Kristin Hannah

"From the #1 New York Times bestselling author comes Kristin Hannah's next novel. It is an epic love story and family drama set at the dawn of World War II. She is the author of twenty-one novels. Her previous novels include Home Front, Night Road, Firefly Lane, Fly Away, and Winter Garden"--

The Nightingale

Much needed reminder on a day when hate seems to have won. 

Emily Lucie

But love has to be stronger than hate, or there is no future for us.

It makes it sound as if I misplaced my loved ones; perhaps i left them where they don't belong and then turned away, too confused to retrace my steps.

They are not lost. Nor are they in a better place. They are gone. As I approach the end of my years, I know that grief, like regret, settles into our DNA and remains forever a part of us.

They think talking about a problem will solve it. I come from a quieter generation. We understand the value of forgetting, the lure of reinvention.

"I love you, Papa," she said it quietly, realizing how true it was, how true it had always been. Love had turned into loss and she'd pushed it away, but somehow, impossibly, a bit of that love had remained.

El ruiseñor / The Nightingale (Spanish Edition)

maría 🪻

En el amor descubrimos quiénes queremos ser, en la guerra descubrimos quiénes somos.

Rosa Wellner

He shook his head. "You are a foolish girl. Thank God your maman did not live to see who you have become." Isabelle hated how deeply that hurt her. "Or you, Papa," she said. "Or you."

“Why was it so easy for men in the world to do as they wanted and so difficult for woman” 

 She wanted to bottle how safe she felt in this moment, so she could drink of it later when loneliness and fear left her parched. 

Nour

Memories - even the best of them - faded.

"We are all fragile, Isabelle. It’s the thing we learn in war."

Magic, to be its best, must be unexpected.

In love we find out who we want to be, in war we find out who we are.

Kate

Natalie 

Heartbreaking and hopeful at the same time. Loved the different displays of strength by the female characters 

Cass Paul

This book was stunning and wrapped up everything perfectly! The steaks were high and enthralling.

Camron Swartzendruber

Jessica Harn

Mercy Jepchirchir Barno

I honestly cannot simply put it to words how beautiful this book was and still is and how much I loved it. It honestly broke me, from middle of the book to the end, I just don't know, I have no words. I actually cried. I don't know. It left me emotional, I loved the characters. I loved seeing a perception of the role of women in the Nazi Era history, that important role they played even if they weren't recognized for it after the war ended, and being based in one of my favourite countries in the world, absolutely amazingly amazing. 

I could go on and on and on about this book to be honest, but I would rather you go to your nearest bookstore and buy this book, you will love it.

This is a very compelling story that will rip your heart out, stomp all over it, soak it in bleach, then put it back into your chest. War is ugly and this story shows a side of it that is so tragic. Highly recommend!

Jennifer Palmer

Ditipriya Acharya

(Two and a half rounded up to three)
The Untold Stories of WWII

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’s The Nightingale is a page-turner more than anything else. It pays homage to stories of endurance, bravery and survival of the women who lived through World War II; stories that rarely come to light since history is dominated by the stories of the men who fought in the war. The book focuses on the extraordinary women who struggled to live through the years of the war in Nazi-occupied France.

At the centre of the novel are two sisters, Vianne and Isabelle, who lost their mother when they were young and were consequently abandoned by their drunk father. Instead of being brought together by the tragedy, the age difference between them and their life decisions force them apart. The story picks up in 1939 as an entire generation of young men were being called to war. Vianne is forced to say goodbye to her husband, Antoine, as he goes off to war, leaving her behind with her daughter. Her younger sister, Isabelle, on the other hand, runs away from her Finishing School and finds her way back to her father in Paris, determined to do her part for the cause of Free France.

The story of the two sisters reminded me of a line from the recent adaptation of ‘Little Women’ by Greta Gerwig, “Just because my dreams are different to yours doesn’t mean they’re unimportant.” This line could very well be from this book. While Vianne makes sacrifices and struggles to keep her daughter and house safe, Isabelle makes her way into the secret network of resistors. Vianne’s only aim is to keep those she loves safe as she waits for her husband to be free from the war prison. Isabelle’s rebel-streak and impulsive nature act as hurdles in the way of this.

The book is heartbreaking in parts and highlights stories of women that are never spoken about. It is also a love story, but don’t go in expecting any kind of rosy pictures.

Some stories don’t have happy endings. Even love stories. Maybe especially love stories.

