Kristin Hannah captures the essence of Vietnam veterans that are often overlooked: the women who served. Twenty-year-old nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath decides to follow her brother into war, enlisting in the Army Nurse Corps and shipping out to Vietnam. As a newbie, she is overwhelmed, but soon finds herself in the company of fellow women who become her mentors and friends. Hard as it is in country, Frankie comes to certain realizations after returning home.

I was a huge China Beach fan in my teenage years and Part 1 of The Women was definitely reminiscent of that show. In the first half of this book, Kristin Hannah did what she does best: set well developed characters in realistic historical settings. The second half of the novel was not as successful for me, as it felt like the time progression was set at a higher speed. It was almost as though the author had certain bullet points to hit and made sure to get to them all in the allotted pages. The richness of the beginning, with its descriptive nature and good characterization, was in sharp contrast to the less successful back half.

Overall, The Women highlighted a group of heroes that were overlooked when returning from war. It took many years for any sort of recognition for these women, so I was glad to see such a strong historical fiction writer make it the focal point. Though not my favorite read by this author, The Women was worthwhile and a novel I would recommend.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy by NetGalley and the publisher. The decision to review this book was entirely my own.

“𝙒𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙬𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙬𝙖𝙧—𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙣𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙑𝙞𝙚𝙩𝙣𝙖𝙢—𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙪𝙨 𝙛𝙚𝙡𝙩 𝙨𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙚. 𝙒𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙬𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚, 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙬𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚. 𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙄’𝙢 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧. 𝙄𝙩 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙨 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚. 𝙄𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙞𝙧𝙨, 𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝 𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙚.”

If you are a fan of historical fiction, this is a must read! I highly recommend the audio as Julia Whelan brings this story to life like no other. Kristin Hannah writes in such a way that you feel like you’re in the middle of war. This was such a fast, immersive read that I got completely swept away in.

The first half details Frankie McGrath’s experiences as a nurse in the Vietnam war. I absolutely loved her, Barb and Ethel. Their special friendship stood the test of time and war. The second half of the story explores Frankie’s tumultuous return from the war and the aftermath of such a harrowing experience. It’s so real and raw and Hannah doesn’t shy away from the trauma women faced when they returned from serving in a war they were told women were not a part of. It’s a hard read, but in the best way. I felt every emotion and I can’t recommend this book enough.

Content: fade to black, detailed descriptions of war injuries

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for gifted copies. My thoughts are my own.

Frances "Frankie" McGrath has recently finished nursing school so doesn't have a lot of real world nursing. After her brother leaves to fight in the Viet Nam War, Frankie decides she will follow as a nurse. It's not as easy as she thought. Because of her lack of experience, she has to try several branches of Armed Services before she's finally accepted by the Army. Her basic training goes by quickly and before she knows it she's ready to ship out. Her parents, who've provided her with a very comfortable life still try to dissuade her up until the end.
When Frankie arrives in Viet Nam, the situation is completely different from what she been told to expect. Her very first day at the hospital, she's thrown into chaos. The wounded and dying are brought in from trucks and helicopters. Frankie is helped into the routine of the evacuation style hospital by two more experienced nurses, Barb and Ethel. The three come from very different backgrounds, but form bonds that help them through the war and afterwards.
THE WOMEN is not for the queasy since many war injuries and experiences are portrayed in vivid detail. The reader will be pulled in emotionally by the authentic and well researched story. As I read, I felt the current world fall away and I was in the hot landscape of Viet Nam in the 1960's. Author Kristin Hannah takes the reader from that time period until when the Viet Nam War Memorial was unveiled.
Even though I've never been to Viet Nam, the war affected my life in ways that changed it forever. My late father was an Army anesthesiologist. When the war cranked up in 1965, he was transferred to a hospital outside Tokyo, Japan. My family joined him there after a few months. Instead of spending four years in a high school outside of Denver, I attended a school for Army and Air Force dependents. The people I met and the experiences I had changed my life and world view forever. When I was in college, I had a disastrous time dating a handsome sergeant who had served two tours in Viet Nam. Many men and women were affected by that awful war. I went to a small Southern college. Many girls from up North were my fellow students. Their parents wanted to get them away from the protests and violence in bigger universities.
I have read many other novels by Kristan Hannah. I have been enthralled by them all. I will recommend THE WOMEN to every reader I know.

The Women follows Frances "Frankie" McGrath - a recently graduated nurse trying to find her way in life when she decides to enlist as an army nurse, hoping to serve her country and become a hero. Throughout the book we go through the war with Frankie and experience love, pain, and heartbreak during her two tours. Once she comes home, Frankie does not get the welcome that she feels war veterans deserve. Americans even go so far as to say "There were no women in Vietnam." Frankie makes it her mission to make sure all the women are honored for what they truly are- heroes.

