I don’t know how to explain the ending. There are happy, positive aspects to it, but overall it was pretty bittersweet.

Before I get to the ending, let’s talk about the beginning of this section. Overall, the war was coming to an end. Vianne was still fighting the war of Von Richter’s assaults and rapings, to which she had become a prisoner. Both Sophie and Vianne would have liked to kill him, but I guess it would have put them in a worse position. Von Richter and the other officers eventually fled Carriveau, but not soon enough. It turns out that he got Vianne pregnant. At that revelation, I was so close to actually throwing my book across the room. I’m not even kidding. She’s wanted more kids, but why did it have to be that evil pig’s? It’s just not fair.

While talking with Sophie, Vianne randomly got up and began walking down the road. And guess who she saw in the distance? None other than her husband, Antoine (who escaped from the war camp). V had previously told her daughter that she’d know if they lost him or Isabelle, so maybe she just knew when he was back. Antoine being back is great and all, but it was also devastating to see the distance and grief that had wound itself between their relationship. They had both been changed by their experiences during the war and had become strangers to one another. After Vianne told him about the baby (not whose it really was) he told her, “It’s not forgetting we need, Vianne… It’s remembering” (Hannah 510). He’s completely right. They don’t necessarily have to forget about all they endured, but they do need to remember all the positive aspects of it and of the life they had before the war.

Vianne never explicitly told Antoine that Julien (named after her and Isabelle’s father) wasn’t his son, but he knew. It was an unspoken understanding. Julien, being born, brought Vianne back to life and reunited their little family. It sounds like in the present day it is now just the two of them. Sophie died of cancer fifteen years later, and I’m not completely sure about Antoine.

Isabelle had traveled through harsh winter weather to go to different concentration camps a few different times. She even briefly saw her old friend, Anouk, but it killed her to say yet another goodbye. Seeing Anouk reminded her that she was more than just “F-5491”, she had also been the Nightingale, Juliette, and Isabelle (she’s lived so many lives in such a short time). Hannah describes the horrible conditions of the camps and how the Nazis and SS treated the political prisoners. It’s crazy to think about how many aspects of World War II Hannah has described (women’s resistance, a little guerilla warfare, billeting officers, concentration camps, etc.).

Isabelle was progressively getting more and more sick, yet she was still able to fight back by helping and encouraging her fellow prisoners to stay strong. Throughout it all, Micheline stayed by her side and they survived the war together (they “made it”). They had finally seen the light at the end of the tunnel, and it felt like a weight had been lifted off my own chest when they both survived.

Vianne was driving herself crazy, worrying about finding Rachel and Isabelle. She even showed people pictures of them and had a Red Cross worker check the list of the deceased. It turned out that Rachel and her husband Marc had both died (therefore Ari/Daniel has no “real” parents). That was really sad, but I kind of predicted it would happen.

Vianne ended up saving 19 Jewish children and was helping the Red Cross reunite them with whatever family they had left. Throughout the war, Vianne had made herself a heroine.

Another quote I love is, “But love has to be stronger than hate, or there is no future for us” (Hannah 526). I feel like this point has been proven a lot over the course of the book. I mean, the basis of the war was made upon hate. Hate fueled the war, but the future can change when you can look at life through a positive lens. Love is the future, and it’s the best thing to fight for.

After an ordinary, normal family activity, the OSE came to bring Daniel/Ari back to his family in the States. It killed me to read this section (I may have shed a tear or two) because he had really become a part of their family. I’m happy he gets to grow up with a true, blood family, but if this book has taught me anything, it’s that family isn’t solely based on blood (Isabelle even created her own family of friends). At the same time, it’s heartbreaking because they all loved him as if he was their own. I do understand that he needs to grow up in a Jewish household (he’s a part of the future) but it still hurts.

Side note: When Isabelle was talking about herself in the past tense, I wanted to cry.

Isabelle made it home to Le Jardin. I loved that Isabelle understood and felt for Vianne’s situation without V having to explicitly state what happened. Despite the wrecked state, Isabelle was in she still had it in her to comfort Vianne by saying, “They couldn’t touch my heart. They couldn’t change who I was inside” (Hannah 544). Both sisters are the same as they’ve always been. They’ve grown up and been hurt on the outside, but both of them are capable of surviving their pasts.

The end of Julien’s letter to his daughters said, “I loved you both will all of my damaged heart” (Hannah 548). That letter may have damaged my heart, just a little. Reading that despite not being fully healed from his trauma, he still loved them as much as he could proves that love lives in everyone (and will never fully leave). I’m happy he got to go back a little to his poetic past and make amends before he passed.

