From the award-winning author of Catching the Wind, which Publishers Weekly called “unforgettable” and a “must-read,” comes another gripping time-slip novel about hidden treasure, a castle, and ordinary people who resisted evil in their own extraordinary way.The year is 1938, and as Hitler’s troops sweep into Vienna, Austrian Max Dornbach promises to help his Jewish friends hide their most … friends hide their most valuable possessions from the Nazis, smuggling them to his family’s summer estate near the picturesque village of Hallstatt. He enlists the help of Annika Knopf, his childhood friend and the caretaker’s daughter, who is eager to help the man she’s loved her entire life. But when Max also brings Luzia Weiss, a young Jewish woman, to hide at the castle, it complicates Annika’s feelings and puts their entire plan–even their very lives–in jeopardy. Especially when the Nazis come to scour the estate and find both Luzia and the treasure gone.Eighty years later, Callie Randall is mostly content with her quiet life, running a bookstore with her sister and reaching out into the world through her blog. Then she finds a cryptic list in an old edition of Bambi that connects her to Annika’s story . . . and maybe to the long-buried story of a dear friend. As she digs into the past, Callie must risk venturing outside the safe world she’s built for a chance at answers, adventure, and maybe even new love.
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I have read many books based in the WWII time frame, and love those that tell a story in a way I haven’t heard it before. Hidden Among the Stars introduces Austrians Max Dornbach and Annika Knopf, childhood playmates who have grown up in very different worlds. Max is the son of very wealthy parents, while Annika is the daughter of the caretaker of his family’s summer home. As the Nazis take over Austria, Max stands between two worlds. In one, he is in love with Jewish musician, Luzia Weiss and helping his Jewish friends hide their valuables. In the other, he is the son of a prominent banker, and expected to join the Nazi party. Annika has loved Max, almost as long as she’s known him, but when he brings Luzi to the estate to hide her, will she keep his secret?
Callie Reynolds runs a bookstore, and loves her quiet life as Story Girl to the local children. When her sister buys her a vintage copy of Bambi, Callie is excited to find not only a name – Annika Knopf – inside the cover, but a cryptic list hand-written within the story. As she searches for answers, she begins to find connections to her own story, and to the story of an old family friend. Will she risk stepping out of her comfort zone for a chance to find answers for her friend, and possibly new love for herself?
Wow. I did not expect this book to go in the direction it went! I love that the characters from the past are just as vivid, with just as strong personalities, as the characters from the present. This is a wonderful story of lost/found love, lost/found family and lost/found treasure. It is a definite recommendation from me!
Set amid Austria’s breathtaking Alps and Vienna’s pre-war symphonies, Melanie Dobson weaves a lyrical and compelling tale of star-crossed and forbidden love, of secrets innocent and dangerous. Mysterious WWII disappearances of family and hidden treasure unravel through the detective work of modern-day characters in this meticulously researched and tightly woven time-split novel. I have long loved Dobson’s stories, but Hidden Among the Stars is my favorite. Beautifully written, these characters and their hearts remain vivid in my mind long after the story ended.
I really like this book. It is written so well. Though it moves back and forth between 1939 and current day, the narrative flows well and each story is beautiful.
I loved Callie’s character from the very beginning. I love how much she loves books, finds life and life lessons in their pages, and is on a crusade of sorts to help others love them as much as she does. I think we could be great friends. 🙂 She makes some great discoveries about herself throughout the book, as well as helping others make important discoveries for themselves. Her sister, Brit, is lovely, and one can’t help but love Charlotte. I also really like the Dr and his daughter (whose names both escape me st the moment…).
Of the characters from 1939, Annika is so amazing. I think her character is made all the better knowing she is as good as she is despite the fact that her father is despicable. Deplorable. Disgusting. Yet Annika is so good. Perhaps we can credit her mother for that, because she certainly didn’t learn any goodness from her father. I was near tears during the final scene when the Nazis are at the Schloss Schwansee castle and Annika’s great character is finally unmasked fully. She was just so good. Max is a little selfish, but he does try. I suppose we can chalk some of that up to his upbringing, because his father is perhaps just as despicable as Annika’s. He learns some heartbreaking lessons and I loved how hard he worked to consciously be different from his father. I did wish he could have seen Annika’s for who she really was and not be so blind to her feelings. The unfairness of their story meant he never learned it and that made me a little sad. I like Hermann fairly well, though his efforts to keep secrets from Max is a little troubling because I couldn’t determine whether he did it for selfish reasons. But he seems a good guy. Luzia is a lovely character and my heart aches for her and all she went through.
