not a good read.
April 25, 2019
Gorgeous storytelling and strong, relatable characters made this a book to treasure. You won't want to miss this one.
This gem has everything I love in a story. I was hooked from the very beginning and my curiosity only grew stronger as the mystery of the little girl named Ursa wandered up to Jo's cabin.
Ursa has a story to tell and what a story it is! Where did she come from? Where are her shoes? Why is she insisting she was sent to witness five miracles?
The author weaves the plot in an all absorbing way that brings out the power of love, healing and true miracles. I was so invested in the characters and their lives that I was holding my breath during some of the heart-pounding and tension filled chapters.
Highly recommend that you get to know Ursa and her story! Unforgettable in the best way!
All the LOVE. This was an Audible listen for me and I have purchased my very own finished copy.
December 9, 2019
I grabbed this as an kindle first read, and I'm sorry to say that it was kind of trash. Worse yet, it didn't start out trash, so I unfortunately wasted a lot more time than I would have trying to speed read the end. I have no idea what book everyone else is reviewing with their five stars, and I'm mad about that, too. Y'all need higher standards, and you can fight me on that, if you like. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
The premise is pretty great, and the execution to begin with is alright if not luminous; we have a grad student who's had it totally rough trying to sort out her shit, waylaid by a little girl that she's trying her best to help, and their interaction is interesting. I didn't like Jo from the start, though, mainly because of her total lack of give a shit for the stray dog that the girl befriends. At some point in time later in the book, her advisor's like, "oh jo, you have such a big heart", and I'm like, oh yeah no-- ask the dog about that. TW:
We the meet the Egg Man, Gabe, who's a depressed hottie backwoods farmer, but a brainiac in disguise; Tabby, Jo's BFF who is an extreme manic pixie girl, and various other characters that are either extremely likable or extremely unlikeable; there is no in-between. The dialog was wobbly all the way through, and the treatment of Gabe's mental illness is a goddamn mess. Not gonna lie, I should have put it down when Jo dismissed it and he was like , YOU ARE CORRECT, ALL I NEEDED WAS TO GET OUT OF BED AND GET SOME FRESH AIR. THUMBS UP AND THANKS, FRIENDOS!" But, damnably, I was holding out for Ursa's real story, and once the ending happened, I was sorry I did.
I'm not sure the author did any research on the subject of mental illness, or if she did, it happened via internet, and there's an essential oils huckster out there that convinced her that all you need to feel better is to acknowledge your issue and just get out there while smelling of bergamot, sport. Gabe goes from having depression, anxiety and agoraphobia to just being like cool cool, full hospital in a city I can't stand? no problem, I can sit here in the lobby with my NEW GIRLFRIEND. NBD. And drugs? Nah, he doesn't need those, because he doesn't need those chemicals in his head. (cue juggernaut gif here); his sister Lacey goes from turbo bitch who's hated and resented him all her life *and tried to lose him in the woods once* to super cool older sister who admits her mistakes and thinks of him fondly because Gabe made the family talk about The Big Secret once. ONCE. And Ursa, .
My eyes just rolled so far up I rediscovered a childhood memory. Please. If you are a writer, do not do this shit. This is literally akin to writing a story about a paraplegic who refuses drugs because Reasons, then is suddenly able to walk after being positively encouraged by someone they would like to bone or by whom they would like to be mothered.
Ugh, ok. But finally, as I mentioned earlier, while the story started out ok, it just went downhill from there. Gabe has no discernible personality other than Troubled Hot Man That Jo Can Fix Lickety Split, and the dialog is choppy-wobbles all the time, but by the time we get to the last 20% of the book, omg. it's bad, guys. Suddenly a cast of social workers and cops are introduced, everyone gets a personality implant, there's a training montage in hospital, Tabby is shown to be a saintly manic pixie girl, and an entire, unbelievable, cheesy-ass hallmark movie is crammed in.
Guys, do you remember in The Eyre Affair when the detectives are able to defeat a villain by using unlabeled dialog? hilarious, I know, even though a good author with strong character voices can get away with swatches of unlabeled dialog just fine. Vanderah? Cannot get away with this. In the last section of the book, there were consistent conversations between Jo and Gabe where I had no idea who was talking because they just bled into one another so desperately. It was painful. Of course, that lack of direction and cohesiveness bleeds all through the end of this story such that no part of it is pleasant after a certain point. I don't know; my review is suddenly suffering the same problem because I've lost the will to give a shit about it myself, and that should also count for something.
Honestly, people. Standards.
