The Nightingale

I was hesitant to start this book. I rarely seek out books about World War II because they bring out a lot of emotions that I'm not always ready to experience. I also find that books with a lot of hype tend to fall below my expectations. I'm really glad I looked past my issues and picked up a copy of The Nightingale. I could not put this book down. The writing was incredibly rich and engaging. I loved how Kristin Hannah chose to tell the story of two sisters, and how they were each brave in their own way. One sister, Isabelle, hatches a plan to lead downed airmen out of France to Spain by way of the Pyrenees Mountains, and continues to make these dangerous trips. I was in awe when I learned that Isabelle was based on Andrée de Jongh, a woman who was part of the Belgian Resistance during the War and personally brought over a hundred downed airmen to safety. This story is not one to miss.