The two different stories weave beautiful tapestries that end up coming together with common threads and being bound up to create one amazing picture. This is a tale that is both saddening and hopeful, heartbreaking and restorative. I liked it immensely and would recommend to anyone who enjoys WWII historical fiction.
Just a note: though this isn’t necessarily “Christian fiction,” there are plenty of references to the Bible and the teachings of Christ, and trying to be like Christ. This did not bother me at all and did not feel preachy in even the smallest sense.
Hidden Among the Stars touched my heart in a special way. It’s a complex, well thought out split-time tale alternating between Austria at the onset of the German invasion (1939) and present day Ohio.
I was immediately drawn into the storylines and took a special liking to Max Dornbach. I absolutely loved the spiritual messages woven within the framework of the story. A beautiful novel from start to finish.
I listened to the audio version of Hidden Among the Stars and was so very touched by this WW2 story. Melanie Dobson did an outstanding job bringing that era to life and weaving it together with a modern story. The characters became very real and that made me eager to listen hour after hour. Very well written and narrated. Highly recommended!
A fascinating time-slip story about love and loss, faith and tragedy, vile and good. Callie is so identifiable to me. She’s afraid of change. Being part of a team was never in her comfort zone. She’s always been a bit awkward, as if unsure of her place. Her childhood was about survival.
The evil of the Nazis seems so pronounced, but the world is still wracked by humankind’s malevolence toward each other. How can people be so cruel to others?
Sometimes there are books that change a reader’s life. These books worm their way into a reader’s heart and live there forever. Hidden Among the Stars is one such book for me. This story is superb, and it left my heart beautifully shattered. I found the writing in this novel to be stellar, the research impeccable, and the characters exquisitely crafted. Hidden Among the Stars is a must read for 2018!
Callie, one of the main characters, is my favorite. She could easily be my twin. I very much relate to her introvertedness, her fear of traveling, her love of books, and her innate need to hide from the world. At one point in the story Callie states, “Too many people, for too many hours, exhaust me.” Yes! This is totally me. It’s not that I don’t like people. I’m a high school teacher; clearly, I need to be around people. But it is physically and emotionally draining to be in large groups for a long period of time. I really love and need my alone time just as Callie does in this story.
Callie hides from people because she is trying to keep herself from emotional pain. Heartbreak hurts hard. I definitely get wanting to protect one’s self from heartache, sadness, and loss. The problem though with hiding from people is that you miss out on a lot of amazing experiences and moments. As I stated above, I’m a textbook introvert. I have been known in the past to skip out on my best friend’s Halloween and Christmas parties because I knew they would be large to-dos. Large to-dos terrify me. But, after unexpectedly losing my brother and dealing with my best friend’s cancer diagnosis and treatments, I have come to realize that we only have a small amount of time with our loved ones and we should not squander this precious time. Callie eventually realizes this herself, makes a very brave decision (for an introvert), and begins to live the life God always meant for her to live. I cheered quite loudly for her when she changes things in her life for the better!
There is a lot of violence and evil illustrated in this book. There is a Gestapo agent bent on annihilation. Kristallnacht is portrayed, as is the round up of completely innocent Jewish men for “questioning.” And, the overall ugliness that defined Hitler’s regime permeates this book from start to end. There were moments I had to step away from the book just so I could breathe. But, through all of this evil, no one blames God. Some of the characters question what God is allowing, but they never hate on God. It is so refreshing to read a book and find that the characters understand and accept that God allows things and the Devil is just pure evil. To me, it’s the difference between knowing the Bible and having a relationship with God versus claiming to know God and not having truly studied His Word. So, when the characters act in brave and courageous ways in this novel, it is always believable because their relationships with God were real. They knew His Word and they knew Him. This is the lesson I took away from this beautiful story — real bravery and courage comes only when we have a full and right relationship with our Creator. A full and right relationship allowed David to stand against a giant, Daniel to withstand lions, and Esther to face a Hamon. And, it’s how the remnant few survived the Holocaust. Truly, this is an excellent reminder for me today.
Hidden Among the Stars is one of the most stunning novels I have ever read. I am blessed to have read this heartbreaking, yet hopeful, book. This story and characters will stick with me long after I’ve read the final page. I highly, highly recommend this read!
I received a review copy of this novel in eBook form from the author via NetGalley and Celebrate Lit. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Hidden Among The Stars by Melanie Dobson. Hidden Among The Stars is a wonderful work of historical fiction that will tug at your heart strings. You will travel back in time and then come back to present day times. Be taken on a whirlwind of a ride with this story Hidden Among The Stars.