The premise is pretty great, and the execution to begin with is alright if not luminous; we have a grad student who's had it totally rough trying to sort out her shit, waylaid by a little girl that she's trying her best to help, and their interaction is interesting. I didn't like Jo from the start, though, mainly because of her total lack of give a shit for the stray dog that the girl befriends. At some point in time later in the book, her advisor's like, "oh jo, you have such a big heart", and I'm like, oh yeah no-- ask the dog about that. TW:
We the meet the Egg Man, Gabe, who's a depressed hottie backwoods farmer, but a brainiac in disguise; Tabby, Jo's BFF who is an extreme manic pixie girl, and various other characters that are either extremely likable or extremely unlikeable; there is no in-between. The dialog was wobbly all the way through, and the treatment of Gabe's mental illness is a goddamn mess. Not gonna lie, I should have put it down when Jo dismissed it and he was like , YOU ARE CORRECT, ALL I NEEDED WAS TO GET OUT OF BED AND GET SOME FRESH AIR. THUMBS UP AND THANKS, FRIENDOS!" But, damnably, I was holding out for Ursa's real story, and once the ending happened, I was sorry I did.
I'm not sure the author did any research on the subject of mental illness, or if she did, it happened via internet, and there's an essential oils huckster out there that convinced her that all you need to feel better is to acknowledge your issue and just get out there while smelling of bergamot, sport. Gabe goes from having depression, anxiety and agoraphobia to just being like cool cool, full hospital in a city I can't stand? no problem, I can sit here in the lobby with my NEW GIRLFRIEND. NBD. And drugs? Nah, he doesn't need those, because he doesn't need those chemicals in his head. (cue juggernaut gif here); his sister Lacey goes from turbo bitch who's hated and resented him all her life *and tried to lose him in the woods once* to super cool older sister who admits her mistakes and thinks of him fondly because Gabe made the family talk about The Big Secret once. ONCE. And Ursa, .
My eyes just rolled so far up I rediscovered a childhood memory. Please. If you are a writer, do not do this shit. This is literally akin to writing a story about a paraplegic who refuses drugs because Reasons, then is suddenly able to walk after being positively encouraged by someone they would like to bone or by whom they would like to be mothered.
Ugh, ok. But finally, as I mentioned earlier, while the story started out ok, it just went downhill from there. Gabe has no discernible personality other than Troubled Hot Man That Jo Can Fix Lickety Split, and the dialog is choppy-wobbles all the time, but by the time we get to the last 20% of the book, omg. it's bad, guys. Suddenly a cast of social workers and cops are introduced, everyone gets a personality implant, there's a training montage in hospital, Tabby is shown to be a saintly manic pixie girl, and an entire, unbelievable, cheesy-ass hallmark movie is crammed in.
Guys, do you remember in The Eyre Affair when the detectives are able to defeat a villain by using unlabeled dialog? hilarious, I know, even though a good author with strong character voices can get away with swatches of unlabeled dialog just fine. Vanderah? Cannot get away with this. In the last section of the book, there were consistent conversations between Jo and Gabe where I had no idea who was talking because they just bled into one another so desperately. It was painful. Of course, that lack of direction and cohesiveness bleeds all through the end of this story such that no part of it is pleasant after a certain point. I don't know; my review is suddenly suffering the same problem because I've lost the will to give a shit about it myself, and that should also count for something.
Honestly, people. Standards.
May 9, 2019
Unique In So Many Ways!!
As a self-professed contemporary romance junkie, this read is outside my usual genre, which I have been finding myself more and more. Captivating is definitely one adjective I would use, as well as unexpected and so very special.
It was an ‘out of this world’ experience to listen to this extraordinary story. While there is a bit of romance involved, it is more about hope, friendship and miracles.
There is a reason you will see five star after five star reviews. It is gorgeously written.
I may be wrong, but I think this is Ms. Vanderah’s debut novel, which is quite amazing in itself.
As a self-professed contemporary romance junkie, this read is outside my usual genre, which I have been finding myself more and more. Captivating is definitely one adjective I would use, as well as unexpected and so very special.
It was an ‘out of this world’ experience to listen to this extraordinary story. While there is a bit of romance involved, it is more about hope, friendship and miracles.
There is a reason you will see five star after five star reviews. It is gorgeously written.
I may be wrong, but I think this is Ms. Vanderah’s debut novel, which is quite amazing in itself.
