
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet or computer – no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
The Nightingale Hardcover – 3 Feb. 2015
A #1 New York Times bestseller, Wall Street Journal Best Book of the Year, and soon to be a major motion picture, this unforgettable novel of love and strength in the face of war has enthralled a generation.
France, 1939 - In the quiet village of Carriveau, Vianne Mauriac says goodbye to her husband, Antoine, as he heads for the Front. She doesn't believe that the Nazis will invade France ... but invade they do, in droves of marching soldiers, in caravans of trucks and tanks, in planes that fill the skies and drop bombs upon the innocent. When a German captain requisitions Vianne's home, she and her daughter must live with the enemy or lose everything. Without food or money or hope, as danger escalates all around them, she is forced to make one impossible choice after another to keep her family alive.
Vianne's sister, Isabelle, is a rebellious eighteen-year-old girl, searching for purpose with all the reckless passion of youth. While thousands of Parisians march into the unknown terrors of war, she meets Gäetan, a partisan who believes the French can fight the Nazis from within France, and she falls in love as only the young can ... completely. But when he betrays her, Isabelle joins the Resistance and never looks back, risking her life time and again to save others.
With courage, grace, and powerful insight, bestselling author Kristin Hannah captures the epic panorama of World War II and illuminates an intimate part of history seldom seen: the women's war. The Nightingale tells the stories of two sisters, separated by years and experience, by ideals, passion and circumstance, each embarking on her own dangerous path toward survival, love, and freedom in German-occupied, war-torn France--a heartbreakingly beautiful novel that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the durability of women. It is a novel for everyone, a novel for a lifetime.
Goodreads Best Historical Novel of the Year - People's Choice Favorite Fiction Winner - #1 Indie Next Selection - A Buzzfeed and The Week Best Book of the Year
- Print length448 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherSt. Martin's Press
- Publication date3 Feb. 2015
- Dimensions22.35 x 3.56 x 24.26 cm
- ISBN-100312577222
- ISBN-13978-0312577223
- Lexile measureHL740L
Customers who viewed this item also viewed
- I always thought it was what I wanted: to be loved and admired. Now I think perhaps I’d like to be known.Highlighted by 1,408 Kindle readers
- I know that grief, like regret, settles into our DNA and remains forever a part of us.Highlighted by 1,252 Kindle readers
- How can I start at the beginning, when all I can think about is the end?Highlighted by 580 Kindle readers
Product description
Review
Praise for The Nightingale:
"Haunting, action-packed, and compelling." --Christina Baker Kline, #1 New York Times bestselling author
"Absolutely riveting!...Read this book." --Dr. Miriam Klein Kassenoff, Director of the University of Miami Holocaust Teacher Institute
"Beautifully written and richly evocative." --Sara Gruen, #1 New York Times bestselling author
"A hauntingly rich WWII novel about courage, brutality, love, survival--and the essence of what makes us human." --Family Circle
"A heart-pounding story." --USA Today
"An enormous story. Richly satisfying. I loved it." --Anne Rice
"A respectful and absorbing page-turner." --Kirkus Reviews
"Tender, compelling...a satisfying slice of life in Nazi-occupied France." --Jewish Book Council
"Expect to devour The Nightingale in as few sittings as possible; the high-stakes plot and lovable characters won't allow any rest until all of their fates are known." --Shelf Awareness
"I loved The Nightingale." --Lisa See, #1 New York Times bestselling author
"Powerful...an unforgettable portrait of love and war." --People
About the Author
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Nightingale
By Kristin HannahSt. Martin's Press
Copyright © 2015 Kristin HannahAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-312-57722-3
ONE
April 9, 1995
The Oregon Coast
If I have learned anything in this long life of mine, it is this: In love we
find out who we want to be; in war we find out who we are. Today’s
young people want to know everything about everyone. They think talking
about a problem will solve it. I come from a quieter generation. We
understand the value of forgetting, the lure of reinvention.
Lately, though, I find myself thinking about the war and my past, about
the people I lost.