GAETAN CAME BACK FOR ISABELLE!!!! He reassured her that she was just as beautiful as before and she finally felt something. Gaet also finally confessed his love for her and how he had loved her since the first time they met. He waited so long because at the time neither of them knew of the fragility of life or themselves (they were just two crazy young kids wanting to make a difference). Previously, Anouk admired how everyone was fighting for simple, ordinary things like a boy and a girl. It’s safe to say they succeeded. Gaet and Isabelle may be older, but they’re still just a boy and a girl who fell in love during a war. Love, in Isabelle’s mind, was, “the beginning and end of everything, the foundation and the ceiling and the air in between” (Hannah 550). Love is what futures and lives are built upon. Love is everywhere.

I just want to preface this paragraph by saying that I was wrong. The perspectives of an older woman we’ve been getting have not been Isabelle. The older woman is, in fact, Vianne. Hannah fooled me so hard by putting in the little hints of the Juliette name tag and Nightingale card. So, Isabelle actually passed away soon after her return home. She died in Gaet’s arms while looking at her sister. I believe she was probably waiting for Gaet, her one true love, before saying her last goodbye. Isabelle’s last thought was, “Please don’t forget me”. In all honesty, I think it’s impossible for anyone to forget the Nightingale’s impact (I mean, with the help of her father and friends, she saved 117 men on the Nightingale escape route).

I feel like one of the most full circle moments out of the entire book is how Vianne and Isabelle created the bond their mother knew they’d form and the one they always desired to have. They both had always loved each other so much, but it wasn’t until after the war that they were able to truly connect. I just wish that they had more time to explore and savor that bond.

When Vianne and her son Julien went to the event in Paris honoring the Nightingale, Vianne gave a speech about her relationship with Isabelle, Isabelle when she came back after the war, and the impact all the airmen she saved had on her. After the speech, she saw and talked with Gaet. It turns out he named his daughter after Isabelle (I mean; he did confess that he’s loved her all of his life). Isabelle only wanted to be remembered (probably because for so long she felt she was invaluable and easily forgotten), so that minor act would have meant the world.

After the ceremony, Vianne reunited with Ari. He never forgot her or Sophie and had been looking for them for years. Vianne realized that her two sons saved her and that her memories do matter (so she’s finally going to tell Julien her story).

I didn’t know what to truly expect going into this book, but it’s safe to say I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I was able to get a glimpse into World War II and the Holocaust, while also learning of the powerful roles women had during the war. Hannah created such an incredible storyline full of sisterhood, friendship, war, love, and more. Yes, the book is about war, but it’s also about so, so much more. I’d recommend this book to pretty much anyone.

And to think I used to dislike both Isabelle and Vianne, the two Nightingales <3

Once again, Hannah does not disappoint. There are so many lines I underlined in this section alone. The way she writes about such heavy topics but conveys them in a way that makes them relatable to readers amazes me.

I just want to start the actual book content section by tying back to a previous section. I had mentioned earlier how everyone saw Isabelle and what she’s doing as a wonder. Well… it happened again. After Gaetan saw the Pyrenees and realized that Isabelle had crossed them 27 times, he told her she was a wonder. As I said, I love full-circle moments, so I had to mention it.

Now onto the meat of the book. Vianne’s perspectives are growing to resemble Isabelle’s more and more as the book goes on. She no longer believes in standing by and watching and is willing to take the risk of forging papers by herself if necessary. Despite her lack of bravery (in her opinion) and her regret over her relationship with her sister, Vianne perseveres. She knows now that Isabelle lied to her in order to protect her and is now doing the same in order to protect Isabelle. In Henri’s opinion, Isabelle would be proud. I feel like Vianne was reassured that her relationship with Iz isn’t doomed when Henri told her, “I am constantly arguing with my brother, even in war. In the end, we’re brothers” (Hannah 435). I mean in reality, no matter what happens they are sisters.

Vianne continues to pursue her work with Jewish kids in her own way. I admire the fact that Vianne never turns those in need away, even if it makes her life more difficult and dangerous. Despite the risk, she stays considerate by keeping the children’s real information written down, just in case when the war is over she isn’t there to help them reunite with their families. It’s crazy to think about how some of these really young kids won’t remember life before the war or their real families and names. It’s even crazier to think that this actually happened. Children had to assume new identities and in some cases forgot their true family.

While Vianne was walking through the town square she saw dead bodies hanging from every street lamp. They were Maquisards, so I’m reallyyyy hoping that Gaet isn’t one of them. If he is, well I don’t know what I’ll do.

The sisters’ father came to see Vianne. It turned out that he wanted to apologize and make sure that despite his actions, Vianne knew that he loved her. It was their last time together because he was on his way to sacrificing himself for Isabelle. He handed her a letter for Isabelle and herself to read together, so I’m looking forward to seeing what he had to say. That whole scene was so sad and heartfelt, but it’s too much to get into right now.

Also, Vianne was raped by Von Richter (the man stationed in her house). She wasn’t even able to stop him or protect herself because it was the only way to keep Daniel safe. That man is so horrible and vile, he makes me want to throw my book across the room. But, it’s even worse that it was “necessary”.