January 25, 2021
I LOVE this book. It's been awhile since I've read something that was so genuinely human and soul-affirming. The main characters - Jo, Ursa and Gabe - are messy, in the sense that they all carry the weight of some kind of personal trauma with them, and act out of it in ways that are both beneficial and detrimental depending on the scenario. They're also not without personality flaws. That's the very thing that makes me feel invested in each of them. Their life experiences give them deeper dimension as characters than they would've had if they'd come out of stable, predictable backgrounds, and their personalities are reflections of what they've had to use to survive. Because they understand the fragility of life, each in their own way, their commitment to one another and their genuine bond feels all the more sacred. You know that these characters understand each other in ways that most people they encounter never will. It can be difficult to portray traumatic life experiences in a way that doesn't feel heavy-handed and cloying, so major kudos to Ms. Vanderah handling some of these harsh realities with sensitivity, humor and compassion.
Along with the well-written relationship aspects of the book, the suggestion of possible out-of-this-world fantasy is intriguing, pulling me along in the quest to discover the truth, though it never feels detached from reality. It's like a little sprinkle of fairy dust - just enough to make my inner child keep exploring to the very end. Even in the later chapters when things take a darker turn for a bit, it manages to never lose that magical thread, which I was thankful for. Throughout, there's a rich cast of supporting characters, with Tabby being a particular favorite of mine, and helping to lighten the mood at just the right times.
I'm not a terribly fast reader - mainly because I can be so easily distracted by other things grabbing for my attention - but this is one of those rare books for me that I just didn't want to put down. For me, there were no dull spots to get through - it kept me engaged start to finish. A wonderful first effort by this author - I'm looking forward to seeing what's next from her.
Update 1/25/21: Her next book The Light Through the Leaves will be published April 1, 2021. Yay!
★★★★★ ❤️
Along with the well-written relationship aspects of the book, the suggestion of possible out-of-this-world fantasy is intriguing, pulling me along in the quest to discover the truth, though it never feels detached from reality. It's like a little sprinkle of fairy dust - just enough to make my inner child keep exploring to the very end. Even in the later chapters when things take a darker turn for a bit, it manages to never lose that magical thread, which I was thankful for. Throughout, there's a rich cast of supporting characters, with Tabby being a particular favorite of mine, and helping to lighten the mood at just the right times.
I'm not a terribly fast reader - mainly because I can be so easily distracted by other things grabbing for my attention - but this is one of those rare books for me that I just didn't want to put down. For me, there were no dull spots to get through - it kept me engaged start to finish. A wonderful first effort by this author - I'm looking forward to seeing what's next from her.
Update 1/25/21: Her next book The Light Through the Leaves will be published April 1, 2021. Yay!
★★★★★ ❤️
March 23, 2024
Where the Forest Meets the Stars is definitely quirky - something I always enjoy in a novel when it is done right, and Ursa pulled off the quirky element perfectly!
Is Ursa really an extra-terrestrial? Right up until the very end, you will be left wondering! This novel deals with child abuse, breast cancer and PTSD. Despite these heavy themes, the story is still hopeful and up-beat. All three of the main characters manage to survive their particular "hell on earth".
Three very damaged people (Jo, Gabe and Ursa) come together to form their own little family and support group. Of course, Child Services and the legal authorities can't see their odd relationship in the same positive way.
This was an unconventional love story, where hope and love and "five miracles" triumphed over the terrible traumas which had affected Jo, Gabe and the indomitable Ursa. Hard to believe that this was the author's debut novel - well done!
Highly recommended!
Is Ursa really an extra-terrestrial? Right up until the very end, you will be left wondering! This novel deals with child abuse, breast cancer and PTSD. Despite these heavy themes, the story is still hopeful and up-beat. All three of the main characters manage to survive their particular "hell on earth".
Three very damaged people (Jo, Gabe and Ursa) come together to form their own little family and support group. Of course, Child Services and the legal authorities can't see their odd relationship in the same positive way.
This was an unconventional love story, where hope and love and "five miracles" triumphed over the terrible traumas which had affected Jo, Gabe and the indomitable Ursa. Hard to believe that this was the author's debut novel - well done!
Highly recommended!
November 25, 2023
A forest. A constellation. An alien girl? Before she can return to her alleged planet, Ursa must witness 5 miracles. She latches onto Jo, an ornithologist and cancer survivor, who is doing research for the summer at a remote cabin.
Vanderah did have me intrigued enough to discover who this character was. This could almost be classified as a romance with some magical realism. I wasn't particularly fond of the way she depicted these characters with depression and their recovery. It wasn't realistic and seemed a little far fetched especially to recover from agoraphobia so quickly. The characters age also didn’t jive. They felt to me to be in their mid 30’s but as I kept reading they were significantly younger -like a decade.
