The Nightingale- book club discussion

[wesleycrusher]

Thoughts?

Here are some questions I found, you can answer some or none:

1. Though sisters, Isabelle and Vianne react to conflict and war in very different ways. Do you identify more with Isabelle’s impetuous yet brave approach or Vianne’s quiet strength?

2. When Christophe meets Isabelle, he scoffs at the idea that a woman can be a hero. How do the women in this book show heroism? Which men in this book would you describe as heroes, too?

3. When Isabelle is leaving Paris with the refugees, they “[shove] her forward, until she had no choice but to stumble along with them.” In what aspects do the characters in this book go along with the actions and beliefs of those around them, and in what ways do they go against the crowd?

4. Isabelle wonders, “Why is it so easy for men in the world to do as they wanted and so difficult for women?” Times have changed in terms of gender equality since the 1940s, but do you think this still rings true in our world today?

5. As she lives with and learns more about Captain Beck, Vianne is torn between many emotions, including sympathy. Did you also find yourself feeling more sympathetic towards Beck as the novel progressed?

6. Vianne tells Isabelle, “[…] You’re so strong and I’m not.” Do you agree with her? In what ways is each sister both strong and weak?

7. After her friend and neighbor, Rachel, is taken away, Vianne takes in Rachel’s young son, Ari, giving him a new identity as Daniel Mauriac, and forcing him to forget his old life. Is this unfair or justified given the danger he would face otherwise?

8. When members of Rachel’s extended family are later found in America, Vianne is forced to give up Ari/Daniel so he can reunite with his relatives. Do you think this is what Rachel would have wanted?

9. Isabelle’s father sacrifices his own life to save her. She realizes that he is “trying to make it up to her, asking for forgiveness and seeking redemption all at once.” In your opinion, did this act accomplish that?

10. What was your reaction to the final scene between the two sisters, and to finally discovering the identity of the story’s narrator? Was it in line with your expectations, or were you taken by surprise?

[wesleycrusher]

I really did not relate to Isabelle. I don't feel like selfish is the right word, because obviously her actions saving the men were heroic, but she just could not put herself in other people's position or see from their point of view. It made her seem naïve and immature- which I thought would have gotten better throughout the book, but I didn't see much character growth. I definitely related to Vianne much more.

[travella]

I read this book a long time ago. I rated it 4*, but I cannot recall anything from the story. Even the synopsis didn't jog my memory so it wasn't memorable, but I enjoyed it when I read it.

[rainbowchip]

I read this book right after reading Home Front by the same author. I highly recommend NOT reading 2 Kristin Hannah books in a row. They are a lot of emotion.

1. I identify with Vianne more than Isabelle. Though I would like to be as brave as Isabelle, I wouldn't take the risks she took. Maybe if I was single and didn't have kids I would be more brave but I couldn't see myself doing with Isabelle did because I have kids to think about too. That's where Vianne was coming from through the whole story as well.

4. It has gotten easier being a woman since the 1940s but it's perfect being a woman today. From the gender pay gap to the emotional labor, a lot of pressures are put on women that men do not have.

5. I did have some pangs of sympathy for Beck but then I remembered that he was still a part of a regime that was doing atrocious things. Even not knowing about the concentration camps, what they did to the people of France was horrible on it's own. People were suffering (little food, no fuel to heat their homes, etc). But I don't know if he really could have done much. He helped Vianne when he could, sure, but could he have stopped other suffering? I think that if he would have left, his family would have paid the price. But I still didn't have a ton of sympathy when he was talking about missing his family and not liking being in France. He probably didn't deserve to die though and obviously was miles ahead of what replaced him.

8. I'm torn on this one. I think Rachel would have liked her son to grow up with Vianne and in France, but I also see that after the Holocaust, he really needed to be raise Jewish and Vianne couldn't do that. I think in the end he seemed like he was well adjusted so it probably worked out.

9. It honestly may have been more humane if Isabelle had died instead of her father. She spent the rest of her life suffering in the camp only to die shortly after returning home. I don't think that was her father's planned outcome. He probably thought that she would be released.

10. I went back and forth on which sister it was. I thought Vianne might be too old for it to be her. But then there were a few things that made me think it couldn't have been Isabelle. I was like 70/30 that it was Vianne so it was a little surprising.
I was also touched (I don't know if that's the right word) by the fact that Vianne sort of shrugged off the kids that she saved. It reminded me a little bit of the scene in Schindler's List where he was regretting not selling more of his stuff to save more people not realizing how big an impact he actually made.

[abs]

Aug 2, 2019 14:10:33 GMT -5 travella said:

I read this book a long time ago. I rated it 4*, but I cannot recall anything from the story. Even the synopsis didn't jog my memory so it wasn't memorable, but I enjoyed it when I read it.

This. I read the book years ago and really enjoyed at the time. The questions ring a bell but not enough for me to really contribute.