Lost.
It makes it sound as if I misplaced my loved ones; perhaps I left them
where they don’t belong and then turned away, too confused to retrace
my steps.
They are not lost. Nor are they in a better place. They are gone. As I
approach the end of my years, I know that grief, like regret, settles into
our DNA and remains forever a part of us.
I have aged in the months since my husband’s death and my diagnosis.
My skin has the crinkled appearance of wax paper that someone has tried
to flatten and reuse. My eyes fail me often— in the darkness, when headlights
flash, when rain falls. It is unnerving, this new unreliability in my
vision. Perhaps that’s why I find myself looking backward. The past has a
clarity I can no longer see in the present.
I want to imagine there will be peace when I am gone, that I will see all
of the people I have loved and lost. At least that I will be forgiven.
I know better, though, don’t I?
My house, named The Peaks by the lumber baron who built it over a hundred
years ago, is for sale, and I am preparing to move because my son
thinks I should.
He is trying to take care of me, to show how much he loves me in this
most difficult of times, and so I put up with his controlling ways. What do
I care where I die? That is the point, really. It no longer matters where I
live. I am boxing up the Oregon beachside life I settled into nearly fifty
years ago. There is not much I want to take with me. But there is one
thing.
I reach for the hanging handle that controls the attic steps. The stairs
unfold from the ceiling like a gentleman extending his hand.
The flimsy stairs wobble beneath my feet as I climb into the attic, which
smells of must and mold. A single, hanging lightbulb swings overhead. I pull
the cord.
It is like being in the hold of an old steamship. Wide wooden planks
panel the walls; cobwebs turn the creases silver and hang in skeins from
the indentation between the planks. The ceiling is so steeply pitched that
I can stand upright only in the center of the room.
I see the rocking chair I used when my grandchildren were young, then
an old crib and a ratty- looking rocking horse set on rusty springs, and the
chair my daughter was refinishing when she got sick. Boxes are tucked
along the wall, marked “Xmas,” “Thanksgiving,” “Easter,” “Halloween,”
“Serveware,” “Sports.” In those boxes are the things I don’t use much anymore
but can’t bear to part with. For me, admitting that I won’t decorate a
tree for Christmas is giving up, and I’ve never been good at letting go.
Tucked in the corner is what I am looking for: an ancient steamer trunk
covered in travel stickers.
With effort, I drag the heavy trunk to the center of the attic, directly
beneath the hanging light. I kneel beside it, but the pain in my knees is
piercing, so I slide onto my backside.
For the first time in thirty years, I lift the trunk’s lid. The top tray is full
of baby memorabilia. Tiny shoes, ceramic hand molds, crayon drawings
populated by stick figures and smiling suns, report cards, dance recital
pictures.
I lift the tray from the trunk and set it aside.
The mementos in the bottom of the trunk are in a messy pile: several
faded leather- bound journals; a packet of aged postcards, tied together
with a blue satin ribbon; a cardboard box, bent in one corner; a set of slim
books of poetry by Julien Rossignol; and a shoebox that holds hundreds of
black- and- white photographs.
On top is a yellowed, faded piece of paper.
My hands are shaking as I pick it up. It is a carte d’identité, an identity
card, from the war. I see the small, passport- sized photo of a young
woman. Juliette Gervaise.
“Mom?”
I hear my son on the creaking wooden steps, footsteps that match my
heartbeats. Has he called out to me before?
“Mom? You shouldn’t be up here. Shit. The steps are unsteady.” He
comes to stand beside me. “One fall and—”
I touch his pant leg, shake my head softly. I can’t look up. “Don’t” is all
I can say.
He kneels, then sits. I can smell his aftershave, something subtle and
spicy, and also a hint of smoke. He has sneaked a cigarette outside, a habit
he gave up de cades ago and took up again at my recent diagnosis. There
is no reason to voice my disapproval: He is a doctor. He knows better.
My instinct is to toss the card into the trunk and slam the lid down,
hiding it again. It’s what I have done all my life.
