The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
Synopsis
Two sisters, Vianne and Isabelle, live in France at the outbreak of WWII. Vianne's husband goes off to war, leaving her and her young daughter to fend for themselves as the German's occupy their town and a Nazi officer comes to live in their home. Isabelle, reckless and outspoken, knows she can't sit still. She falls in love with a rebel soldier, who betrays her and leaves her heartbroken, so she runs off to join the Resistance, risking her life for the freedom of France. As the war gets worse and worse and the lines between right and wrong become even more blurred, they both learn what bravery truly is, how strong they actually are, and the limits to which they'll go for the people they love.
Review
I bought this book because it was recommended to me by Amazon, based on previous books I've read, not to mention I'd seen it sitting on the Bestseller list for quite awhile. When I looked at the Amazon listing, I saw it has thousands of five-star reviews. I figured it had a high chance of being a good book, and I was not disappointed.
The setting is all over France, but mainly in the picturesque village of Carriveau, located somewhere in the Loire valley, and in Paris. We see the beauty of these places and how the occupation brings the country to its knees. The ravages of war destroy this landscape--the blooming trees turn bare and black from bombings, buildings are crumbled in ruins, barbed wire and checkpoints are set up across meadows and once bustling city streets, all described in vivid detail.
The characters are the driving force behind the story. Vianne and Isabelle are wonderful, and I found myself identifying with both. The sisters, who are ten years apart in age, start the book estranged, in part due to their tragic backstory. Their father came home from WWI a broken man, only made worse by the death of their mother. He abandons them, leaving them with a governess in their family home in the French countryside. Vianne finds her husband Antoine, gets pregnant, and marries him at 17. After she suffers a miscarriage, she can't handle raising seven year old Isabelle, and so Isabelle is sent off to the first of many boardning schools. Isabelle struggles with feeling unloved, abandoned, and alone, as she seeks to find a place and purpose in the world. Both women have flaws--Vianne is inclined to follow the rules and keep her head down, as to not draw attention to herself and her daughter, but she also tends to speak out at the worst moment; Isabelle is hotheaded and dives headfirst into danger, thinking about the consequences and full-scope of the situation only when it's too late. Yet throughout the book we see these weaknesses transformed into strengths that allow the characters to do and be things they never would have thought possible.
There are a few secondary characters that also make an impact. There's the girls' father, a broken man who abandoned them and yet seeks to reconcile for his mistakes. There's Vianne's best friend Rachel, a Jew with two young children, who is strong and lends support to Vianne when needed. There's Officer Beck, the Nazi stationed in Vianne's home, who has a family back in Germany and hints that he is not okay with the things his people are doing, and who offers kindness in the midst of a harsh reality.
The plotting and pacing are incredible. The story is packed with emotion and action and this is carried off wonderfully with the detailed and beautiful writing. The characters often find themselves in incredibly tense situations and it was as if I were there experiencing it myself. Each sister's story is well told and skillfully interwoven, leading to a heartbreaking conclusion that had me weeping for joy as much as sorrow.
The book has some major themes that it explores: love and loyalty, courage and strength, and how the lines between right and wrong can be extremely blurred. Would you send someone else to their death in order to save your loved one? Would you risk your life to protect a child, simply because it is the right thing to do? Do you accept help from the enemy if it means saving the people you love? Can you be redeemed after a lifetime of mistakes? Is it better to love and risk heartache than never take the chance? All of these questions and themes are explored beautifully. We watch the characters come to their own answers, sometimes different from each other. I felt like I as the reader was also forced to examine myself, to ask, What would I do in that situation?
I've read several books on the horrific challenges faced by people during WWII: by people in the military, by people in the UK and in Germany, but not much about the occupation of France. This story doesn't hold back in showing the hunger and cold and fear that people had to bear. I stand in awe of the people of that generation and the things they endured to survive. It made me wonder how I would survive in a similar situation, something I hope never, ever happens. But I also feel amazed at the love and hope that kept people going, that they never gave up.
Read this book with a box of tissues at hand. A beautiful story of a family torn apart by war but brought back together by love.
Rating
I give this book 5 Stars
Details
Genre: Historical Fiction
Sex: There are some scenes of rape, but it is not graphically described.
Violence: This book does not hold back in describing the horrors and atrocities committed by the Nazis. People are shot, tortured, and sent to concentration camps.
Language: A few strong swear words here and there.