Now onto Isabelle’s side. In short (because there’s way too much for me to talk about), she and Gaet split up in the beginning and reunited for one night 8 months later (they use the song of a nightingale to ensure it’s the other person). Gaet told her that he had to do more, so now he’s part of a group of guerrilla partisans (actually fighting and bombing).

She ran into her father where he expressed his concern for her safety now that even the High-ranking Nazis and SS were looking for her. He didn’t understand that women were necessary to the movement, so she can’t stop. Side note: I hate how people continue to see women as invaluable, even when they’re capable of such astounding work.

Isabelle was continuing her work with the downed airmen until one night SS agents barged into Madame Babineau’s home and arrested them all (I was freaked out). Isabelle didn’t spill any information throughout the torture. The stupid agents are so stuck on the fact that the Nightingale has to be a man, that even when she confessed to it (for the sake of her dad) they didn’t believe her.

Also, before she got transported to a new area to get interrogated, she was put inside a refrigerator. Like what? If I was locked in a fridge I would one hundred percent start freaking out. That’s terrifying. But, she got through it and then had to suffer through more torture.

Right before their father was shot for confessing to being the Nightingale, Isabelle whispered, “We were supposed to have time” (Hannah 481). It seems like time is definitely not a luxury any of these characters are granted. The sisters imagined reuniting the family after the war, but now that dream is crushed. I wonder how many other things they’ll run out of time for. Side note he mouthed “I love you” to Isabelle right before the Nazis killed him. It broke my heart.

I guess the father kind of did have a redemption arc. I mean, after all, he willingly got himself killed in order to protect Isabelle, and he made amends with his daughters. I love that he knew he had changed and finally owned up to it. I just wish we had more time to get to know who he was before the Great War.

Isabelle finally let Madame Babineau know her real name. But, it turns out that she knew all along. Apparently, her father’s temper and mother’s eyes were too much of a giveaway. The context of this conversation (getting sent to Ravensbruck) was terrible but the conversation itself was super cute. Following that, Micheline said, “Some stories don’t have happy endings. Even love stories. Maybe especially love stories” (Hannah 488). That now has me thinking about whether or not this book will have a happy ending (and if Gaet will die). To be honest, I don’t really know what a happy ending would mean. I guess I’ll find out in 71 more pages.

Obviously, we know that Isabelle will live through this, but it doesn’t ease the fear of what’s going to happen to her at the camp. She really can’t give up because the minute she does, she’ll be dead.

Once again love is a MAJOR theme in this section, but friendship and the concept of false personas are also becoming some main ideas. Jewish children are forced to assume new identities for the sake of their safety, Isabelle has assumed the identity of Juliette, and even Vianne has to act like her life is the same as usual. No one is ever able to fully be themselves. When it comes to friendship, it can even be found in the toughest of times (as Isabelle and Micheline have proven). Isabelle said it herself, “friendships forged in fire that had proven to be as strong as iron” (Hannah 461). And friendship and the bond that forms become even more valuable during tough times when nothing else seems to be going right. Friendship (and love) is the one good thing that hasn’t been completely ruined through all of the chaos.

There’s only one more blog post and section to go, so let’s hope it ends on a high note.

My wish was granted. This section was indeed full of drama and surprises.

To start off, Rachel was herded onto a train to a work camp. That means Vianne has to take care of Ari (now known as Daniel), but if caught, she, Sophie, and Daniel would be killed. If I’m being honest, I don’t know if I could put my own family in that much danger in order to help a friend. But, in the moment I very well might agree to it. The part that got me was when Hannah wrote, “She was suddenly more afraid of letting her daughter grow up in a world where good people did nothing to stop evil” (Hannah 346). When put that way, I would one hundred percent do whatever was possible to help.

BECK AND VIANNE ALMOST KISSED. Ew. After that vulnerable moment, they proceeded to avoid each other at all costs. Their relationship is just so weird. It’s nice that they care about each other during this time of war and uncertainty, but the positions they’re in make the whole situation a little gross.

Time to focus on Beck. For starters, he’s dead now. But we’ll get into that later. Beck was in the square whipping women, yet swore that it sickened him. I understand that war puts everyone in places they don’t want to be, but at some point couldn’t he just say enough is enough and go into hiding or something? I know I’m not being super realistic, but it’s fiction. And then the whole almost-kiss thing happens. They both obviously wanted it to happen. I’m not sure whether I personally wanted them to kiss, just to amp up the drama or not. He makes (made) me so frustrated. The fact that he died still hasn’t made any of my feelings easier to understand.

