The Nightingale

By:

Kristin Hannah

Spice Scale

Number of books

1 Published

KU

❌

Audiobook

✅

Series Status

Complete

Interconnected

N/A

Overall Rating

Coming Soon

In the quiet village of Carriveau, Vianne Mauriac says goodbye 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 Gäetan, 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.

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.

Show More

Jamie’s review

This is sort of required reading now. It's been about 10 years since I read it, but I still remember the way it made me FEEL. The way I was rooting for these characters and felt everything they felt.

I loved how these two sisters lead such different lives during the war, but both of them display bravery and courage in their own ways. Vianne's is much quieter and domestic, but still overrun with constant fear and desire to protect her family. Isabelle's is on a much grander scale, working at the front lines of the resistance, facing risks and danger as a central figure in this network of rebels. It highlights how women can do it all and bravery can look different, depending on the circumstances.

I don't know why I continue to read Kristin Hannah books when all she does is rip my heart out. But after awhile, I am always ready to be hurt again.

This is sort of required reading now. It's been about 10 years since I read it, but I still remember the way it made me FEEL. The way I was rooting for these characters and felt everything they felt.

I don't know why I continue to read Kristin Hannah books when all she does is rip my heart out. But after awhile, I am always ready to be hurt again.

This is sort of required reading now. It's been about 10 years since I read it, but I still remember the way it made me FEEL. The way I was rooting for these characters and felt everything they felt.

I don't know why I continue to read Kristin Hannah books when all she does is rip my heart out. But after awhile, I am always ready to be hurt again.

Erica’s review

I honestly cannot even give you an accurate cliffnotes version at this point, but all I can say is, I KNOW in my soul it's one of my all time favorite books and everyone must read it. It is a true journey of a book and you will feel all the feels with this one but it's just too good to pass up. This book wrecked me for weeks after reading it, that's how emotionally engaged I was with every character. I don't know how Kristin does it. It's not light, at all, so be prepared to feel heavyyyyy. And, if you love WWII books like I do, this will really fit the mold. Regardless - read it.