Nightingale opens, in 1995 at Oregon coast, with one of the Rosignol sisters, Vianne or Isabelle, talking about her past. Until nearly the end of the book, the reader is kept wondering which sister wrote the first pages of the book and who is the one looking back into the past. Great, if a reader enjoys this wondering while sensing that he or she is being kept in the dark purposefully in the name of crafty writing.

Still, I think this is Kristin Hannah’s best book, despite the above ploy and the darkness of the story and the glitch that although the book employs some of the historical facts, not all facts are correct as to the social norms of the time in France and possibly anywhere in Europe. Although the women in the story act as if they are in the later decades of the twentieth century, the relationships between the sisters and among all characters sound psychologically true, and this is the strength of the book. I enjoyed it also because I like Second World War stories. After all, who says a work of fiction has to be 100% correct historically when characterization has been such a superb undertaking?

The story highlights the role of women in the French Resistance, especially focusing on Isabelle and Vianne who, after a sad childhood, have to deal with a Nazi-occupied France and the stormy relationship between the two of them. Whereas the passionate, impulsive, and daredevil Isabelle throws herself into the fight, it takes the laid-back and trusting Vianne a little longer to start helping the Resistance effort, but then Vianne is the older sister with a child that she has to protect, while her husband is away fighting on the front first, and later, when he becomes a prisoner of war. Moreover, Vianne’s house is billeted by the Nazi officers. The first German officer is Beck who is also shocked by the war but not too bad a person; the one who takes Beck’s place later is an SS officer, cruel and warped in many ways. There is also the two sisters’ father who, unbeknownst to them in the beginning, draws up false documents for the Resistance. In addition, to these main players, the story is rich with other numerous characters who are introduced deftly, so the reader does not mix who’s who in such a crowded cast. Another kudos for the author.

As to its setting, the story takes place mostly in the village of Carriveau in the Loire Valley and in Paris, from the late 1930s until the end of the war, together with the looking-back sections and the events in 1995.

This book is truly a work of inspiration and perspiration, despite its couple of chancy points.

characterization.

is Kristin Hannah who has written 21 books to date, including Winter Garden, Night Road, Firefly Lane, and Home Front.

It is very well written where the characterization and the suspense and tension factors are concerned.

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Created May 24, 2015 at 8:19pm • Submit your own review...