We did a long drive recently, and I needed something to listen do since I did most of the driving. So I picked up
The Nightingale
No category for this one!
This is a WWII story (I seem to read a lot of these) that takes place in France. It is the story of two women - sisters - taking two very different paths during the war. One sister has a husband and a child, and when he husband is sent off to war, she is left home alone to care for their home. A German soldier billets with her while her husband is gone. He is gentle and cares for Vienne and her daughter, Sophie. He tries to help her as much as he can. He sends care packages to her husband when he becomes a prisoner of war, and makes sure they have enough food to eat. Vienne's sister Isabelle is young and foolish, but decides she cannot sit around and wait for the war to end. She throws herself into helping the anti-war unit and getting soldiers from other countries across the Pyranees to safety. Both women learn things about themselves during the war, and come out on the other side heroes in their own right.
This was a pretty good book. The story was captivating. Every time something happened to Vienne - her herilooms were taken by the Germans. They had a food shortage, and had to stand in line for hours for scraps. She lost her job. She made clothes out of blankets and bits of yarn......it was terrible. I just can't imagine having to live through that - not for a few months, but for years. The story ends with Vienne telling her sister's story years later. The whole story was humbling.
I encourage you to read this book. Heck - I encourage you to read any stories during the WWII era, to get a sense of what they endured.
Stars: 4 1/2
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