The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

An accomplished author who has written twenty-two books, many of which I have read- I looked forward to reading her latest entry.  I was not disappointed.

Although many authors have currently taken up the theme of WWII, this book focused on the inner strength of two sisters.  The setting is a small town on the outskirts of Paris during the German occupation of France.  Vianne, the elder of the two sisters is esconced in a small cottage where she is awaiting the return of her husband from the warfront and caring for a small child.  Isabelle has taken up with the Resistance and becomes responsible for delivering secret messages, ultimately helping several downed pilots escape to safety.

In my opinion, the story seemed familiar to me.  Having read a good selection of fictional accounts of this period in history, I was not suprised by what was happening in the story.  However, the characters displayed an indomitable spirit that was only brought to the surface during a time of extreme duress.  These two women risked everything to pursue justice and liberty.

The closing paragraphs of this novel bring it to a plausible conclusion.  A well-written story about a time in our history that was fraught with injustice, death and destruction.

Ladybookbug!