I hardly have the words to describe this book. It was so real and so emotional that my words can't do it justice. The 1960s were the years that I grew up - I graduated from high school and college and got married during that decade. I protested against the war and marched for equality but I never blamed the soldiers -as many people did - I blamed the politicians who took our country to this horrific chapter. I knew that there were women in Vietnam but I never really thought about the fact that they too were faced with terrible conditions and terrible experiences and often came home with PTSD and scorn from their fellow Americans. This beautifully written and well researched book by Kristin Hannah takes on the subject of women who served as nurses in Vietnam and what they faced on a day to day basis during the war and after their return home. I think that this book should be a must read for people who don't know much about Vietnam and what was going on in the United States during this time period -- it will be a real eye opener for them.

“Women can be heroes, too.”

Frankie McGrath has lived a rich and sheltered life with her conservative parents and her brother. Her father has a wall of heroes in his office with pictures of brave men in the family who have fought in wars. As the story begins, her older brother's picture is destined to go on the wall because he's leaving for Vietnam. A friend of his asks her why women can't be heroes too and that causes her to re-think her life plans. Her parents plan was that she would marry well and have children. She decides that after she finishes nurses training, she'll volunteer to be an Army nurse and go to Vietnam. When she is making her plans, she is totally naive about what it will be like and when she first gets there she is overwhelmed. She realizes that she made a huge mistake until her two roommates take her under their wings and teach her what needs to be done. The friends are there for each other during their tears and despair as they watch young men die all around them and they are also by her side years later as she works to become part of American life again. They are plagued with poor living conditions, working long hours and not having enough trained staff. It gets to the place that they all hate to hear the sound of helicopters bringing in more wounded and dying. But Frankie overcomes the issues and becomes a strong nurse even learning some operating procedures. We see a once quiet girl overcome the adversity that is thrown at her on a daily basis. When she returns home. she finds out that no one - not even her parents - are proud of what she's done. Her parents don't want to even talk about her time during the war. When she goes to the VA for help she's told that there were no women in Vietnam so she has to work through her issues on her own with the help of her friends. Her life is in chaos as she tries to go back to work and is relegated to bedpans and minimal duties after being responsible for the life and death of young soldiers. Will she ever be able to find the peace that she yearns for?

Frankie is one of the most well written and complex characters that I've read. It was easy to make a connection with the young and naive Frankie and then to stay connected with her throughout her years in the war and the years she fought to recover from the war. We were always taught in school that it was the men who lost their lives or who returned from war as broken people. Frankie is a reminder that women too were part of the wars and also returned as broken people and - in the case of Vietnam - unappreciated and scorned by the American public. I have loved previous books by this author but The Women is my new favorite.

Warning: Clear your calendar because you are not going to want to put this down AND have Kleenex close at hand because this story is going to cause tears of sadness, frustration and joy throughout.

3.4

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*Received an eARC from netgalley for my honest review. Thank you!

I just finished reading The Nightingale, so I was pretty excited to get into another of Kristin Hannah's books.

Unfortunately, this one didn't really do it for me. I didn't feel myself connect much with any of the characters. The cliches that occured in The Nightingale weren't nearly as glaring and outlandish as the ones in The Women, and I just couldn't ignore it. All the plot twists (?) were either extremely obvious or made no sense to me. The writing also fell flat from the repetitiveness and there wasn't any subtlety.

I think I appreciate that the author tried to make this book about a war Vet attempting to assimilate back into a world after war, and heal in the process of all these challenges that befall her, especially as a women who doesn't receive the recognition and comfort she deserves, but the impact got eaten up by the back and forth, dramatic romance. At times, it felt like I somehow stumbled into a romance novel. I'm happy that in the end, the narrative refocused itself to be about the main character's healing journey, but I really wish it wasn't so rushed and surface level. I think the process of her healing only took up ~15% of the book, when it should have been more.

