3 Books to Read If You Loved The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

The Nightingale is such a popular book, and for good reason. Like most people, I fell completely in love with it. It was beautifully written, with complex and layered characters and a well-paced storyline. I sobbed my little heart out at the end of the book (and I know I'm not alone there!!)

If you loved The Nightingale, here are 3 more books I guarantee you will enjoy. 

Happy reading!

Code Name Hélène by Ariel Lawhon

 

 

Why you should read it

I love the concept of a fictional story about real people, and Nancy Wake is a brilliant subject. I honestly did not know anything about The White Mouse before I read this book, and I am completely in awe of her. It is incredible to think many of the stories in this book really happened.

The writing was truly fantastic. The characters were really lovable, and the storyline was fast-paced. There were a couple of scenes in particular that stuck out, one that was so barbaric it made me feel sick and another so horrifyingly sad I cried and hugged my daughter so tightly she yelled at me to let her go. My heart was pounding so much throughout the book… and I think such physical responses to what I was reading speaks volumes about the quality of writing.

This book is similar to The Nightingale in multiple ways, one of them being: that trip that Isabelle made across the Pyrenees to return downed airman to Britain? Nancy Wake actually did that!

If you read and loved The Nightingale, trust me, you’ll love Code Name Hélène too. Please have a bottle of brandy on hand for reading this one – on my Instagram review post, Ariel Lawhon recommended Rémy Martin, stating “it’s very good served neat with a splash of Grand Marnier”. À votre santé!

Side note: if you’re looking for another fictional book about real events, try another of Ariel Lawon’s novels ‘Flight of Dreams’, a fictional account of the real people on board the Hindenburg blimp in the days leading up to the well-known disaster.

Code Name Hélène is published by Simon & Schuster 

 

The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

 

 

Why you should read it:

Set during WW1 and a few years after WW2, this novel really threw a light on female espionage agents and the work they were largely unrecognised for. I can draw many parallels between The Alice Network and The Nightingale, but the main one is the spy storyline. I loved that the espionage work wasn’t all action and adventure, as one of the characters puts it "to tell the truth, much of this special work we do is quite boring." It was fascinating to learn more about the quiet work that made an enormous difference in the war effort.

For me, a great book is all about the characters. The characters in this novel were so real and vivid, I thought for sure they had to be based on real people. They were brave, raw, chilling, and endearing. I sincerely loved the celebration of female friendships in the book, this was a constant and important theme throughout the storyline. Seeing how the relationships grew and changed after the experiences they went through together made for an excellent reading experience.

 

The Alice Network is published by William Morrow Books

 

  

Miss Lily’s Lovely Ladies by Jackie French

Why you should read it:

For me, one of the most thrilling parts of reading historical fiction novels set during the war is the stories of strong and capable women who helped their countries pick up and carry on when the men were fighting in the trenches. Miss Lily’s Lovely Ladies is exactly that, and so much more. Sophie Higgs is the daughter of a successful and wealthy Australian corned beef industrialist, who is sent to Shillings Hall to spend some time under the tutelage of Miss Lily. Miss Lily is renowned for teaching young ladies (of a certain status) etiquette, charm, expectations of society and how to captivate a man.  Sophie, a brash ‘colonial’, doesn’t put much stock in learning Miss Lily’s ways to begin with… but she soon starts to realise that the tips from Miss Lily help her wield a certain type of manipulative power. Who is Miss Lily, and what is she really preparing her lovely ladies for?

I absolutely LOVE Sophie Higgs as a main character, and Miss Lily is so mysterious and interesting. The work done by women in the war just astounds me, and this book gave me so much more insight into what it takes to keep a country going.

BONUS! This is the first in a series of 4… and once you fall in love with these characters, trust me, you’ll want more and more and more! 

Also, please be prepared have crumpets and honey ready to go in the pantry before reading this book. You will wanted to eat homemade crumpets lightly toasted over a fireplace, drizzled with Shillings honey while having multiple cups of tea (supermarket crumpets in the toaster and homebrand honey do the job too, I've done the research. You're welcome.)

Miss Lily's Lovely Ladies is published by Angus & Robertson

 For more book reviews, recommendations and general bookishness, come over and chat with me on my Instagram page. Happy reading!