It was said that if you write to the Bridegroom’s Oak, the love of your life will answer back. Now, the tree is giving up its secrets at last.
In 1940s Germany, Sophie is excited to discover a message waiting for her in the Bridegroom’s Oak from a mysterious suitor. Meanwhile, her best friend, Hanna, is sending messages too-but not to find love. As World War II unfolds in their small town of Kleinwald, the oak may hold the key to resistance against the Nazis.
In 1980s West Germany, American teen transplant Jenny feels suffocated by her strict parents and is struggling to fit in. Until she finds herself falling for Lena, a punk-rock girl hell-bent on tearing down the wall separating West Germany from East Germany, and meeting Frau Hermann, a kind old lady with secrets of her own.
In Spring 2020, New York City, best friends Miles and Chloe are in the first weeks of COVID lockdown and hating Zoom school, when an unexpected package from Chloe’s grandmother leads them to investigate a cold case about two unidentified teenagers who went missing under the Bridegroom’s Oak eighty years ago.
In 1940s Germany, Sophie is excited to discover a message waiting for her in the Bridegroom’s Oak from a mysterious suitor. Meanwhile, her best friend, Hanna, is sending messages too-but not to find love. As World War II unfolds in their small town of Kleinwald, the oak may hold the key to resistance against the Nazis.
In 1980s West Germany, American teen transplant Jenny feels suffocated by her strict parents and is struggling to fit in. Until she finds herself falling for Lena, a punk-rock girl hell-bent on tearing down the wall separating West Germany from East Germany, and meeting Frau Hermann, a kind old lady with secrets of her own.
In Spring 2020, New York City, best friends Miles and Chloe are in the first weeks of COVID lockdown and hating Zoom school, when an unexpected package from Chloe’s grandmother leads them to investigate a cold case about two unidentified teenagers who went missing under the Bridegroom’s Oak eighty years ago.
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Reviews
'[An] inspiring historical mystery... Bray's intimate third-person narrative kaleidoscopes back and forth in time, interweaving the three story lines and highlighting their internal resonance'
'Immersive... Bray emphasizes how much we're connected, offering a powerful depiction of transformative storytelling as an act of resistance and a harbinger of the future... a breathtaking journey that will leave a lasting impression on readers' minds and hearts'
'The legendary Libba Bray writes punk rock journeys across wide swaths of dark history and deep into the wonder of the human soul. She is one of our most original minds and Under the Same Stars will leave you shattered and wildly hopeful'
'Libba Bray is magic. There is simply no other conclusion to be drawn after reading the stunningly ambitious and brilliantly crafted, Under the Same Stars. Weaving together three different timelines, Bray's gorgeous prose and propulsive plotting draw the reader into the lives of young people who are fighting for their communities and themselves and you'll want to fight right alongside them. Bray's talent for writing magnificently detailed personal stories against the backdrop of political and social upheaval is a gift to readers and makes plain for all that leading with love is punk as hell, that building community is resistance and that living your truth is successful rebellion. Under the Same Stars is stirring and absolutely unforgettable'
'Under the Same Stars is both a sweeping epic tale of young people in three very different eras grappling with what it means to fight injustice, and a stark reminder that past is prologue. It's also a Libba Bray book, meaning it's full of banter, romance, humour and a little bit of magic'