(Warning: spoilers ahead for up to page 170 of the book)
I am obsessed with the time period surrounding WW2 and was aching for an emotional, meaningful read so you can imagine how thrilled I was to find “The Nightingale”…a story of 2 sisters living through the German occupation of France was right up my alley.
I’m almost a 1/3 of the way through and I’m at a total loss for what makes this book so well reviewed and frequently recommended. The story, characters and writing are very…basic and almost juvenile. One sister is the meek type and the other is “the rebel.” Not reductive or cliche at all! Of course Vianne had the most perfect relationship with her husband, no imperfections in him whatsoever, then he has to go to war. Isabelle has to leave Paris and immediately stumbles upon a man who saves her and sees through her in a way no other person ever has 🙄 Like, c’mon.
Not to mention, the plot isn’t moving forward at all, which would be fine if there were some character development but that seems to be missing as well. Both protagonists are very uninteresting.
I feel like I have an idea of where it’s going (Nazi Beck is so handsome, and Antoine is not coming home, hmm I wonder what could happen…) and I hope I’m wrong.
I know, I can just stop reading if I don’t like it and I might. I guess I’m just curious for those of you who enjoyed this book- why? It has overwhelmingly positive reviews so clearly I’m in the minority. Anybody else feel about it as I do?
by GirlisNo1