A review by bsmith27
The Woman with the Blue Star by Pam Jenoff

4.0

A story of 2 Jewish families that live in the sewer of Krakow during Nazi occupation. Sadie is a young woman and sees Ella through the grate above her. Ella is the stepdaughter of a ruthless woman who is entertaining Nazi officers. She hates her stepmother but her father died awhile ago. She begins to help Sadie, bringing her food and taking her out if the sewer one night. Sadie's father dies going into the sewer and her pregnant mother is her beat friend. Her mother gives birth and the 2 families decide the baby cannot stay in the sewer. So the mother leaves to give the baby to a hospital. Ella discovers that the baby never made it to the hospital but the mother did and she was killed when the Nazis came for her. Sadie becomes closer to the young man from the orthodox family that is staying in the sewer with her. Her and Saul decide to marry. Ella's stepmother discovers a Jewish chiam necklace and questions Ella. She throws her out. Ella goes to her boyfriend who is a part of the resistance. Chris has hidden some guns In the sewer. The guns are gone and they realize they have to get the families out. Saul and his father are ahead of Ella and Sadie when the mined sewer begins to collapse. Ella and shady are trapped and rising water. Sadie is wounded and cannot swim and Ella said she will get her out but then a part of the mine collapses and Ella is killed. Sadie makes it out she discovers that she can become Ella and does. She fights with the resistance and goes on as Ella. At the end of the book it is 2016 and the baby that was given to a priest fines quote Ella " and realizes that it is actually her sister Sadie.