The Little Things
August 10, 2016

I first started seeing The Nightingale on Goodreads, and after reading the description, I added it to my “to reads” list, and went to put a hold on it at the library! I do a little happy dance every time a book becomes available, especially one that I was looking forward to!

The Nightingale is set in WWII France, with a few moments flashing forward to modern day. The story primarily follows two sisters: one who has a child and sends her husband off to war, and her sister who is reckless, but looking for a way to help with the war. The story looks at what it takes to survive, and to thrive, during war times, and the ways that those at home helped fight against the Nazis. Both sisters engaged in dangerous activities, albeit very different from one another. The story looks at family bonds, at love, at passion, at purpose.

The Nightingale

Here are a few quotes from the book:

“Men tell stories. Women get on with it. For us it was a shadow war. There were no parades for us when it was over, no medals or mentions in history books. We did what we had to during the war, and when it was over, we picked up the pieces and started our lives over.”

“I know that grief, like regret, settles into our DNA and remains forever a part of us.”

“She was crying for it all at last–for the pain and loss and fear and anger, for the war and what it had done to her and to all of them, for the knowledge of evil she could never shake, for the horror of where she’d been and what she’d done to survive.”

In short, The Nightingale was one of the best books I’ve read in 2016. I cried several times, connecting so deeply to the characters that I felt that I could feel their emotions as they encountered various situations. I was inspired by their bravery, their passion, their pursuit of what they felt called to. I gave it 5 out of 5 stars on goodreads.

For more book reviews, check out my book reviews page or my goodreads.

Now it’s your turn to share! Have you read The Nightingale yet? If so, what were your thoughts?

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