The Nightingale is the story of two sisters at odds with each other during the German occupation of France in World War 2. When a handsome German captain decides to billet in their home, sparks fly in more ways than one. It was a compelling story up until Isabelle, the riskier of the sisters, departed for Paris to help fight in the resistance. Things got more predictable as a result of their separation, however the strong ending made up for any disappointment I felt along the way. It even brought a few tears to my eyes; it was so sweetly sad that it's almost beautiful in a sense.
Comparisons with All the Light We Cannot See are tempting, with their strengths and weaknesses reversed. I found the plot of this book to be more engaging than the Pulitzer winner, which had better writing in my opinion. The Nightingale has strong characters that make you want to keep reading, while the other captures the atmosphere of war, distress and longing so well that you're simply intoxicated.
Readers may have been more drawn to the title character Isabelle, who is the Nightingale. On the surface she takes center stage as the heroine, but (perhaps surprisingly) I took more interest in Vianne's story. She was a hero in her own right, by being so patient in the midst of tragic events. Her role as the stereotypical woman overwhelmed by the circumstances of war was well-balanced by Isabelle's role as an impulsive, brave female warrior who doesn't take shit from anybody. Having one role without the other wouldn't have made for as good a story. What links the sisters as heroes is that they both sacrifice their lives- Isabelle for her country and Vianne for her family- as the brutality of war rages around them.
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