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The Nightingale

The Multimillion Copy Bestseller from the Author of The Women

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The Nightingale

By: Kristin Hannah
Narrated by: Polly Stone
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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 Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction War & Military Women's Fiction Heartfelt Inspiring Tear-jerking Thought-Provoking

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
My best audible book so far. The characters are built up over time and become ever more complex. My sympathy and understanding jumped from one character to another then back to the first. Although the story line is slightly predictable this in no way detracts from the enjoyment.
My ONLY negative was the reading and pronunciation of the text was very American... but this is a minor point.

Emotional

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If you could sum up The Nightingale in three words, what would they be?

Brilliant, so sad

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

I am really into the war stories, cannot compare as they have been all excellent but this has been my favorite.

Which character – as performed by Polly Stone – was your favourite?

Isabelle Rossignol.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes couldn't put it down

Any additional comments?

Would like some suggestions what other books I can listen to.

Absolutely brilliant, one of the my favourites

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A fantastic book by Kristin Hannah, again. I’m quickly becoming a big fan of this writer after listening to ‘the great alone’ and now this. She manages to bring to life a variety of characters who all take their own twists and turns. Excuse me whilst I kept this short and jump onto my next book by her ;-)

A beautiful story which captures history well

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Loved this story highlighting the sacrafices made by ordinary citizens to save the lives of Jewish children and American airmen during the Nazi occupation of France. Beautifully written. Can't wait to see the movie.

Wonderful story beautifully narrated

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Great story. So much emotion conveyed in it - I will listen again in the future!

Loved this book!

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