A review by daniellereadslikealot_
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

emotional hopeful sad tense 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

4.5

Well, I finally read this one! It’s easy to see why so many people loved this book. Isabelle and Vianne are two characters that will stick with me for a very long time. I loved that while they seemed incredibly different, at their cores, they were both trying to survive and do what they could to help others. It is a long book and understandably so, covering much of WWII, but I was never bored or waiting for action to happen. Even in the more mundane scenes of every day life, I felt completely swept up in this story. It is not an easy read, which I’m sure is obvious by the time period covered. The ruthlessness, cruelty and hatred the Nazis showed was unimaginable. I cried several times. However, there are still so many moments of great bravery, friendship and love in this book amid all the horrors going on. I’m very glad I read this book. 
CW: genocide, rape, death of a child, mentions of miscarriages, murder, death, mentions of cancer, war, antisemitism
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