Now I am dying. Not quickly, perhaps, but not slowly, either, and I feel
compelled to look back on my life.
“Mom, you’re crying.”
“Am I?”
I want to tell him the truth, but I can’t. It embarrasses and shames me,
this failure. At my age, I should not be afraid of anything— certainly not
my own past.
I say only, “I want to take this trunk.”
“It’s too big. I’ll repack the things you want into a smaller box.”
I smile at his attempt to control me. “I love you and I am sick again. For
these reasons, I have let you push me around, but I am not dead yet. I want
this trunk with me.”
“What can you possibly need in it? It’s just our artwork and other junk.”
If I had told him the truth long ago, or had danced and drunk and sung
more, maybe he would have seen me instead of a dependable, ordinary
mother. He loves a version of me that is incomplete. I always thought it was
what I wanted: to be loved and admired. Now I think perhaps I’d like to be
known.
“Think of this as my last request.”
I can see that he wants to tell me not to talk that way, but he’s afraid his
voice will catch. He clears his throat. “You’ve beaten it twice before. You’ll
beat it again.”
We both know this isn’t true. I am unsteady and weak. I can neither
sleep nor eat without the help of medical science. “Of course I will.”
“I just want to keep you safe.”
I smile. Americans can be so naïve.
Once I shared his optimism. I thought the world was safe. But that was
a long time ago.
“Who is Juliette Gervaise?” Julien says and it shocks me a little to hear
that name from him.
I close my eyes and in the darkness that smells of mildew and bygone
lives, my mind casts back, a line thrown across years and continents.
Against my will— or maybe in tandem with it, who knows anymore?— I
remember.
(Continues...)Excerpted from Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. Copyright © 2015 Kristin Hannah. Excerpted by permission of St. Martin's Press.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Product details
- Publisher : St. Martin's Press; First Edition (3 Feb. 2015)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 448 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0312577222
- ISBN-13 : 978-0312577223
- Dimensions : 22.35 x 3.56 x 24.26 cm
- Best Sellers Rank: 1,020,765 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- 11,340 in Women's Literary Fiction (Books)
- 21,878 in Military Romance (Books)
- 29,796 in Romantic Comedy (Books)
- Customer reviews:
About the author

Kristin Hannah is the award-winning and bestselling author of more than 20 novels. Her newest novel, The Women, about the nurses who served in the Vietnam war, will be released on February 6, 2024.
The Four Winds was published in February of 2021 and immediately hit #1 on the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Indie bookstore's bestseller lists. Additionally, it was selected as a book club pick by the both Today Show and The Book Of the Month club, which named it the best book of 2021.
In 2018, The Great Alone became an instant New York Times #1 bestseller and was named the Best Historical Novel of the Year by Goodreads.
In 2015, The Nightingale became an international blockbuster and was Goodreads Best Historical fiction novel for 2015 and won the coveted People's Choice award for best fiction in the same year. It was named a Best Book of the Year by Amazon, iTunes, Buzzfeed, the Wall Street Journal, Paste, and The Week.
The Nightingale is currently in pre-production at Tri Star. Firefly Lane, her beloved novel about two best friends, was the #1 Netflix series around the world, in the week it came out. The popular tv show stars Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke.
A former attorney, Kristin lives in the Pacific Northwest.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings, help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyses reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers praise the book for its brilliant story and well-written content. They find the emotional content heartbreaking and gut-wrenching. The storyline is described as remarkable, with deep relationships and heroic deeds. Many readers find the book thought-provoking and profoundly impactful, bringing it home to them. They appreciate the bravery, resilience, and courage of the women in the story.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the story engaging and well-written. They describe it as an emotional, enthralling, and inspiring read that holds their attention. The characters and plot are developed by the author, providing thought-provoking insights into wartime France.
