Book Review: The Nightingale
The Nightingale a historical fiction book. If you have read my other book reviews you know that my favorite genre is historical fiction. In short, The Nightingale, by Kristin Hannah, is in my top 10 of all books I have read.
Summary:
The story involves the lives of two sisters living in Nazi-occupied France during World War II. We get to know Vianne and Isabelle and watch as their lives are torn apart by hardships and we suffer along with them as they make unimaginable decisions in order to live or die. Both of these women are deeply flawed but through excellent writing, it is easy to connect with both characters. In other words, they become very real. In addition, this story makes us wonder how we would react if put in their circumstance.
Vianne is the eldest sister. She is married, has a young daughter and is meek, compliant and anxious. But her husband goes off to war and leaves her alone in her small countryside village in France. As the war rages and comes to her village we see her without food, money, and hope. In addition, her home comes under Germany Martial law. She does what she has to do in order to survive.
Isabelle is younger, bold, reckless, and quick to act. She is sent by their father to the small village Vianne lives in to help her sister. Isabelle joins the Resistance, works under the code name The Nightingale and works tirelessly to shepherd downed Allied airmen across the Pyrenes into Spain. Doing so puts herself, her sister and her niece in grave danger.
The story is told from the perspective of an older woman, living on the Oregon coast, looking back on her life. She has kept her past from her only son. Cancer makes her share her story with him. We do not learn who she is until the very end.
Review:
This is a gut-wrenching story, which you will remember long after finishing the book. The writting is great, you will feel as if you are right there within the story. I love reading it!
I give it 5 out of 5 stars.
Discussion questions:
http://www.litlovers.com/reading-guides/13-fiction/10147-nightingale-hannah?start=3
https://www.readinggroupguides.com/reviews/the-nightingale/guide
Something about the author:
https://kristinhannah.com/about-kristin-bio/
http://www.webbiography.com/biographies/kristin-hannah
About the book:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Nightingale_(2015_novel)
Book reviews:
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/kristin-hannah/the-nightingale-hannah/
https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/books/2015/02/08/the-nightingale/22922333/
Another great book you enjoy is Oil and Marble: A Novel of Leonardo and Michelangelo, by Stephanie Storey.