Although I didn’t love this one as others have, it was a nice comfy read.
Forgettable? Probably.
3.5⭐️
Vanderah did have me intrigued enough to discover who this character was. This could almost be classified as a romance with some magical realism. I wasn't particularly fond of the way she depicted these characters with depression and their recovery. It wasn't realistic and seemed a little far fetched especially to recover from agoraphobia so quickly. The characters age also didn’t jive. They felt to me to be in their mid 30’s but as I kept reading they were significantly younger -like a decade.
Although I didn’t love this one as others have, it was a nice comfy read.
Forgettable? Probably.
3.5⭐️
March 29, 2019
A stunning story that will tug at your heartstrings,a tale bursting with love and sprinkled with magic!
I absolutely Loved every single word in this beautiful book! A magical tale about a remarkable girl who brought hope to many. BRAVO Glendy Vanderah! This is an exceptional story that will stick with me for a long time. The fact that this is a debut is as remarkable as Ursa.
Joanna is an ornithologist Who is spending the summer in rural Illinois, studying birds for her doctorate. She is still grieving her mother’s death and recuperating from her recent fight with breast cancer. When Ursa shows up covered in bruises and claiming to be an alien from the planet Htrae Joanna doesn’t know what to do. Worried about the girl’s safety she allows her to stay with her temporarily. Joanna also meets Gabriel her reclusive neighbor, soon the two of them are working together to try to figure out what to do about Ursa. Ursa is a special little girl and quickly worms her way into both Joanna and Gabe‘s hearts, and before they know it they are no longer looking for missing children reports. Will the magic of Ursa heal Joanna and Gabe’s hearts?
Ursa might have only been nine years old but she was one of the most extraordinary characters I have ever had the pleasure of meeting in a book. Alien or human, from the stars or from the earth, it doesn’t matter she was an amazing character! Whether she had special powers or not she was magic! Joanna and Gabe weren’t too bad either, I really loved how much they loved this little girl. I had a tremendous amount of sympathy for both of these characters, they had gone through some pretty tough times and I really wanted them to find their way to one another and to happiness.
This book was truly unique, a breath of fresh air! I’m afraid my words cannot do it justice. This is an absolute must read, the kind of book that will always have a piece of your heart.
*** many thanks to Lake Union for my copy of this book ***
December 30, 2022
2.5 Stars
Unique story, the kind that involves:
What follows is a series of domestic lovey dovey drama where the two main leads play house and play parents to the kid and a cliché love story that completely disregards the fact that they have a shit ton of trauma and mental health issues to work through. The depiction or representation of them is lousy and insensitive.
There’s a mystery storyline here, and it involves finding out the truth about the kid’s past. She appears out of nowhere, always refuses and puts up a fight whenever offered to be taken back to her home. Instead of calling the cops, the heroine decides to take her in. We never know for sure if she truly is an alien or it’s just her coping mechanism for her trauma.
Weak writing, and by that I mean,
Overall, this is bleh anda whole lotta problematic.
Maybe I just went into it with the wrong impression.
(Read as an Audiobook)
Unique story, the kind that involves:
↠ a breast cancer survivor heroine currently doing her graduate research on nesting birds in rural Illinois;
↠ a hero suffering from depression, agoraphobia, and abuse because of, you know, fucked up family related problems; and
↠ an exceptionally bright and intelligent eight year old girl who claims to be an alien sent from the stars to witness five miracles.
What follows is a series of domestic lovey dovey drama where the two main leads play house and play parents to the kid and a cliché love story that completely disregards the fact that they have a shit ton of trauma and mental health issues to work through. The depiction or representation of them is lousy and insensitive.
There’s a mystery storyline here, and it involves finding out the truth about the kid’s past. She appears out of nowhere, always refuses and puts up a fight whenever offered to be taken back to her home. Instead of calling the cops, the heroine decides to take her in. We never know for sure if she truly is an alien or it’s just her coping mechanism for her trauma.
Weak writing, and by that I mean,
atrocious. Not the kind that’s creative and uses a variety of (easy to understand) sentence structures—thus, somewhat okay to be simplistic. However, it’s the shallow, unimaginative, and repetitious kind. Especially when it comes to the dialogues. The direct/reported speech is truly awful.
There are DOZENS of ways to say said and asked, but they are used constantly in the he said, she said conversations. It seriously grated on my nerves, particularly when the characters were only exchanging short remarks or utterances without any inner monologues in between.
