‘In love we find out who we want to be; in war we find out who we are.’
Wow… what a completely epic and powerful story this book was! This is a book that is subtle in its brilliance, it’s one of those books that gets even better the more you sit and think about it. I’m still kind of in awe as I sit here and reflect back on the sheer magnitude of everything that happened over the course of this book. This isn’t the type of book I typically read but I’ve heard so many people talking about it and with nearly 14,000 5-star reviews, how could I not check it out? I’m very glad I did because it was such a moving experience and it really makes you reflect on your own life and certainly will make you thankful for the freedoms we enjoy each day. It wasn’t over the top or gratuitous but it was a very real and honest portrait of life for women in France during WWII and the journey of two sisters as they set out on two very different paths towards survival and freedom in this horrific era.
The story centers around two sisters, Vianne Mauriac and Isabelle Rossingol. Vianne, the older and more responsible of the two is living a peaceful and happy life with her husband and daughter in the French countryside. At the threat of impending war, her life is upended when her husband, Antoine, is sent off the fight for France. As Germany begins to occupy France, Vianne is forced to learn how to survive in these new times and protect her young daughter, Sophie. Meanwhile, Isabelle, the younger more rebellious sister has spent much of her childhood being bounced from one boarding school to the next. After the death of their mother when she was just 4, Isabelle has been largely abandoned by her sister and their father. Neither one knowing how to handle the rambunctious girl. As the war starts, Isabelle is not content to sit back and watch as her beloved city of Paris is overtaken by the enemy. Longing to make a difference in the war, Isabelle makes some shocking choices that will forever alter the trajectory of her life.
“Tell my sister I asked about her. We parted badly.”
He smiled. “I am constantly arguing with my brother, even in war. In the end, we’re brothers.”
Vianne and Isabelle’s war-time experience was vastly different, but I was fascinated and inspired by each. Their situations and choices, combined with their tumultuous history, was the source of much conflict between the two. But I loved that when push came to shove, they were still sisters and that’s a bond that is pretty hard to break. I loved seeing how their paths would intersect over the course of the book, even when it was heartbreaking. As I read, I found myself waiting for the time when they would cross paths again. Their relationship was so complicated and well written, I was 100% invested in each of their journeys as well as the evolution of their relationship with each other.
“Kiss me,” she whispered. “Make me forget.”
“It’s not forgetting we need, Vianne,” he said, leaning down to kiss her. “It’s remembering.”
I found myself relating with Vianne on many levels. I can’t imagine having to live what she lived through, but I could picture myself making some of the same decisions she did. She was cautious and was one to try to fly under the radar in order to not draw attention to herself or her daughter. She did what she had to in order to survive but she wasn’t one to take unnecessary risks. There were few exceptions to this rule as time goes on, however, and I was so proud of some of the things she was able to do. Of course my heart also broke time and again for the things she had to endure or do. She was certainly a hero in her own right for the part she played in the war, and I think she deserved just as much recognition as her sister. And both of them deserved as much recognition as the men on the front lines. I was fascinated by all of the complicated relationship dynamics at play with her and the various men in her life, from Antoine, to Beck to her father and Von Richter. It was all so well done, I know I’m not doing any of it justice here!
“I hope you never know how fragile you are, Isabelle.”
“I’m not fragile,” she said.
The smile he gave her was barely one at all. “We are all fragile, Isabelle. It’s the thing we learn in war.”
We may all be fragile, but Isabelle did not let that stop her or hold her back from setting out to make a difference in the war! She was a fighter and pretty fearless. Many of her decisions gave me anxiety but I also had huge respect for her for all that did was doing and the risks she took to try to free her country. She may have been impulsive and reckless a lot of the time but her passion and love for her country radiated from the pages of the book, I could feel it in my soul. Her relationship with Gaetan was heartbreaking and beautiful all at the same time. It really captures the risks of giving your heart to someone in a time of war. As I said, her journey was very different from her sister’s but her experiences were equally (if not more) horrific as her sister’s. But it was her strength and her will to survive that captured my heart and inspired me throughout the entire story!
I struggled with how I was going to review this book, and I know that I haven’t done a great job of capturing the depth and impact of this book. It’s really one that you have to experience for yourself. It’s painful and heartbreaking at times but it’s also inspiring and uplifting. While this is a work of fiction, it’s hard to think that people actually had to live through this during the actual war. I can’t even imagine, but like I said earlier, it’ll definitely make you thankful for the lives we have now. This book deals with loss, hardships and personal and human atrocities but it’s in the message of survival and redemption where it truly shines. I loved how it all comes together at the end, it’ll really hit you right in the heart! It was just perfectly done. I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it for anyone looking for a story with an epic feel that features very real relationships and celebrates the strength and resiliency of the seldom talked about heroes of the war, the women!
“It’s hard to forget,” she said quietly. “And I’ll never forgive.”
“But love has to be stronger than hate, or there is no future for us.”
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Popular Highlights in this book
I always thought it was what I wanted: to be loved and admired. Now I think perhaps I’d like to be known.Highlighted by 23,254 Kindle readers- “But love has to be stronger than hate, or there is no future for us.”Highlighted by 14,025 Kindle readers
- “Don’t think about who they are. Think about who you are and what sacrifices you can live with and what will break you.”Highlighted by 12,439 Kindle readers
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The Nightingale
A absolute great read and wonderfully written. I love that this book follows two sisters who could not be different. During war time in France during WW2. I highly suggest this book to anyone interested in reading novels based in a time of war, famine and survival at all cost.
Top reviews from other countries
Luna
An excellent book, beautifully written and well researched.
Reviewed in Canada on March 27, 2024
Sarah.m
Heartbreaking, inspiring, blood boiling, gut wrenching
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 24, 2024