Five-star book review of Hidden Yellow Stars!
Keep reading for my book review of Hidden Yellow Stars.
Overview:
Hidden Yellow Stars is a work of historical fiction by Rebecca Connolly. It is set in Belgium during WWII and is based on the true story of two women who heroically hid Jewish children from the Gestapo.
Hidden Yellow Stars book cover blurb
Belgium, 1942
Young school teacher Andrée Geulen secretly defies the Nazis in Belgium, who are forcing Jews to wear a yellow Star of David. Andrée is not Jewish, but she feels a maternal connection to her students, who are living in constant fear, and decides to take action. No child should have to suffer under such persecution. But what can one woman do against an entire army?
Ida Sterno is a Jewish woman who works with the Committee for the Defense of Jews in Belgium, a clandestine resistance group tasked with hiding children from the Gestapo. She wants to recruit Andrée because her Aryan appearance can provide crucial security measures for their efforts. Andrée agrees to join and begins work immediately by adopting a code name: Claude Fournier.
Together, Andrée and Ida, and their undercover operatives, work around the clock to move Jewish children from their families and smuggle them to safety through the secret channels established by the resistance. As each child is hidden, Andrée commits to memory their true name and history. Someday, she vows, she will help reunite as many of these families as she can.
But with the Gestapo closing in and the traitorous Fat Jacques who has turned from ally to enemy and is threatening to identify and expose any Jew he meets, Andrée and Ida must work even harder against increasingly impossible odds to save as many children as possible and keep them safely hidden—even if it might cost them their own lives.
I have always been drawn to WWII historical fiction.
My first experience with WWII historical fiction was reading The Diary of Anne Frank in school. I was moved by her story, and I followed that book with many others over the years. When I saw Rebecca Connolly’s advertisements about Hidden Yellow Stars, I knew I had to read it.
Hidden Yellow Stars is filled with heartfelt moments.
Narration related to Andrée:
Those stars… To represent the star of David, what the Jewish community treasured so, and yet have its emblem mean something so terribly unholy to anyone. Any Jew over the age of six was to wear it, and thus become targeted by the murderers of the soul otherwise known as the Gestapo.
[S]he hated the word powerless. Despised it. She would not accept that she was completely powerless in anything, no matter what was at stake. She might not have a clear idea of the course of action she could take to help her students, let alone their families, but she would not concede to being powerless against the tyrants in their country. Not for a moment.
Humans were flawed, but they were capable of great things. Horrible, evil, atrocious things, as well as daring, honorable, generous, and good things. The latter just needed to be more powerful than the former. And she would continue to cry in private over the work she did, until the good overcame the bad, until the weak were the strong, until the oppressors were thwarted, until humanity prevailed.
She was forever changed by this night, by all of the nights she had spent with these sweet children that had needed her. What a privilege it was to do something in this world rather than just wish to.
Narration related to Ida:
It had never occurred to her that there would be people actively working to assist the Jewish people in thwarting the Nazi mistreatment of them. Jews working around the system they were forced into and saving some of their own. But why would there not be? In a world filled with all sorts of minds, all sorts of personalities, why would there not be hearts like her own that cried out for justice and ached for action in the defense of it?
Referring to Ida and a nun who aided their cause: Their lives could not have been more different, and they would never have had reason to associate with each other but for the evil they were united against. Yet here was true friendship, formed in the desire to do a greater good, to prove that no propaganda could turn them against their fellow man.
The characters challenge me.
Would I have the courage to risk everything in the face of such injustice? See ways to rise above such evil? Find the strength to do something? Would my heart cry out for justice and ache for it?
A must read!
Be sure to read the notes following the story. You will find additional information, photographs, an explanation of the system they used to record information about the hidden children, and discussion questions.
This book is excellent. I hope you find time to read it too, and I hope you’ve enjoyed my book review of Hidden Yellow Stars. Please let me know what you think!
Related posts:
- featured author: Rebecca Connolly
- book review: Under the Cover of Mercy (historical fiction set during WWI, also by Rebecca Connolly)
- book review: A Brilliant Night of Stars and Ice (historical fiction about the sinking of the Titanic, also by Rebecca Connolly)
You might also be interested in these posts:
- featured author: Kristin Hannah
- book review: The Women
- featured author: Dana LeCheminant
- book review: She Likes It, Hey Micah
Fondly,
Crysti
This was a powerful work of historical fiction, and the historic details made it so interesting. What an amazing story of heroism. Thank you for introducing me to this amazing author.
Thank you! I just finished her book on the Titanic today-wow! I’ll be posting a review of it in a few weeks.
This seems like a very interesting book to read. Thanks for your review of Hidden Yellow Stars.
Many thanks, Catherine! I especially enjoy WWII historical fiction.
Thanks so much for this book review of “Hidden Yellow Stars” by Rebecca Connolly. I love historical fiction and I will add this book to my read list.
Thank you, Hadassah! I hope you enjoy it!
Thank you for this wonderful book review of “Hidden Yellow Stars.” I’m inspired to add this to my list of books to read this summer. I’m always searching for a new amazing story.
Great, thank you! I hope you get a chance to read it.
Humanity survived because we cared for each other. There will always be evil in the world. But it’s our collective humanity towards EVERYONE that will save us.
Your book review “Yellow hidden stars” is a testament that without people caring for people many of us wouldn’t be here today!
No matter our religion.
No matter our background. We are all worthy of equal human rights
Yes, Darina, I think that’s the central message of this book. A good reminder.
Thank you for that recommendation! It looks like a good read.
You’re so welcome, Kayla! I really enjoyed this book.