Overall, this is bleh and
If this had been solely romance, I could probably up the rating to three stars. Alas, I thought this was supposed to be leaning more towards contemporary (literary) fiction with romantic, suspense, and magical realism elements. Not to mention, considering the serious topics and subjects it brought up I’d expected more depth than superficiality and frivolousness.
Maybe I just went into it with the wrong impression.
(Read as an Audiobook)
March 10, 2022
Spodziewałam się, że ta książka pozwoli mi oderwać myśli od codzienności, ale nie spodziewałam się, że da mi tak wiele!
Jestem zakochana w Ursie, dziewczynce z gwiazd.
Jestem zakochana w Ursie, dziewczynce z gwiazd.
March 26, 2022
This story is really beautiful. I had never heard of this book before, but somebody left a comment on one of my YouTube videos comparing this book to The Humans by Matt Haig (aka one of my favorite books ever), so I immediately wanted to read it. This book is my favorite kind of genre: contemporary with a small sci-fi element to it. It follows this woman named Jo, who recently lost her mother to cancer, and has also recently beat her own battle with cancer when a little girl shows up on her property in dirty clothes and claims to be an alien sent from the stars. She claims that she needs to witness five miracles before she can return home.
I love contemporary books that involve aliens in some way. This book reminded me of a lot of things I love, the alien aspect of this story definitely reminded me of The Humans, but Ursa (the little girl) kind of reminded me of Eleven from Stranger Things, and she reminded me of the marsh girl from Where the Crawdads Sing. This book has this mysterious atmosphere because for most of it you’re trying to figure out where Ursa came from, and if she actually is an alien or if she’s just a troubled little girl running from an abusive home. There’s also a slow burn romance happening between our main character Jo, and the neighbor down the street Gabe. Their romance was so cute and sweet and definitely a slow burn, which I appreciated.
Gabe suffers from depression in this book and I feel like the topic of depression and mental lines in general is handled really well and sensitively in this book. Depression isn’t something that can be “cured” with the snap of a finger, and I appreciate that his mental illness isn’t sugar coated and it’s represented in such a real way.
Ursa is easily my favorite character in this book, she’s absolutely fascinating. One of my favorite book tropes is following an “alien-like” character who’s a fish out of water when it comes to Earth things and it’s so entertaining to watch characters like this discover things about Earth.
The only reason why this book gets four stars instead of five stars is because I feel like the last 50 pages of this book really dragged, and the story didn’t really go where I was expecting it to. I just felt like I was waiting for it to end.
But overall, wow I’m so impressed. I can’t believe this is a debut novel. These characters really touched my heart and I’m so happy I read this. I won’t be able to stop thinking about it anytime soon. 💕
I love contemporary books that involve aliens in some way. This book reminded me of a lot of things I love, the alien aspect of this story definitely reminded me of The Humans, but Ursa (the little girl) kind of reminded me of Eleven from Stranger Things, and she reminded me of the marsh girl from Where the Crawdads Sing. This book has this mysterious atmosphere because for most of it you’re trying to figure out where Ursa came from, and if she actually is an alien or if she’s just a troubled little girl running from an abusive home. There’s also a slow burn romance happening between our main character Jo, and the neighbor down the street Gabe. Their romance was so cute and sweet and definitely a slow burn, which I appreciated.
Gabe suffers from depression in this book and I feel like the topic of depression and mental lines in general is handled really well and sensitively in this book. Depression isn’t something that can be “cured” with the snap of a finger, and I appreciate that his mental illness isn’t sugar coated and it’s represented in such a real way.
Ursa is easily my favorite character in this book, she’s absolutely fascinating. One of my favorite book tropes is following an “alien-like” character who’s a fish out of water when it comes to Earth things and it’s so entertaining to watch characters like this discover things about Earth.
The only reason why this book gets four stars instead of five stars is because I feel like the last 50 pages of this book really dragged, and the story didn’t really go where I was expecting it to. I just felt like I was waiting for it to end.
But overall, wow I’m so impressed. I can’t believe this is a debut novel. These characters really touched my heart and I’m so happy I read this. I won’t be able to stop thinking about it anytime soon. 💕
April 1, 2019
A girl lost from the stars. A woman claiming herself after illness. A man burdened by his mind and family. Each one discovers life and love in spite of their individual trauma. These three are as varied as the stars but their need to move forward with life connects them in memorable ways. Set in a rural forest town filled with nature, mystery, tears, romance, and even a bit of suspense, Where the Forest Meets the Stars will capture you body and soul. The writing is lovely and the story radiates starlight and miracles.
