The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

The Nightingale Book Summary

The Nightingale is a historical fiction book by Kristin Hannah that depicts the lives of women from different cultural backgrounds in Second World War France. It chronicles the existence of two sisters, Vianne and Isabelle Rossignol, as they deal with resistance in different capacities. Vianne’s goal is to look after her daughter and endure the evil that the Nazis have brought to her town, while Isabelle, the younger sister who bares resentment for being in Vianne’s shadow, rebels by joining the French resistance and actively opposes the Nazis by risking her own life to save others.

As the war deepens into a life-and-death affair, their interaction ends and reveals the permutations of spirit and spirited struggle. While Vianne, the protagonist of the story, fights with her personal problems — fear and the loss of a child, Isabelle is one of the key players, reckless and in no instance doubtful of her actions. It depicts the problems of women and ethically difficult questions they have to solve when war transpires and shows that even in the worst conditions, love and families matter. It can, therefore, be described as a moving narrative of the triumphant heroism that characterizes numerous freedom fighters.