The Nightingale
Despite their differences, sisters Vianne and Isabelle have always been close. Younger, bolder Isabelle lives in Paris while Vianne is content with life in the French countryside with her husband Antoine and their daughter. But when the Second World War strikes, Antoine is sent off to fight and Vianne finds herself isolated so Isabelle is sent by their father to help her. As the war progresses, the sisters' relationship and strength are tested. With life changing in unbelievably horrific ways, Vianne and Isabelle will find themselves facing frightening situations and responding in ways they never thought possible as bravery and resistance take different forms in each of their actions.
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What you might want to know about The Nightingale
The questions readers send us most often, answered without spoilers.
When France falls in 1940, two estranged sisters in the Loire Valley town of Carriveau take very different paths. Older sister Vianne is forced to billet a German captain in her house, while younger sister Isabelle joins the Resistance and walks downed Allied airmen out over the Pyrenees.
Loosely. The Nightingale is fictional but inspired by real women who participated in the French Resistance during WWII, including the Belgian Andree de Jongh, who escorted downed Allied airmen out of occupied Europe.
Yes. A film adaptation has been in development for years. As of 2025, the project remains in development with no confirmed release date.
The Nightingale was written by Kristin Hannah, published in 2015 by St. Martin's Press.
The Nightingale is 560 pages in standard print editions, though page counts vary slightly between hardcover, paperback, and large-print formats.
At an average reading pace of about 250 words per minute, The Nightingale takes most readers 8 to 12 hours to finish.
The Nightingale is a standalone novel by Kristin Hannah, not part of a series.
The Nightingale is available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats from Amazon, Bookshop.org, ThriftBooks, and most major bookstores.