My favorite quote:
“As always, words fail when you most want to say the right thing.” “People think they have to say something, and it never makes me feel better.” “I know. I’ve decided language isn’t as advanced as we think it is. We’re still apes trying to express our thoughts with grunts while most of what we want to communicate stays locked in our brains.”
Audiobook talently narrated by Lauren Ezzo.
“How long was I asleep?” “About fifteen degrees of star movement.”This is Glendy Vanderah's debut novel and I found it to be such a nice surprise. I absolutely loved it. Seriously, check it out.
My favorite quote:
“As always, words fail when you most want to say the right thing.” “People think they have to say something, and it never makes me feel better.” “I know. I’ve decided language isn’t as advanced as we think it is. We’re still apes trying to express our thoughts with grunts while most of what we want to communicate stays locked in our brains.”
Audiobook talently narrated by Lauren Ezzo.
August 20, 2019
I was taken by surprise by how much I loved this book. The protagonist, Jo, is working toward her PhD and spending the summer studying birds and their nests in the woods. She’s had a very rough couple of years, but at no point did I find her to be self-pitying. She’s a strong, admirable character, and her tragedy is revealed over the course of the story.
A precocious little girl shows up at Jo’s remote cabin with a feral dog. The girl is wearing pajamas and no shoes but won’t tell Jo who she is or where she is from. Instead, she claims to be an alien who has been sent down to earth to learn about human ways and witness five miracles. She can speak convincingly in a tongue that is certainly alien to Jo. Eventually they decide to call the girl Ursa, as in the constellation Ursa Major. Ursa says that if Jo calls the cops, she’ll run. Since Jo doesn’t know what situation the girl is running from, she figures she can at least feed the girl and then try to figure out who she is by checking missing children databases online. When nothing works, she enlists the help of her neighbor Gabriel.
Gabriel doesn’t recognize the girl as local. He also has a complex backstory that emerges over the course of the novel.
I teared up many times at this story and these wonderful characters and the way even damaged people find love when it’s completely unexpected.
A precocious little girl shows up at Jo’s remote cabin with a feral dog. The girl is wearing pajamas and no shoes but won’t tell Jo who she is or where she is from. Instead, she claims to be an alien who has been sent down to earth to learn about human ways and witness five miracles. She can speak convincingly in a tongue that is certainly alien to Jo. Eventually they decide to call the girl Ursa, as in the constellation Ursa Major. Ursa says that if Jo calls the cops, she’ll run. Since Jo doesn’t know what situation the girl is running from, she figures she can at least feed the girl and then try to figure out who she is by checking missing children databases online. When nothing works, she enlists the help of her neighbor Gabriel.
Gabriel doesn’t recognize the girl as local. He also has a complex backstory that emerges over the course of the novel.
I teared up many times at this story and these wonderful characters and the way even damaged people find love when it’s completely unexpected.
February 1, 2019
Oh my heart. Sob sob sob. I loved, adored, TREASURED this book and I didn’t want it to end. I don’t want to give anything away so I’ll keep it brief but it was just PERFECT. Full of magic and hope and despair and pain and longing and love and loss and fear and more magic. Woven throughout the story are threads of love. Love lost, love gained, love that the characters dreamt of but weren’t sure they deserved, weren’t sure they were capable of. Tenderly and beautifully written.
May 16, 2019
Still physically recovering from surgery for breast cancer, as well as in the recovery process of the death of her mother, Joanna Teale leaves the apartment she shares with her friend Tabby to focus on her graduate research in ornithology, to work in a home owned by one of the professors in the town of Vienna, Illinois, a rural spot about halfway between St. Louis, Missouri and Nashville, Tennessee. She stays pretty much to herself, other than small shopping trips into town, running to the Laundromat or stopping at the egg stand down the road and buying eggs from Gabriel Nash, who she refers to as “Egg Man.” She’s on her way back from town when she pulls into the gravel driveway and sees something, or someone, when she stops.
“The girl could be a changeling. She was almost invisible, her pale face, hoodie, and pants fading into the twilit woods behind her. Her feet were bare. She stood motionless, one arm hugged around a hickory trunk.”
Jo asks her why she’s there, and the girl said she’d been trying to pet Jo’s dog, when Jo explains, isn’t really her dog, but a stray. When she returns to the yard after showering and changing into more comfortable clothes, ready to begin grilling in the fire pit the girl isn’t there, but shows up soon after, watching Jo grill, and begins to ask Jo why she’s cooking outside. Jo asks her if it isn’t time for her to head back to her own home.
