Really enjoyed this story about Frankie, a young woman that enlists as an Army nurse in the Vietnam war. The story shared what drove her to join the war and described her war experience in-depth as well as all that she experienced as a veteran returning from service. A lot of the book was sad to read given the war violence and the shameful way veterans were treated by Americans when they came home. I enjoyed reading about Frankie's friendships that she made and cherished while overseas. The book also delved into her romantic relationships which had both uplifting and sad moments. Overall, I really enjoyed the book but thought it could have been edited down in length by 50 pages or so.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Holy cow! Kristin Hannah knocks it out of the park yet again with a heart wrenching story. Hannah beautifully explores themes of love, loss, trauma, and friendship set against the backdrop of a horrific war and a country unprepared to welcome back the men and WOMEN who served. This is a powerful story.

The story of women in Vietnam is one I’ve never heard about and one that needed to be told. Spurred to serve in the war, following her brother’s footsteps, the story follows Frankie’s heartbreaking, grueling work as a nurse in Vietnam and her challenges upon returning home. This dramatic piece of historical fiction highlights the devastation of war, Frankie’s friends and love interests, as well as the lack of respect given to vets after their return, especially to the women.

While many will love this book, I found it slow moving and never felt sufficiently connected to the main character. The ending, however, is spectacular

Thank you to the author for telling this story and to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars rounded up.

Oh my goodness, this book took my breath away. It is so well written, The main character, Frankie McGrath, is a young, idealistic, socialite nurse from Coronado who volunteers for a tour in Vietnam. Kristin Hannah does an incredible job of describing the trials that face a nurse trying to deal with the horrors of combat injuries, daily life at war, the reaction from Americans to those returning from struggles faced.by Vietnam vets and more. It was important for me to read about the struggles and lack of recognition that faced women Vietnam vets. Kristin Hannah is an incredible writer and has created another phenomenal novel. I believe this should be read by everyone, especially high schoolers today learning about Vietnam.

Thank you Ms, Hannah for this wonderful novel.

"We were there."
Another beautifully written and well-researched book by Kristin Hannah. We follow Frankie, a young woman who volunteers to be a nurse in Vietnam out of a desire to serve her country and make her family proud. The first part of the book, we spend in Vietnam as Frankie comes into her own as a nurse and a woman. I loved Frankie's friendship with her fellow nurses and her love for her patients.
The second part of the book takes place back in America after Frankie returns home. While this was perhaps harder to read than the war-torn first part, I believe that it is just as important. Frankie does not transition back into civilian life in the way she had planned.
Like every Kristin Hannah book that I have read, this book tore apart my heart and stitched it back together with hope. The last chapter was especially powerful and hopeful and lovely.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I was so excited when I got a copy of this book from NetGalley! Frankie McGrath, is a 20 year old nursing student who decides to join the Army Nurse Corps and goes off to Vietnam. The first part of the book is about her experiences as a brand new nurse in a horrific war zone, how truly unprepared she is and the friends she meets along the way. In the second half, Frankie is home but is trying to figure out how to get back into regular life after so much trauma. I absolutely loved this book!

A well researched look at the role women played as nurses in Vietnam during the war. It is vividly portrayed and not pretty, but it is honest.
The difficulty faced back home is also shown. PTSD being a common occurrence among all the vets, nurses included. This all happened as I was becoming an adult and was a big part of life in those days.
Well written and filled with heart.

Frankie has grown up seeing the heroes wall in her father's office filled with the men in her family who've served their country in the armed forces. When someone tells her that "women can be heroes to", she takes it to heart and signs up for the Army Nurse Corp in Vietnam.

While seeing the horrors of war every day have been devastating, coming home to a politically torn America is no respite.

Kristin Hannah continues to write some of the very best historical fiction I've ever read. Five star after five star. In The Women, she gives voice to a generation of women who served their country and were then forgotten or shunned.

Heavy. Emotional. Gut wrenching. Superb.

