HIDDEN AMONG THE STARS by MELANIE DOBSON

HIDDEN AMONG THE STARS by MELANIE DOBSON is such a special book that I really cannot recommend it highly enough. It is a historical romance novel which takes place in 1938/39 in Austria at the time of Hitler's take over of that country, and also in the present, when Callie Randall, known by the children at the book store, run by herself and her sister Brie, as Story Girl, finds something interesting amongst the pages of an old German copy of Bambi..
Through her research into what she finds in this old book, she meets Dr Josh Nemeth and his daughter Ella, and they join forces to try and find the hidden treasure. She overcomes her fear of the unknown and of letting people get close to her by traveling to Lake Hallstatt to try and find out what happened to her very dear friend Charlotte's mother, a mystery which seems somehow tied in with what is hidden in the pages of this copy of Bambi.
The author's obvious love for the Jews and horror at the atrocities meted out to them by Hitler and the Third Reich, as well as the way the truth of Scripture is woven throughout the book, really spoke to me. Jesus is portrayed here as the greatest of all Jews, who willingly died to save us and to bring hope to this crazy world, where hatred so often reigns in men's hearts. We see how different people deal with the evil that is suddenly in their world - some indifferent or too afraid to help, and others prepared to make huge sacrifices.
The importance of reading, especially for children, is also close to my heart, as are Austria and Vienna, where I have seen the Judenplatz as well as many other places that are mentioned in the book. I also love the fact that Callie is a blogger and researches the authors of the children's books in her store. I also like the way music runs through the story. The characters are very real and the author makes us feel what they are feeling. This is a book that I will definitely read more than once.





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