I did enjoy the first 1/3 of the book focusing on the main character's time in Vietnam. She found her calling, she experienced many losses, had a few brushes with death, but she learned how to be a better nurse, saved many lives, and met the people who would be in her life forever. I loved reading her mature through her time as a combat nurse.

Overall, the book has a wonderful message about remembering women during war, but the execution could have been done better.

“The women had a story to tell, even if the world wasn't quite yet ready to hear it, and their story began with three simple words. We were there.”

I’m not even sure how to write this review properly. I have so many emotions after reading this book. Hands down my new favorite of Kristin Hannah’s.

I absolutely loved Frances(Frankie) the MFC. She is so strong and independent, but because life can be hard faces her own demons yet prevails.

The friendship and bond of Ethel, Barb, and Frankie was that most only dream about having in their life. A bond so tight that you know they will be there for you no matter what!

This book made me truly appreciate women who serve or have served especially in that era even more. They have my utmost respect. Women who busted their tails and worked hours on end in the war putting their blood, sweat, and tears into saving lives, or doing their jobs to the best of their ability. Being told they weren’t really important. All the indifferences and ridicule they faced, yet coming out on top knowing their worth persevering!

I also appreciate all the hard work and effort that Kristin put into this book. After reading the Author’s Note you get an entire new light to the story and how it came to be.

Be prepared reading this book. You will need tissues. Your emotions will be a roller coaster ride, but man the ride is worth it.


Absolutely loved it!

Thank you NetGalley and Kristin Hannah for my E-ARC!

First off, I want to thank Netgalley and St. Martins Press for the Advanced Reader Copy of The Women.
I've read every book that Kristin Hannah has written, and this one is now in my top favorites. It is the best book I have read this year. I love that it was historically accurate, at least in every way that mattered. The story flowed well, and never got boring, it kept me wanting to read more.
If you love historical fiction and war stories, you will want to read this book. I will warn you though, it gets kind of graphic in some parts.

Kristin Hannah is the most prolific writer of our time. I have never read books like hers. I’m always so taken back by her research, her character depth and the humanity she puts into every story. The Women was an absolutely beautiful homage to the women who served in the Vietnam War, in whatever capacity. It’s told through the perspective of nurse Frankie McGrath, and takes us through her life before, during and after the war. Her decision to be more than society expected of women, the turmoil, trauma and immense personal growth she experienced during her two year tour and the post traumatic effects it all had on her life when she re-entered the real world. It’s a story about honor, self-discovery, truth, friendship, and forgiveness. Truly such a spectacular read and possibly one of my favorite Kristin Hannah books to date.

The Women is a deeply moving piece. Kristin Hannah has once again captured the realism of war, honoring the true stories of those who lived it, through the characters she brings to life. There's beauty in reading a work of fiction that you know is also very real. She places the reader in the thick of it alongside her characters. You can feel the pain with every loss, the fear of the attacks, the hope of good news, the disappointment in failing and being failed. The reader takes an emotional journey with Frankie, the main character, who greatly represents the women whom served in Vietnam. There were so many moments that my heart broke for her. Unable to put it down, every page left me eager to know what was going to happen next. After all, nothing is certain in war.
Thank you to the author and St, Martin's Press for the honor of obtaining an advanced copy of this book. It is one that will stick with me.

The Women by Kristin Hannah
adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-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? Yes
4.5 Stars

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah is one of my favorite books and I love everything I have read by her. The Women was no exception.

"Frankie had been told often enough by her girlfriends, by Finley, by Jamie, that she was unyielding in her morality, and it was true. Deep down, she was still the good Catholic girl she’d been in her youth. She believed in good and evil, right and wrong, the dream of America. Who would she be if she chose to look away from the wrongness of this war?"

I was born the summer that Frankie, the main character, came back from Vietnam. My early childhood nightmares often stemmed from news footage about the Vietnam War. As impacted as I was, I cannot imagine what it was like to live through the trauma of war - particularly one like this. Hannah writes about Frankie's experiences with intensity and compassion. Most of the first part of the book is her growth as a nurse in Vietnam. She is a hero. Men go home because of her. She sees the humanity of each person she is tasked with caring for.