Now onto the death. Beck came “home” in disarray and began searching Vianne’s home for a downed airman he was in charge of finding. He ended up bolting to the barn and opening up the cellar to find Isabelle and the downed airman. He immediately shoots at Isabelle (and Isabelle shoots back). The real shocker is that Vianne smacked him in the back of the head with a shovel, subsequently killing him. Yeah. Vianne killed Beck, who she actually quite liked. Who saw that coming? Definitely not me. I was in a few minutes of shock after that, but now I’m interested to see how life goes on without him.

Gaet is back! I love how Anouk thinks of Isabelle’s and Gaet’s relationship as a reminder that they’re fighting for the simple things in life (a boy and a girl). I never thought of it as that, but they really, truly are just fighting to get their normal lives back. It turns out the Gaet does in fact love Isabelle. He absolutely doesn’t want Isabelle to know, which I don’t fully understand. Maybe it’s because of his traumatizing past or his beliefs about the war’s outcome. I find it so heartwarming how after two years apart, Gaet and Isabelle’s love for each other has only grown. AND he’d kill for her. I mean what else would you want in a man? Just kidding… maybe.

While Isabelle was hiding the downed (and soon dead) airman in Vianne’s cellar, she was actually fearful, yet somehow was still able to hold her confidence and wit. In all honesty, Isabelle amazes me. Even in the midst of challenges, she manages to stay mostly calm and collected. She hasn’t ever lost sight of her goal or self in the process. However, when Vianne found her, she told Isabelle that she wasn’t welcome back. That scene between the two crushed my soul. Everyone knows that they both want to love each other, but they continually end up having conversations like this. Vianne regretted that immediately after she realized Isabelle was severely injured (due to Beck’s gunshot). However, words like that never truly go away, especially since the sisters are once again separated.

It turns out that current day Isabelle has been attempting to forget and move on from her past. I guess she did some pretty bad things during the war that she wants to forget about. I don’t know what it’d be though, considering everything she’s done so far has been to help end the war. Maybe she wrongfully kills someone? I don’t really know, but hopefully, we will find out soon. Whatever she did was apparently bad enough that she never showed her family her true self (and just let her husband make all the decisions), which is the opposite of the Isabelle we’ve been reading about. Anyways, she’s currently on her way to the party in Paris that is honoring the Nightingale. I’m looking forward to reading more about this.

The worst thing to come out of Beck’s death is one hundred and ten percent, the gross, perv SS that has insisted on living in Vianne’s home. Everything about him and his actions makes me want to vomit. I seriously hate him. Hands down the easiest character to form an opinion about.

Vianne is creating her own movement!! She’s made so much growth since the beginning of the book, and she’s finally ready to actually take part in the war (in a more involved way). She’s going to protect young Jewish kids by getting them false papers and setting them up with new homes, whether with other non-Jews or in an orphanage (run by the Mother).

When it comes to the biggest themes and ideas of this section specifically, they would have to be love and bravery. Despite everything, (almost) every character has a level of love for someone or something. Gaet and Isabelle love each other so deeply, Sophie and Daniel love Vianne, and Vianne loves Isabelle (and vice versa) more than anyone can imagine. I mean it turns out that they’d also kill for each other. During one of Gaetan and Isabelle’s conversations, Isabelle says, “Maybe it’s the only sane thing in all of this. Love, I mean” (Hannah 403). In all reality, love truly is the only thing that undoubtedly makes sense in this whole book. Similar to how each character holds so much love, they are all immensely brave. Rachel left her children with her best friend. Isabelle continued to bring airmen into Spain despite everyone watching for her. Vianne is starting her own movement, and the list just goes on. It’s insane how brave every character is, and how much bravery it takes to survive a war.

Hannah continues to amaze me with the way she conveys the war and the relationships within it. Once again, I’d like to talk about more, but this is already getting too long.

Sarah is dead. I did not see that coming. Obviously, someone was going to die at some point, but I never expected it to be Vianne’s best friend’s daughter (also the best friend of Vianne’s daughter). The most heartbreaking part for me was when Rachel was comforting her daughter in the last few minutes of her life. She was telling Sarah whatever it was that would ease as much of the pain and fear as possible, even if it was breaking her own heart in the process. That always gets me. If I’m being honest, I’m trying to write about everything else in the section, but at the moment, I’m still reeling from the death. The ONE time Rachel and Vianne decide to take a risk and be brave, it backfires and they’re punished for it.

Rewinding back to the start of the section, Isabelle is leading the downed airmen across the mountains and into Spain. I didn’t realize how severe the weather was going to be, but just reading about the miserable conditions made me feel for them. However, they all survived and the “Nightingale sang”. I love that Isabelle’s code name is “Nightingale”. It makes more sense to me how the title of the book only mentions one nightingale (which answered my earlier question about the connection between the sisters and the title). I’m happy that Isabelle truly found a role in the war, as she continues to help downed airmen return to the fight. However, I’m still not convinced that this will be her only role in the war.