”She came nearer. ‘I don’t have a home on Earth. I came from there.’ She pointed toward the sky.”
“I’m from the Pinwheel Galaxy. It’s by the big bear’s tail.”
”I can’t go back yet. I have to stay on Earth until I’ve seen five miracles. It’s part of our training when we get to a certain age—kind of like school.”
There’s something about this girl, as much as Jo is to feel like she’s being played, that makes her also sense that there’s more to this story than she’s being told, this girl seems very young, and yet seems incredibly smart for her apparent age.
Up and out the door by dawn the next day she heads off to check her indigo bunting nests at three of her sites she’s monitoring, and on her way back home, passing the Egg Man’s stand. When she returns home, the girl has returned.
When she calls the Sheriff’s office, the deputy who comes out doesn’t seem to think she has a real problem on her hands, and if this kid has run away from her parents, or has no parents, she’s not going to necessarily be better off in a foster home. At a loss, she stops by the Egg stand and asks Gabe if he’d mind stopping by and seeing if he knows just who this girl is – and who her parents are.
Having read True Places by Sonja Yoerg, just prior to this, a story in which there is another otherworldly girl as a main character, I was a bit worried that this would pale in comparison, but I was happy enough to stay a little longer in this world where the answers aren’t always a few keystrokes away.
At its heart, this is really a story about love, in all its many forms, and the healing process of hearts broken, lives broken, and finding a way to live that allows the acceptance of love. Broken people looking for healing and something, someone to believe in, and maybe love is not the answer to everything, but sometimes love may indeed be all you need.
Read
May 4, 2021As a fellow author I know it’s bad form to leave negative reviews hence the lack of rating. But I find it hard to keep silent when severe topics that demand sensitivity, authenticity and depth are treated so carelessly. Especially when the topics revolve around children. Maybe that’s my personal experience talking (I’m sure it is, how could it not be?) but the utter lack of sensitivity here is borderline offensive.
This book needed a trigger warning. Its simple, innocuous plot had zero indication--stylistically, thematically, or tonally--that it would go as dark as it did. Or that it would handle the heavy subject matter so recklessly.
I’m breaking the author code, and I don’t mean to be unkind, but it’s important to prepare other readers who have a sensitivity to child abuse, endangerment and violence, and warn them to proceed with caution.
This book needed a trigger warning. Its simple, innocuous plot had zero indication--stylistically, thematically, or tonally--that it would go as dark as it did. Or that it would handle the heavy subject matter so recklessly.
I’m breaking the author code, and I don’t mean to be unkind, but it’s important to prepare other readers who have a sensitivity to child abuse, endangerment and violence, and warn them to proceed with caution.
July 12, 2021
1.5 star and all of that for the effort it took.
Okay SERIOUSLY- did I not get the same book as everyone else? What is it with all the 4 and 5 star ratings because I'm totally confused plus, like 101 thousand something ratings are mocking mine. Because believe me when I say this, the version I read was problematic, disjointed and felt like a watered down version of an actual story which otherwise could be viewed as one with a solid plot.
So basically, lately for me it's been.......
My problems with this one are many. I liked the concept, the premise, otherwise I wouldn't have picked it right? But as I got further into it, as much as I wanted to dispense the unrealistic and blatant disregard of personal spaces in this book, I just could NOT. I did finish it but with a hope that it'd get better.
Let me just say it all (It's choke full of SPOILERS, so if you wish, you can stop reading here)-
1. Jo was a pathetic character for me. Her conversations show her to be invasive, hypocritical and ignorant of other's problems. Plus, she seemed more delusional than optimistic. She was emotionally manipulative too at some levels.
2. The writing was not good. Full stop. The conversation was lifeless, choppy, emotionless and if not for a little mystery feel of the book, I'd have DNFed this earlier, but as they say, curiosity killed the cat and I'm a masochist.
3. The way Jo viewed the relationship between Gabe's mother and the man she (the mother) was cheating with for over a decade, at the very least, was disturbing on so many levels, I can't even begin to explain here.
4. Gabe tells her that he hates his face because he's the biological son of the aforementioned man his mother had been cheating with, and thus he kept his beard and what does Jo do? She shaves it, just like that, the next day without even giving him chance to think about it, to open up to the possibility of facing some of his bad memories. She tells him that he needs to face it and thus she's 'helping' him. Yeah, no thanks. Here he says that he has never been kissed, she gives him his 'first kiss' without even asking him. I mean if that's not sexual harassment,I don't know what is. If her being a cancer victim inspired some sympathy in me, it all went down the drain because of these things.