The intensity of the war then shifts as Frankie comes home and she is not recognized as a hero. There is no place for her as a veteran. Her skills are not valued. She is diminished and confused - surrounded by garden parties and champagne. It is painful to read this young woman's journey into despair, "the walking dead." The shame and the pain of the decisions she makes while in the midst of PTSD. And I was so grateful for the friends who surrounded her and guided her - refusing to give up on this young woman who is only in her 20s.

I would have liked to see more of the relationship between Frankie and her brother Finley. Clearly, they were close, but I didn't have a frame of reference to really know what it was rooted in.

It was important to note the impact of how the Vietnam War forever changed the US - especially the soldiers who fought and died and the lifelong struggles they faced in body and spirit. However, the ongoing impact of war is not unique to Vietnam. My grandfather was institutionalized and given electro-shock treatment after WWII and his father died from mustard gas poisoning. I also think it's important to recognize the devastation the US caused to the people of Vietnam and the generational impact of Agent Orange that we are responsible for - talk about a weapon of mass destruction.

It was infuriating and frustrating that the VA didn't offer her support or recognize her sacrifice. But I also felt like the rejection from the male combat veterans was justified - unlike Frankie, they had participated in killing as well as witnessed atrocities that Frankie hadn't seen- she was a healer. But it was unfortunate how they seemed to lack any compassion for her or at least gratitude for her role.

Overall, I loved this book. I read through it in just a few days . . . mostly in tears. Hannah offers a complex perspective on war, love, and friendship. The war protests from the veterans are particularly moving. And as always, she highlights the strength of women that comes through strong relationships and resilience. The ending was satisfying and left me with a feeling of hope.

Thank you @netgalley, @stmartinspress, and @kristinhannahauthor for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of #TheWomen

Having lost her beloved brother in the Viet Nam war, Frankie McCarthy, barely out of nursing school, enlists in the Army both ro make a difference and to make her father proud. Immediately upon arrival, Frankie faces the reality of a brutal war, unpopular at home, and challenging because of the lack of training of both young soldiers and inexperienced medical personnel, the difficulty in distinguishing friend from enemy, the unfamiliar terrain and harsh weather. Frankie quickly develops life saving skills with the help of other medical personnel, with whom she forms lifetime friendships due to the shared traumatic experiences of war.

Upon her return, Frankie suffering from the lingering trauma of war, finds little support at home. Trying to cope, she makes a few unwise decisions that almost leads to tragedy.

I was in high school during the Vier Nam War. I remember the unpopularity and the futility of the war, the protests, and the political unrest. Two of my brothers served in the Air Force and had tours of duty in Viet Nam. They were not in the front lines, but are both considered disabled veterans due to hearing loss and the after effects of exposure to Agent Orange. I remember the unpopularity of the war, however, I never saw direct disrespect of the soldiers. The war was unpopular, but there was support for the soldiers that I knew.

Historical fiction set during the Vietnam War. After the death of her brother, Frankie McGrath decides to use her nursing degree to serve in the war. But “women weren’t in Vietnam.” Hannah tells the story of those who served albeit not in combat. While difficult to read about the horrors of the war and it’s aftermath, I appreciated the authenticity of this novel.

Thank you to @stmartinspress @netgalley and @kristinhannahauthor for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book was powerful. History has never really been my thing, but the real and raw way this was written pulled me in and kept me fully invested. This book did not shy away from the real and the ugly and that truly made the story. It takes you through signing up for the war, the war itself, the aftermath, and finally the memorial and Hannah does it beautifully. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this Advanced Reader Copy, in exchange for my honest review.

I was beyond excited to be able to read Kristin Hannah's upcoming book. She has been my favorite author for several years and her books are a must-buy for me.

The Women did not disappoint. The book is the story of Frances "Frankie" McGrath, an upper-class female has recently finished her nursing degree and is watching as the world around her is quickly changing. Frankie's brother goes overseas to fight in Vietnam, Frankie is driven to make her family proud and contribute to the war effort by volunteering to be an Army nurse. Despite her admirable actions, she is not looked at as a hero, like the men in her family had been.

