A well thought out novel of coming of age during WWII. You will feel the tug on your heart with this one. Thanks for the ARC.

I really enjoyed this work of historical fiction. It offered a unique perspective to a time period that is commonly written about. I enjoyed diving into this era of history through a different lens. I would recommend this book to fans of historical fiction—both young adults and adults.

A well-written novel with a great first half and a very disappointing second half crowned with a conclusion that has more loose threads than desirable.

The plot about an adolescent Jewish girl seeking and finding refuge at a remote farm owned by a young man born mute was guaranteed to catch my fancy from the start, and Stephan Collishaw's economical, spare and uncluttered prose delivered it very proficiently and aided in the story's lack of action being barely noticeable, if at all. It was all centred on the inside, on emotions, the personal development of the girl, Yael, and the slow-burn and drama-free growth of tender feelings towards Aleksei. And drama-free it may have been, but it could not stay unrealistically free of the dark side of a wartime setting and invading armies prowling nearby, so when the Wehrmacht set their boots in the quiet farm it was just natural that things would get shaken pretty hard.

But . . . Here's where the book rushes down to its unsatisfying ending. It would've been preferable that Yael had stayed where she was, and the challenges thrown at them to come from the occupying Germans and Aleksei trying to keep Yael safe in hiding. Instead, the plot moves elsewhere, a new male character is introduced halfway through about whose use to the plotline I have serious doubts, and two or so years of cruel fighting in the Eastern Front are hastily summed up in some pages, coming finally to a wrap-up of sorts that's just a perfunctory "and then this and then that happened" epilogue, without hints as to what happened to a character we'd come to like in the first half.

I don't expect everything to be answered in my fiction, and some mysteries are always to be left for the reader to solve mentally. But there's a difference between that and leaving threads loose or a sensation of it all having been just dropped, of a lack of polish and proper endings. So, I rate this 3.5 stars and not higher

I can't believe I didn't review this ages ago. I do agree with other reviewers that Aleksei should have been wrapped up better. It was a decent book.

The Song of the Stork was not the expected narrative I had in mind when I heard this was set in a wartime. Thinking about the narrator's relationship with the older man she stayed with was actually a little disturbing, and it was jarring. I believed that she would engage with him like this at some point, but the age gap worried me. I had a hard time connecting with the characters, and when additional tension was introduced in the middle of the book and that character left because of jealousy felt off. I think it would have been more interesting to let that tension develop instead of introducing this interesting aspect and then leaving it for a rather disappointing second half of the book.

This book caught my attention when I heard it took place during WWII, my favorite time period to read about. At first, the action of her struggling wasn’t too intense, but it still grabbed me into the book, slowing down when she finds shelter with Aleksei. It’s a nice change to watch their bond slowly blossom and with no dialogue. Takes some good writing to do that.

I knew she wasn’t going to be safe forever though, so when the Germans attacked, I kind of expected it. But besides that, the suspense of surviving after that, while finding herself distancing herself more and more from her love. It turns the story sadder, while still being happy for her at the same time.

I read this in one afternoon/ evening, purely because I was enjoying it and it was an easy read. I was hoping for more though unfortunately especially after reading the reviews at the beginning of the book.
Yes it was exciting, sometimes, but it could've been more exciting with more drama.
I thought that the Polish/ Yiddish was a nice touch, but I didn't understand it.
I was left feeling rather flat at the end of the book, and it felt very rushed. I even looked for an epilogue!
Thanks to NetGalley, Stephan Collishaw and the publisher.

It is 1941, and the German army is occupying Lithuania, trying to force its way across the Eastern Front into Russia. 15-year old Yael, a Jewish girl driven from her home by German soldiers, is fighting a daily battle to survive in the forest with a group of partisans, knowing that discovery will mean certain death. Malnourished, dirty and all alone after her last friend has succumbed to a sudden and swift illness, Yael stumbles across a lonely farmhouse owned by a young mute man, Aleksei, shunned by the rest of the community as being crazy. Sheltering in the henhouse for warmth, Yael drinks water from the well and ekes out a meagre supply of food from the scraps on the compost heap, until the first days of winter cold force her to knock on Aleksei’s door for shelter. Afraid for his life, Aleksei sends the young girl away, refusing to help her. But the same evening, Yael finds a small plate of food left for her near the henhouse. Over time, a tentative friendship between the two young people forms, and in this coldest winter of 1941, Yael comes to find refuge in Aleksei’s home.