This was ok for me. I really found several places where the descriptions of things droned on and on. The medical details, Vietnam, and the detox portion felt a bit overkill. However, it was a great story line, and Kristin Hannah does such a great job of bringing you into the characters. I also enjoyed the twists and turns that really came a lot toward the end of the book

Kristin Hannah is the grim reaper of authors and hundreds of people died in this book - it's not for the faint of heart and you need to be in the right mood for this one! The first half of the book all takes place during Frankie's time as a nurse during the Vietnam War. I thought the history aspects of this book were really well researched and so well done - learning more about what the medical staff did to help the troops and villagers and the harrowing decisions they had to make was horribly traumatic. The incredible work and bravery these nurses, doctors, pilots, soldiers exhibited. The conditions were abysmal, they often felt betrayed by the government by the propaganda and lies of conditions to the American people

The second half of the book takes place upon Frankie's return to the US and her transition back into civilian life and the awful treatment she received from others including her family and the PTSD she experienced. The reception home from protestors was heartbreaking for those that were in Vietnam to endure. I was so sad for her that no one would believe she was in Vietnam and was a veteran. She was laughed at, called a liar, called crazy, no one would believe she had any nursing experience, and she really lost her way.

Again, the historical fiction pieces of this story were really, really great. What kept me from loving this book overall was how gory this book truly was (there is so much blood and really graphic, traumatizing scenes in here), the love story aspect (I thought both men she was interested in were pretty awful), and I really didn't like the repetitive twist.

Until this book Winter Garden has been my favourite Hannah book. However, this book is just as good or may replace it as my favourite. It is set during the Vietnam War, a period of time I have read little about and very much enjoyed the historical aspect. Of course, I do remember Robin William’s ‘Good Morning Vietnam’ quote but I haven’t read about it?

Aside from Hannah’s excellent writing style, the book was written from the perspective of a woman who was a nurse in the war. It was fascinating to see that side of the war as well as the treatment of ‘NAM’ vets, especially women upon their return to the US. It is definitely an accurate portrayal of people suffering from PTSD.

I love how Hannah writes about different moments in history and not always the same event over again. She does so much research and provide so much of the real experience of life to her stories and this one is no exception. It is an emotional and touching read as well as an important book bringing light to the effects of war on not only men but women. I would highly recommend picking it up.

Thank you @netgalley, @stmartinspress, and @kristinhannahauthor for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this wonderful novel.

I loved this book. I've read most of Kristin Hannah's books and while I sometimes consider her writing a little too romantic (ok, fine, sappy) for her to be one of my all-time favorites, there is something about it that hooks me in every single time. And--bold statement here--this is my new favorite book by her. I really liked Frankie and I was always rooting for her; I respected the way she fought for herself even after some dramatic mistakes. I appreciate that we were able to follow her story not only through the war, but for years after and through the continued effects that it had on her life. I would highly recommend this to anyone with an interest in historic fiction and the Vietnam War.

Be prepared to have your heart ripped out, this book was FABULOUS. Kristin Hannah knocked it out of the park with this one! Absolutely sensational. The transparent storytelling showed the significant impact the Vietnam war had on men and women alike. While I am too young to remember Vietnam, I have loved ones who survived and still carry the scars from that horrific time.

The story specifically follows a young Army nurse who bravely joins the service, wishing to play her part in serving her country. Her experiences to follow will be carried with her forever.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Can Kristin Hannah write a bad book. No! In fact this is another 5 star read. Frankie McGrath grew up in a family that honored military service. She decides to honor this family tradition and join the army to serve as an Army nurse. Hannah takes us on a journey from the rate women’s perspective of what serving in Vietnam was like for women and then there return. They were not honored like the male counterparts or even given help from the VA.
This is a must read. Heartbreakingly honest and raw.