5 Stars
Captivating characters. A heartbreaking historical setting. Past and present woven together in a masterful way. Hidden Among the Stars is both powerful and poignant. Annika and Luzia are two characters who will linger in my heart.
Time slip novels aren’t really my thing, but I really enjoy reading about the courage of the people facing the horrors of WWII. This book sounded super interesting and did not disappoint. The different perspectives and times were done so well. I sometimes get frustrated with characters behaviors or choices, but this book was so well written I couldn’t even be irritated with the characters because their behaviors and choices made so much sense. They were realistic.
What a powerful dual timeline novel sure to be enjoyed by historical fiction fans. Once again I love how historical fiction can immerse me in new-to-me aspects of a specific historical event or person or situation. Instead of a story about hiding Jews during World War 2, this story puts a spotlight on Austrians who helped Jews in their country hide their most valuable possessions when the Nazis started terrorizing them. But it’s about so much more than that as well — family, friends, love, loyalty, sacrifice, loss, war, hate, courage, mystery, and the list goes on.
I really enjoyed the present day storyline too. After all, a bookstore and its owners are central characters — who can resist that? 🙂 I loved the characters and the relationships they had with one another and how they helped one another grow and also overcome some deep hurts. Overall a lovely story all on its own.
I do admit having a bit of trouble keeping some of the details/characters straight as the dual timeline played out. I had to do some looking back and forth to remind myself, but it was worth the effort. All in all, a great read that I highly recommend.
Hidden Among The Stars is by far the best novel that Melanie Dobson has written.
I enjoyed the mystery of this story and how it tied together the lives of holocaust survivors with modern-day characters. The 1938 story set in Austria of Anika, Luzi, and Max was my favorite part. They were easy characters to feel for. The modern character of Callie– It took me about half the book to get interested in her, but in the end, I enjoyed her story, too. No book about the holocaust is without sadness, but the conclusion was warm and satisfying – definitely worth reading.
Melanie Dobson has once again told an intriguing yet heart wrenching tale weaving the story of a small circle of victims oppressed by Hitler’s regime with the present day. When Callie, a bookshop owner, finds a puzzling message inside a worn copy of Bambi, it uncovers a trail of clues leading to the events surrounding the disappearance of a Jewish woman and hidden treasures left behind by the victims. As Callie moves forward in her search, a number of connections are brought to light, along with a surprising twist near the end, which fleshes out the verse, ‘Greater love hath no man than this, than a man lay down his life for his friends.’ John 15:13 Although “Catching the Wind” was more riveting and compelling, I still found myself wondering and waiting to see what would happen next!
A twist so often, WW2; Nazi Austria. Loved the story line.
Learned a lot about Bambi. What would I do if?
Love the characters, the twist and unexpected turns of the plot, and historical period!!!
Another great time-slip novel from Melanie Dobson. Well crafted and fascinating historical story.
I can’t say enough good about this book. A time-slip, author Melanie Dobson has done a wonderful job of combining two eras. A very difficult time in history along with a current day mystery kept me reading as quickly as I could.
Twists and turns. Secrets. Hurts to be healed. Romance. Vivid details about Vienna and other places. Characters that are very well developed. This book has it all. There are some difficult scenes but the description of those is not overtly graphic so they weren’t difficult to read. There is even a surprising twist that brought explanation, redemption, and closure. At least it surprised me!
If you enjoy historical fiction that doesn’t shy away from hard truths, then Hidden Among the Stars is for you. It is simply stunning.
I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.
The past and present come full circle…
I honestly don’t remember which Melanie Dobson book was my first. I just know that I’ve read every one I could get my hands on and I’ve become especially fond of her time-slip novels involving WWII. Hidden Among The Stars is a trademark Melanie Dobson tale, bittersweet, fascinating, and thought provoking.
Whether you call this type of fiction time-slip or dual timeline, there is no denying that this author is a master at blending the poignant and sometimes painful events of the past and the effects of those events on the characters of the present. I absolutely loved the historical part as I’ve read and heard very little about Austria during WWII, but, it was the modern-era Callie and her tentative steps outside of her comfort zone that I identified a little more with.
Hidden Among The Stars is a book to take your time with, to ponder, possibly shed a tear or two, and to simply enjoy. I did so and it was well worth spending the extra time to truly appreciate the depth of this story and the inspiring characters within…
(I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)