I kind of like the relationship that formed between MacLeish and Isabelle. It seems strictly platonic (though MacLeish might be attracted to her), and it’s nice to know that Isabelle is actually creating friendships despite the war (I think they make good friends). When they had an actual conversation while taking a break from hiking, he told her that she was a wonder. Later on, while MacLeish and Isabelle, along with the other airmen, were meeting with the consul, the man was dumbfounded that a girl was leading the pilots through the mountains and said, “Will wonders never cease?” MacLeish responded, “A wonder indeed, sir. I told her the very same thing” (Hannah 284). As previously mentioned, I love a full circle moment, no matter how small, so that just warmed my heart. It seems that Hannah is especially great at delivering those subtle, heartfelt moments. Now that MacLeish is back to his regular pilot duties, I’m not sure that Isabelle will ever see him again, though I do hope so.

People finally are worrying about the risks Isabelle is taking and making sure she understands the severity of getting caught. Up until this point, they just saw her as an unpredictable teenager, but now they’ve finally recognized what she brings to their movement. One thing that hasn’t changed, however, is her self-assurance. She’s fully confident that the Nazis and Germans won’t find the Nightingale (or at least that’s how she’s portraying herself).

Vianne had been struggling this whole section, and the weather was no help at all. I’d be miserable if I had to live through their bitter-cold winter and sweltering summer. Without any money, the only time she ate was when Beck was home (she was giving all her food to Sophie). Which, I mean yuck (for taking his food), but at the same time desperate times call for desperate measures. Not only that but now she has to worry about not getting caught protecting Rachel and her family (because they’re Jewish).

On the topic of Jews, the Nazis and Germans have begun to put stricter rules on them (before rounding them up and sending them to work camps). They were only allowed to shop in town for an hour between specific time periods, were forced to wear the Star of David, etc. The following link provides additional information and deeper insight on “the Jewish badge”: https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/jewish-badge-during-the-nazi-era

Hannah seems to really focus on character development and friendships, along with heavier topics (such as grief). There’s been a lot of character development specifically in the sisters, but even the side characters have faced internal and external changes. I think the struggle to gain and maintain friendships, how to handle them, and their importance are all concepts that are heavily uncovered. This is especially shown throughout Vianne’s and Rachel’s friendship in the secrets and sacrifices they have to make. And then there’s also so much grief each and every character is suffering through. The sisters had already lost their mom because of the war, and practically lost their father in the process, on top of everything they’re now struggling through. Practically every other character has either been forced to leave family behind or has lost friends and family in the process.

Shocker, I still don’t know how to feel about Captain Beck. I mean at this point is anyone surprised? He’s just so complex. No character I’ve met in depth has been fully black or white. There’s so much grey area. I wish Beck would just be a cruel Nazi with no sympathy. But, no, he has to be a semi-nice guy too. Not only did he help Vianne when she was sick, but he (kind of) put his job on the line for her. He warned Vianne & Rachel that all Jews were going to be rounded up. He advised that Rachel stay hidden. And Vianne was 100% certain that he was telling the truth (and he was). Their relationship is just so confusing. This was the first section where she seemed to kind of dislike him, but at the same time, she was having a heartfelt conversation with him. It doesn’t make sense to me.

This was actually a relatively slow section (maybe because of the time jump), but again, Hannah has the ability to keep me engaged throughout it all. I’m hoping the rest of the book begins to pick up and more dramatic plot points or revelations occur.

The plot is thickening…

I found out who the second timeline I previously mentioned is about. Spoiler Alert, it’s Isabelle. There was a connection between a name tag mentioned in the first chapter that kind of triggered flashbacks, and an alias Isabelle was just given that matched up with that name. It’s also revealed that Isabelle was someone who helped people in the war, so I’m assuming we’ll learn even more about that in the following sections. I love how we now know kind of what the reasoning behind the whole story being shared is. I’m curious to see how the second timeline is further explored and explained.

Isabelle got sent on a “mission” to Paris to deliver a letter and remain there as the resistance’s “letterbox”. I have no idea why they would willingly offer up that position to her. They know her well enough to know that she’d say yes, but why is she always the one put in the most danger? Also, I’m kind of disappointed that Isabelle didn’t give more thought and wasn’t more regretful about having to leave Vianne and Sophie behind. Yes, she did ask Henri to watch over Vianne and Sophie, but in reality, there’s nothing he will be able to do to help them. It’s obvious enough that Vianne is struggling, and even though it’s not overly expressed, I think that having Isabelle there really does help Vianne. Not to mention, who would want to live afraid and lie to everyone for the rest of their lives? I guess war really does change a person (and their values).

When Captain Beck watched as the German soldiers were basically emptying Vianne’s house I wasn’t sure whether or not to believe that he actually couldn’t stop them or if he was just lying to save face. But at the same time, why should he care what Vianne thinks about him and his work if he doesn’t actually care about her (which makes me uncomfortable to think about). I also hate how Beck automatically assumed that a man was handing out the propaganda. Can they really not fathom the idea that a woman could be capable of it? It’s just so messed up.