The Song of the Stork is a beautiful story of courage and survival, and of love found in the most unlikely places. Character driven and with vivid imagery, the author evokes the harsh realities of living in fear, of trying to survive in a cold hostile place against all odds. And yet, in this darkest chapter of history, humanity still shines through in small acts of kindness, in a shy friendship forming between a young orphaned girl and a solitary young man. I loved the scenes describing Yael’s life in Aleksei’s house, the simplicity of the small pleasures, of feeling safe and sheltered, of having food and water to wash, of being able to sit in front of a warm fire. How we take all those things for granted! The complete isolation of Yael and Aleksei’s life in the remote farmhouse away from civilisation and at the mercy of nature reminded me of scenes from Our Endless Numbered Days, as Peggy and her father try to survive the cold winter with just each other as company.

Is it possible, she thought, that here, in the middle of war, as on all sides carnage and murder stalk the world, is it possible that there can exist this pocket of peace? Of joy? Of sanity? Are there more?

I would have been very happy to stay there with them and read more about their daily struggles to find food, cut wood, stay warm and safe keep their hopes up that this terrible war would soon be over. But once the cold winter ends and the snow retreats, so does their safety, and the second half of the book took an unexpected turn which saw Yael’s life in turmoil again.

Yael was torn with the irony that with the spring, with this resurrection of the earth, war once more became possible; death could continue its rampage across the continent.

I was impressed by Collishaw’s writing, and it totally swept me away into a different time and place. There are many books out there about the events during WWII described, but The Song of the Stork touched me deeply, without some of the overly graphic scenes used by other authors to describe the horrors of war – Collinshaw manages to convey this message in the simple everyday battle of survival and the tentative emotional bond that forms between the two main protagonists. I admit I liked the second part of the story a lot less and was a bit disappointed with the ending, since it left many questions unanswered. However, I must concede that in Yael’s reality as a displaced person the longed for happy conclusion was merely wishful thinking on my part. In summary, The Song of the Stork is a contemplative coming-of-age story of a young girl displaced by war and trying to survive in a hostile world. Atmospheric and focusing on inter-human relationships, it drew me in deeply and transported me to another time and place like only few novels can. Recommended to anyone who enjoys historical fiction set in WWII.

3.5 star rating. I was pretty enthralled with this story and so I read it on one sitting. The writing was great and I found it easy to get into, even though this was a new author for me. Even though there isn't a lot happening in some sections the writing and character development really pull it through. It is also quite suspenseful. The first half was definitely stronger than the second half, in my opinion. I was a little disappointed that an intriguing character I liked during the first half was never heard from again - we don't get any idea of what happened to him. Apart from that, I thought this was a fantastic book and I would highly recommend it.

A poetic, well-crafted novel about one Jewish girl's flight from the German soldiers that takes her away from the man she loves, but whom she will not and cannot forget. Yael's story is interesting, but I found that the characters lacked depth - although the distance of emotion did add to the ethereal quality of the novel. I didn't really connect with Yael as I expected to, and yet I still found this to be a beautifully written story about a horrific period of history.

Set in the second world war in Lithuania, Yael is a young Jewish woman who happens to be outside her village when all the Jewish people are crowded together and shot in a mass grave.

She doesn’t know where her brother is and is certain her parents have been killed. She wanders the woods with an old woman, Rivka, who dies of exposure.

What will she do now? Where will she shelter? How will she ever find her brother again? How can a world so torn apart be salvaged?

She finds shelter in the farm of the local mute, Aleksei, someone they had always assumed was a madman. Miraculously, after a few days of living in his chicken coop, he welcomes her into his home and a strange new life filled with literature and hope begins. For though Aleksei is mute, he has an affinity for language. Whenever he isn’t working the farm, he’s reading from his large library of mostly Russian literature, works in Russian and Polish, translations of French poetry and Shakespeare. Yael and Aleksei start to share this quiet life together. A life in which the seasons and the land continue regardless of war.

But this is World War II and any safety for a Jew living in Lithuania is illusory. Yael has other burdens yet to bear, other hardships to face in the coming months.

The Song of the Stork is one of those gentle books that works its quiet way into the pathways of the mind. There is a calm exactitude to the writing. Though there are brutal moments – how could there not be given the novel’s setting? – this is mostly a book about the indefatigable march of survival and the importance of words and stories to help you through.

Before Yael is forced to leave Aleksei, she takes pleasure in a stork that settles on the farm; a returning visitor despite the war, she and Aleksei watch the stork build its nest, bringing spring upon its tail as the saying foretells. The stork becomes a beautiful symbol working throughout the narrative. Not only is it a symbol of hope for Jews as it flies to Palestine, the stork reminds her of her father who first told her that storks were mute just like Aleksei. Yael’s father used to call her ‘my little stork’. As the novel progresses her own little stork begins to grow and it becomes clear that song and poetry don’t have to be loud to make themselves heard.

