Book Review: The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

The Nightingale 

by Kristin Hannah

Synopsis:

In love we find out who we want to be.

In war we find out who we are.

FRANCE, 1939

In the quiet village of Carriveau, Vianne Mauriac says good-bye to her husband, Antoine, as he heads for the Front. She doesn’t believe that the Nazis will invade France…but invade they do, in droves of marching soldiers, in caravans of trucks and tanks, in planes that fill the skies and drop bombs upon the innocent. When a German captain requisitions Vianne’s home, she and her daughter must live with the enemy or lose everything. Without food or money or hope, as danger escalates all around them, she is forced to make one impossible choice after another to keep her family alive.

Vianne’s sister, Isabelle, is a rebellious eighteen-year-old, searching for purpose with all the reckless passion of youth. While thousands of Parisians march into the unknown terrors of war, she meets Gaëtan, a partisan who believes the French can fight the Nazis from within France, and she falls in love as only the young can…completely. But when he betrays her, Isabelle joins the Resistance and never looks back, risking her life time and again to save others.

Review:

The Nightingale is a historical fiction novel by Kristin Hannah that chronicles the narrative of two sisters, Vianne and Isabelle, who live in Nazi-occupied France during World War II, and the decisions they are forced to make in order to survive.

Hannah's ability to bring the place to life is one of the book's best features. The reader is transported to war-torn France, and the descriptions of the scenery and mood are vivid and powerful. The story also depicts the consequences of war on individuals, particularly women, who are striving to live and defend their families.

The characters are also well-developed and sympathetic. Vianne and Isabelle have different personalities and pursue different courses in the face of the war, but both are strong and resolute women eager to do all it takes to defend their loved ones. The supporting characters are likewise well-written and lend depth and complexity to the plot.

Throughout the novel, themes of love, sacrifice, and the strength of family and friendship are intertwined. The sisters' friendship and the sacrifices they make for one another are crucial to the story and are depicted in a strong and emotional way.

Overall, The Nightingale is a wonderfully written, emotionally charged, and dramatic story that will appeal to fans of historical fiction and stories about strong women. It's a work that readers will remember long after they've completed it, and it's a must-read for anybody interested in comprehending the impact of war on everyday people.

Please also checkout my review of The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah.

That’s all for now ~

- Jay xx

P.S.

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