Question #1: Kristin Hannah's works

[[deleted user]]

Oakville Public Library will host Kristin Hannah as part of our "In Conversation with ..." series on February 11, 2018. (See our Events listing for details).

Hannah is an award-winning and bestselling author of more than 20 novels. The Nightingale has been published in 43 languages and is currently in movie production at TriStar Pictures.

What is your experience reading this author's works?

[Susan]

The Nightingale is the first book of Hannah's that I've read. It's one that's been on my radar for a while and always meant to read. I enjoyed it a great deal and am pleased that I read it for Oakville Reads this month.

I think it's great that Hannah will be speaking at an event for OPL in February. It's always such a pleasure to meet an author whose books you enjoy.

I was also notified that GoodReads will be publishing an interview with Hannah in their February Newsletter. It will be available here next month:
https://www.goodreads.com/voice

[Allison]

Oakville wrote: "Oakville Public Library will host Kristin Hannah as part of our "In Conversation with ..." series on February 11, 2018. (See our Events listing for details).

Hannah is an award-win..."

This is also my first time reading something by Kristin Hannah. I know from the collections work that I do here at OPL that she is one of our top authors, along with writers like Linwood Barclay, John Grisham, Louise Penny, Sue Monk Kidd and Kate Morton. This means that we always start off by ordering 17 copies of her latest work and buy more if needed when the holds queue takes off.

At this point, I am very early in the reading of this book, but I am pleased to say that from the very first page I could see that this author writes well. I think that at the time the novel came out, I had instead picked up the similar read, All the light we could not see ... which was an amazing read in its own right.

[Shirley]

This was also the first book I read by Kristen Hannah and absolutely loved it!! It's one of those reads that took me away, where my mind didn't wander to what to make for dinner. The story of the 2 sisters drew me in to the characters as if they were real. It was so much better than what I had expected. (Having been concerned it might have been a Romance novel) This is one of my favourite books, right up there with Kate Morton. I look forward to reading more by this author!

[Laurie]

I have read at least one other book of Kristen Hannah's. I still remember the characters in Firefly Lane. She is a great storyteller.
The Nightingale is her best work and one of my favourites of all time. When I finished it I immediately went out and bought a copy for my Mom who loved it too. It is an amazing story full of detail, suspense and tragedy. I love the way the story is interwoven with the lives of the 2 sisters who are so different in personalities and play such different roles in the war, both of shown in equal importance. I really enjoy historical fiction and this made the story so real to me.

[Dana]

I read this book a couple years ago and really enjoyed it... although I wish I could remember more to participate in the discussion! It was my first book by her, but I have a bunch on my TBR that I should get to.

[Susan]

Dana wrote: "I read this book a couple years ago and really enjoyed it... although I wish I could remember more to participate in the discussion! It was my first book by her, but I have a bunch on my TBR that I..."
Glad to hear that you enjoyed the book, Dana, and we hope you'll follow our discussion this month. We often have general questions, in part for people such as you who read the book some time ago. In the meantime, we sympathize with your growing TBR list!

[Susan]

Shirley wrote: "This was also the first book I read by Kristen Hannah and absolutely loved it!! It's one of those reads that took me away, where my mind didn't wander to what to make for dinner. The story of the 2..."
Shirley, I love that you define a good book as one that prevents your mind from straying to what you should cook for supper! I'll have to keep that measure in mind for future reads. I also enjoyed the 2-sisters aspect of the novel.

[Susan]

Laurie wrote: "I have read at least one other book of Kristen Hannah's. I still remember the characters in Firefly Lane. She is a great storyteller.
The Nightingale is her best work and one of my favourites of al..."
Wow, that's a great review, Laurie - one of your favorites of all-time! You also have a great way to measure how much you like a book - whether you go out to buy a copy for your mom after you've read it.

I think this piece of historical fiction really highlights an important part of history - as you said, the roles of the two sisters during the war - and makes it accessible for people who might not read non-fiction on the same topic.