One quote I found kind of funny was, “If love is a disease, then I suppose I’m infected” (Hannah 186). It’s just a strange comparison to make about love, but it’s even worse that she’s talking about Henri. Such a lie. If she was infected at all it would be from her love for Gaet. Not only that but I was hurt and disappointed in Vianne for believing that was the reason behind Isabelle risking her life to get to Paris. She should know better than to believe she’d run away and ditch them for a man.

On a different note, Beck seems to be replacing Antoine. I don’t think he’d ever fully be capable unless he and Vianne fell in love (and Antoine died), but there are just little things that allude to it. Beck also seems to always know what Vianne is thinking, so I feel like some type of deeper relationship between them will inevitably form. Hopefully, it’s just friendship. I am glad that Antoine and Vianne can send letters to each other, at least there’s one silver lining in the situation.

I hate that the Nazis destroyed and confiscated certain books from the dad’s bookstore. The book burning and confiscations kind of reminds me of the book banning (and conversations about it) that is happening in today’s world. I personally don’t think any book should be banned. They all tell different stories that different people need to hear (though I also don’t know every single book).

I have no idea what Vianne is going to do now that she’s lost her job for standing up to the Nazis in the least problematic way. She’s going to run out of money and winter’s coming. I don’t even think Beck can do much about that.

I am so happy that Gaet has appeared again. I love a full circle moment, and that’s kind of Isabelle’s and Gaet’s story. Gaet knew Isabelle would find her own way into the resistance and now they’re reunited. I feel like some drama will follow with their relationship, but all the better for me to read about I guess.

Now Isabelle is actually risking her life by offering to guide these airmen into San Sebastian. I’m really excited to see where this storyline goes and how she’ll make it out (assuming she does succeed). But, that also means she and Vianne aren’t going to reconnect for a long while.

It’s a great relief to find out that their dad isn’t actually working for the Germans. He’s actually a part of the resistance, by forging papers (and he created the alias for Isabelle). It seems like no one in this family knows each other as much as they should (considering they don’t think twice about anything they’re told). I’m happy that their dad really does care about the sisters, considering he sent Isabelle away from Paris in an attempt to keep her safe from the war (but no one is ever truly safe from war). But, we still don’t know why he kept pushing the sisters away before the war, because he just completely ignored the question and instead reminded Isabelle that war makes everyone fragile (ties to the first quote in the book). The relationship between the dad and Isabelle is an interesting dynamic, that I hope continues to be explored.

I know I wrote about a lot, but there’s still so much more to be talked about. I love how this book covers so many different issues and relationships without making the story overwhelming and confusing. I’m really starting to enjoy this book.

Unrelated note: I think Isabelle would be a swiftie and I found a playlist on Spotify that has a similar vibe to the book: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3EsbWL4Nkv3lDSXMbavDpF?si=52c9856192cb46a0

I read this section a lot quicker than I read the last. Honestly, I don’t know if that’s due to my desire to hurry up so I could continue reading a different book, or because it was truly better than the last. Despite my uncertainty on that, I think it is safe to say that I really enjoy Hannah’s writing style. Another quote I read and really like is, “She says if you jump off a cliff at least you’ll fly before you fall” (Hannah 156). It’s just something I’ve never thought about and it’s kind of inspiring and reassuring. There’s something about her writing that just makes everything flow together so smoothly, in addition to being able to maintain my entertainment when very little is actually going on (I have yet to be bored of anything in this book). This section had less to do with getting to know the characters on a base level and more to do with the progression of the war and how it’s affecting them all. Though, through it all, I’m learning more and more about all of the characters.

We met a new character, Captain Beck, who I’m entirely unsure how to feel about. For starters, he’s a Nazi forcing himself into Vianne’s home. He’s supposed to stand for everything the sisters stand against. But, to be honest, he doesn’t seem that horrible or evil. He’s actually kind of nice. He offers to help Vianne out around the house whenever he can, helps her out with little requests, and looks out for her. Maybe he’s being kind for his own motive, but I feel like he truly has the best intentions (toward the situation he’s been forced into). But also at the same time, he forced Vianne to write down Rachel, her best friend’s name, on a list of teachers who are Jews, Communists, etc. that he was required to acquire. I mean he could have asked anyone for those names, but he chose to put V in that position. Why? I just have no idea how to feel about him. To no surprise, Isabelle despises Beck, despite his attempts at kindness. I don’t blame her, he is a Nazi after all. I’m intrigued to see where his character goes and how his character develops.

