The Women by Kristin Hannah An enlightening read on the harshness of war and the mental toll it took on the women who served during the Vietnam War. The importance of women's friendships and comradarie during the war and life after was highlighted. It was challenging to read about the detailed descriptions of trauma surgery and combat injuries. A well-written and intriguing historical novel.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

This was a great!!! Recommend that everyone read this book about Frankie’s very emotional journey to Vietnam. I was sucked right into the story and cheered on Frankie for the entirety of the story.

This book will stay with me for a long time. Now I have to wait until February for friends to read it, it's going to be torture. Just when I thought Kristin Hannah couldn't get any better, she outdoes herself once again. Frankie McGrath is a girl who grew up on the ocean, going to soirees and used to having everything handed to her. When her brother goes off to war in Vietnam, she decides to follow him and become an Army nurse. Vietnam was not what she expected, it's not all clean white hospital walls. Her life becomes heartache after heartache and even returning home from Vietnam does not fix anything.

I was so excited to receive an advanced reader’s copy of The Women by Kristin Hannah. I was handed Winter Garden over a dozen years ago and since I’ve been eagerly anticipating Hannah’s books.

Frankie, the protagonist, believing the words she is told by her brother’s friend at his going away party, “Women can be heroes too” signs up to follow her brother to ‘Nam as a nurse. Her brother is killed in action and she heads overseas to a war zone. This book depicts the tragedy of the Vietnam War with great detail. I loved the reading about the friendships she made, the music they listened to, and as hard as it was, the comfort nurses provided those dying in their arms.

Although this book was a pretty solid read for me, as Kristin Hannah’s books always seem to be for me, she did miss a pretty big opportunity in The Women. The book is titled The Women, but the reader really only gets a small glimpse into other women’s lives during that time. Hannah starts to develop other characters, but we don’t get to fully explore their experiences. The main character, Frankie, oozes rich white girl privilege. She gets bailed out by her rich parents, doesn’t have to work, etc. In contrast, Barb, her best friend, is a black Vietnam Vet. She is moving through a world that not only treats her poorly because she is a Vietnam vet, but also a women of color who doesn’t appear to come from wealth. I would have been interested to dive a bit deeper into her war and post war experience.

Frankie’s love interests are predictable, so that plot line was only so-so for me. This book will likely stick with me for awhile. It was good, although maybe not as great as it could have been. Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for this incredible ARC.

I was beyond excited when I got the opportunity to read an early copy of this book (so excited it skipped the enormous mound of books that were slated to be read before it). I love Kristin Hannah and I think with each new book she gets better and better. Given this, I saw the book and requested it without reading a single word of the description and then when I started it I decided to continue and didn’t read anything before starting. This book is a non-stop emotional punch to the gut. The raw trauma and pain that was captured on these pages had me crying more than I should have in the one session I devoured this book in. Frankie went to school to be a nurse but when her brother finishes the naval academy and heads to Vietnam she decides her skills would be better served in Vietnam and she joins the army. War is nothing like she imagined and her journey was tough. I love that Kristin Hannah has highlighted the heroics of women in her books, but I especially love this. The women who served in Vietnam were erased and completely forgotten, even more so than the men, but they deserve to be honored and remembered and I feel like this book does a great job of shining that light.

This book is AMAZING! The writing is phenomenal, the story is riveting, and the character development is superb. I didn’t know a great deal about this era and the women involved in it and I feel so much better informed after reading this book. Kristin Hannah has done it again!

Kristin Hannah knows how to rope in a reader, that’s for sure!

The Women is set in the early 1960s as the Vietnam War is beginning. Frances “Frankie” McGrath decides to enlist in the army following in her recently deceased brother’s footsteps. She wants to put her nursing degree to use and quickly realizes that her nursing experience is not up to par with skills needed to be an emergency surgical nurse in a war zone. Frankie meets two women nurses who become friends and a support system to each other. Their friendship over the span of the book is just so beautiful and moving.

When Frankie returns home to Coronado Island, she spends many years with untreated PTSD from her tours served. What was so difficult for me to read about was how many people didn’t know that women were a part of the Vietnam War. Every time Frankie tried to get help for herself or advocate for herself, men looked at her like she was crazy when she called herself a veteran.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own. 5 stars

The Women by Kristin Hannah is a novel about the contributions of women who served as nurses during the Vietnam War. It follows the journey of Frankie McGrath as she goes from naive, patriotic debutante to war-hardened veteran suffering from PTSD while being told that “there were no women in Vietnam.” My favorite parts of this book were anytime Hannah described the Vietnam War, music of the era, politics of the time period and more. I learned a lot through reading it and I feel like Hannah shines when she focuses on the history. The part I disliked most was the melodrama surrounding the main character’s multiple love interests. In particular, the first two love interests had so many similarities it was laughable. For instance, in separate instances both said something along the lines of “Scouts honor” or “I was an Eagle Scout” and she asks whether they were actually in Scouts and both admit that they weren’t. It was a cute bit of dialogue the first time, but it was like Hannah forgot she’d already used it when it was recycled for a flirtation bit with the second love interest. And that’s just a small example as there are multiple plot points and twists in the romance plot that are used over and over so as to be unbelievable. I would have rated the book an entire star higher if she removed some of the soap opera-like parts.