What an absolute TRIUMPH from Kristin Hannah. I am constantly blown away by her captivating historical fiction and how she highlights the forgotten women in history. THE WOMEN was so thoughtfully researched and written with so much love. I am blown away by how much research and effort she puts into thoughtfully telling the stories of some bleak times in our history, and the Vietnam War is no different, I can’t wait for Kristin Hannah fans to get their hands on this!

The heartache I get from reading a book by Hannah is real! My heart was broken for Frankie not once, not twice, but three times! What the heck? On top of heartache I also felt happy, lost, pissed off, thankful and pretty much all of the emotions one can have.

Reading about Frankie’s time over in Nam was so interesting, and yet so depresssing. She truly found herself and her calling amongst the broken bodies and gun fire. The friends she made were priceless, and they showed up for each other, mainly Frankie, all throughout the book. The love interests! Ugh don’t even get me started or that will lead to spoilers.

It was shocking to read how these women who risked their lives to save others were treated when they returned home. When they tried to get help at the vet's office they were turned away because women didn’t go to Nam. Hence the pissed off feeling I got.

A book you'll want to add to your reading list for next year!
Thank you, St Martins Press, for the gifted copy of The Women! {partner}

Genre: Historical Fiction
Time: Vietnam War
Format: 📖
Pub Date: 2.6.2024
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

The Women is the first book I've read about the Vietnam War — not just in the U.S. during the war but in the middle of a combat zone. It's brutal, honest, and unapologetically honest about life for those serving during that time.

Once I started reading The Women, everything else was put down, and it had my full attention. I stayed up too late each night and got up early just to read a few more pages. I constantly talked about the story to my friends, family, and husband (really anyone who would listen). In true Kristin Hannah fashion, it grabbed my heart and didn't let go until the end.

The only two issues I had with the book were that I wanted more time with Francis during the war. That part of the book had me sitting on the edge of my seat, consumed by every word. It's an integral part of history that is often forgotten because of how it reflects our country. The second half of the book had too much focus on a love interest of Francis. Maybe Hannah was trying to show how the world had broken Francis down and left her doubting everything she thought she knew, but Francis could take on the world alone.

Speaking of Francis - I loved her and ached for all she endured before, during, and after the war. I had no idea that women who served were treated so terribly. The way that Kristin Hannah told Francis' story brought to life all of the atrocities of the Vietnam War - the loss, the anger, the silence; it was all there.

The Women may be set over 20 years, but the story is so addicting that time will fly by once you sit down to read it. Add The Women to your 2024 most anticipated reads list - you don't want to miss out.

The Women is an absolute must read covering a part of history seldom mentioned or thought about. For those who remember the Vietnam era prepare yourself for flashbacks not just of the war but the political and civil unrest. Kristin Hannah does a remarkable and credible job in bringing her protagonist to life and dealing with the varied layers of PTSD. Just as the soldiers of the Vietnam era looked back on the Greatest Generation of WWII soldiers, today's military will better understand the ever changing nature of war and the role of women.

"We were the last believers, my generation. We trusted what our parents taught us about right and wrong, good and evil, the American myth of equality and justice and honor."

The Women is a gripping historical fiction novel starring Frances "Frankie" McGrath, a newly graduated nurse who follows in her older brother's footsteps and joins the Army to serve in Vietnam. The story unfolds first as Frankie goes "in-country" and then as she returns to a country who is not there to welcome her home or even acknowledge a women's service. This is a powerful novel that I won't forget.

First, I want to preface this with saying that Kristin Hannah can do no wrong.

She has taken on the time periods of WWII, the Dust Bowl, and now the Vietnam era.

In her newest novel she introduces us to Frankie who enlists to be a nurse in Vietnam. Her naive view of the world is shattered as she comes face to face with the brutalities of war. The reader gets to follow Frankie as she meets her best friends, Ethel and Barb, and encounters love while trying to stay alive amid bombings.

When Frankie returns home, she comes back to a world that doesn't thank her for her service but rather makes her feel immense guilt for serving in a war that many feel has no real purpose.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the autoapproval of this novel as there is no possible way I could have waited until February 2024 for this magnificent read.