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

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 

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 best historical fiction novel I have ever read. Made me absolutely bawl my eyes out. The first 50 pages were boring but after that it paced out so well. Showed so much emotion so easily. Literally the most precious thing I’ve read 

Anushree Taparia

Amanda Jones

ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT I AM SO SPEECHLESS AND IVE BEEN CRYING FOR THE LAST 55 PAGES. I AM TRULY IN LOVE WITH THE WRITING AND THE STORY AND EVERYTHING THE NIGHTINGALE HAS TO OFFER.

Rlly focused on the women of WW2, it was super inspiring and ugly and sad and honest. Just overall a wonderful book, I enjoyed these characters so much. I love them and I cried with them and for them. I love them :( 

CLAUDIA VALDES

karol tang

we get it isabelle is pretty

writing was alright not stellar

Bye gunna go cry for a week. Second fav book of this year. 

Madeleine Winterich

Kendi Dockum

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

I can see why people fell in love this book. It tells a remarkable story about two sisters and their courage and sacrifices during the horrors of war, and their devotion to their cause and to love, not just the romantic kind, but to family and friends as well. 

It was an incredibly heartbreaking story, sure, but one that is like most of its kind. I wasn't as impressed as others, but I appreciated the detail to historical accuracy, and the effort that it took to weave the whole thing together.

I enjoyed the love story intertwined with the stress of the war going on, and a most interesting end to the story. I really did end up liking this one, and I will be looking into other books by this author.

"Wounds heal. Love Lasts. We remain."

Lamia Hajani

One of the whitest things about me is that I read a lot of WW2 era historical fiction. I accept that about myself. This one is pretty good. It’s a slow start but it gets more interesting. Complex characters and has a few plot twists. Makes you really glad you weren’t alive during WW2.

Jenna Wooten

I just finished this book and I am literally blubbering. Wow. This may be my new favorite book. I’m speechless. Everyone needs to read this!

Briar's Reviews

I never liked stories about History, but this novel definitely made me gain a new respect for War stories.

The Nightingale follows a set of two sisters throughout World War 2, and it a thrilling, addicting read. Vianne Mauriac's husband has set off to war and she must deal with the aftermath of his absence. Soldiers from Germany are invading France, which means anyone who is labelled a Jew will be in trouble in the near future. Vianne must deal with soldiers staying in her home, friends disappearing, orphaned children, and situations no woman would ever want to face. 

Meanwhile Vianne's sister Isabelle is doing the opposite of Vianne, she's getting involved. Vianne is trying to stay quiet if she decides to help, but Isabelle is being loud and proud. Isabelle will help people, and is determined to no matter what.

The story has many different arcs and plot intertwined in one. Vianne's love story with her husband, Isabelle's love story, Vianne and Isabelle's rough relationship with their father, the War itself, the life of Jewish people during the war, the life of those who are friends with Jewish people, and many other little side plots that create an epic, war-time drama.

I found this book to be very believable. The entire novel is written in an excellent style and gets better as you read. At first it seemed a little boring, but after a few chapters I was hooked an addicted. The novel shares the feelings of the characters during this rough time, and nothing seems out of place. 

As someone who didn't have a great appreciation for History, I definitely respect anyone who lived or lost during the wars now. While this might be a fictional novel, it gives many examples of what happened to people during the war time. Kristin Hannah did an excellent job showcasing the War in a fictional novel and making it highly believable.

I would suggest this book to anyone who likes: Historical fiction, dramatic novels, novels with a mere splash of romance, war stories, and realistic novels. 

Five out of five stars! A truly amazing read that transports you to World War ll in France.

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

The Nightingale

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