Synopsis
Two sisters, Vianne and Isabelle, live in France at the outbreak of WWII. Vianne's husband goes off to war, leaving her and her young daughter to fend for themselves as the German's occupy their town and a Nazi officer comes to live in their home. Isabelle, reckless and outspoken, knows she can't sit still. She falls in love with a rebel soldier, who betrays her and leaves her heartbroken, so she runs off to join the Resistance, risking her life for the freedom of France. As the war gets worse and worse and the lines between right and wrong become even more blurred, they both learn what bravery truly is, how strong they actually are, and the limits to which they'll go for the people they love.
Review
I bought this book because it was recommended to me by Amazon, based on previous books I've read, not to mention I'd seen it sitting on the Bestseller list for quite awhile. When I looked at the Amazon listing, I saw it has thousands of five-star reviews. I figured it had a high chance of being a good book, and I was not disappointed.
The setting is all over France, but mainly in the picturesque village of Carriveau, located somewhere in the Loire valley, and in Paris. We see the beauty of these places and how the occupation brings the country to its knees. The ravages of war destroy this landscape--the blooming trees turn bare and black from bombings, buildings are crumbled in ruins, barbed wire and checkpoints are set up across meadows and once bustling city streets, all described in vivid detail.
The characters are the driving force behind the story. Vianne and Isabelle are wonderful, and I found myself identifying with both. The sisters, who are ten years apart in age, start the book estranged, in part due to their tragic backstory. Their father came home from WWI a broken man, only made worse by the death of their mother. He abandons them, leaving them with a governess in their family home in the French countryside. Vianne finds her husband Antoine, gets pregnant, and marries him at 17. After she suffers a miscarriage, she can't handle raising seven year old Isabelle, and so Isabelle is sent off to the first of many boardning schools. Isabelle struggles with feeling unloved, abandoned, and alone, as she seeks to find a place and purpose in the world. Both women have flaws--Vianne is inclined to follow the rules and keep her head down, as to not draw attention to herself and her daughter, but she also tends to speak out at the worst moment; Isabelle is hotheaded and dives headfirst into danger, thinking about the consequences and full-scope of the situation only when it's too late. Yet throughout the book we see these weaknesses transformed into strengths that allow the characters to do and be things they never would have thought possible.
There are a few secondary characters that also make an impact. There's the girls' father, a broken man who abandoned them and yet seeks to reconcile for his mistakes. There's Vianne's best friend Rachel, a Jew with two young children, who is strong and lends support to Vianne when needed. There's Officer Beck, the Nazi stationed in Vianne's home, who has a family back in Germany and hints that he is not okay with the things his people are doing, and who offers kindness in the midst of a harsh reality.
The plotting and pacing are incredible. The story is packed with emotion and action and this is carried off wonderfully with the detailed and beautiful writing. The characters often find themselves in incredibly tense situations and it was as if I were there experiencing it myself. Each sister's story is well told and skillfully interwoven, leading to a heartbreaking conclusion that had me weeping for joy as much as sorrow.
The book has some major themes that it explores: love and loyalty, courage and strength, and how the lines between right and wrong can be extremely blurred. Would you send someone else to their death in order to save your loved one? Would you risk your life to protect a child, simply because it is the right thing to do? Do you accept help from the enemy if it means saving the people you love? Can you be redeemed after a lifetime of mistakes? Is it better to love and risk heartache than never take the chance? All of these questions and themes are explored beautifully. We watch the characters come to their own answers, sometimes different from each other. I felt like I as the reader was also forced to examine myself, to ask, What would I do in that situation?
I've read several books on the horrific challenges faced by people during WWII: by people in the military, by people in the UK and in Germany, but not much about the occupation of France. This story doesn't hold back in showing the hunger and cold and fear that people had to bear. I stand in awe of the people of that generation and the things they endured to survive. It made me wonder how I would survive in a similar situation, something I hope never, ever happens. But I also feel amazed at the love and hope that kept people going, that they never gave up.
Read this book with a box of tissues at hand. A beautiful story of a family torn apart by war but brought back together by love.
Rating
I give this book 5 Stars
Details
Genre: Historical Fiction
Sex: There are some scenes of rape, but it is not graphically described.
Violence: This book does not hold back in describing the horrors and atrocities committed by the Nazis. People are shot, tortured, and sent to concentration camps.
Language: A few strong swear words here and there.
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