Frankie is sent directly into a military hospital with little experience and training and has no idea what she is in for.

The story follows Frankie through two tours in Vietnam and her new life when she returns home. Frankie is struggling to make sense of what she has been through and returning to a country that does not look at her service as honorable if they acknowledge her at all. It was infuriating to me, as a reader, just how ignored that she was and just how many times she was told that there were no women fighting in Vietnam.

This story was heartbreaking and emotional and I went between wanting to savor it and not wanting to put it down. It continues the powerful historical fiction books that Kristin Hannah has continually given us.

I am a little too young (by a couple years) to have experienced the effects of the war in Vietnam, and my high school US history class failed me a little. But this was such an eye-opening book that really showed the experience of the women that truly did fight in the war by being nurses, doctors and Red Cross volunteers. And I really appreciated the Author's Note at the end of the book.

I cannot recommend The Women more. Kristin Hannah has once again left me blown away by her beautiful storytelling.

“Women can be heroes too.” Kudos to Kristin Hannah. She has written a stunning, historically-based novel and deeply moving masterpiece. Every character is brilliant, supporting one another through the dark days of the Vietnam war. This is my favorite Hannah book. It touched my soul and evoked a vivid sense of period and place. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

“The Women” is a historical fiction book by Kristin Hannah. Let me preface this by saying that I’m a bit prejudiced - when I see that Ms. Hannah has written a book I’m like “you’re gonna like it, if not enjoy reading it.” This book is no exception. I remember hearing “women didn’t serve in Vietnam” and then watching the TV show M*A*S*H* and wondering why if women (nurses) were serving in Korea, why women weren’t serving in Vietnam. Ms. Hannah addressed this - it’s a rather throw away line - but I’m glad it was mentioned. This book was moving, this book may be seen as some as patriotic, but it was a very different era. In the 1960s most people believed their government - they believed in honor in serving in the military, they believed that they were doing good and fighting against “the bad guys and bad ideas.” I was moved while reading this book - Ms. Hannah covers the living conditions (horrible), the working conditions (ditto), trying to save lives (M*A*S*H* did a good job portraying it), the friendships made, and coming “home” and trying to just cope. I found a few things a bit too pat, but overall they were minor in the scope of the entire book. A rare 5 star rating from me. I cannot wait for Ms. Hannah’s next book.

I have a love/hate relationship with Kristin Hannah’s books. I have loved every historical book of hers I’ve read, totaling four. And I’ve detested the three current day novels I’ve read by her. This book is historical, but it’s written more in the current day novel style. It was a bumpy ride.

We start with Frankie, a woman who joins the Army to be a nurse in Vietnam. She seems nice, well behaved, trained to be a woman in a man’s world. But then she decides she wants to be her own person, a woman who can change the world.

I love Hannah’s detailed writing. She’s gifted, even in novels I didn’t care for. She shows a realistic view of what life was like for veterans. She gave great details in showing places to the reader, but this book was lacking in building those relationships in the first more than half of the book. Frankie finds herself in love twice with people she doesn’t really know and has two best friends who became best friends off of the pages. The words “love” and “best friends” were just repeatedly typed out to the reader. I wasn’t convinced. The relationships were rushed, and we didn’t see any progression until later.

Barb and Ethel are two other nurses in Vietnam and Frankie’s best friends. I loved them. I loved reading about them, their lives, and what they ended up doing. This book would have been so much better in Barb’s point of view. She had such a story to tell. Instead we got Frankie.