5. Her view of his depression is delusional, ignorant and way too childish. She thinks that it's just a thing he can get over with and move on, when he's battled with it for almost half his life. The way the topic of depression and agoraphobia was dealt with here was insensitive and lousy.
6. Gabe wasn't much at fault, except maybe for falling for Jo? He was at fault in some places but it was discountable, because believe me, people have done horrible things for lesser reasons and he didn't do a single bad thing except maybe ghosting Ursa and Jo for a few days because he didn't want any emotional entanglements, which is clearly expected from someone who has never had any sort of relationship with anyone except family.
7. The girl Ursa came across as bratty and I feel bad for her because she came across as bratty. I know, my brain is a strange place you don't want to visit often.
8. The author tried to touch on everything and dealt with it in a frivolous and superficial manner and I personally think that had there been less to deal with and more depth to what was already there, it could've been better. But my second thought was:
And then, I gave up. 🙏🏻🙏🏻
9. The ending solidified my belief that this book was a story written by a nine year old who wants to give even the stray dog (who made a 2 page cameo in chapter 7 and barked endlessly disrupting the sleep of the whole town) a happy ending. It didn't actually happen but hey who knows.
10. Please baby Jesus hit me on the head for the moment I picked this up.
Okay SERIOUSLY- did I not get the same book as everyone else? What is it with all the 4 and 5 star ratings because I'm totally confused plus, like 101 thousand something ratings are mocking mine. Because believe me when I say this, the version I read was problematic, disjointed and felt like a watered down version of an actual story which otherwise could be viewed as one with a solid plot.
So basically, lately for me it's been.......
My problems with this one are many. I liked the concept, the premise, otherwise I wouldn't have picked it right? But as I got further into it, as much as I wanted to dispense the unrealistic and blatant disregard of personal spaces in this book, I just could NOT. I did finish it but with a hope that it'd get better.
Let me just say it all (It's choke full of SPOILERS, so if you wish, you can stop reading here)-
1. Jo was a pathetic character for me. Her conversations show her to be invasive, hypocritical and ignorant of other's problems. Plus, she seemed more delusional than optimistic. She was emotionally manipulative too at some levels.
2. The writing was not good. Full stop. The conversation was lifeless, choppy, emotionless and if not for a little mystery feel of the book, I'd have DNFed this earlier, but as they say, curiosity killed the cat and I'm a masochist.
3. The way Jo viewed the relationship between Gabe's mother and the man she (the mother) was cheating with for over a decade, at the very least, was disturbing on so many levels, I can't even begin to explain here.
4. Gabe tells her that he hates his face because he's the biological son of the aforementioned man his mother had been cheating with, and thus he kept his beard and what does Jo do? She shaves it, just like that, the next day without even giving him chance to think about it, to open up to the possibility of facing some of his bad memories. She tells him that he needs to face it and thus she's 'helping' him. Yeah, no thanks. Here he says that he has never been kissed, she gives him his 'first kiss' without even asking him. I mean if that's not sexual harassment,I don't know what is. If her being a cancer victim inspired some sympathy in me, it all went down the drain because of these things.
5. Her view of his depression is delusional, ignorant and way too childish. She thinks that it's just a thing he can get over with and move on, when he's battled with it for almost half his life. The way the topic of depression and agoraphobia was dealt with here was insensitive and lousy.
6. Gabe wasn't much at fault, except maybe for falling for Jo? He was at fault in some places but it was discountable, because believe me, people have done horrible things for lesser reasons and he didn't do a single bad thing except maybe ghosting Ursa and Jo for a few days because he didn't want any emotional entanglements, which is clearly expected from someone who has never had any sort of relationship with anyone except family.
7. The girl Ursa came across as bratty and I feel bad for her because she came across as bratty. I know, my brain is a strange place you don't want to visit often.
8. The author tried to touch on everything and dealt with it in a frivolous and superficial manner and I personally think that had there been less to deal with and more depth to what was already there, it could've been better. But my second thought was:
And then, I gave up. 🙏🏻🙏🏻
9. The ending solidified my belief that this book was a story written by a nine year old who wants to give even the stray dog (who made a 2 page cameo in chapter 7 and barked endlessly disrupting the sleep of the whole town) a happy ending. It didn't actually happen but hey who knows.
10. Please baby Jesus hit me on the head for the moment I picked this up.
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