The Nightingale cover art

The Nightingale

The Multimillion Copy Bestseller from the Author of The Women

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About this listen

The Bestselling Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick

'One of the greatest storytellers of our time' – Delia Owens
, author of Where the Crawdads Sing

Soon to be a major motion picture, Kristin Hannah's The Nightingale has captured the hearts of millions of readers becoming a number one bestseller across the world. It is a heart-breakingly beautiful novel that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the endurance of women.

'
I always thought it was what I wanted: to be loved and admired. Now I think perhaps I’d like to be known'

This story is about what it was like to be a woman during World War II, when women’s stories were all too often forgotten or overlooked . . . Vianne and Isabelle Mauriac are two sisters, separated by years and experience, by ideals and passion and circumstance, each embarking on her own dangerous path towards survival, love and freedom in war-torn France.

It is a novel for everyone, a novel for a lifetime.

‘A rich, compelling novel of love, sacrifice and survival’ Kate Morton, author of Homecoming

‘Movingly written and plotted with the heartless skill of a Greek tragedy, you’ll keep turning the pages until the last racking sob’ Daily Mail

‘I loved The Nightingale . . . great characters, great plots, great emotions, who could ask for more in a novel?’ Isabel Allende, bestselling author of A Long Petal of the Sea

‘A gripping tale of family, love, grief and forgiveness’ Sunday Express

The Nightingale has sold more than 4 million copies globally, TIME, February 2021

20th Century Family Life Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction War & Military Women's Fiction War Military Heartfelt Inspiring Tear-jerking Thought-Provoking Feel-Good

Critic reviews

A rich, compelling novel of love, sacrifice and survival (Kate Morton, author of Homecoming and The Lake House)
Utterly compelling, powerful and unforgettable Kristin Hannah is an exquisite storyteller. The Nightingale is one of those rare must read books that will forever nestle in your heart . . . (Christy Lefteri, bestselling author of The Beekeeper of Aleppo)
I loved The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, a talented writer of American stories; great characters, great plots, great emotions, who could ask for more in a novel? (Isabel Allende, bestselling author of A Long Petal of the Sea and Violeta)
Beautifully written . . . packed with action and emotion (Sara Gruen, bestselling author of Water for Elephants)
The real horrors of war, the deprivations, the risks are all there . . . This is a hauntingly tragic yet sympathetic novel
An unforgettable portrait of love and war
The bestselling author hits her stride in this page-turning tale about two sisters, one in the French countryside, the other in Paris, who show remarkable courage in the German occupation during WWII . . . The author ably depicts war’s horrors through the eyes of these two women, whose strength of character shines through no matter their differences
A respectful and absorbing page-turner
The suspense builds slowly in this thought-provoking and absorbing novel
All stars
Most relevant

What did you like most about The Nightingale?

It had me hooked from the first chapter. A story of survival in France during the German occupation World War II and what the French women had to do to survive, keep their children safe as well as many being active members of the French resistance. There is a strong story line running throughout and I was sorry when I reached the end!

What other book might you compare The Nightingale to, and why?

No comparison immediately comes to mind

What about Polly Stone’s performance did you like?

Enjoyed her style and the several accents she used to give the reader a sense of location and depth to the characters.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Relive the struggle of survival in occupied France through the lives of two courageous sisters

Enthralling story of courage and survival

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An excellent account of the 2nd world war in France and what the women left behind endured to survive the war. The lengths they went too protect their friends, family and the airmen who would ultimately save them.

Absolutely fantastic!

Fantastic fantastic fantastic

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A thought provoking and heart wrenching story. The descriptive writing is inspiring and this helps creature an great depth of emotion.

An amazing story

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Tremendous read. Emotional, riveting, sad, realistic, horrifying, admirable. Story handled well - bringing the past into the now. The reader is there with the characters, with the story.

Then and now

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I put off listening to this audio book for too long. Although the subject matter is horrific at times it is so sensitively handled and cleverly woven into a story of love, hope and the resilience of the human spirit.
I loved how all the threads were pulled together at the end.
Polly Stone's performance is perfect.
Highly recommended.

Heart rending yet wonderful.

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