In Isabelle, we get the more obvious strong female lead, who is ready to cross mountains, literally, for the cause. However, Vianne’s character development in the course of the book is what truly stood out for me in the book. With the parallel storyline of an unnamed old lady suffering from cancer who is invited to Paris for a reunion, makes for an intriguing addition. 

It talks about the tough decisions women had to make during the war years. However, it does take a slightly soft take on the story instead of the hard-hitting style of World War II stories featuring men. Hannah often has the tendency to cover action scenes with inner monologue scenes. I would have liked to read more about the Nightingale route and Isabelle’s journey over the Pyrenees. The reason that the book didn’t end up as great as I expected it to be was that in certain places, Hannah forgets details about locations and weather, she makes Isabelle’s beauty more important than her bravery and in goes as far as to romanticise war. These things may be rare but are aspects that give the term ‘chicklit’ a bad name. It also takes a historic character with dark and curly hair in a blonde, blue-eyed character, which says a lot given that the story is set smack in the middle of World War II.

The Nightingale is a story that highlights how women’s bodies become battlegrounds during wartime. The decisions made by women led to a shadow war that never came to light in the post-war years because as Hannah says, 

Men tell stories. Women get on with it. For us it was a shadow war. There were no parades for us when it was over, no medals or mentions in history books. We did what we had to during the war, and when it was over, we picked up the pieces and started our lives over.

I could not tell you the last time I read historical fiction. It has never been my preferred genre. that being said— WOW. the nightingale is an absolute masterpiece. I could not put it down. I smiled. I cried. I felt all of the things. 

this book was extra special to me for a couple of reasons:

one– the sisterly bond at the center of this book was a very powerful part of the story to me as I am an older sister myself. 

two– my grandmother lived in europe during WWII and I feel like this book brought me closer to her in a way. I will never know or understand the hardships she endured during that time, but this story gave some color to a time she experienced firsthand. 

I absolutely adored this one and highly, highly recommend it. have your tissue box ready.

emily learmont

I could not tell you the last time I read historical fiction. It has never been my preferred genre. that being said— WOW. the nightingale is an absolute masterpiece. I could not put it down. I smiled. I cried. I felt all of the things. 

this book was extra special to me for a couple of reasons:

one– the sisterly bond at the center of this book was a very powerful part of the story to me as I am an older sister myself. 

two– my grandmother lived in europe during WWII and I feel like this book brought me closer to her in a way. I will never know or understand the hardships she endured during that time, but this story gave some color to a time she experienced firsthand. 

I absolutely adored this one and highly, highly recommend it. have your tissue box ready.

Beautiful and heart-breaking. So well written! All of the characters made you feel something different and had so much depth! Definitely a new favorite. 

Alicia Evans

Crystal Mfeka

Heartbreaking novel that is so compelling yet truly remarkable.

Sasha

The last half of this book will have you sobbing. A beautifully written book about life of two sisters during WWll. It digs into women during the war and all that they endured. 

Erinn Costa

Irina Nicula

This is a book that will wreck you(in a good way).

yeah i cried like a baby at least six times and what about it. this is probably the best book i have read so far this year.

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 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 girl, 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 WWII 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.

A Novel

Kristin Hannah is 2 for 2 on making me ugly cry at the end of her books.

The last quarter of this book had me sobbing uncontrollably. Kristin Hannah takes you through World War II France with two sisters, Vianne and Isabelle. Hannah's storytelling grips you, making you feel like you're right there with them. The bond between Vianne and Isabelle is so well written. Their relationship is complex and dynamic, filled with resentment at times, but there is still so much love. Love is carried throughout this book, even in the most painful parts, love stays steady. Highly recommended, but be prepared to have your heart and your emotions thrown all over the place.

The first chapter set in 1995, with its hint of mystery about the narrator's identity, kept me guessing until the very end. Not knowing who was the narrator in the first chapter and going back to that narrator in other chapters throughout was an interesting way to keep me as a reader pushing forward to find out which of the characters lived beyond the war. And when the truth was finally revealed, I found myself sobbing even more.

For audiobook readers: I did a tandem audio/physical read, and the narrator did a great job with all the various accents of characters.

Trigger warning: it's emotional and heavy at times, doesn't shy away from brutalities and horrors of war, tackling topics like violence, rape, and death.

taryn

Kristin Hannah is 2 for 2 on making me ugly cry at the end of her books.