"...Hannah’s writing is incredibly vivid, bringing events to life with powerful descriptions and immersing the reader in the sisters’ plight, as well as..." Read more
"...It's beautiful, crushing, terrifying and it's a reminder that it's so easy to take for granted what many of us have these days...." Read more
"...The Nightingale is a must-read, a book that will stay with you long after you turn the final page...." Read more
"...Heartbreaking read and I cried like a baby but it’s a brilliant book...." Read more
Customers find the book engaging and well-written. They describe the writing as brilliant, beautifully crafted, and emotional. Readers praise the author as gifted and say the story is readable, though some parts are sad.
"...Hannah’s writing is incredibly vivid, bringing events to life with powerful descriptions and immersing the reader in the sisters’ plight, as well as..." Read more
"...Their stories are inspiring and so well-written that I was captivated by every page...." Read more
"...I recommend this book and I enjoyed Kristin Hannah’s writing." Read more
"Such a beautiful well written book. It takes a lot for me to really get into a story so early on...." Read more
Customers find the book emotionally moving and heartbreaking. They say the ending leaves an indelible mark on their hearts. The book is described as touching, horrifying, and brutal.
"...navigate their hardships kept me hooked, and the ending was nothing short of brilliant. I’m not afraid to admit that I cried...." Read more
"...It's beautiful, crushing, terrifying and it's a reminder that it's so easy to take for granted what many of us have these days...." Read more
"A extraordinary masterpiece that left an indelible mark on my heart. The ending shattered me...." Read more
"...of Isabelle and Vianne in France through World War II is exciting, painful, and riveting...." Read more
Customers find the storyline gripping and emotional. They appreciate the deep relationships, painful realism, heroic deeds, and recognition at the end. The book explores family relationships, friendships, enemies, and feelings of the two heroines in occupied France.
"...The Nightingale is a story of resilience, love, and sacrifice, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a novel that will truly stay with..." Read more
"...Then we are introduced to Isabelle and I was enthralled by her spirit and defiance...." Read more
"...just about war, it’s about the unbreakable spirit of women, the bonds of family, and the courage it takes to survive and fight for what matters most...." Read more
"...the story of Isabelle and Vianne in France through World War II is exciting, painful, and riveting...." Read more
Customers find the book thought-provoking and engaging. They say it's a profound reflection on life during the war years. The book is well-researched and sensitively written, lingering in their minds long after reading it.
"...It’s the kind of book that lingers in your mind long after you’ve turned the final page, making you appreciate the quiet acts of heroism that often..." Read more
"...It's beautiful, crushing, terrifying and it's a reminder that it's so easy to take for granted what many of us have these days...." Read more
"...Brilliantly written and a true homage to all those incredible men but especially women who went through such unbearable pain and was so immensely..." Read more
"This is one of the most poignantly moving books I have ever read with an end so affecting that I found it impossible not to cry...." Read more
Customers find the book an inspiring story of resilience, love, and sacrifice. They appreciate the women's power to endure and survive. The book is a reminder of self-sacrifice and the stoic determination of women.
"...I’m not afraid to admit that I cried. The Nightingale is a story of resilience, love, and sacrifice, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for..." Read more
"...we are introduced to Isabelle and I was enthralled by her spirit and defiance...." Read more
"...This book is not just about war, it’s about the unbreakable spirit of women, the bonds of family, and the courage it takes to survive and fight for..." Read more
"...I enjoyed this book immensely. Two very strong women in war torn France. Definitely worth a read." Read more
Customers find the characters compelling and engaging. They appreciate the author's portrayal of ordinary people during the war, highlighting the worst and best aspects of humanity. The narrative alternates between the two main characters, providing an interesting perspective on the story. The book is inspired by war hero Andrée De Jongh.
"...Their character traits shine through as they both fight for what they believe in, shaped by their different ages, responsibilities, and past..." Read more
"Oh this book broke my heart 💔💔.. I loved this book, I loved the characters and how they grew throughout the book...." Read more
"...I loved how the narrative alternated between the two main characters...." Read more
"...description and emotion perfectly in her writing, developed characters seamlessly and honestly, punched me right in the heart...." Read more
Customers find the book's pacing engaging. They say it grips them from the start and keeps them hooked throughout. The story is described as thrilling, emotional, and well-written with great details and conveying a sense of time and place.
