Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

183 reviews

livlaughlit's review

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

I was intrigued to read this book, as I’d heard practically nothing but rave reviews, but sadly this missed the mark for me.

I thought the writing style was somewhat unsophisticated and repetitive, with Hannah often implying something and then immediately clarifying what she meant, just in case we hadn’t picked up on the nuance. Regardless, the pervasive anachronisms were the real bug-bear for me. On every other page, there was an error that made me roll my eyes (oral antibiotics? A Flemish farmer smoking like a true Frenchman? The flippant mention of concentration camps on official warnings?). This read as Historical Fanfiction, rather than a well-researched piece of Historical Fiction. It was also extremely forgiving of Vichy France’s passing antisemitic legislation independently of Nazi requirements.  

Too often, the characters were reduced to flat stereotypes, and the development of the romantic plots were poorly paced (especially between Isabelle and Gaetan). I was also unconvinced by Isabelle and Vianne’s relationship, which seemed not to develop much at all.  

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Genocide, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Sexual assault, War, Xenophobia, Child death, Murder, Violence, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Torture, Misogyny, Death, Sexism, and Sexual violence

Minor: Alcoholism, Cancer, and Miscarriage

ldod's review

emotional informative inspiring sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Terminal illness, Torture, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Cancer, Rape, War, Misogyny, Infertility, Murder, Grief, Genocide, Death of parent, and Child death

acal92's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Physical abuse, Violence, Deportation, Sexual assault, Rape, Slavery, Death of parent, War, Death, Torture, and Racism

inkwellimps's review

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The book was technically well written, so I'm giving it a higher star rating compared to how I actually felt reading it. The Nightingale is an exhausting read that I had to really force myself to finish. The horrors pile up, and there is hardly any relief. I read this at a recommendation of a family member, and I don't think I will read another WWII book for a long while. Not my genre, I suppose.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, War, Child death, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Antisemitism, Gun violence, Torture, Death, Genocide, Murder, Rape, and Deportation

Moderate: Death of parent and Chronic illness

Starvation/hunger is also a theme of this book.

emmelineg's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Colonisation, Death, Deportation, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Grief, and War

Moderate: Blood, Child death, and Death of parent

Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Body horror, and Cancer

kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This book devastated me. The plot is so intricately woven together, the female protagonists are both incredibly brave and interesting, the historical pieces are flawlessly researched and rendered. I hadn’t considered the war from this many perspectives or through the different scenarios that unfolded in the course of this novel. I wept for the bravery, the sacrifice, and the love that encompassed WW2 and that this novel highlights. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Cancer, Child death, Classism, Death of parent, Confinement, Death, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Vomit, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Antisemitism, Bullying, Kidnapping, Medical content, Torture, Blood, Chronic illness, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Hate crime, Mass/school shootings, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual violence, Homophobia, Infertility, Misogyny, Murder, Police brutality, War, and Pregnancy

jules3795's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Antisemitism, Child death, War, and Violence

Minor: Rape, Death of parent, Grief, and Miscarriage

emk2008's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

Kristin Hannah grabbed a hold of my emotions from the very beginning and kept me until the beautiful end. Heart wrenching. Beautiful.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, War, Child death, Death of parent, Rape, Torture, and Genocide

allikay14's review against another edition

emotional inspiring sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Sexual harassment, Death, Alcoholism, Antisemitism, Child death, Deportation, Confinement, Genocide, Torture, Gun violence, Rape, War, Pregnancy, and Racism

greatestheights's review against another edition

dark emotional informative tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Kristin Hannah unfailingly writes historical fiction that utterly devastates me, and she does it SO well.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, Violence, War, Miscarriage, Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, and Torture

Minor: Cancer