[minzy]

I also read this a long time ago but loved it. I don’t remember a lot but could see how the sisters made different choices, one a parent and the other childless.

I was on a kick of historical WWII fiction, and although I found some of the others decent (Lilac Girls, All The Light We Cannot See) think of this one as the top contender in the category.

[krystee]

The scenes of everyone walking away from Paris after the bombings stand out in my mind. I can’t imagine the chaos and horror of an entire city fleeing after devastation.

I definitely identified more with Vianne. I loved that she started saving kids because it showed how brave she really was, just in a quieter way than her sister.

The whole Rachel story, and particularly the scene of Daniel having to leave, broke my heart. I understand the importance of preserving Jewish culture after the war, but at the same time, the poor baby lost two mamas. I was glad to see him at the end and see that he turned out okay (yes, I know he’s fictional, but still!).

[Nonny]

It's been 3 years since I read this (had to go look at my Goodreads review).

I remember thinking this book was OK, but like with all Kristin Hannah books, being super annoyed at how it was written. She has this tendency to deliberately frame things in a way that's designed to emotionally manipulate the reader, and I really fucking hate that in books and TV shows. Let the story stand for itself without throwing in the extra, unbelievable tragedy of people dropping dead at their lover's feet. (That was this book right?)

[rainbowchip]

Aug 4, 2019 15:54:24 GMT -5 Nonny said:

It's been 3 years since I read this (had to go look at my Goodreads review).

I remember thinking this book was OK, but like with all Kristin Hannah books, being super annoyed at how it was written. She has this tendency to deliberately frame things in a way that's designed to emotionally manipulate the reader, and I really fucking hate that in books and TV shows. Let the story stand for itself without throwing in the extra, unbelievable tragedy of people dropping dead at their lover's feet. (That was this book right?)

Yes. Isabelle died in her lover's arms minutes after he returned to her.

[CrazyLucky]

I accidentally reserved this book as an audio book. It came as 14 CDs of about 90 minutes each, and the only place I have a CD player is in the car. So it took a loooong time to get through.
I liked it. I like history and getting the perspective of what it was really like to live through WWII and occupied France was interesting to me.

I think Vianne and Isabelle represent two different points in my life. Pre-kids, pre-DH, I can definitely see myself being selfish and stupid while still being brave and doing something good. Now, with kids, I like to think I would have the strength to save kids like Vianne did. But I'm not sure.

I guess I have limited sympathy for Beck. To me, it's clear that he wasn't an evil person and wouldn't have taken part in what was going on if he had a choice. But he did take part. His actions to help Rachel, or Vianne, or Ari don't make up for the evil. The second Nazi that stayed with Vianne provided a contrast that I guess could have made Beck seem more sympathetic, but still...

The only chance Daniel had was to become Daniel and not Ari. Totally justified.

I generally have a hard time with books where awful things happen to children. Right after this I started reading Nickel Boys, and I can't get through it. People are so sick and so evil.

[wildrice]

I finally finished reading this. I had read it a few years ago, and I think I actually liked it less this time? I enjoyed it again, but I remember it being SO GOOD and maybe I've built up my memory of it too much and my expectations were too high.

I actually don't think I identified much with either sister. Neither could see the others' point of view at all, at least not until near the end. I am guessing I would behave more like Vianne, especially given the fact that we're in a crisis right now and I'm not running off to protest or take much of any concrete action beyond donating money and talking about my views. I think Isabelle's actions are relatively rare though.

I think Vianne made the right choice to keep Ari as Daniel, and at least in the short term it was better for him to think she was his mom, both for reasons of safety and for his own wellbeing. I don't think a child that young would have understood losing his real family or hiding without giving it away. I do think it kind of sucks that he was taken from his new family and sent to America, though. Although I can understand wanting to raise him in the Jewish faith and can empathize with wanting to have as many Jews as possible remaining in families where they can continue their faith, culture, and heritage - I just think that must have been so traumatic for that poor kid to move to a brand new country and culture with people he had no relationship with. I feel like there had to have been some way to keep his faith and remember his family while still living with the Mauriac family in the town he was from, the language he knew, and the people who he loved.

As far as their dad - I don't think his sacrifice made everything ok, but I do think it showed that he loved them. Which was maybe the best anyone could hope for at that point. There was so much water under that bridge that I doubt there was ever going to be a way to a great relationship. But in the end of all this terrible stuff, I think it's ok to forgive him and all his flaws, too.

Beck had some sympathy, but only to a point. I think he was probably a decent man before the war, and may have been a decent man forever if not for becoming a Nazi. We don't know if he chose to become one, or if he felt forced, or if he was forced. I know once you're a Nazi, you have limited ability to say no to orders, but even if he feared death for saying no, was that really worse than what he was doing? I know it's very, very hard to resist a powerful group like that and that he probably felt like he had no options. But you can always choose not to go along with something that isn't right. You may die for it, but that is still a choice you are making if you don't. So. Limited sympathy.