First things first. I must thank Kristin Hannah for writing this remarkable book. I also thank St. Martin's press for publishing it, and to NewGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this profound story.
"The Women" is a story of life, of death, of renewal. Frankie (Frances) , age 19, suddenly decides to become a nurse and volunteer to serve in Vietnam, after her older brother, an Annapolis graduate, is killed during the Vietnam war. Coming from a well-to-do conservative family from Coronado, California, she was raised to be modest, charming, and to wait for her life to begin with marriage and children.
But Frankie is determined, and against her parents' wishes, she follows her heart. The story continues through her time in Vietnam and eventually home again. Ms. Hannah takes the reader through the noise and horrors of being a nurse in Vietnam, and the war that continues within Frankie when she returns to "the world" and tries to move forward in her life. Soldiers returning from Vietnam were not greeted as heroes, and women who were stationed there were basically ignored after their return., since all the news outlets reported that "there were no women in Vietnam.
Ms. Hannah has gifted us with a powerful and at times hard to read, novel. And make sure you have tissues ready or it will be difficult reading the last few chapters!

The Women – Kristin Hannah (5)

It’s May of 1966 and 20-year-old Frances “Frankie” McGrath of Coronado Island, California and her family are celebrating, as her brother Finley prepares to follow in the family footsteps and head off to war – in Vietnam. As she gazes at the Hero Wall in her father’s study - a tribute to those male family members who have served their country in wars past, she has a chance encounter with her brother’s best friend, Rye – who tells her how the world is changing. Women can be heroes too. A comment that will prove to be life changing for Frankie.

With Finley off to war, Frankie finishes nursing school, starts her first nursing job and corresponds faithfully with her brother. One night on rounds, she meets a young patient who had lost a leg in the war and was still struggling to recover. He tells Frankie about a nurse who cared for him in ‘Nam and how she got him through the worst. As she holds his hand while he falls asleep, she makes her decision – she too, is going to join the military and serve her country – as a nurse.

When Frankie finishes up basic training, she receives her orders and heads in-country, where nothing is remotely as she anticipated. As she settles into her lodgings, she meets roommates Ethel and Barb, and the three women soon become one another’s lifelines in a world of sheer chaos. As Frankie slowly adapts to her surroundings, and ultimately excels, she finds equal amounts love, loss, heartbreak and hope…

With her tour finally done, she returns stateside, to derision, apathy and disrespect. The public has become increasingly anti-war; her own father lied about her whereabouts to friends. No one understands what she’s been through, and even worse, her own family doesn’t want to hear about it and cannot understand why it haunts her so. It will take a hard fall, a visit to rock bottom, and the love of family and her two Vietnam hooch mates to help her find her find the light once more. Complete with an unexpected (or maybe not) ending.

This novel was absolutely amazing!!! The scenery was described so vividly, the characters so…real! I felt like I was in the wings, watching! I laughed, I cried, I learned a lot about a war that was before y time – and I mourned…I simply could not stop reading! So, grab some Kleenex, a snack, a beverage and a nice comfy place to settle in for a few hours because you will not be able to put this one down.

I received this book as an Advance Reader Copy from Netgalley & St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an objective review. Do you love to read?? Visit netgalley.com and start reviewing books today!!

(Personal blog at below URL is set to publish 2/1/2024)

The Women is a historical fiction novel by Kristin Hannah that tells the story of Frances "Frankie" McGrath, a young woman who joins the Army Nurse Corps and serves in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. The novel is set against the backdrop of the turbulent 1960s, and it explores the themes of war, patriotism, feminism, and coming of age.

Frankie is a sheltered young woman from a conservative family. She is raised to believe that women should stay at home and take care of their families, but she is also a compassionate and idealistic person. When her brother ships out to Vietnam, she impulsively joins the Army Nurse Corps to follow in his footsteps.

Frankie is quickly overwhelmed by the chaos and destruction of war. She witnesses the horrors of battle and the suffering of the wounded and dying. She also faces discrimination from her male colleagues, who do not believe that women belong in combat zones.

Despite the challenges she faces, Frankie perseveres and proves herself to be a valuable asset to the Army Nurse Corps. She saves lives, forms friendships with other nurses, and comes to terms with the realities of war.

The Women is a powerful and moving novel that tells the story of a forgotten generation of women who served their country in Vietnam. It is a story of courage, resilience, and the power of the human spirit.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in historical fiction, war stories, or stories about women's empowerment.

The Women is one of the best book I have read in a long time. The author does a wonderful job of explaining the horrors that many soldiers(and nurses) faced during and after Vietnam. I knew the history. The novel gave me a deeper understanding of the hardships faced by soldiers returning home. Frankie has the enthusiasm of youth and becomes an army nurse. However, soon her innocence gets tarnished, and she, along with some fellow nurses, faces hell on Earth.

