A review by lindsmann
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I finished The Nightingale last night, and I’m still recovering/trying to pull my thoughts together. But here goes. 

The Nightingale is an incredibly thoughtful, poignant, seemingly well researched, and beautifully written book. Following the parallel (and sometimes intersecting) stories of two French sisters during WW2, and most notably during the German occupation of France, this story is a true page turner. 

For those weary of historical fiction (as I was, a little), don’t worry. This is really a strong, character-driven story that just happens to take place within the context of a major historical event. You don’t need to know much about history to understand the struggles of the characters. 

The story did drag a little for me in the middle (as I find many 500+ page books to, if I’m being honest), and that’s the only reason it’s not 5/5 stars. But by the last third of the book, you won’t be able to put it down. I kept reading late into the night to finish, sobbing through nearly the whole end. Really really loved this one and highly recommend!!
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