Madie's Margins

“The Nightingale” by Kristen Hannah

“The Nightingale” by Kristen Hannah is, hands down, one of the most beautiful novels I’ve ever read. It is a gorgeous historical fiction with themes of love, loss and endurance, set in Nazi-occupied France during the second world war.

I first came across this book in my local Target’s book section, the closest thing I have to a bookstore in my hometown. As I was scanning the shelves, “The Nightingale" caught my eye and the synopsis had me hooked. So, what’s a girl meant to do besides sit on the floor and read the first chapter?

The book is written mostly in limited third person, shifting between three points of view. It primarily focuses on the two French sisters, Vianne and Isabelle, but it is interspersed with less frequent first-person chapters focused on an elderly woman who appears to be either Vianne or Isabelle. The opening is one of these first-person chapters.

The book begins in 1995 with an elderly woman reflecting on love, war and loss as she climbs into her attic in search of a steamer trunk, seeking to ensure that this trunk follows her to an independent living facility. When her son, Julien, finds her, he tries to coax her from the trunk and back into the house’s steady floor. In this interaction, Julien sees an identification form and asks his mother, “Who is Juliette Gervaise?” This prompts the woman to start remembering. In the next chapter, it is 1939.

I could spend the rest of this review raving on and on, but I think I’ve made my opinions clear already. In case you missed it, let me shout from the rooftops: HEY! THIS IS ONE OF MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE BOOKS EVER!

Instead of falling into summary or rambling about my adoration, I scrounged Goodreads for criticisms that I could discuss here, and, in doing so, convince you to read this book.

This book is rated 4.65 stars, and under 2% of readers left a rating of two stars or less. I find this remarkable, but among the few poor reviews, I noticed several criticisms, primarily to do with historical inaccuracy.

Yes, this book has a lot of anachronisms. A few examples would be mention of antibiotics, which would not have been widely available at the time; the presence of American planes before August 1942; Vianne’s house having a shower curtain and the way food is prepared. Maybe I’m ignorant, but I think these points are extremely irrelevant. I think it important to ask if this anachronism is emphasized, if it affects the overall story being told, if it would harm someone's historical understanding or if it portrays something harmful. In all cases, the answer is a resounding no. The only inaccuracy that gave me pause was the American planes, as it’s the most obvious. However, it doesn’t perpetuate harmful information and, ultimately, doesn’t hurt the story.

“The Nightingale” is historical fiction, not an educational book, not a memoir, not meant to chronicle exact lives. It uses a historical medium to convey universal themes. For the love of all things, please suspend your disbelief.

Another critique is Hannah’s writing style. This is extremely subjective, but the general complaint is that the prose style feels generic and lacks sensory detail, while others complain of superfluous detail. I feel like this comes down to personal preference. Most people praise the writing, seem indifferent to it or are more focused on the plot than the writing style. I think this issue is very easily resolved: read a sample. If you know the style is going to grate on you, then don’t read it.

The last main critique is that the novel is melodramatic romance, nothing more than chick-lit. I find that this term reflects less on Hannah’s novel and more on the reader’s attitude towards women. For a generalized example, a movie with a male lead is often just a movie, while a movie with a female lead is a chick-flick. Likewise, historical fiction with an emphasis on maternal love and romance is automatically only for women’s enjoyment and inherently less valuable. This description reeks of implicit misogyny and does nothing to point out any actual narrative issue. I’ve even seen this book labeled “World War II Twilight”, which, as an educated Twilight hater, I couldn’t even take it seriously. “Twilight” by Stephenie Meyer is a ridiculous story that romanticizes poor behaviors and perpetuates harmful stereotypes and ideas. Twilight is so far removed from a wonderful novel that happens to include romance.

“The Nightingale” has been recognized by The Jewish Book Council, spent 45 weeks on the NPR Bestseller list and 20 weeks as a New York Times Bestseller, received several Choice Awards, has a movie based on it set to be released in March 2027 and has been consistently praised for its emotional impact, brilliant showcase of interpersonal dynamics and compelling narrative. But sure, the book is garbage because they mentioned a shower curtain in 1940s France and there was kissing.

Please read “The Nightingale.” It is such an impactful book and, in my opinion, one of the most tasteful World War II historical fictions on the market. It is so worth your time and maybe even your tears.

Rating: 5/5