"...and Vianne in France through World War II is exciting, painful, and riveting...." Read more
"...I'm so glad I did. This story is painful yet addictive. We truly grow with the characters as they navigate the hardships of war...." Read more
"...Parts are moving, horrifying, sensitively written and I don’t doubt their authenticity but I firmly believe that in a book that covers a topic such..." Read more
"...It’s a thrilling, sad, scary, nerve racking read and it will stop you doing anything else as I literally couldn’t put it down" Read more
Reviews with images

A story of resilience, love, and sacrifice
Top reviews from United Kingdom
There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 March 2025: Kristin Hannah's The Nightingale is often labelled as a historical romance, but it is so much more than that. Set during World War II, it tells the story of two sisters, Vianne and Isabelle, whose lives take drastically different paths in Nazi-occupied France. From the very first page, the novel is impactful, evoking deep emotions that stayed with me until the very last word.
The story moves at a fairly fast pace at times, with the two main protagonists standing in stark contrast to each other—just as real sisters often do. Their character traits shine through as they both fight for what they believe in, shaped by their different ages, responsibilities, and past experiences. The dialogue between them is raw yet exquisite, capturing the complexity of their bond and the struggles that keep them worlds apart.
The Nightingale is filled with fear and anger, yet there remains a glimmer of hope, one that slowly erodes as the story progresses. Hannah’s writing is incredibly vivid, bringing events to life with powerful descriptions and immersing the reader in the sisters’ plight, as well as that of those around them.
This book is an emotional rollercoaster, filled with heart-wrenching moments and deeply moving experiences. The way the characters navigate their hardships kept me hooked, and the ending was nothing short of brilliant. I’m not afraid to admit that I cried. The Nightingale is a story of resilience, love, and sacrifice, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a novel that will truly stay with them.
In the end, The Nightingale is more than just a historical novel—it’s a testament to the strength of women, the power of love, and the unbreakable bond of family. It’s the kind of book that lingers in your mind long after you’ve turned the final page, making you appreciate the quiet acts of heroism that often go unnoticed. If you haven’t read it yet, do yourself a favour and pick it up—you won’t regret it.
5.0 out of 5 stars: Kristin Hannah's The Nightingale is often labelled as a historical romance, but it is so much more than that. Set during World War II, it tells the story of two sisters, Vianne and Isabelle, whose lives take drastically different paths in Nazi-occupied France. From the very first page, the novel is impactful, evoking deep emotions that stayed with me until the very last word.A story of resilience, love, and sacrifice
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 March 2025
The story moves at a fairly fast pace at times, with the two main protagonists standing in stark contrast to each other—just as real sisters often do. Their character traits shine through as they both fight for what they believe in, shaped by their different ages, responsibilities, and past experiences. The dialogue between them is raw yet exquisite, capturing the complexity of their bond and the struggles that keep them worlds apart.
The Nightingale is filled with fear and anger, yet there remains a glimmer of hope, one that slowly erodes as the story progresses. Hannah’s writing is incredibly vivid, bringing events to life with powerful descriptions and immersing the reader in the sisters’ plight, as well as that of those around them.
This book is an emotional rollercoaster, filled with heart-wrenching moments and deeply moving experiences. The way the characters navigate their hardships kept me hooked, and the ending was nothing short of brilliant. I’m not afraid to admit that I cried. The Nightingale is a story of resilience, love, and sacrifice, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a novel that will truly stay with them.
In the end, The Nightingale is more than just a historical novel—it’s a testament to the strength of women, the power of love, and the unbreakable bond of family. It’s the kind of book that lingers in your mind long after you’ve turned the final page, making you appreciate the quiet acts of heroism that often go unnoticed. If you haven’t read it yet, do yourself a favour and pick it up—you won’t regret it.
