The Nightingale
by Kristin Hannah
Published: February 3rd 2015
(440 pages)
Despite their differences, sisters Vianne and Isabelle have always been close. Younger, bolder Isabelle lives in Paris while Vianne 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 Vianne finds herself isolated so Isabelle is sent by their father to help her.
As the war progresses, the sisters' relationship and strength are tested. With life changing in unbelievably horrific ways, Vianne 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.
The Nightingale opens with this amazing first line:
“If I have learned anything in this long life of mine, it is this: In love we find out who we want to be; in war we find out who we are.”
-Kristin Hannah, The Nightingale pg 1
This story is about what it’s like to be a woman during war. The author says on her website that “In war, women’s stories are all too often forgotten or overlooked.” I had never thought about how true that really was until I read this book. Vianne and Isabelle are two sisters that we follow through World War II. One stays home and takes care of her kids and one helps in the war effort. Their story showed me that this statement is not true:
“And it’s a fact that women are useless in war. Your job is to wait for our return.”
-Kristin Hannah, The Nightingale pg 26
What a beautiful reminder not to overlook women and their strength. Even as a woman, I’m guilty of doing that sometimes.
Since this is an historical-fiction story, I felt like there should have been an afterword talking about what was historical and what wasn’t. But don’t worry I’ve googled it all for you :) The Nightingale is inspired by a real person, Andree de Jongh. Don’t go read her biography before reading this book unless you want to be spoiled. Andree de Jongh and her corresponding character in the book were themselves inspired by a real nurse named Edith Cavell who served during World War I. You should read about her too :)
I love pictures and the author has some beautiful pictures of places that inspired the locations in her book.
I’m a geek for any reference to art or culture, so when I saw a reference to “drab-eyed, dark-clothed people who looked like they belonged in an Edvard Munch painting.” (pg 239) I had to look it up. He’s most famous for doing The Scream.
You’ll love the writing in this book. It’s beautiful. I highlighted so many good quotes that I can’t share them all. This might be my favorite one:
“Lately, though, I find myself thinking about the war and my past, about the people I lost. Lost. it makes it sound as if I misplaced my loved ones;”
-Kristin Hannah, The Nightingale pg 1
The Nightingale deserves all the hype and awards it’s gotten. You should read it.
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About Kristin Hannah
Kristin Hannah is an award-winning and bestselling author of more than 20 novels including the international blockbuster, The Nightingale, Winter Garden, Night Road, and Firefly Lane.
Her novel, The Nightingale, has been published in over 39 languages and is currently in movie development at Tri Star Pictures. Her novel, Home Front has been optioned for film by 1492 Films (produced the Oscar-nominated The Help) with Chris Columbus attached to direct.
Kristin is a former-lawyer-turned writer who lives in the Pacific Northwest and Hawaii with her husband. She began her writing career as a young mother and has never looked back. Her novel, Firefly Lane, became a runaway bestseller in 2009, a touchstone novel that brought women together, and The Nightingale, in 2015 was voted a best book of the year by Amazon, Buzzfeed, iTunes, Library Journal, Paste, The Wall Street Journal and The Week. Additionally, the novel won the coveted Goodreads and People’s Choice Awards. The audiobook of The Nightingale won the Audiobook of the Year Award in the fiction category.
My name is Jessica. I love to read Young Adult and classic literature. I’ve been a book blogger for six years and I haven’t gotten tired of it yet. I’m a very curious reader. Writing about all the questions and thoughts I had while reading a book is the best hobby ever.
I adored this book. I cried and cried at the end. Love a book that can move my emotions like this one. Great review! I love the quotes you pulled.
Rebecca @ The Portsmouth Review
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Beautiful book. It hit the heart. Great review Ms. Jessica. I really enjoyed the layout of the blog piece as well, and simply wanted to say thank you for the review you wrote. It made my purchase easy.
I totally enjoyed this book. I was in tears sometimes, other times sitting on the edge of my chair. Well deserved accolades. I highly recommend this book to all especially women, because oftentimeswomen’s role is often overlooked. At the end I wanted Isabelle to be alive and attending the reunion in Paris. I liked Avianne as well but I liked the spunk in Isabelle, and wanted her to be there to the end.