Frankie is described constantly as a “good girl” who is honest and moral to a fault. All I saw was the worst kind of selfish, privileged character. She’s covert in how awful she is and takes from those around her like a leech. She has a habit of not taking responsibility for her own actions and instead blaming the person she feels wronged by—no matter how willingly she went along with the person. She also lacks boundaries, which leads me to my next issue…

Please stop romanticizing affairs!! I don’t care if it’s emotional or physical. Stop it. It’s not cute. If a man is married, stop. Don’t claim to be a good girl or to support women’s rights when you’re engaging with men who are already married. These men have no respect for women. And an affair isn’t romantic. All men seemed to find Frankie so attractive that they chase her. The only one in Vietnam not attached to someone is the one she doesn’t want.

Around 30 percent of the book was pointless to me. Jamie was a character I didn’t need. There were pages and pages of a lot of people injured, and lot of people dying, a lot of people hit, and a lot of people tired. I get it. After around three times of in depth repeated description, I definitely got it. These people partied a lot as well. The author has done more research on the parties than I have, so I’m sure she was accurate in her portrayal.

The historical aspect, especially when Frankie was home, brought tears to my eyes more than once. I’ll never understand what these women and men went through. But reading about it showed perspective. I’m glad I read this book. The ending was great until the final blip. But we get a story about women who were ill equipped to handle what they did and then didn’t have the resources to get help afterwards. It’s powerful. And the emotions these characters felt went right into my heart. I felt what they did. The writing really is exceptional.

One of the most well done and well written historical fictions books I've ever read. The Women by Kristin Hannah takes you on a life long journey with the main character and her experience serving as a nurse in the Vietnam War and what it was like coming back to America. I learned a lot about the war and really appreciate the women that fought for our country and went unrecognized for so long. This book was extremely emotional and detailed and I felt like I was actually there for most of the story. I have never read a book like this and will reccomend it endlessly.

Thank you to Netgalley and St Martins Press for the ARC!

I have read every single one of Kristin Hannah's books and loved them all. Now, with the publication of The Women, I have a new favorite by her! In the style of her previous historical fiction books, The Women explores what life was like coming of age as a woman in the 1960s. The main character Frankie enlists as a nurse in the Vietnam War. What follows is her story, of her time in Vietnam, and what it was like to come home afterwards. This was easily the best book I have read all year and left me with an interest to find out more about the women who served in Vietnam. I give this book 5 stars and have already recommended it to my friends and family.

As with every other Kristin Hannah book I've read, I burned through this one in 24 hours. The Women is a beautifully written story about the Vietnam War, the women who served there, and the way the veterans were treated upon their arrival. That's just the main background; there is so, so much more going on here. What I love about Kristin Hannah's writing is how she weaves storylines in a way that keeps the book going without feeling drawn out. I reached the half way point and though, "hm, this seems to be winding down, what the heck, is going to happen next?!" This story was unpredictable, and I felt all the emotions. I bawled my eyes out, I was angry, I was even annoyed at times - and at the end, I didn't want it to be over.

Thank you Netgalley, for the opportunity to read this before publishing!

I’ve read Kristin Hannah’s upcoming February 2024 release, The Women, and now I’m wrecked.
The Women follows Frankie, an Army Nurse Corps officer through her 2 tours of Vietnam and her struggles upon returning home.
If you’ve read Kristin Hannah you know what to expect… a soapy tale of a woman struggling through some extraordinarily hard times. And even though you know what to expect, you’ll be sucked right into another world, crying right along with the heroine.
It’s everything you hope from a Kristin Hannah novel and I’m so mad I’ve already read it, because I’d love to be able to read it again for the first time.

The Women, by Kristin Hannah, is one of the best books I've read in a long time. I requested this one simply because of who the author is and later, when I saw it was about Vietnam, I hoped it was not just another war book. It was NOT! Disturbing descriptions of war-torn bodies, the emotional trials of soldiers, and the deep friendships they forged were all brought to life through Hannah's words, making this a powerful, thought-provoking, emotional roller coaster of a novel. Thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher for providing me with an ARC ebook to read and review. I highly recommend this one.

Just one word to describe this book - Amazing!

I loved every moment of this book, it was emotional, heartbreaking, hopeful and real.
Thank you Netgalley for a copy to review. I cannot wait to buy and share this book with others.