The Nightingale

by Kristin Hannah

Bravery, courage, fear and love in a time of war.

Despite their differences, sisters Viann and Isabelle have always been close. Younger, bolder Isabelle lives in Paris while Viann is content with life in the French countryside with her husband Antoine and their daughter. But when the Second World War strikes, Antoine is sent off to fight and Viann finds herself isolated so Isabelle is sent by their father to help her.

As the war progresses, the sisters' relationship and strength is tested. With life changing in unbelievably horrific ways, Viann and Isabelle will find themselves facing frightening situations and responding in ways they never thought possible as bravery and resistance take different forms in each of their actions.

Vivid and exquisite in its illumination of a time and place that was filled with atrocities, but also humanity and strength, Kristin Hannah's The Nightingale will provoke thought and discussion that will have readers talking long after they finish reading.

• ISBN10: 1447283279
• ISBN13: 9781447283270
• Publish Date: 29 January 2015
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 14 March 2017
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Pan Macmillan
• Imprint: Macmillan
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 464
• Language: English

Reviews

[maggiefan]

Honestly, I missed the moment I stopped caring about historical fiction...

[Berls]

I seriously regret stalling so long to read this book! First, it was loaned to me by a coworker who had found out I liked to read, but I don't tend to be into WWII historical stories. Then, it's a BIG BOOK so it just looked intimidating. But thankfully y'all voted it for me to read in July's TBR list and even though I stalled so long that I'm reading it only in time for August's TBR review post, you forced me to finally start it. And OMG once I did! It's one of my top books of 2021! I clearly need to get out of my own way with big books since they make up the majority of my favorite reads this year!

This story gripped me from the start. We spend the majority of the book in occupied France, from the start of WWII to the finish. One of the brilliant parts are the flashes to modern US (1995 I believe it was) that gives you small glimpses of one of the characters after the war. I LOVE the way this book focuses on the female experience of WWII. I know that the Jewish experience is important - and definitely factors into the story in a huge way. I know that the male, soldier experience is important - and again, it shows up. But I think we've heard those stories so prominently and these stories - the story of the mother trying to protect her family, provide food and clothing, and survive the occupation with a soldier forcibly living in her home. And the story of the young girl determined to make a difference, using the very fact that females weren't suspected to be part of the underground revolution and save allied soldiers - those are not stories we've heard a lot.

The reason I don't tend to enjoy WWII stories are that they have so much brutality in them and that's just hard to read. The Nightengale does not skim over that brutality. It's very much present and made me anxious, upset, angry, and sad. But, what I will say for Kristin Hannah is that she managed to tell the story in such a way that you never lost hope. Not just because I knew WWII would eventually end, but because of the flashes to the future, you have every reason to hope and believe the characters you love will survive. I appreciated that hope balancing out the brutality.

A favorite read for 2021 and I am super excited to see that it will be a movie (starring the Dakota sisters!) in 2022. I think it will make a fantastic movie and I look forward to convincing Kiko to watch it :)

[luddite]

This is a book laden with gut punches and familiar tropes of WW2. The writing is heavy-handed in big chunks, and you can guess the broad trajectory of the plot. Regardless, I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

Pick it up for a familiar-yet-good WW2 story and blaze through it all quickly.

[Whitney @ First Impressions Reviews]

I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah had languished on my kindle for two years. It mocked me each time I turned on the device to delve into something else. Finally, finally I got around to reading it.

The reason I dragged my feet was because after reading one of Kristin Hannah's earlier novel, Winter Garden I was not impressed. The story was lacking, the characters never developed, in short, it was a hot mess.Fortunately, The Nightingale was the exact opposite.

The beginning was a bit slow. The characters took their time to introduce themselves and get to the meat of the story. Once our heroines were in place The Nightingale was difficult to put down. Isabelle and Vianne's tireless efforts never gave me room to breath. I was spellbound.

Kristin Hannah's novel is a story that is easy to get lost in. Isabelle and Vianne were strong female protagonists.  Despite being sisters, they were vastly different in personalities as they each resisted politics that loomed ahead.

Isabelle was headstrong, and at times stubborn.  Even though I found her frustrating I couldn't help but admire her as she helped the innocent out of France Von Trapp Family style.

However, despite Isabelle having the title of "The Nightingale" I felt the Vianne was the unsung hero in the novel. Her work to save children from a vicious fate aboard a train, and her quick thinking to hide them in plain sight via a forged orphanage was nothing short of brilliant. Vianne went to great lengths to keep these jewish children safe and it goes without saying that she would do anything for her own.

Speaking of which, Vianne's daughter Sophie was a heroic child growing up in a most difficult time. I felt that Sophie's character was the most heartbreaking. The reader sees her grow up and reads how the war has changed her from a care-free youngster to a hardened teenager. She carries just as many secrets as her mother and bares them admirably.

Despite being spellbound, I was a little disappointed by the ending. It was a little too unbelievable. Sadly, I found Vianne and particularly Isabelle's fate to be unsatisfactory and a bit of a let down.  As a whole,  The Nightingale was a fabulous read and would highly recommend it.

This review was originally posted on First Impressions Reviews

[Terri M. LeBlanc]

Last year I zoomed through The Nightingale and cried for two nights straight as I finished the book. It was heartbreaking and inspiring. I had no idea about the struggles of France under the Nazi occupation. It was not something I was taught in school. Isabelle’s and Vianne’s journeys through the war and their respective ways of resisting the occupation have stuck with me and I’ve recommended this novel numerous times upon finishing it. But would it stand the test of a re-read?

