The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

                I really want to write a review that will do this amazing historical fiction justice but it’s hard to put in to words what makes this story so incredible. At its core it is a story about occupied France and the course of war. But at its heart it is the story of two women who are forced to make incredibly devastating choices in order to survive World War II. Vianne is a married school teacher living with her husband and daughter in Carriveau, a town outside of Paris. Her younger sister Isabelle has just been kicked out of yet another finishing school and is currently living with their father, Julien. When the Germans invade, Isabelle must make her way to Vianne with the thousands of other refugees fleeing Paris, while bombs drop around her and machine gun fire leaves many dead in the road. But reaching Vianne is only the beginning of the occupation. Isabelle wants to rebel against the Germans that have taken over her home while Vianne only wants to survive until her husband, who has been called to war, can return to her.

                Hannah produced an extremely well written, intense, moving, and emotional historical fiction novel. The sisters were both extremely dynamic and well thought out characters. They look at the world differently and those differences at their core determine the paths that they take. They each have to define what bravery means to them. While one chooses to rebel, the other chooses to protect her friends. Are they not both exhibiting bravery in their own way? It’s a complicated question that bears answering. All of the characters were so well developed but the differences between Vianne and Isabelle are the driving force of this novel and they bear it well.

                Beyond the amazing character development, the world building was done extremely well. The minute details that added to the tension and landscape of 1940’s France, are so well executed that the reader becomes swept up in this horrifying reality. The landscape gave way to a beautifully revealed plot. The narrative had breaks within it where the reader goes from third person to first person of a woman in 1995. We aren’t sure who this character is or which sister this might be, but it’s obvious that her past still haunts her. These breaks were welcome and well timed. Hannah created a great rhythm where the unfolding plot never felt forced or rushed. The reader is simply swept up in the narrative and this courageous story of two women and how they fought to survive.

                I feel the need to note that this historical fiction novel focuses more on Occupied France and the resistance then it does any other factor of World War II. I feel that most people assume that any novel having to do with World War II will automatically focus on Jews and the Holocaust. This novel definitely mentions the atrocity taking places throughout Europe and you can see how Jews were targeted and their everyday lives were affected. But this novel really looks at what it means to be a bystander in the time of war. Do you choose to be a passive bystander or an active bystander? Are you a part of the resistance of are you too afraid to take a stand? What will your turning point be? How far will you go to protect your family and your friends? It’s complicated and I love the way these questions are handled in this novel.

                All in all I thought this book was incredible. It can be an all consuming experience. I was definitely emotional in many parts. The ending was beautifully done and the entire story was unpredictable. None of the characters ever felt safe. The tension was always palpable. This was just very well done. I give this 5 out of 5 stars.