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A review by mrshharrold
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Nightingale.
A majestic small bird known specifically for its song.
The Nightingale.
A mysterious person under the radar of Nazi eyes, helping men escape from their captivity and back into freedom.
———
This book follows two French sisters in their split-pov’s as they navigate their lives in war torn France. Vianne the eldest of the two, mother to a daughter, wife to a soldier in captivity; She fights to simply survive, having Nazi soldiers living under her roof, and having to deal with the consequences of that. Isabelle the youngest is one who doesn’t want to just live life as if there is nothing going wrong.
A rebel
A mother
Two perspectives of the same war.
———
If I am being completely honest, this book could have gone without Isabelle’s perspective, but then again it would be something completely different. From the start I was thrilled with the concept of a book set in WW2 of a mother who had to survive the effects of war, and having Nazi soldiers in her town, even within her home. That enough intrigued me. I was thrown off by what seemed like the ‘added’ story of Isabelle and how she worked behind the scenes… and on the front line to save many people from the Nazi’s.
The book was heart-wrenching, powerful, thought-provoking, and wonderful.
———
WARNINGS!!
There are scenes of rape, sexual abuse, gore, torture, war, bombing, violence, murder, and other things similar. So if something like this is a trigger or something you generally would prefer not to read, do not.
A majestic small bird known specifically for its song.
The Nightingale.
A mysterious person under the radar of Nazi eyes, helping men escape from their captivity and back into freedom.
———
This book follows two French sisters in their split-pov’s as they navigate their lives in war torn France. Vianne the eldest of the two, mother to a daughter, wife to a soldier in captivity; She fights to simply survive, having Nazi soldiers living under her roof, and having to deal with the consequences of that. Isabelle the youngest is one who doesn’t want to just live life as if there is nothing going wrong.
A rebel
A mother
Two perspectives of the same war.
———
If I am being completely honest, this book could have gone without Isabelle’s perspective, but then again it would be something completely different. From the start I was thrilled with the concept of a book set in WW2 of a mother who had to survive the effects of war, and having Nazi soldiers in her town, even within her home. That enough intrigued me. I was thrown off by what seemed like the ‘added’ story of Isabelle and how she worked behind the scenes… and on the front line to save many people from the Nazi’s.
The book was heart-wrenching, powerful, thought-provoking, and wonderful.
———
WARNINGS!!
There are scenes of rape, sexual abuse, gore, torture, war, bombing, violence, murder, and other things similar. So if something like this is a trigger or something you generally would prefer not to read, do not.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Sexual assault, Rape, Torture, War, and Gore