Where the Forest Meets the Stars

 

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.

★★★★★ ❤️

You can find this and all my other reviews at: https://www.goodreads.com/curious-kat