Where the Forest Meets the Stars: Book Review



Title: Where the Forest Meets the stars
Author: Glendy Vanderah
Genre: Fiction

Where the forest meets the stars is an interesting story of two scarred individuals and a mysterious girl whose lives get intertwined by fate. 

Joanna Teale aka Jo is a research graduate  doing a study on nesting birds in the countryside of Illinois. The loss of her mother and her own battle with breast cancer compels her to immerse herself into her work. One fine day she finds a mysterious girl at her doorstep. The girl introduces herself as Ursa and claims to be an alien descended from the galaxy of stars to witness five miracles on Planet Earth. 

Jo reluctantly helps her along with the help of her neighbor named Gabriel Nash. Over time, the three form a strong bond. It  ultimately helps them unveil the past and also prepare themselves for the choices that they eventually have to make. 

The book starts off as a heartwarming fairytale, exploring the little miracles of life amidst nature. It ultimately ventures into the murky side where skeletons come tumbling out of the closet and dark secrets are unearthed.  

The author dwells on the subject of ornithology, explaining the nuances of nesting among birds and their habitats. She also touches upon the sensitive topic of child abuse, mental illness ad trauma. The story showcases how life has a strange way in bringing the most unlikely individuals together and the importance of gaining closure. 

The magical and ethereal treatment to the story tends to remind one of another book titled 'The Snow Child'. Imaginative and mystical, this is an interesting blend of fantasy and human psychology.
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