Reviews tagging 'Classism'

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

14 reviews

dkamada's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Antisemitism, and Abandonment

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body horror, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Hate crime, Infertility, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Deportation

Minor: Animal death, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Excrement, and Fire/Fire injury

madisonrose1519's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

It has been so, so long since I have been as captivated by a book as I was by The Nightingale.

I have been WAITING for that ravenous, all-consuming feeling of not being able to put a book down for years. I started it on a Saturday night and had finished all 564 pages before bed on Sunday! The last time I was even remotely as absorbed in a book was while reading The Silent Patient.

The Nightingale follows a regular flaw-filled French family from the rumblings of a potential German invasion of France through the release of the innocent people held in concentration camps. The familial love, hate, and idiosyncrasies—and the friendships and love affairs mixed in—are engaging and relatable. The courage, cunning, and athleticism of Isabelle and the strength and development of Vianne are enthralling. 

The only reason I had to deduct a quarter star from my rating is because I felt like the ending tied things up in a bit too neat a bow. How can you write an entire 500 page novel evoking such visceral reactions to the gruesome suffering  and risky sacrifices people were actually enduring during this time period, and then have as satisfying an ending as this book did? I know it’s historical fiction, but the last 40 or so pages didn’t sit right with me, despite how much I enjoyed them. 

Grab your tissues, make sure you don’t have anywhere to be for the next 24-48 hours, and buckle up. The empathy this story stirs up is going rattle you. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Antisemitism, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

stephmcoakley's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Deportation

ishanigs12's review against another edition

emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This novel has broken me, utterly devastating, raw but powerful; moving but tender. The characters are as real as the history in it, their bravery transcends everything.
 It is very easy to forget that there were really people like this. We need to remember, always, never forget.
I was especially impressed with the narrative, it transports you to the time effortlessly and straight to the brutality of war and conflict. The author is a master storyteller of epic proportions. I cannot wait to delve into more of her work.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Antisemitism, Grief, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child death

Minor: Classism

sariereads's review against another edition

challenging dark sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Cancer, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Infertility, Miscarriage, Sexual violence, Slavery, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Antisemitism, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, Classism, and Deportation

brookey8888's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Omg was the ending so sad and depressing, but also so inspiring. This was such an interesting and important story, to read about these women who have been forgotten from the war and all that they did. The story or family and friendship and survival was just so beautiful. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Grief, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

eroseperry's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This book made me love reading again. Kristin Hannah’s writing is so intricate and beautiful and I can picture the plot so clearly in my head. I sobbed, everything hurt reading this book but god I wish I could read it for the first time again

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Genocide, Antisemitism, and Death of parent

Moderate: Physical abuse, Rape, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, War, and Classism

Minor: Infertility and Injury/Injury detail

kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This book devastated me. The plot is so intricately woven together, the female protagonists are both incredibly brave and interesting, the historical pieces are flawlessly researched and rendered. I hadn’t considered the war from this many perspectives or through the different scenarios that unfolded in the course of this novel. I wept for the bravery, the sacrifice, and the love that encompassed WW2 and that this novel highlights. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

passionatereader78's review against another edition

emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This was an emotional read. Two sisters doing what they think is right to get through the war. One trying to save children and living with the enemy. The other joining the resistance and rescuing pilots.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Abandonment, War, and Classism

Moderate: Cancer, Death, Infidelity, Police brutality, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship

sierrabowers's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

Wow! I didn’t think I could ever enjoy a historical fiction but this book proved me so wrong! This story about two sisters living through WWII in France was a work of art. The characters felt real and there was several times on the way to and from work where I audibly gasped from what happened in the audiobook. Even if you don’t like historical fiction, I recommend this book!!!!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Deportation