The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah Published by St. Martin's Publishing Group on February 3, 2015
Genres: Fiction / Historical / 20th Century / World War II, Fiction / Women
Pages: 448
Format: Paperback
Source: Bookstore
A REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK
A #1 New York Times bestseller, Wall Street Journal Best Book of the Year, and soon to be a major motion picture, this unforgettable novel of love and strength in the face of war has enthralled a generation.With courage, grace, and powerful insight, bestselling author Kristin Hannah captures the epic panorama of World War II and illuminates an intimate part of history seldom seen: the women's war. The Nightingale tells the stories of two sisters, separated by years and experience, by ideals, passion and circumstance, each embarking on her own dangerous path toward survival, love, and freedom in German-occupied, war-torn France—a heartbreakingly beautiful novel that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the durability of women. It is a novel for everyone, a novel for a lifetime.
Goodreads Best Historical Novel of the Year • People's Choice Favorite Fiction Winner • #1 Indie Next Selection • A Buzzfeed and The Week Best Book of the Year
Praise for The Nightingale:
"Haunting, action-packed, and compelling." —Christina Baker Kline, #1 New York Times bestselling author
"Absolutely riveting!...Read this book." —Dr. Miriam Klein Kassenoff, Director of the University of Miami Holocaust Teacher Institute
"Beautifully written and richly evocative." —Sara Gruen, #1 New York Times bestselling author
“A hauntingly rich WWII novel about courage, brutality, love, survival—and the essence of what makes us human.” —Family Circle
“A heart-pounding story.” —USA Today
"An enormous story. Richly satisfying. I loved it." —Anne Rice
"A respectful and absorbing page-turner." —Kirkus Reviews
"Tender, compelling...a satisfying slice of life in Nazi-occupied France." —Jewish Book Council
“Expect to devour The Nightingale in as few sittings as possible; the high-stakes plot and lovable characters won’t allow any rest until all of their fates are known.” —Shelf Awareness
"I loved The Nightingale." —Lisa See, #1 New York Times bestselling author
"Powerful...an unforgettable portrait of love and war." —People
My Review
Honestly, I do not even know where to begin with this story by Kristin Hannah. I read this book through audio and it just fully immersed me into the story…so much so I would forget that these characters were fiction and that I actually was not part of the story. This is only the second book I have ever read by this author but I can assure you I am eager to get into more of her stories.
The Nightingale takes place during World War II in France. The story follows two sisters Vianne the oldest and Isabelle. Their mother dies when they are both young leaving them with their father Julien. Julien is not the man that he used to be after returning from The Great War. It is described in the book that the war had broken him. After his wife died he had his girls shipped off to school because he was unable to deal with them due to his own grief and brokenness. As the years go on we learn how each one of them dealt with their father’s rejection..Vianne married young and Isabelle was kicked out of different boarding schools always making her way back to her father.
When the Germans invaded France each one of these characters risked everything to do what was right. The characters learned of strengths that they did not know they had and ultimately became heroes in their own right. The strength of these characters is absolutely mind-blowing and leaves me wondering if I would have been as brave as they were.
This book made me smile and it made me cry. This story is full of love, loss, and bravery. Kristin Hannah’s writing just has a way of sucking me into the story. She uses all the right words to really create the world she is describing in your mind. This is a story I am not likely to forget and one that I will put in the hands of the people around me. I truly loved this book and I hope that anyone who reads it loves it as much as I do.