The untold story of the home front

"In love we find out who we want to be. In war we find out who we are." 

Seldom do we come across books that, with the power of their words, teleport us to an entirely different realm. We feel so connected with the characters that it takes us a while to dredge up that they are fictional. Even then, we think of them as individuals we know only too well. These books have an ability of pulling the readers right in, making them experience every little event firsthand. To me, The Nightingale belongs to that rare category of books.  

The story follows two very different sisters, Vianne and Isabelle, during wartime and their hardships trying to survive. Vianne, the older of the two, abides by every rule and younger Isabelle is the rebel. Vianne's idealistic country life is soon disrupted when her husband Antoine gets mobilised and is sent to the front, leaving her behind with their little daughter Sophie. Alone for the first time, the only thing Vianne can think of is keeping Sophie safe and well-fed. 

Conversely, Isabelle's outspoken and unruly nature prevents her to bow to the rules set by the Nazis. Refusing to accept France's surrender, and despite her sister's pleading to stay off the grid, the 19-year old Isabelle, sets out for Paris to fight the Nazis, from within France. Against all odds, she joins an underground group and risks her life to amass as many allies as she can. 

Apart from being a fascinating story of the coming of age of two sisters, the book also sheds light on the role of women during the war. Mothers, daughters, sisters, wives - this is a story of their endurance, sacrifice, survival and courage during the darkest part of their lives. These are the women who are forced to house Nazi soldiers, the women who didn't let go of their compassion even in a ruthless world, the women who wish they could fight for their country and the women who covertly do. 

There are love stories in The Nightingale, but they are very short-lived and don't impede the storyline. The book being a historical fiction, enables the readers to get a good idea of how subtly and deceitfully the Nazis took over the lives of the French people. They gradually caused divisions within communities, breaking countless relations along the way. The author, Kristin Hannah, brings every emotion to life with her elegant penmanship. Remarkably moving and powerful, the book will stay with you a long time after you have put it down.