The Nightingale, by Kristin Hannah

“If I have learned anything in this long life of mine, it is this: in love we find out who we want to be; in war we find out who we are.”

The Nightingale (2015), written by Kristin Hannah, is the incredible story of two sisters in France during World War II and their struggle to resist German occupation. The story of the sisters’ significant, though often unheard-of, efforts during the war is based on a Belgian woman, Andrée de Jongh, who helped downed Allied pilots escape Nazi territory.

It was powerful from both a historic and feminist standpoint. It offered an eye-opening account of what people are capable of during trying times and was simultaneously a beautiful story of the human experience — womanhood, sisterhood, friendship, motherhood and marriage — all set against the backdrop of one of the most horrific times in history.

Written as a frame story, the main frame is a first-person narration by an elderly woman whose name is not initially revealed. The main action, though, is told in third person, following the two sisters, Vianne and Isabelle. The two are estranged from each other and their father, but throughout the course of the novel they reconnect at different times for different purposes as the German soldiers wreak havoc in Paris and throughout the French countryside.

The novel, as beautifully written as it is, is also almost painful to read at times. From starvation and illness to German soldier occupation and war brutality, the novel is a disturbingly real and honest account of what occurred in France 1939–1945. It’s also a wonderful reminder of the bravery and selflessness displayed by so many during the war. I especially loved how Hannah demonstrates how war impacts everyone — not only those occupied. The character, Beck, a German soldier Vianne reluctantly billets, is a kind man who uses his position to help Vianne and her young daughter, putting himself at risk.

“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.”

A much-needed account of “the women’s war,” the novel’s pages are filled with moments of rebelliousness in the face of injustice; emotional and physical strength; sacrifices, large and small; unwavering resilience; and love.

The novel spent 45 weeks on the NPR Hardcover Fiction Bestseller List and 20 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list.