The last quarter of this book had me sobbing uncontrollably. Kristin Hannah takes you through World War II France with two sisters, Vianne and Isabelle. Hannah's storytelling grips you, making you feel like you're right there with them. The bond between Vianne and Isabelle is so well written. Their relationship is complex and dynamic, filled with resentment at times, but there is still so much love. Love is carried throughout this book, even in the most painful parts, love stays steady. Highly recommended, but be prepared to have your heart and your emotions thrown all over the place.

The first chapter set in 1995, with its hint of mystery about the narrator's identity, kept me guessing until the very end. Not knowing who was the narrator in the first chapter and going back to that narrator in other chapters throughout was an interesting way to keep me as a reader pushing forward to find out which of the characters lived beyond the war. And when the truth was finally revealed, I found myself sobbing even more.

For audiobook readers: I did a tandem audio/physical read, and the narrator did a great job with all the various accents of characters.

Trigger warning: it's emotional and heavy at times, doesn't shy away from brutalities and horrors of war, tackling topics like violence, rape, and death.

Madilyn Taylor

Hannah Alexander 

alya adlina

i’ve wrote a long ass review but i accidentally deleted it…now i’m so lazy to write it again…

Francesca Starecheski

What a wonderful read. Initially, it felt predictable, overdone. There are so many historical fiction works centered around white young women and the men which guide their fantasies. Yet, it soon became evident that this story was not about a love between two, sisters, families, lovers. It was about love with oneself, and the harsher forgiveness it costs.

It’s hard to find the words to encapsulate this book. It is heartbreaking, devastating, and beautiful. A must read. 

Emily Jones

Tatiana

The Nightingale: 4/5

Honestly, I don't even know what to say. This book ruined me. It touched every single piece of my soul.

I would never usually pick up a WWII book since I'm not a big fan of war fiction, but oh my gosh. I am SO grateful that Lexie recommended this to me and forced me to read it. This is the kind of book I will never stop thinking about.

The Nightingale focuses on the war the women fought during WWII, mainly following two sisters, Vianne and Isabelle. One sister staying home and just surviving, while the other joins the resistance and helps Allied pilots find safety, and damn was it heartbreaking. 

I SOBBED through the final 50 pages as this book wrenched my heart out of my chest. This book is absolutely spellbinding and impossible to put down. It's also being turned into a movie, so if you needed another reason to put it on your TBR, there you have it.

Hauntingly beautiful is how to sum it up. And heartbreaking, let's not forget about that.

Jensyn Ronca

“In love we find out who we want to be; in war we find out who we are. Today's young people want to know everything about everyone. They think talking about a problem will solve it. I come from quieter generation. We understand the value of forgetting, the lure of reinvention.”
“She wanted to bottle how safe she felt in this moment, so she could drink of it later when loneliness and fear left her parched.”
Have placed this hold since July but I just had my copy last week!!!! This lead me to a huge expectation towards this book. This book told you about two French sisters who lived in the second world war, looking for the guide to make thing works and hold their own values highly; even somehow it was far away from the ethnic purposed them to be. It's about a book that showed you different kind of thinking that came from gap years and generation (Vianne and her rebel sister, Isabelle) and pictured how desperate Jewish on the Nazi's dictator before and on Holocaust. I read this book on May 2023 so it was before the Ceasefire from Israel to Gaza- that I wonder the Holocaust survivor made it into the gas chamber and do it again to other people, which is so sickening and triggering.

The language! I thought it would be a whole hard phrases to understand but voila, it's kinda like a YA historical fiction. I found many common dictions that make this book easy like a flowing wind. It's like a diary that has written by a 18 years old girl about finding her identity and value in the middle of chaos and war from east to the west. The ethnocentric from each parties of Jews and Nazis really studied in this book (that I wonder how they survive to live in that era) but I love how the writer wrote the story goes on ways. 

The Nightingale is a book about survival, family love, and war. You will find many exact events that Kristin stated on this book that came from deep research. The body language of the army at that time... and how they can easily mocking or even, hurting each other that came from purely hatred and evil that made them do it. The story is full of tenses and mystery, the emotional rollercoaster driven through each page as I turned into one by one. I honestly expected a bit more (since a recall how long I've been waiting for this book) but it's still worthy to read and definitely has special spot for readers who love historical fiction.

Brandy

What a powerful book. I cried during the last few chapter especially when Isabelle got tortured by the Nazis

The Nightingale

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