One scene that made me laugh was when Beck was trying to compliment Isabelle, but it was twisted into something else. Beck complimented her hair, but since they’re not supposed to have nice things, Isabelle chopped her hair off. I mean that is a boss move, and I admire her for it. If you had to compile a select number of scenes to describe Isabelle’s character that would definitely be one of them.

There was a moment where I thought Isabelle and Vianne were finally getting over their differences and might of been admitting their love for each other. Though nothing was explicitly stated, it was evident that Vianne wanted to make sure that wherever Isabelle was going she’d be safe and Isabelle was leaving because she wanted to keep Vianne safe. It’s a backward way of caring for one another, but they did hug which I feel like a step in the right direction.

It’s crazy to me how the people in town are able to continue living life like nothing has changed. They all seem so welcoming toward the Germans, which I get that they want to stay alive, but how isn’t anyone protesting? It seems like Isabelle is the only one that has the courage to stand up and fight. Wouldn’t it be better for everyone if they united and stood up for themselves? There would at least be a chance that they could invoke at least a little change in the right direction.

A bigger plot point in this section that I was really glad to read about, was when Isabelle finally got a role in the war. After defacing a Jewish propaganda poster, Isabelle was dragged away and offered a position to distribute papers made by radicals and communists. She obviously accepted, but now there’s extra pressure on her because if she gets caught she’ll most likely be killed. Not to mention she has to keep it all a secret from Vianne and make sure Captain Beck doesn’t find the papers. It’s a dangerous task, but I feel like it’s reassurance for Isabelle to know that not only does she now have a role in the war, but she’s not alone in wanting to fight for France.

SPOILER ALERT: Antoine has been imprisoned. I feel so bad for Vianne and Sophie. Vianne was really missing him and needed him back to help her with all that’s been going on. However, I think it will be a great opportunity for Vianne to be more independent and really figure out how to become a leader, in addition to learning how to overcome another challenge (if you can even consider losing your husband a challenge). Not to mention the strength it took to inform her friends of the same misfortune. When it comes to Sophie, I think her bond with her mom and possibly Isabelle will intensify, however, it’s really sad thinking about how she now has to grow up without her father in her life. The fact that she’s old enough to remember him and his presence in her life makes the situation worse.

The scene between Mother Superior Marie-Therese and Vianne was really heartwarming. To know that Vianne can go somewhere to let all her thoughts and feelings out and not be criticized is reassuring. Something that stuck with me is how Mother told Vianne that Isabelle’s own crisis with faith will come (because as of right now she seems pretty sure of herself). I’m interested if she ends up being right and if we’ll witness Isabelle’s own crisis.

Thinking back, this section actually did have a lot going on it just wasn’t all focused on one specific plot point. I’m excited to see the character development of all characters and where the next section is headed.

The first 83 pages of The Nightingale were alright. The first sentence, “If I have learned anything in this long life of mine, it is this: In love we find out who we want to be; in war we find out who we are”, was really beautiful and intriguing. I don’t know what it is about it, but it stuck with me. Nothing too exciting has happened, but I do expect the story to pick up soon, especially because the sisters have just now united. Although nothing too crazy happened, I do enjoy the fact that there are two different timelines going on. I find books that have multiple points of view or timelines entertaining to read because of the additional series of events that entail.

I found out the significance of “The Nightingale”! I love finding out how titles tie into books, and in this case, it’s because the sisters’ last name, Rossignol, means nightingale. But, if the story is focused on both sisters, shouldn’t it be “The Nightingales”? Anyways, I hope that a deeper meaning to the title and cover arises.

So far I’ve met a handful of different characters, but I haven’t learned much about most of them. I’m not a huge fan of any of the characters. The sisters’ dad sucks. He doesn’t seem to really care about them and is always sending the youngest sister (Isabelle) away. At first, I really disliked the older sister (Vianne), mainly because she bored me, but now I don’t know which sister I like less. Although I’m not enthralled with either of them, I do kind of relate to Isabelle. She’s described by her friends as a bookworm and has been told she reads too much (which I have also been told many times). I also admire her desire to do something good in the world and to continue chasing her dream of helping fight in the war (despite all the doubts and criticisms thrown at her). One character I’m confused about my feelings toward is Gaet. Isabelle met him in the woods on her way to her sister’s. He said he was let out of prison and if he wanted to kill her, he would have already done it. That alone is skeptical. But, I do appreciate his (almost) complete honesty and how he intends to fight alongside her in the war.

There is one scene I don’t know how to feel about. Only a day or so after Isabelle and Gaet met, Isabelle confessed her love for him. I kind of hate when people fall in love so fast because it just feels too fake and obviously rushed. I don’t understand how she could have fallen in love so quickly, especially when she was delusional from exhaustion during almost their whole time together. Not to mention the only thing she knows about him is that he was a prisoner, a communist, and will (or was supposed to) bring her along to fight in the war. However, after the declaration of love, he ditches her with only a note saying that she isn’t ready to fight. I’m kind of grateful he did that.

