Under the Same Stars

Three generations of teens find themselves while fighting for change in this inspiring historical mystery from Bray (the Diviners series). It’s 1939 in Kleinwald, Germany, and best friends Hanna and Sophie would rather fantasize about an ancient mythical entity’s purported matchmaking abilities than pay attention to world events—until Hitler invades Poland. In 1980, aspiring photographer Jenny and her preppy conservative family relocate from Dallas to West Berlin, where Jenny meets Lena, a queer German punk rocker who lives in a squat and vows to show smitten, closeted Jenny the “real” Berlin. And in 2020 Brooklyn, while navigating lockdown and learning about social justice movements, Miles agrees to help best friend (and secret crush) Chloe investigate a package from Chloe’s grandmother containing mini-cassettes and a scrapbook featuring two Kleinwald teens who disappeared in 1941. Bray’s intimate third-person narrative kaleidoscopes back and forth in time, interweaving the three story lines and highlighting their internal resonance. Though the setup is occasionally awkward, nuanced, gratifying character arcs and a harrowing, emotionally charged third act send this lengthy novel out on a high note. The cast is intersectionally diverse. Ages 12–up. Agent: Joanna Volpe, New Leaf Literary. (Feb.)