This book was absolutely stunning. You can tell the hard work and research Kristin Hannah put into it by how beautiful the writing is and how the descriptions transport you into the scene. On more than one occasion, I felt like I was in the operating room with Frankie while there were bombs going off outside. The author's note said she came up with idea in the 90s and spent decades working on it and you can definitely tell the dedication she put into making this story come to life and be accurate.

This novel sheds light on the work women did during the Vietnam War. It is something that doesn't get talked about that much and Hannah does a fantastic job of showing Frankie's journey from enlistment to returning home. The way she is treated from the time she enlists to the end is so much different than the way a man is treated and regarded. Frankie's decision is out of the norm in the early sixties and her family and society do not give her the gratitude and respect that she deserves. Frankie's journey is a difficult one and very eye-opening to the societal norms of the time.

Kristin Hannah has captured a time in history that I personally lived through and remember very well. The descriptions of what individuals experienced and had to deal with is on point. As you read the book and are transported to that time period, you will feel the loss, love, loyalty, and strength of that generation.

The Women is another winner from a fantastic author.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Kristin Hannah has done it again!
What a fantastic book about an unknown group - women who served in Vietnam. They served as nurses on the front lines, faced public humiliation when they returned to the U.S., and endured PTSD all while being told, “There were no women in Vietnam.”

Frances “Frankie” McGrath lives a privileged life in Southern California. Her family hopes that she marries well and stays home raising children as is their family tradition. Frankie wants to serve her country in the Navy as a Navy nurse, and follow in her brother’s footsteps. The Navy turns her away so she quickly enlists with the Army. Trauma and terror surround her every day overseas. Frankie bonds with her two roommates and their friendship offers great support during the war and after. When Frankie finally returns to the states, she finds very little support within her own family and in her community. She experiences nightmares, and has trouble reconnecting to all she has known before heading off to Vietnam. No one recognizes that women served in the war as nurses and that adds to the anguish of her everyday life. I love how the three friends stay connected and support each other. I love Kristin Hannah’s writing and how quickly she draws the reader into the story. This was a real page turner and I highly recommend this book. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an early copy. The Women is available today.

If you've been anywhere in the book world lately, I'm sure you've come across this title already. And if you ask most folks that have read it, they will tell you it's amazing, fantastic, possibly best book by Kristin Hannah. And they wouldn't be wrong.

Frankie is determined to do the right thing, thinking it will make her father proud. After her brother is sent to Vietnam to fight the war, she follows his path and enlists as an Army nurse. What she faces in Vietnam is light years away from what her expectations would have ever been.

I loved how this book explores a part of Vietnam (or any war, really) that isn't usually brought to the forefront. Women and people of color are often overlooked in the contributions and sacrifices they make for our (USA) country. I feel like this novel was well researched and written in a way that brings the story to life for the reader. The second half really dives into what it was like for our men and women in our country upon returning home from the war.

I thought the book was an important read, easily digestible, and overall, a great book. Reasons not a 5 star read.. for me, the pacing of the second half dragged a bit too much. And I've read better Hannah books , in particular The Nightingale, and this one came up just a tad short compared to it. But The Women is a must-read for everyone, especially those who are fond of historian fiction and would like to see a story different from those that have already been told.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read and review honestly an advanced digital copy

Check out this gripping book—it dives deep into the chaos of the Vietnam War, the buzz of the Civil Rights movement, and the fight for women's rights. But, overall, it's all about Vietnam and how it flipped lives upside down. It takes you back to a time when women were fighting for recognition, struggling to make their mark. The writing hits you right in the feels—it's raw, it's real, it's downright compelling.

The Women is Kristin Hannah's first release in two years and it's worth the wait. Hannah's trademark of writing compelling and rich stories is on full-on display here. The heroine's, Frankie, transformation from a reserved privileged gifl to a independent and resilent woman is fascinating and inspiring. Hannah's research on Vietnam must been extensive because she captures both the agony and brutality of the war. The biggest surprise was Hannah included how the political upheaval divided the nation between the nation into supporters and protestors. Hannah accurately portrays the chaos and upheaval of the period.

The Women has caused me not only welcome Kristin Hannah's retired, but to celebrate as well.

