Libba Bray’s Under the Same Stars is a sweeping historical fiction novel interwoven with young adult themes, exploring love, loss, and resistance across three distinct yet interconnected timelines. Through evocative storytelling, Bray crafts a narrative that unearths the forgotten voices of history while maintaining an intimate, deeply personal touch. As a work of historical fiction with elements of YA fantasy, it stands out for its intricate plotting, well-researched settings, and emotionally charged character arcs.
Plot Overview: The Past and Present Entwined
At the heart of “Under the Same Stars” is the Bridegroom’s Oak, a real-life tree in Germany where people leave messages hoping to find love. The novel takes us across three different time periods, each exploring the tree’s mystical connection to fate and history.
- 1940s Germany: Sophie and Hanna, best friends in the town of Kleinwald, engage with the Bridegroom’s Oak in different ways—Sophie seeking romance, Hanna seeking revolution. Their lives take a dangerous turn as World War II deepens and the tree becomes more than a symbol of longing—it becomes a key to resistance.
- 1980s West Germany: Jenny, a rebellious American teen, is thrust into a foreign culture under the weight of her overbearing parents. She finds herself drawn to Lena, a passionate punk-rock activist determined to bring down the Berlin Wall. Their story unfolds alongside that of Frau Hermann, an old woman hiding a painful secret that ties back to the 1940s narrative.
- 2020, New York City: Best friends Miles and Chloe, confined by the early days of the COVID-19 lockdown, stumble upon an old letter linked to the Bridegroom’s Oak. Their virtual sleuthing leads them to an unsolved mystery about two missing teenagers from the 1940s, bringing past and present together in unexpected ways.
Bray masterfully ties these narratives together, each era offering its own struggles, desires, and heartbreaks while sharing common themes of love, resistance, and the power of memory.
Characterization: Strengths and Weaknesses
Bray excels at crafting deeply human characters, each shaped by their historical context. Sophie is a dreamy yet courageous girl whose arc transforms from romantic idealism to quiet rebellion. Hanna’s character stands as one of the novel’s most compelling—her fierce resolve and willingness to defy the status quo make her an unforgettable figure in the resistance narrative. Jenny and Lena’s dynamic is vibrant and raw, capturing the reckless abandon of young love against political unrest. Meanwhile, Frau Hermann’s sorrowful presence in the 1980s storyline adds layers of poignancy, revealing how past actions ripple through time.
However, Miles and Chloe’s 2020 storyline, while engaging, feels somewhat underdeveloped compared to the other timelines. Their investigation into the historical mystery is intriguing, but their personal struggles—Zoom school fatigue, pandemic anxiety—feel less compelling when juxtaposed with the life-and-death stakes of the other narratives. This disparity makes their section less immersive, though still relevant in tying the novel’s themes together.
Writing Style and Narrative Approach
Bray’s prose is lush, immersive, and well-researched, capturing the essence of each era with rich historical details. Her ability to switch between timelines without disrupting the narrative flow is commendable. The dialogues are authentic, capturing the speech patterns and cultural nuances of each period. The inclusion of letters, diary entries, and digital messages adds an epistolary layer that enhances the novel’s structure, making the reader feel like a participant in uncovering long-buried secrets.
However, at times, the pacing falters—particularly in the middle of the novel, where the transitions between timelines feel abrupt. The 1980s storyline, while emotionally gripping, takes longer to build momentum compared to the high-stakes tension of the 1940s plotline.
Themes: Love, Resistance, and the Weight of History
“Under the Same Stars” is thematically rich, addressing:
- The Power of Love Across Time: Whether romantic, platonic, or familial, love acts as a guiding force in each narrative. The relationships—Sophie and Hanna’s friendship, Jenny and Lena’s passionate romance, Miles and Chloe’s unwavering bond—showcase love’s endurance across generations.
- Resistance Against Oppression: The novel doesn’t shy away from depicting the brutality of Nazi Germany and the division of Berlin. Hanna’s story, in particular, highlights the quiet and loud acts of defiance that shape history.
- Memory and Legacy: The past is never truly gone; it lingers in letters, in whispers, in historical artifacts like the Bridegroom’s Oak. Bray asks her readers to consider how history informs the present and how voices from the past demand to be heard.
Critique: Where the Novel Falls Short
While Under the Same Stars is undeniably ambitious and emotionally resonant, it does have its flaws:
- Uneven Storytelling Across Timelines: The 2020 storyline, while important for connecting the dots, feels less immersive. The stakes are lower compared to the peril of WWII and the revolutionary fervor of 1980s Berlin.
- Pacing Issues in the Middle Section: Some sections could have been more tightly edited, especially in the transition between Jenny and Lena’s narrative and the historical mystery unfolding in the modern timeline.
- Limited Character Development for Miles and Chloe: Their roles in the story are integral, yet their personal arcs feel underexplored, leaving them somewhat overshadowed by the richer historical narratives.
Final Verdict: A Must-Read with Minor Shortcomings
Despite its imperfections, Under the Same Stars is a compelling, evocative read that captures the power of love and resistance through time. Libba Bray’s meticulous research and lyrical storytelling make this a novel worth reading for fans of historical fiction and young adult literature alike. The book’s thematic depth and emotional resonance outweigh its pacing flaws.
Recommended For:
- Readers who enjoy multi-timeline historical fiction.
- Fans of novels like The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, Lovely War by Julie Berry, and The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah.
- Those interested in WWII resistance stories, Berlin Wall narratives, and contemporary historical mysteries.