The Nightingale A Novel

The first pages were a bit boring but the hole story is so well written and heart touching! I absolutely love this book which is so sad tough:( This book really teaches you what we take for granted but we should think that not everything we consider,,basic" is something rare in times of War. BIG recommendation!

Incredible book, history, love, emotions, exciting till the end! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

This was the first of Kristen Hannah's books that I read, and it only left me hungry for more! It's a very brutal and honest story, but if you like books about WW2 this has to be one of the best. Kristin Hannah is an expert in creating interesting and strong, but also relatable characters, even though you might not always agree with their decisions. This book is one of my personal favourites that I'll definitely keep on my book shelf!

When you are interested in WWII books and are keen on easy and entertaining reads that provide lots to think and talk about, look no further, but pick up The Nightingale. Kristin Hannah vividly describes in this book what life might have been like in occupied France during WWII: people had to survive cold winter months on scarce food supplies and lived years under lots of tension, treason and danger. The novel tells us the story of the two Rossignol (French for Nightingale) sisters. The younger one is very adventurous and rebellious and the elder one very careful and obedient. Both help others survive the war in their own unique way, without knowing what the other sister is doing. It takes courage for both and comes at a high price. The storytelling is such that you feel you are transported back in time and walk around in France. The fact that the sisters are so different not only gives the novel different perspectives, but will also enhance the possibility that you as a reader can identify with one of the sisters. The novel deals with horrors & hope, loss & love and resistance & resilience. Make sure to have tissues at hand, because chances are big that you have to shed some tears when reading about these warm, caring and brave Rossignol sisters!

Let’s get one thing straight: this book wrecked me. I didn’t expect to be curled up on the couch sobbing at the ending, whispering “are you kidding me” into the pages. Thank God I wasn’t in public—I would’ve looked absolutely unhinged. But here’s the thing… while the emotional punch landed hard (like, sucker punch to the gut hard), I really struggled with the writing style. It’s stripped down, full of short, clipped sentences that felt more informative than immersive. It kept me at a distance in moments where I wanted to be drowning in emotion. And that’s not necessarily a flaw—it’s a stylistic choice. But for me? It made it tough to fully fall in. That said, the plot delivers. Set in France during WWII, it follows two sisters—Vianne and Isabelle—as they survive, resist, and sacrifice in ways that broke my heart ten times over. The twist? I didn’t see it coming. Not even a hint. When it hit, I had to put the book down and just sit there. It was that powerful. So yeah… do I love the prose? No. Did it emotionally annihilate me anyway? Absolutely. It’s the kind of story that creeps up on you, slow and steady, until you’re drowning in it. Would I recommend it? If you can push through the style, yes. For the story. For the heartbreak. For that gut-wrenching, beautiful ending that still sits in my chest like a ghost.