A review by bookdarling1987
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

challenging dark emotional inspiring sad tense medium-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? Yes

4.0

A Story That Stays with You

I finished The Nightingale on July 25th for a readathon, and I had to sit with it for a few days afterward — that's how deeply it moved me. I don’t usually gravitate toward historical fiction; it tends to break me. And yes, this book did exactly that. But it was beautiful, powerful, and absolutely worth the emotional toll.

This was my first Kristin Hannah novel, and now I get the hype. Her writing is immersive, raw, and emotionally charged. I’ve got two more of her books on my TBR, and after giving this one a solid 4 stars, I’m ready to check out more — tissues in hand.

The story opens in 1995 with an elderly woman in Oregon who stumbles upon a WWII-era identity card in her attic, marked with the name Juliette Gervaise. The mystery unfolds as we flash back to wartime France, where we meet the Rosignol sisters: Vivianne, the older sister, trying to survive with her young daughter in a home occupied by Nazi soldiers while her husband is away at war; and Isabelle, the fierce, impulsive younger sister who joins the Resistance in Paris, risking everything.

What follows is a devastating and unforgettable look at how women fought, resisted, and endured during the Nazi occupation. Mothers, daughters, wives, and sisters all caught in the storm — all finding their own ways to fight back.

This book is lyrical, intense, and heart-wrenching. I loved every second, even when it broke me. If you're looking for a story that sticks with you long after you turn the last page, The Nightingale delivers. Just don’t forget the tissues.