“Men tell stories. Women get on with it. For us it was a shadow war. There were no parades for us when it was over, no medals or mentions in history books. We did what we had to during the war, and when it was over, we picked up the pieces and started our lives over.” Historical fiction is still quite a new genre to me. "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr is the first historical fiction book I have read and it was mind-blowing. Personally, Kristin Hannah is one of my go-to authors. I feel like you can never go wrong with either one of her books. When I picked this up I never thought it would leave me in tears. World War II was not easy on anyone. Countless lives were lost and many people suffered in silence, struggling to survive. Hope was the only thing that kept them going. When we think of sacrifice, soldiers are the first ones that come to our mind. We disregard all the soldiers left at home - mothers, grandparents, neighbours looking for a way to feed their families. Famine, lack of goods and poverty were common. Vianne once also lived a very comfortable life. Things changed rapidly when Germany invaded France. Antoiene, her husband and the love of her life, left to join the army while she and Sophie stayed behind. Besides her friend Rachel, she was quite lonely. Her family was in Paris - her father and sister Isabelle. Their mother died after WWI and her father was never the same after. Always keept them at distance, never showing any love or attention. Isabelle only wanted him to be proud of her so that is why she joined The Resistance. She could not just stand there and watch the country she loves go into ruins. At first she started carrying leaflets all around France after curfew. It was strictly forbidden to walk around at night and if caught, punishment by death was not unlikely. At night she was Juliette Gervaise - woman in the shadows. One night she found a fallen American pilot in the square and that is when she got an idea. What if there was a way she could save him? Establishing a route to Spain was quite difficult. Not only were there mountains and huge distances to cross, Isabelle had already risked her life enough but she felt like she could do more. Ignored by both her father and sister, she had nothing to lose. To them she was only a burden while this was a way to be useful. She could actually save lives and bring families back together. Isabelle did this so many times she barely kept count. Vianne on the other hand was a hero of her own village. Saving and hiding Jewish children was a crime punishable by death. She gave them fake identities and hid them in an orphanage all while keeping track of their real identities and families hoping one day they will be together again. Will Isabelle and Vianne be ever caught? Will they be recognised and praised as heroes when the war ends? Will they survive and see France freed? Some heroes do not wear capes. Isabelle and Vianne may be fictional characters but there are so many like them that are barely recognised or praised enough for their sacrifices. As women they could not get enough credit like their male colleagues but their sacrifice should not go unnoticed. Risking both your and your loved ones safety and lives was not an easy choice. Tough times require tough choices. Altough fictional, Vianne and Isabelle can only be a source of inspiration for all of us. Courage is what happens when you chose to do the right thing despite all odds. We do not need to risk our lives in order to be heroes. Being a hero means being there for your loved ones when they need you, helping out a neighbour, giving charity or visiting orphanages and nursing homes. There is so much more you can do. Do not ever underestimate the power of a smile, hug or a kiss. Someone's day can get better just beacuse of you. If you can not be someone's hero be your own. Sometimes saving yourself is good enough. "The Nightingale" is getting a movie adaptation in 2022 starring real life sisters Elle and Dakota Fanning.
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