May 2021

Inspired by true events, THE WOMAN WITH THE BLUE STAR by Pam Jenoff tells the story of Sadie Gault, a young woman who takes refuge with her pregnant mother in the sewers beneath the Kraków Ghetto as the Nazis begin to ship Polish Jews to the camps in the middle of World War II. One day, Ella Stepanek, a well-to-do Polish girl, spies Sadie through a grate, and they strike up a cautious conversation.

Horrified by their situation, Ella offers to bring Sadie and her mother food and supplies, putting herself in potential danger. As the war worsens, so does the risk --- and each day there are challenges for both young women.

In the late 1990s, Pam was employed by the State Department and was assigned to the U.S. Consulate in Kraków for two years. There is documentation of Jews hiding in the sewers in another town in Poland, which sparked the idea of this story for Pam. She set the book in Kraków as the site there was more familiar to her, and she bent the time frames a bit to line up with what was happening in the ghettos.

While there is fatigue among readers about World War II novels, I found this one to have the feel of an adventure story, as well as one about friendship and trust. It also has a really wonderful ending, which I did not see coming.

There is lots here for book groups to devour and discuss.