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A review by aksmith92
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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? No
5.0
I am unwell and unsure I can even write a review for such a masterpiece like this....This novel is not a light-hearted or "fluffy" story, so please brace yourself, and I will likely have to read several VERY light-hearted reads after this one. This is a heart-wrenching tale of war-torn France during the Second World War. At this novel's core lies the astounding story of women living and surviving World War II and their likely forgotten histories doing such.
I voraciously read this book - swept away by the details. I had heard fantastic things about this book, but others mentioned that it seemed cliché and predictable. I didn't feel that way, and instead, I loved Kristin Hannah's storytelling and love as a tangential theme.
This book describes the events from Vianne Mauriac and Isabelle Rossingol's perspectives. Two incredibly different sisters - Vianne, the rule follower, and Isabelle, the rebel. The novel narrates their experiences during WWII and what they did to survive. I cannot share this enough: these two characters are among the most amazing people I've ever read. While this novel is historical fiction, and they are mostly fiction, they were beautifully and articulately written. I found Kristen Hannah's ability to develop these characters fascinating and riveting - I'm a sucker for good character development, and I whole-heartedly felt that in the pages for both Vianne and Isabelle.
To say this was a spectacular read would be an understatement. The prose was digestible and readable, yet it still had me on the edge of my seat. I sometimes had to stop reading this at night because I couldn't sleep - there was so much angst and heartache. But all of it was intricate and remarkable.
This is the type of book that reminds me of courage and bravery. This read is challenging because it is brutal, as war tends to be. But, I think everyone should read it - not to forget about a sorrowful time in world history AND always to remember to hold on to hope. The Nightingale is now one of my favorite books of all time.
I voraciously read this book - swept away by the details. I had heard fantastic things about this book, but others mentioned that it seemed cliché and predictable. I didn't feel that way, and instead, I loved Kristin Hannah's storytelling and love as a tangential theme.
This book describes the events from Vianne Mauriac and Isabelle Rossingol's perspectives. Two incredibly different sisters - Vianne, the rule follower, and Isabelle, the rebel. The novel narrates their experiences during WWII and what they did to survive. I cannot share this enough: these two characters are among the most amazing people I've ever read. While this novel is historical fiction, and they are mostly fiction, they were beautifully and articulately written. I found Kristen Hannah's ability to develop these characters fascinating and riveting - I'm a sucker for good character development, and I whole-heartedly felt that in the pages for both Vianne and Isabelle.
To say this was a spectacular read would be an understatement. The prose was digestible and readable, yet it still had me on the edge of my seat. I sometimes had to stop reading this at night because I couldn't sleep - there was so much angst and heartache. But all of it was intricate and remarkable.
This is the type of book that reminds me of courage and bravery. This read is challenging because it is brutal, as war tends to be. But, I think everyone should read it - not to forget about a sorrowful time in world history AND always to remember to hold on to hope. The Nightingale is now one of my favorite books of all time.