I enjoyed the novel and thought it was a realistic portrayal of what nurses faced. However, one character coming back from the dead was a bit much. Still, despite its small flaws, that was an excellent book that I think would be wonderful for book clubs.

This is one of the most powerful and compelling novels that has ever been written about Viet Nam. Hannah takes us into the brutal years of horrific combat through the eyes of Nurse, Frankie McGrath. This very different perspective is both attractive and repellent. We are brought into surgery with her and see the results of this ill-conceived military action.

In addition to the frightening scenes, there is also romance. But, most fascinating of all are Frankie’s attempts to reenter society when she returns stateside. She must deal with her own PTSD, myriad disappointments and societal disapproval.

She faces these challenges with the support of 2 other extraordinary nurses. Her journey is engaging and she is a heroine to remember.

I loved this novel and highly recommend it. As someone who lived through Viet Nam, I can sincerely say this different take of the experience of war and re-entry is a very important novel to read, examine and discuss.

Thank you Netgalley for this extraordinary experience.

This was such a strong historical fiction read. Unlike anything I have read previously. The characters and time frame were so distict and real. I learned a lot about the women of the Vietnam War and wished we had honored them.

Oh my heart, Kristin Hannah delivers yet again with her newest novel, The Women. In her latest fictional narrative, she transports the reader to the very heart of the Vietnam War. You will experience all the horrors and highs through the eyes of ARMY surgical trauma nurse, Frankie McGrath; a sheltered child of the times who willingly enlists to follow in her brother's path while simultaneously chasing the approval of her parents.

Frankie's fight through two tours in 'Nam, a homecoming to a country who doesn't welcome her, a family who doesn't understand her, and a life that no longer seems to have a place for her, had me feeling every emotion possible. Outrage, despair, terror, loss, grief, love, passion, belonging, acceptance . . . you will experience it all. The full gambit of sentiments!

I was thrilled she chose this time period and found the setting to be utterly fascinating. I thoroughly relished the atmospheric feel of the chaotic Seventy-First and the camaraderie that filled it. I appreciated being able to immerse myself in a period of time that is not overly written about. It was shocking to learn about the lack of acknowledgment towards female recruits and their sacrifice and service. Outrageous and heart-wrenching, to say the very least, and I could not put this down!

Hannah has proven time after time that she excels in writing vivid characters and is captivating as a storyteller. I feel she has really found her sweet spot in her last three novels. By conveying gripping storylines that are headed by colorful personas, and then tucking them snuggly within a historical setting, she can do no wrong. I am absolutely loving Kristin Hannah as a historical fiction author!

The only thing that kept this from being a full five-star read for me was that at times, I felt it flirted more along the line of melodrama rather than realism, and that truthfully is more of a "me" problem. It's a minor gripe and should definitely not deter one from diving into this savory story.

Final thoughts? This is an easy one. Pick it up. Crawl inside. Live it. Love it.

My rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️. 5 (rounded up to five)

I love Kristin Hannah and have read nearly all of her backlist after discovering her through reading The Nightingale. While this was a classic Hannah book, it did feel a little long. That said, I loved the ending and after what seemed like a lot of sadness, it felt that Frankie had her happy ending, without having to fall in love as so many other books default to. 4.5 Stars!

Thank you Net Galley for the ARC. I was soooooo excited to get this book and it immediately went to the top of my list when I received it! This is by far one of her best books! I was drawn in from the beginning and could not put this down until I finished it. The story of a girl who decided she wanted to go to Vietnam to be with her brother. She went there to be a nurse and had NO idea what she was getting herself into. I felt like I was there and felt what Frankie went through. It was set during the 60's, 70's and 80's throughout her journey at Vietnam and her life when she returned. I am on a book hangover after reading this amazing story!!!
I DEFIINTELY RECOMMEND!!!!!!

Kristin Hannah does it again - Incredible story; heartbreaking, and so so important to read. I feel like The Vietnam War is very overlooked in historical fiction. I visited the War Remnants Museum and the Cu Chi Tunnels when I was in Vietnam several years ago, and was shocked by how little I knew about the war beforehand; It’s a very sad but important part of our history, and “The Women” did a fantastic job of conveying that - I couldn’t put it down!

Kristin Hannah has done it again! This was a great change for historical fiction, a break from what normally is written. The Women represents all the brave women who have served in wars yet fail to get the recognition they deserve. A heart-wrenching tug-of-war novel. Hannah displays the courage of one brave nurse through love, hardship, heartache, & depression. This may be one of my favorites.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the Publishers for allowing me to read The Women. My God. This book is incredible. The Women is the story of the amazing women who served in Vietnam as nurses. This Chronicles the horrors of war but brings us the unimaginable hell that is coming home and trying to survive. Kristin Hannah has told this story with truth and compassion and heart. This book is amazingly heartbreaking and hopeful. This will stay with you.