Patience is a virtue. This book is still very popular at my library. I was like 14 on the audiobook waiting list and my number came up in late December when I was off of work for the holidays. So I had to pass on listening to it at the time. I put myself back at the bottom of the list and finally got my hands on in again.

The Nightingale does stand up well on re-reading and on audiobook. I was drawn into the story again and even though I knew all the trials and twists and turns, my heart still ached at Isabelle’s and Vianne’s struggles. There were not as many tears this time, but I’m chalking that up to the fact I listen while I commute and sobbing while driving down the freeway at 65 miles per hour is just not an option.

On this second read through I was struck by the stark differences between the Nazis that billeted with Vianne. At one point, Beck states, “I am not a monster.” Beck’s reactions to the atrocities of his fellow party members were committing, specifically those actions taken by the SS and the Gestapo, in Beck’s mind, is completely separate from him. And when the Vianne is confronted with taking in Von Richter and his detestable actions, the readers see first hand exactly what Beck was speaking about. The actions of these two Nazis show the reader that the world is not all black and white. There is good within evil and evil within good.

There are books that stick with you for a lifetime. I certainly feel that The Nightingale is one of those books for me. My initial read in 2015 left me speechless and floored by the women of France. My second read through showed me their strength. If you have not read this book yet, you certainly should do so soon. And if you have read it, take a chance and re-read it. It will be worth your time.


This review was originally posted on Second Run Reviews

[Sam@WLABB]

If you read this book, be prepared to cry. I knew this would be an emotional story, due to it be set during WWII, but I didn't expect to make a public spectacle of myself on the train. It was beautiful, and touching, and heartbreaking. My heart aches just thinking of the people in this book.

The story flips between 1995 and the years during the war. I liked how Hannah kept me guessing, as to which sister was recalling this story. As a reader, I really appreciated that the author gave us a follow up for every central character, and even many of the secondary characters. (I will admit, I am a epilogue-ho. I need closure!)

I am not a huge history buff, but this book gave me a new appreciation for the women who were left behind during the war. I heard stories from the war zone from my aunt and grandmother, as my family emigrated to the US from Germany after WWII. So, this story was very personal, as well.

The writing is beautiful as well. Hannah does an amazing job of pulling you into the mind of the character and allowing you to see through their eyes. Too. Many. Feels.

This is another well hyped book that lives up to the hype.

[Bianca]

Maybe she would love him for only this day, or maybe for only the next week, or maybe until she was an old, old woman. Maybe he would be the love of her life … or her love for the duration of this war … or maybe he would only be her first love. All she really knew was that in this terrible, frightening world, she had stumbled into something unexpected. And she would not let it go again.

[violetpeanut]

This book. Wow, this book. This is the book I'll be recommending to anyone who asks me, "What should I read next?" It was very tough to read. I can't remember the last time I was this uncomfortable reading a book but it is beautifully written, exciting, emotional, heart-wrenching and ultimately uplifting. I truly cannot say enough good things about this book. Forgive me if I gush.

The two main characters, Vianne and Isabelle are perfect foils for each other. Vianne is the steady, responsible woman who wants only to keep her head down and protect her family. Isabelle is the younger impetuous sister who wants to be a part of the resistance no matter what kind of danger that puts her in. Isabelle thinks that her rebellion is worth the risk while Vianne is unwilling to step out of line for fear of bringing harm to her daughter. Vianne has a very quiet strength while Isabelle is outspoken. In the beginning of the book is seems that Isabelle is the stronger and braver woman for her willingness to confront danger for the the greater good. However, as the book progresses, we see the strength and bravery that it took for Vianne to live in an occupied village and the strength of will it took to keep her family safe. These characters were beautifully complex and I loved them both.

The scenery is described in amazing detail, from the actual buildings and countryside, to the overall mood of the people. As the book starts you get a clear picture of cheerful French countryside and village life as well as city life in Paris but as the book progresses, the countryside changes as bombs are dropped, neighbors are rounded up and paranoia sets in. The descriptions of settings really help to set the mood in a subtle way and the reader begins to feel the danger, devastation and fear that the villagers feel.

WWII is an era in history that I've learned about in history class and seen in the movies. I've heard about courageous men and the women who held the fort at home. I've heard about bombings and food shortages, ration cards and Rosie the Riveter. I've learned about the atrocities and the concentration camps. But everything I've learned has had a decidedly "American" slant to it. That is, being a U.S. citizen, almost all of the info I know about WWII is about our side of the story. I knew that other countries were occupied, but I knew next to nothing about what that actually meant. I knew that areas were bombed, but I knew next to nothing about how those areas would look. I never gave a second thought to the RAF pilots who were shot down in Nazi occupied areas and what would happen to them. I never knew that Nazi soldiers took up residence in French households. I knew that Jews were rounded up and shipped off to concentration camps, but I never knew how that was actually accomplished. I think as Americans, we are taught a very slanted view of history. A very self-centered version that revolves around us instead of around global issues. That's really a disservice to our children. But that's a topic for another day. Suffice it to say, The Nightingale opened my eyes to another facet of this time in history and it was absolutely riveting.

This book shines a light on the lives of women living in Nazi occupied France. I was completely oblivious to the subtle courage it took just to live. I was oblivious to the acts of bravery performed by women of the resistance. Kristin Hannah has written a real masterpiece that will teach you something while weaving a tale that is heartbreaking and gritty and poignant and beautiful and ultimately uplifting.

We Remain.