Reviewed by Emma Crowley
Cornwall, England, 1943. When her husband is killed fighting in the Navy, grief-stricken Gwenna Devoran tries to fill the void in her life by offering shelter to two Jewish refugees in her farmhouse high on the Cornish cliffs. But at the train station, ten-year-old Lotti is waiting all alone in her neat red coat.
Lotti’s mother died protecting her on the journey. Now Gwenna is all this little girl has. Traumatised Lotti won’t speak a word: and when an order comes for German prisoners-of-war to work the farm she’s in more danger than ever. What will happen if the Germans find out Lotti is Jewish?
When Gwenna overhears Lotti chattering happily to German captain Max Reiner, showing him her teddy bear, her heart stops. Shocked to hear Lotti finally speak, Gwenna is terrified for the little girl she’s grown to love. But perhaps she can she trust the kindness in this German officer’s gentle voice and bright blue eyes…
As Lotti heals a little more each day, Gwenna risks everything to spend more time with Max, certain he doesn’t believe in the Nazi cause. But then a rumour starts in the village: Max himself fired the torpedo that killed Gwenna’s husband.
Devastated, Gwenna’s heart is torn between loyalty to her country, the memory of her husband, and love for the little girl she secretly hopes could become her own. With Max desperate to prove his innocence, does she dare to trust him? And should she fight for the three of them to become a family – or will the war tear them all apart?
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Many thanks to Bookouture via NetGalley for my copy of The Girl with the Yellow Star to review and to Sharon for having my review on the blog.
Natalie Meg Evans is in flying form with this brilliant new book, The Girl With The Yellow Star. Given the title I had somewhat of an idea what the story would be about and I never even bothered to read the blurb as I usually really enjoy this author’s books and knew I would be in for an absorbing and engaging read. I thought it perhaps might be set in a concentration camp somewhere in Europe so I was pleasantly surprised to discover this book was set on a farm in Cornwall. Looking at the cover it is so apt and sums up this book to perfection.
Lotti, a young Jewish German girl, is fleeing from Paris where she had found a safe haven with her mother Miryam for three years. But Hitler and his insane policies and reign of terror is catching up with them and once again, having previously escaped from Berlin, the pair find themselves bundled into the back of a van and trying to find safety. All Lotti has are a few belongings and her teddy Rumptof. Said teddy may seem insignificant at first but Rumptof plays a crucial role throughout the book. He becomes like a security blanket or talisman for Lotti as she navigates her way through a new and strange world where fear and the threat of danger is ever present although one woman’s love, commitment, strength and solidarity do their best to ease the suffering and horrors that Lotti has experienced.
Gwenna has managed the family farm in Cornwall since the death of her father. She is aided by three of his long term helpers, Ezra, and Roddy and Hilda who are married. I loved Gwenna as a lead character right from the moment we are introduced to her as she waits on a station platform to receive Miryam and Lotti. The pair having made it to London to stay with Freda, a friend of Gwenna’s, now need further security following a disturbing experience for Miryam which has greatly affected her. The opening quarter or so of the book was dramatic and contained a lot of events and information which set the reader up nicely for what was to come for the remainder of the book.
Colvennon Farm was to provide peace and quiet for mother and daughter but tragedy strikes and Miryam passes away. There is a lot more to this than first meets the eye and this is deftly explored throughout the story. As there are many strands to the story there was a danger that they could have become entangled within one another and therefore become difficult to distinguish. But this never occurred and the entire storyline was aptly developed from start to finish which made you really care for the characters and everything they were experiencing and fighting for.
Gwenna is a woman doing things that pushed her ahead of her time and although she faced stiff opposition for her methods on the farm or the fact she was even doing farm work, she rallied against this and even more so when more angst rises to the surface which really tests her viewpoint. She is a hard worker and one is never afraid to get stuck into the dirty work of the farm alongside the men because she wants the farm to be successful. Gwenna is still trying to come to terms with the death of her husband which occurred when his naval boat was struck by a torpedo off the coast of Ireland. Yet the reader can sense that perhaps all was not as it seemed with the marriage and this is explored in more detail the further the book develops.
Gwenna is one of the best female characters that I have read in a long time. She pushes herself outside of her comfort zone time and time again and always battles with what is the right or wrong thing to do. Should she follow her head or her heart? This issue rises to the fore several times and it was interesting to see how this was played out. Her strength, courage, resilience and resourcefulness meant you came to admire her and everything she stands for. She doesn’t hesitate for one minute to still take Lotti when she is left motherless and as we get to know her more you question whether she is trying to be the mother she has so longed to be or would she have done this anyway?
Lotti, although young, is a remarkable character who has been through trauma and heartache. Her mother is gone and the whereabouts of her father are unknown. What she has witnessed has left her mute but the reason for this does become clear and it brings a tear to your eye. I felt Gwenna was the perfect person to bring her out of her shell and to nurture and protect her. They both needed each other in more ways than one and Gwenna is fierce in the love that she develops for the little girl who has lost so much. Gwenna may be headstrong when it comes to farm issues and I loved how she stood up to the despicable pair that was Roddy and Hilda but at the same time she shows great compassion, patience and caring for those that she knows need love, care and attention.
Through focusing on Lotti and rehabilitating her so to speak she is coming to terms with where life has personally taken her. But conflicting emotions and village opinions threaten to derail her mission to provide Lotti with a good life and I loved how it all fed back to the story surrounding her marriage to Edward. But at the same time the arrival of some much needed helpers to the farm throws the cat amongst the pigeons. What happens when the enemy arrives at your doorstep and you have no choice but to accept them and even more so when feelings develop into something more which go against everything you believed you stood for? Will so much loneliness mean Gwenna steps into the lions den? Can she cope with the fall out?
The Girl with the Yellow Star really gets you thinking deeply about many issues. You constantly ask yourself what would you do if you were in Gwenna’s situation? Natalie Meg Evans has given Gwenna a real strong voice with plenty of conundrums to deal with and also several difficult choices to make. When prisoners of war from the nearby camp are sent to work the land with her in order to fulfil the Ministry of Agriculture’s requirements, she is faced with no choice but to accept they have to be there. That doesn’t mean she has to like it especially as it throws up some uncomfortable memories that prevent her moving forward. As the blurb says her heart is torn between loyalty to her country, the memory of her husband and the little girl who has found a firm place in her heart. How she deals with all this was fascinating to read and would certainly inspire much discussion and debate. This is a story of sacrifices, loyalty and doing your best and trying to follow your heart when the world seems dead set against you. It’s a stunning read from the first word until the last and is perfect for anyone who likes historical fiction set during the war that provides you with something just that little bit different which has you rapidly turning the pages.
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