Testimony of bravery and heroism
Vianne Mauriac lives in the quiet village of Carriveau, with her husband Antoine and daughter Sophie. Although not wealthy, they are a happy family … that is until war with Germany threatens to tear them apart. Then everything changes.
When her husband is called away to join the French army, Vianne tries to protect her daughter from the burden of war by carrying on as normal. Fortunately, her old friend Rachel de Champlain, and her baby son Ariel, live next door. The two women offer true friendship and support to each other as they deal with the heartbreak and fear of being separated from their husbands.
Unfortunately, when France falls to the Germans, the Nazis waste no time in marching into Paris. With the country now occupied and both husbands in a POW camp, Vianne and Rachel’s peaceful life comes to an abrupt end.
To make things worse, Vianne’s sister, Isabelle – who has been living with their father in Paris – is sent to live with Vianne in Carriveau, where he believes she will be safe. Unlike Vianne, Isabelle is eager to fight the Germans in any way she can. So, when Vianne is forced to have a German officer billeted in her home, tensions inevitably mount between the sisters. Unable to live under the same roof as a German, Isabelle slips away to join the Resistance, where she eventually operates under the code name ‘The Nightingale’.
Whereas most war novels focus on the bravery of men, who risk their lives to fight for their country, ‘The Nightingale’ highlights the bravery and sacrifices of the women left at home. In this case, the French women who struggled to survive the brutal German occupation of their country, while trying to protect their families. Whether mothers trying to feed their families, or active members of the Resistance willing to risk their lives to repatriate allied airmen shot down by the Germans, all played their part, often displaying exceptional fortitude and courage in this epic struggle for survival.
Centred around the Mauriac/Rossignol family, Kristin Hannah’s beautifully written story of love, loyalty and sacrifice during wartime, describes in shocking detail all the horrors of occupied France. How, as the Nazi regime consolidates its grip on the country, families are torn apart by starvation, brutal interrogations, executions, casual shootings, potential betrayal by neighbours, and the grotesque humanitarian crime of deportation of Jews to concentration camps.
In the face of these circumstances, and driven by sheer necessity and desperation, many women performed acts of exceptional bravery to save their own children and the children of others, often taking extraordinary risks in the process. The result is a gripping and terrifying story of humanity pushed to the limits. The final twist will stay with you long after you’ve read the last page.
When her husband is called away to join the French army, Vianne tries to protect her daughter from the burden of war by carrying on as normal. Fortunately, her old friend Rachel de Champlain, and her baby son Ariel, live next door. The two women offer true friendship and support to each other as they deal with the heartbreak and fear of being separated from their husbands.
Unfortunately, when France falls to the Germans, the Nazis waste no time in marching into Paris. With the country now occupied and both husbands in a POW camp, Vianne and Rachel’s peaceful life comes to an abrupt end.
To make things worse, Vianne’s sister, Isabelle – who has been living with their father in Paris – is sent to live with Vianne in Carriveau, where he believes she will be safe. Unlike Vianne, Isabelle is eager to fight the Germans in any way she can. So, when Vianne is forced to have a German officer billeted in her home, tensions inevitably mount between the sisters. Unable to live under the same roof as a German, Isabelle slips away to join the Resistance, where she eventually operates under the code name ‘The Nightingale’.
Whereas most war novels focus on the bravery of men, who risk their lives to fight for their country, ‘The Nightingale’ highlights the bravery and sacrifices of the women left at home. In this case, the French women who struggled to survive the brutal German occupation of their country, while trying to protect their families. Whether mothers trying to feed their families, or active members of the Resistance willing to risk their lives to repatriate allied airmen shot down by the Germans, all played their part, often displaying exceptional fortitude and courage in this epic struggle for survival.
Centred around the Mauriac/Rossignol family, Kristin Hannah’s beautifully written story of love, loyalty and sacrifice during wartime, describes in shocking detail all the horrors of occupied France. How, as the Nazi regime consolidates its grip on the country, families are torn apart by starvation, brutal interrogations, executions, casual shootings, potential betrayal by neighbours, and the grotesque humanitarian crime of deportation of Jews to concentration camps.
In the face of these circumstances, and driven by sheer necessity and desperation, many women performed acts of exceptional bravery to save their own children and the children of others, often taking extraordinary risks in the process. The result is a gripping and terrifying story of humanity pushed to the limits. The final twist will stay with you long after you’ve read the last page.
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