Some additional, random thoughts I have are that I’m excited to see how her relationship with her sister progresses and how they get involved in the “women’s war”. I also want Gaet and Isabelle to find each other later on in the book, because their relationship does interest me. This is really random, but I just finished watching all of the hunger games movies, so each time I read “nightingale” I think of Mockingjay. They don’t relate, besides the fact that both words also happen to be the names of birds, but it’s just stuck in my head.

Anyways, I’m excited to see the plot pick up and where the story goes from here.

I chose to read The Nightingale with Lucy. I picked it because it’s been sitting on my bookshelf at home for at least a year, and I figured there’s no better time to read it than now. I’m pretty sure I saw a TikTok about how good it was, so when I went to a Barnes & Noble I just had to buy it (and I can never leave a bookstore without buying a book. It’s seriously impossible). When it comes to the book itself, I just think the cover is really pretty and It’s hard for me to read a book when the cover is incredibly ugly. Not to mention the first sentence is so good. I also love a story with an empowering female main character and It sounds like that will be in this book. World War II and the Holocaust also interest me, so it seems like a good choice to get me a little outside of my comfort zone. I’m looking forward to being able to discuss the book and each specific part with Lucy because it feels like a little book club, and book clubs seem fun. I’m apprehensive about the topic of the book just because reading about wars sometimes bores me. I also don’t particularly enjoy reading multiple books at one time because then it doesn’t feel like I’m giving my full attention to the books. Since I don’t want to get too far ahead for each week, I’m obviously going to have to read another book at the same time. However, other than that I feel like I will enjoy both the book and this assignment. I’m going to make sure I don’t procrastinate, so I’ll read the book every day (and maybe jot down notes) in order to ensure my success.

Out of the three texts, Red Cloud and de las Casas changed their audiences. Overall his speech was more personable than the other texts, especially because directly speaking to an audience can leave a bigger, more memorable impact than a written account. Not only that but Red Cloud also clearly states what he is trying to achieve, while the others, specifically Colombus’s text, require more thinking to uncover the point being made. For example, after recalling how he was deceived about the treaty’s contents Red Cloud says, “All I want is right and justice.” (Cloud 2). By plainly stating what needs to be achieved it leaves little room for his audience to misinterpret the issue, which was that Native Americans had been wronged and treated unequally. In addition to his concise statements, he also expresses his gratitude toward his audience for listening to and understanding him. The fact that he mentions their understanding makes the audience feel obliged to at least continue to think about the issue at hand and not simply forget about it. Similar to how Red Cloud ended his speech, de las Casas also “called” people out at the end of his story. De las Casas was explaining how despite the law, Spaniards continued to sell Native Americans off of their own land and, “…the unjust judges did nothing to stop it.” (de las Casas 92). So, once again the judges and the rest of de las Casas’ audience were forced to continue to contemplate the unjust issues. On top of that de las Casas writes about the hardships Native Americans were forced into with great detail. With all of the detail he used throughout his story the deathly consequences of the Spaniards actions are truly conveyed. By describing the horrid things Natives had to endure de las Casas’ audience was changed. They were able to see the inequalities and violence in a new light, which prevented more people from both partaking in and supporting the Spaniards and their actions. On the contrary, the excerpts from Colombus’s jorunal, which he later gave to the king and queen of Spain, didn’t change the audience. Although Colombus describes how he treated and percieved the Native Americans he didn’t write about it in a negative connotation, because in his mind nothing was wrong with it. And since the royalty were his initial audience as long as he was succeeding and benefitting Spain they weren’t going to be changed. If Colombus wrote more in detail about the poor treatment Native Americans had to endure those who later read his accounts could have changed their perspective. Overall, both detail and conscise statements lead to potentially changing one’s perspective and opinion.

In “Relation”, Bartolome De Las Casas describes the events that occured when the Spaniards first landed in the New World. The New World was just that, new to those from Spain. When they arrived they treated the Native Americans in an array of brutal ways and in the beginning De las Casas had participated. However, he unlike the others recognized how cruel and wrong his actions were and stopped. Following his change in opinion, he writes, “And it is a great sorrow and heartbreak to see this coastal land which was so flourishing, now a depopulated desert.” This reflects upon how when De Las Casas and the other Spaniards first arrived in the new land and encountered people from different cultures, the land was full of life and thriving. But instead of embracing their differences the Spaniards forced the Native Americans into doing as they instructed and in some instances even sold them for money. In addion to that they also forced Natives into hard labor such as working in the mines and pearl fishing, which death then inevitably ensued. So, ultimately the Spaniards had ruined both the lives of the Native Americans and land they newly encountered. Without a change in perspective De Las Casas would never have realized the evil he was partaking in or even have made this realization. The story really just conveys how easily one culture or group of people can be taken over and taken advantage of by a more dominant culture.