The Nightingale Girls

By: Donna Douglas

Narrated by: Penelope Freeman

Three very different girls sign up as trainee nurses at a big London teaching hospital in 1934. Dora leaves her overcrowded, squalid working-class home for a better life. But has she got what it takes to keep up with other, better-educated girls? And will her hated stepfather ever let her go? Helen is born for the job; her brother is a doctor, her all-powerful mother a hospital trustee. But will Helen’s secret misery be her downfall? An aristocratic rebel, Millie’s carefree attitude will find her up in front of Matron again and again. Will she ever care enough to make a nurse? Or will she go back to the glamorous life she was born to? What have they let themselves in for?

©2012 Donna Douglas (P)2013 Soundings

Very enjoyable read...

I really enjoyed this book. I would've given it five stars except for the voices of some of the nurses. But don't let that deter you. All the characters seem very real and down to earth.
I didn't want the book to end.

Such a good story.

I love the humor. All the family stories and relationship building so good. This series is definitely one of my favorites. Also, best narrator ever. Penelope Freeman has the most pleasant voices for all her characters!

I guess I'm buying three more books...

Enjoyable book, nice narration. I like this narrator; she really makes annoying characters grate on my nerves. Listened to it in three days (one long car trip)

Easy listening

Love the characters. If like The Midwives this is similar. It's enjoyable and easy to listen to. Would recommend.

Great story brought to life by a fantastic narrator!

I was rooting for the 3 main characters in this book and loved their stories! I’m ordering the next book in the series now! The narrator did a fantastic job with all the characters. I was amazed at the many voices she came up with! The Grandma had me laughing because she reminds me of women I’ve met just like her!

enjoyable

this audiobook was out of my usual crime and fantasy genres, but I wanted something lighter and different. this book ticked all the boxes. Loved it. narration was excellent and I will continue with this series.

Fascinating book

Would you consider the audio edition of The Nightingale Girls to be better than the print version?

I am listening to this in the audible version. Often while listening to an audio book it is hard to keep the characters straight but in The Nightengale Girls I didn't have any problem at all. The characters were brought to life and I had a hard time stopping while I was listening to it. I always have a book going while in the car, with this book I would park my car at my destination and not get out because I felt like I was actually one of the nurses in training.

What did you like best about this story?

I would have a hard time trying to pick just one area that I liked best, they were all good.

Which character – as performed by Penelope Freeman – was your favorite?

I could totally relate to Dora, I loved her ambition and her kindness. She was sexually abused by her step father but the author didn't go into graphic detail, just how it made her feel repulsed by him. I could picture her from the discription and I enjoyed her voice the best.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Even when the young ladies were working hard at their studies and long hours on the wards, I found myself rooting for most of them and the patients were often funny or so sad and I could relate to both sides of the "bed".

Any additional comments?

I would highly recommend this book and the whole series, I am on book 4 now and none of them disappoint. There is just one character that I find the "voice" irritating to listen to. Thankfully she is more of a minor role so it isn't too much of a bother. I won't say her name, I'm sure that you will be able to figure out who she is when you come to her.

Amazing series!!

I really enjoyed the narrating and all the characters in this series. The storyline is very interesting and heart warming. I was very sad when the stories ended. Highly recommend!!

Long Gossipy Hours of Drivel

I anticipated an enjoyable, inspiring look into some admirable women's experiences. Instead, between the snarky narrator and the author's petty, b*tchy, and jealous portrayals, I became so resentful of how these people were presented (like Dickensonian characters and sounding just as rough) that it was a pure struggle to finish this disappointing book. Definitely not recommended. Read the "Call the Midwife" series instead!

For young girls

This book may appeal to you, if you are 12 and under I'm a grown woman of 54 and there's no way I could even get through the first hour