The Nightingale

In May 2019 we discussed “The Nightingale” by Kristin Hannah. This is a historical fiction novel that is based on the lives of several real women who made huge sacrifices in order to do what they could to fight the Nazis during World War II.

The story revolves around two sisters who live in France in 1939 and follows their lives throughout the war. Vianne Mauriac sees her husband go off to war, and faces the huge impacts of the war on France with only her daughter, sister, and fellow villagers to rely on. She runs out of food, money, and must host Nazi officers in her home. Conditions go from bad to worse but she finds ways to do what she can to help children and friends in a terrible time and with incredible risks.

Her sister Isabelle is a teenager, fiery and angry, and full of a youthful passion and energy to fight the enemy. Her headstrong ways give her the power to be a huge influence in the lives of many downed pilots as she leads them to safety, and works with the French resistance. She faces the horrors of war and pushes past terrible trials to do what she believes is right.

The sisters both witness the horrors of a terrible war, both find ways to do their part, and learn about the importance of love, family, and doing what’s right in a world that has all gone wrong. The book was compelling, filled with rich prose, and clearly well researched.  It gave an incredible perspective as to what war was like in France, and especially for women during World War II.

“In love we find out who we want to be. In war we find out who we are”

--Kristin Hannah, The Nightingale