• The Nightingale

  • By: Kristin Hannah
  • Narrated by: Polly Stone
  • Length: 17 hrs and 19 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (358 ratings)

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The Nightingale  By  cover art

The Nightingale

By: Kristin Hannah
Narrated by: Polly Stone
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Publisher's summary

Two sisters. One must be brave. One should be afraid. Bravery, courage, fear, and love in a time of war. Despite their differences sisters Viann and Isabelle have always been close.

Younger, bolder Isabelle lives in Paris while Viann 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 Viann 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, Viann 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.

Vivid and exquisite in its illumination of a time and place that was filled with atrocities but also humanity and strength, Kristin Hannah's novel will provoke thought and discussion that will have readers talking long after they finish listening.

©2015 Kristin Hannah (P)2015 Pan Macmillan Publishers Ltd.

What listeners say about The Nightingale

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Heartbreaking but enjoyable

I enjoyed The Nightingale immensely. The narrator kept me wanting to hear more. The changes in her voice when she became another character was appealing to my ear.
Great story, which is many persons' story, told from a different angle.
Recommended to anyone who loves to read books with a historical perspective

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

What an incredible book!!!!!!

So beautifully read!! So beautifully written!!! So difficult to listen to in parts and yet unputdownable which isn’t a word but the best way to describe this book. Get ready for a touching, painful, inspiring and deeply touching story!!! Well done to the reader - what an incredible job you did. And kristan Hannah you are simply incredible!!!!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Heartbreaking

I rarely write reviews, on this occasion I shall endeavour to put my thoughts into print. This is not just another book about the holocaust. It’s about the French and how deeply they suffered under the German occupation. So often I was so deeply moved by the suffering endured I had to stop listening as I was so angered by the dictatorship of Hitler and others who have followed since. Truly one of the best books ever read/listened to.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A must read

Incredible story, so beautifully written, and Polly Stone’s narration was absolutely brilliant!
I was so sad when the book was finished!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Beautiful

What did you like best about this story?

The book ended with me in tears – as almost all great books do. My last notes are monosyllables: brilliant, sad, love, forgiveness, courage, courage, courage…

Any additional comments?

While the novel is written in the third person, the intermittent glimpse to the future (1995) is narrated by one of the sisters (it is not clear for the majority of the book which sister this is) in the first person. This glimpse forward with its unmistakable hindsight adds an element of mystery to the story which I loved

I am drawn to WWII books, in particular, those set in occupied France. I don’t know why – they are almost always sad and I tend to question what I would have done in the same situation… I know I courage would have failed me and that doesn’t lead to happy thoughts. But it is why I found myself drawn to Vianne whose courage didn’t come easy.@crushingcinders

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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fantastic read

great book, could not put it down.
well written.
I would highly recommend this book.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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One of the best books I've read

This book will stay with me for a long time. I just couldn't put it down.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Just the kind of world warII novel I enjoy

A beautifully written story that takes you through the experiences of people who lived through the war. Excellent narration by Polly Stone.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

excellent story, frustrating narration problems

If you could sum up The Nightingale in three words, what would they be?

bittersweet, intriguing, formidable.

Any additional comments?

Great story of two sisters in occupied France during WWII.

Audio review - Narrator had a great voice but didnt bother to learn french pronunciation of common french words / phrases which were scattered throughout the story. So she stuck with mispronouncing them the whole way through which was quite annoying.

Secondly it was obvious where she had re-recorded snippets, a sentence here and there where she didnt even bother to match her voice to her previous reading, sometimes when speaking as a character! This was really poor form. The volume levels when this happened were also out, indicating that nobody even bothered mixing the volume tracks to match where there had been breaks.

These audio issues really destroyed the storytelling. I would only recommend this book for reading, not listening.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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Best read/listen in a long time! Highly recommend

Amazing story, amazing narration. Couldn’t put it down! One of the best audibles yet!
Looking forward to other books from this author and narrator now.

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