Images in this review
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 February 2025Heartbreaking. I knew the hype surrounding this book and it had put me off getting stuck in. After the first couple of chapters I thought it was charming but I wasn't hooked. Then we are introduced to Isabelle and I was enthralled by her spirit and defiance. I don't think I can sum up how moving and powerful this story got under my skin and I cried my way through it. It's beautiful, crushing, terrifying and it's a reminder that it's so easy to take for granted what many of us have these days. In an uncertain world it's a reminder on the importance on remembering what came before and how we should never go back there.
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 December 2024A extraordinary masterpiece that left an indelible mark on my heart.
The ending shattered me. I cried harder than I have for any book, overwhelmed by a mix of sorrow and admiration. The Nightingale does it effortlessly, leaving you both broken and uplifted.
This book is not just about war, it’s about the unbreakable spirit of women, the bonds of family, and the courage it takes to survive and fight for what matters most. The Nightingale is a must-read, a book that will stay with you long after you turn the final page. Kristin Hannah has crafted something unforgettable, and I cannot recommend it enough.
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 25 January 2025Oh this book broke my heart 💔💔.. I loved this book, I loved the characters and how they grew throughout the book. Heartbreaking read and I cried like a baby but it’s a brilliant book. I noted that unlike other historical fiction books I have read this one made me think about how hard the war was on some Nazi’s. I’ve personally always thought of them as a collective evil, but really I guess some were forced into doing as they were told.
I am an avid kindle reader and it was brilliantly priced and perfect on kindle. No errors or mistakes. Brilliant
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 February 2025Following the story of Isabelle and Vianne in France through World War II is exciting, painful, and riveting. This book illuminates many aspects of what people, especially women, ensured through the war - and the heroic efforts made, just to survive. Beautiful book that will stay with you.
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 March 2025A beautiful story compassionately told. I enjoyed this book immensely.
Two very strong women in war torn France. Definitely worth a read.
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 March 2024I was recommended this book and immediately checked the reviews. Despite nearly being deterred by the 1-star ratings, the abundance of 5-star reviews convinced me to give it a try. I'm so glad I did. This story is painful yet addictive. We truly grow with the characters as they navigate the hardships of war. Their stories are inspiring and so well-written that I was captivated by every page.
I loved how the narrative alternated between the two main characters. They became so alike that by the end, I sometimes couldn't tell which one was being discussed until a name was mentioned. The ending was heart-wrenching and powerful, and though I wished it had turned out differently, it was a necessary conclusion to do justice to our heroine's journey.
Many people have complained about the small type. While it was indeed small, a larger font might have made the book much thicker and potentially put off many readers.
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 March 2025You must read this book and put yourself in the shoes of these women. It will help you see and feel things you never truly knew about the war.
Top reviews from other countries
- ChetandeepReviewed in Canada on 4 February 2025
5.0 out of 5 stars A Masterpiece of Historical Fiction!
This book is more than just a story; it’s an experience. It left me breathless, in tears, and in awe of the strength of the human spirit. If you love historical fiction, emotional depth, and unforgettable characters, The Nightingale is an absolute must-read. I can’t recommend it highly enough!
-
Carlos dorantesReviewed in Mexico on 2 February 2025
5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente libro
Lllego en súper buen estado este es un buen vendedor
-
jmiloneReviewed in Brazil on 1 September 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Leitura obrigatória!
Simplesmente maravilhoso. Emocionante do começo ao fim. Um jeito de contar uma linda e emocionante estória que nos faz viver e compartilhar sentimentos através das páginas do livro. Leitura mais que recomendável. Amei!!!
- SaraReviewed in Sweden on 4 February 2025
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it
Loved this book so much. Kristin Hannah is an amazing writer.
- harsh paradkarReviewed in India on 28 January 2025
5.0 out of 5 stars Engaging and full of life
The story is engaging. With a burst of emotions. How hope keeps us alive in times of adversity and how sorrow takes a backseat in the battle of survival. It's really the whole package