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The Nightingale

Kristin Hannah

Start date: January 12, 2016

Finish date: January 31, 2016

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What Members Thought

Jun 15, 2022 Shawna rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fiction-made-into-movie-tv-series, a-will-stay-with-me-forever-gem, best-friendships, hh-endured-traumatic-past-asurvivor, historical-fiction, hh-disfigured-injured-scarred-ill, made-me-ugly-sob-bawl-like-baby, tearjerker-tugs-at-heartstrings, 5-stars-plus, hh-physical-mental-disability-ill

5++ stars – WWII Historical Fiction

Wow. There’s no way I can do this book justice with a review, and a rating of 5 stars is completely inadequate. The Nightingale is such an important, powerful, heartbreaking, and haunting read. It’s a respectful, beautifully written, and deeply evocative portrait of Nazi-occupied France in WWII. I’ll never forget this impactful, tender, compelling, gutwrenching story of love and war, fear and courage, kindness and brutality, sacrifice and struggle, suffering an ...more

17 likes · Like · see review

Nov 19, 2015 Jessica B rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: own, historical-romance, favourite-reads, war, ebook, released-in-2015, 2015, jessica-s-2015-challenge

This is probably the best book I have read so far this year!

6 likes · Like · see review

Apr 27, 2018 Amy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2018

I enjoyed this one. It was terribly sad. The last fourth of the book is heart-wrenching. I don't even regret staying up until 2 in the morning several times this week to finish this. ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Jun 16, 2021 Susan rated it it was amazing

I started this book and was like "it's meh" and my mom said I had to keep reading. She swore I wouldn't be sorry and to keep going. The old me would have just stopped to come back to it some other time. I can't just DNF a book. I've only done it one time and it was a reread. Other then that I have always pushed through and read every single book I start. I have a lot of books on my currently reading list and I do plan on finishing those books one day. Everyone assured me this book was worth read I started this book and was like "it's meh" and my mom said I had to keep reading. She swore I wouldn't be sorry and to keep going. The old me would have just stopped to come back to it some other time. I can't just DNF a book. I've only done it one time and it was a reread. Other then that I have always pushed through and read every single book I start. I have a lot of books on my currently reading list and I do plan on finishing those books one day. Everyone assured me this book was worth reading. Well!!! I am so glad I pushed through and kept at it. I make it sound like it took me most of the book when really I was like 60 pages in and wasn't sure if I was going to like it. I think the whole historical part of the book. I read about 20 more pages and I was hooked. In all fairness the book was great from the beginning. I had a Booktuber in my head and I thought I felt the same thing nut I ended up really loving this historical fiction book. I need to rethink my thoughts on this genre. I bet there are so many more out there I would love so monthly I am going to add a few to my TBR to see if I like the genre.

Vianne and Isabelle are two women that have very different views of the war on France when the Nazi's took over and they react in two totally different ways. One tried to protect her daughter and wait for her husband to come home and chooses to comply with what the Germans have asked. To do anything different could cause you to be killed or beaten. The things Vianne has to endure to make sure her children remain untouched and protected no woman should have to do but war makes her do what she never thought she would have too. It was the only way to make sure she and the kids never were touched or harmed, Isabelle was a young teenager that was always into a lot of trouble at school and never followed rules. When the war came to France and a German came to live in Vianne's house and there was nothing they could do to stop him from living there, Isabelle was furious and often couldn't stop the words that came from her mouth. She was sure she was going to be shot. Isabelle went on to do great things in the war but then so did Vianne.

This was such a great story and also so hard at times to read. I really want to read more on WWII because I never read books set in that time. I think it's about time I do.

Even if you are like me and you aren't a huge fan of historical fiction you need to give it a try and if you do start with this book. You will not be let down by this book. HIGHLY recommend reading this book! ...more

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Oct 08, 2019 Windy Kahler rated it it was amazing

“If I have learned anything in this long life of mine, it is this: in love we find out who we want to be; in war we find out who we are.”

This book has made me want to learn more about the Pyrenees Freedom Trail and this period of history. The author not only transports you to France during the horrors of WWII but connects you to the people and relationships on the pages in a way that is both inspirational and heartbreaking. The suspense, despair and hope pour out from the story and into your hea ...more

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Jan 26, 2016 Malka rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2016-books

I listened to this book and found myself unable to stop thinking about it in between listening sessions. The story is captivating and moving and probably one of the best books I've heard in a long time. I would strongly recommend it. ...more

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