A review by benleon97
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

dark emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

This novel started off really strong for me, but as it progressed I found myself losing interest in the plot. I felt it beginning to drag in the second half and could have done with a few less scenes. Personally Isabelle’s impulsive charm began wearing off and her story was getting repetitive. I was just waiting for her eventual capture at one point. On the other hand Vianne’s parts felt like the writing for her POV suffered, and some of the predicaments she found herself in felt forced to move along the plot. Additionally, the exposition on war facts throughout the novel made the writing suffer but I understand that’s to make a book like this digestible for all readers. That being said, this book does a lot of things well. The contrast of Isabelle’s and Viannes experiences is amazingly done and you really see the horrors women were faced with during war on both sides of the action. Objectively the descriptive writing is good and Kristin Hannah does a great job at setting scenes. Moreover, she’s great at showing reality in this novel through the hard choices and the impossible trials people such as Vianne, the children, and even Beck have to go through during a time of war. Overall, a real eye opening novel that will have you learning a great deal about France and women’s history during ww2 and the important part they played despite the control of men. 
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