This balance between speaking and silence, the written and spoken word, the quiet of contemplation and the fearful game of hiding, waiting, silence and sudden noise of war works through the whole novel. The novel is the song the stork cannot himself sing aloud.

There are many books written about this period, but The Song of the Stork doesn’t feel trite, it feels relevant to our world in which people are judged by their beliefs and their heritage when we all deserve the right to food and shelter, to a life full of human connection and warmth. If you are looking for a novel of poignancy and provocation, The Song of the Stork is for you.

Really enjoyed this book, mostly for the sensitivity of the writing and the craft of the author. He brings to life the isolation, desperation, and helplessness of Yael, a young Jewish girl on the run from German forces during WWII. Finding safety with a mute farmer, she may have found more than she bargains for. Recommended reading.

Fifteen-year-old Yael is a Jewish girl living through the terrors of war. She has resorted to hiding in the woods as the Germans pass by. She is at the end of her tether; her friend has passed away in the long grasses of fields they were walking through. She is all alone now and dares not go back. Picking her way carefully through the trees she eventually sees a remote farmhouse. She is desperate for rest, food and water but she is not welcomed by the farmer. He chases her away; it is against the rules to shelter Jews and he would be shot if she were found on his property. She quenches her thirst at the well and crawls into the hen house for shelter, starving hungry and freezing cold. She hangs around the farm which is not too far from the village where she once lived with her older brother and parents. They are long gone now and she is a refugee, hunted by the Germans. The lone occupant of the simple farmhouse is Aleksei and he is an outcast as well. He is mute but is able to live independently and trades his meagre belongings and crops for things he cannot grow or make himself. As Yael gradually becomes weaker he throws out scraps for her and eventually he lets her into his humble home and provides for her grudgingly. They form an attachment and when the Germans come to camp on his land he hides her away, avoiding her discovery. Frightened that she will be captured she once again takes to the wood where she is discovered by Jewish partisans fighting against the German troops. They shelter her and look after her training her to fight and be self sufficient.
This is only the beginning of Yael’s poignant story of her search for her brother and her fight for survival. It is a story of love, bravery and determination to avoid capture against all of the odds stacked up against her. She has a secret and will do anything to avoid capture. She revels in the kindness shown to her but soon she will have to leave her Jewish friends and try to make her own way to safety. I enjoyed reading this story but did not like the way it ended so abruptly. I felt there was definitely more to come and was disappointed that Stephan Collishaw did not round off his story. He had researched the storyline thoroughly, his storytelling was full of compassion and intricate detail and his characters were diverse and interesting. I really wanted Yale to find her happy ending as I invested more and more time in her story. I would like to thank NetGalley and Legend Press for my copy of ‘The Song of the Stork’, sent to me in return for an honest review. The story touched my heart it is true, but I was left wondering what happened next.

The Song of the Stork is a tale of harrowing survival, poignant loss, and overcoming overwhelming odds in Russia during World War II. Yael is a young Jewish girl on the run who takes shelter with her neighbor Aleksei who is reluctant and mute. While forced into running again, Yael later joins a Jewish partition group which is fighting for their freedom.

While touching as most novels set in this time period are, I felt like the tale was rushed and bereft of enough depth that would allow me to really be enraptured with the story. The connections between the characters seem shallow and great time spans are brushed through quickly enough that friendships don't seem to be particularly realistic. And while Yael is going through a harrowing ordeal, I didn't particularly feel like she was finding a voice as the summary bills the story. Overall, the novel unfortunately didn't capture much of my interest and I was unable to really connect with any of the characters.

Thanks to the publisher for an ARC in exchange for a fair review.

Wonderfully written tale of survival against the odds.
A young Jewish girl in hiding from the Nazi's in WW2 Poland, her fear, desperation and loneliness leaps from the pages.
A book that will stay with me for some time.

A strong story of survival, human relationships, of love, of hope during war. I had to take breaks frequently to keep myself from crying over the hardships explained. The simple language, references to the events, and some usage Yiddish, Polish and excerpts from Russian Poems made it even more interesting to read. A good read for all those who are interested in books related to World War II.

I thank NetGalley and Legend Press for letting me read this book before it publishes.

★★★☆☆

Pros:

~ Interesting internal perspective of a young Jewish girl fleeing Nazi
persecution
~ Sweet love story I wish had been resolved better/developed more
~ Heavily character-driven
~ Explores the complexities of desperation
~ Pretty much what you expect from a WWII novel


Cons:

~ A very male-skewing perception of a young girls’ mind and thoughts
~ Not a good “first” adult novel
~ Aspects of the plot were skimmed over and underdeveloped
~ Sexualizes teenage girls who have been starving and dying
~ The writing is either ridiculously repetitive or well-serving in tone,
but very little in-between
~ The ending is just OVER and there’s little going for it, tbh
~ If you’re in this for a *Satisfying* ending (read: not necessarily happy,
but satisfying) you’re in for disappointment
This definitely isn’t something I would usually pick up. I primarily read YA fiction—and if it’s historical, it’s usually pre-1900. I really want to enjoy adult fiction, and I thought this would be a good foray into it as the MC is a teenager throughout the novel.

