Title: 

The Nightingale

Author: Kristin Hannah

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Genre: Historical Fiction, World War II

First Publication: 2015

Language: English

Book Review: The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah is a historical fiction, set in German-
occupied France during WWII. Spanning the years of the war, this riveting
story follows two sisters, Vianne and Isabelle, as they struggle to survive
and persevere through the Nazi invasion. Their parallel stories are as
different as their personalities, but are just as suspenseful, complicated,
and emotional. As the reader, you get to see the war that was taking
place on the home front from each sister’s unique vantage point. It is a
heart wrenching, beautiful and tragic story.

As the older sister, Vianne feels responsible for keeping her younger
sister, Isabelle, safe. When the occupation begins, Isabelle is sent to stay
with Vianne in the country, being cast out of Paris by her father. Vianne’s
husband, Antoine, has been called to report to the Army, leaving Vianne
and their young daughter, Sophie, behind. As the Germans invade Paris,
Isabelle begins the trek to her sister’s home, witnessing the atrocities
committed by the invading troops firsthand.

“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.”
By the time that Isabelle arrives on Vianne’s doorstep, she is determined
to join the resistance and make a difference. Young and impulsive, Vianne
is certain that her younger sister will get herself, if not all of them, killed.
Their relationship is tenuous, at best, and Vianne struggles to get through
to her strong-minded sibling.
Vianne is naive, having not witnessed the actions of the invading Nazis,
as her sister had. She believes that if they keep their heads down and
don’t draw attention to themselves, they’ll be okay. She follows the rules
and tries to reign in Isabelle’s defiant behaviors before it is too late.

However, as time passes and the occupation grows increasingly difficult,

the sisters go their separate ways. Each of them sets out on a different
course, trying to survive the best way they know how. Despite the
distance between them, each sister ends up fighting the Nazi invasion in
different ways. The bold and daring Isabelle actively assists allied airmen
in their escapes, while the mild-mannered Vianne begins helping hide
away Jewish children.

“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.”
While there was romance in The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, it took a
back stage to the war story. However, this gripping story held my
attention from start to finish. This is a beautifully written, inspiring story.
I loved every minute of it!

Although The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah is considered fiction, it is

firmly planted in well-researched truth. Isabelle’s character is based on
the late Andrée de Jongh (1916-2007), an amazing woman who
repeatedly risked her life helping British and American servicemen escape
on foot from Nazi-occupied Belgium and France.

Sadly, Andrée de Jongh is only one of the many quiet heroes that our
future generations will likely never know if not for inspired authors like
Kristin Hannah.

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah offers a story of women surviving in

unthinkable circumstances – the underestimated gender finding a way to
take action. It shows readers that at times protectiveness requires
dangerous risks, fear often proceeds acts of bravery, and those who may
appear weak can indeed possess incredible strength. I didn’t want this
book to end because it’s not just about the ravages of war, it’s also about
love, life, and rebellious courage.
 “Some stories don’t have happy endings. Even love
stories. Maybe especially love stories.”
These women, who had everything (and everyone) to lose, put it all on
the line to help others. I have been spared from the direct horrors of war,
but I asked the same question that Ms. Hannah herself asked in an
interview about her book, “I found myself consumed with a single,
overwhelming question, as relevant today as it was seventy years ago:
When would I, as a wife and mother, risk my life — and more important,
my child’s life — to save a stranger?”

Most of us wouldn’t. But which is worst: The fear of the risk or the fear of
letting children grow up in a world where good people do nothing to stop
evil?

The author’s writing skills are powerful as she captures the heart-breaking
devastation that the Nazis inflicted onto their community. It was so hard
to read about the Jewish women and children rounded up and deported.
With a high dose of adrenaline, fear, and courage and told beautifully and
respectful, The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah is a must read for anyone
who likes Historical fiction books.