But honestly, this was just… not great. It felt like it believed it was great, and therefore didn’t have to deliver in any satisfying way because it was ~~so literary~~.

The Song of the Stork follows fifteen-year-old Yael, a Jewish girl who has had to flee the Nazis. Her family is gone, parents missing or taken or dead, and her brother is off to fight with the Soviets. She is hiding in the forest with her companion Rivka, who dies from fever, leaving Yael all alone.

Yael leaves the forest to hide in a chicken coop belonging to the town’s resident mute and “crazy man”, Aleksei. He’s in his twenties and hasn’t spoken since childhood, after his mother’s death, and when he discovers Yael on hiding on his land, he orders her away. But Yael persists and Aleksei is sympathetic, and eventually, she is living with him and falling in love with him.

WWII stories are not my favorite because they’re so damn devastating, and The Song of the Stork is no exception. Yael is put through hell, and we see that. Her relationship with Aleksei is sweet but sadly underdeveloped. Months are glossed over and suddenly they’re sleeping together? Their relationship had such potential, and in spite of myself I loved them together and loved Aleksei, and they deserved a lot more than they got.

A huge downside was that the author does not write girls well. It felt very much like a man, focusing heavily on female bodies (which is really creepy considering how young Yael is), even ones that have been literally starved. There were times that Yael felt real to me and I related and sympathized with her a lot, and then there were times that I felt like I was reading a man’s idea of a young girl. And of course, this novel utilized my LEAST favorite trope, which I can’t say because it’s a huge spoiler. Just know that I didn’t like it, and it tied into the ending, and I DIDN’T LIKE IT.

To say the least, I was far from satisfied by the ending. There’s no way it was going to be happy, but I feel like the ending’s lack of answers was irritating and unnecessary. I feel bad saying I was unsatisfied with the ending in a story about the holocaust, but it just was so contrived for a bittersweet/tragic ending, and you know that *SPOILERS* once the MC is pregnant, her lover is gone for good. It’s the most obvious “twist” you could possibly conceive. I didn’t like that there were no answers for Aleksei, not even concerning his past and his selective mutism. When Yael finally, FINALLY gets to go back to him, after a devastatingly boring stint with the soldiers in the forest, he was just straight-up gone. Was he killed? Did he leave, looking for Yael? Will he ever find her? Will she ever find him? Is he dead? Missing? WHAT? Hell if I know. */SPOILERS*

Also what annoyed me was the writing style. My GOD the writing could get repetitive. In some places it worked, but in others it was the exact same sentence structure over and over and over, ‘she did this, she did that, she did this, and then she did that, and this was like this, and that was like that’. Sometimes the writing had a good tone, and the monotony served it well, but other times… no.

However as a story about one girl’s story of persevering through terrible conditions enforced by Nazi soldiers, it works well. If you are really interested in a literary, character-driven, on-the-run WWII story, I might suggest it. But truth be told, there are better stories about the same subject matter.

I received a free ARC of The Song of the Stork in exchange for honest review. All opinions are uninfluenced and my own. Thank you!

Thank you to NetGalley and Legend Press for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

For me this book was set to receive a 5 star rating. Stephan Collishaw writes beautifully. Really, his writing style is very elegant and thoughtful, but just as the book really gets going it's over. Like quite literally over. I actually removed it from my Kindle and re-downloaded since I thought I must have a bad file because there is no way that's how the book ends!! And maybe that's Collishaw's technique: write beautiful stories that end so abruptly the reader will go read another one of his books, but it doesn't work for me.

Would I recommend this book? Certainly, if there was another 20 chapters to go along with it.

I'm so reluctant to write anything here because nothing I say can do this novel justice - it's a heartstopping tale of a child coming to adulthood in the most awful of circumstances, finding hope in a war ravaged landscape where none seems to be.

It's written in elegant, spare language and it almost broke my heart.

Seventy years later and there are Yaels in refugee camps all over the world. Shame on us all.

Go now and pre-order this book (it will be published on 1 March) - it will be one of the multi award winning novels of 2017/18.

Many thanks to Legend Press, NetGalley and to the author for the advance review copy.

4-4.5 Stars!

I was fascinated by the tone, it was suspenseful and read in sort of a haunting in a way. The writing captivated me. A compelling fable like story with sprinkles of love, and mostly of survival with an unforeseen ending that left me spinning. I highly recommend!!