Wow. I think that's my full review. Honestly I can't say much except this is a 10 star book and you must read it. The Great Alone was my first Kristin Hannah book and it was my favorite but this is a new favorite. The story follows a young registered nurse who just graduated as she follows her brother to Vietnam by volunteering for the Army Nurse Corps. I was not alive during Vietnam so I did not know all of this history. Kristin did EXCELLENT research! It took me longer to read this because I would look up locations and things mentioned. I'm so glad she used real bases because I would look at the pictures to help visualize things.
My only critique is that last half of the book reads slower because it does follow Frankie as she copes with aftermath of the war. The first half of the book is constant action which makes sense. I appreciated the time spent with Frankie after the war but some parts seemed to drag on a tiny bit while other parts were so fast. And maybe that's just because of trying to fit 20 years in.. I still am recommending this book to literally everyone I talk to!!!

Thank you Kristin for a fantastic story that brought to light issues that younger people such as myself would never really know!
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy in exchange for a very honest review.

I have never cried so much while reading a book in my life. Was reading this while my wife is deployed a bad idea? Yes, yes it was. But boy was this a heartbreaking, gutwrenching, and devastatingly beautiful read.

The first half of this was fast-paced and felt very high stakes. The latter half was a total juxtaposition. I struggled with some of the pacing in the second half. At times it was like someone had pressed the fast-forward button, while other times we took it day by day. That was really my main reason for this being a 4 star read, rather than a 5 star read.

This hit very close to home, as my wife serves in the USAF. It made me feel immense pride for her and all that she's accomplished, but it also made me so incredibly angry at the way the public and the government currently treat and in the past have treated our veterans.

SO MUCH happened in this story, it felt like it was an 800 page book and it was only half of that. I'd definitely recommend reading with care and checking triggers prior to reading.

Thank You to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Kristin Hannah for the free eARC.

I was so excited to be approved for this gem. First, I had read one other Kristin Hannah book and thoroughly enjoyed. I had also enjoyed the tv series Firefly Lane based on her book. I couldn't wait to read this one. It was an intriguing topic women in Vietnam, growing up in California and then during the Vietnam in country. Returning home to a country that didn't believe women were in Vietnam, people didn't talk about their Vietnam experience, riots and protestors to stop the war. and telling people they weren't heroes.

I was a little kid while all this was happening and did not know much about it. As I got older and learned more about Vietnam and learning my uncle had been in Vietnam, it became an interesting topic. He talked very little about it. Until one night at a family gathering, he put up a screen, and a viewer and started showing us pictures he had taken and got quite a personal first hand account.

In The Women, the main character, Frances, Frankie, McGrath grows up in idyllic Coronado, CA. Her family is a proud military family and she joins up thinking she will get to spend time with her brother in Vietnam, who had also enlisted. What happens is not all Frankie believed it to be. Growing up in a world away and getting by with a little help from her friends both there and when she comes home and is battling PTSD, dramas, family strife, and so much loss in her life.

I loved the main character, her friends, and almost all the other cast of characters. Kristin Hannah does well at developing them and I felt like I knew them personally. I will admit I did need some kleenex from time to time. I would say this is my favorite one of hers. I didn't want to the book to end.

I've read everything Kristin Hannah has written, and this is hands down her best yet. I listened to the authors note at the end about how she has wanted to tackle this topic for a long time, but knew she needed more writing experience. I don't know what this story would have been like for her in her early writing years, but it was a flawless story.

I struggled with how to rate this, though. The story itself felt like perfection to me. There is no happy spin that could be put on the Vietnam War, or the aftermath when the soldiers returned. There is no happy brush that it can be painted with. I knew this going in. But because life is hard anyway, l've taken a break from historical fiction. I've chosen uplifting happy books for my own mental health. And there really wasn't much that was uplifting or happy about this story. But it was a story that needed to be told, and she did it with perfection.

Women can be heroes - what a powerful message that I’m so glad was at the center of this book! I’ve loved Kristin Hannah for years and The Women was one of my most anticipated 2024 releases. This engrossing story of Vietnam War Army nurse Frankie definitely didn’t disappoint. I never learned about the Vietnam War in school, so I enjoyed getting a bit of the history through the eyes of Frankie and her fellow nurses. Frankie was lovable, relatable, and easy to root for, even when she made questionable choices. I expected more of the story to be set during the war, but Frankie’s journey after the war was just as moving and impactful. If you’ve loved Kristin Hannah’s other books, don’t wait to pick this one up! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for early access!

Bravo!! Kristin Hannah has given us a gift of a Vietnam story. Frankie, a young female nurse goes to the Vietnam war ill prepared for what lays ahead. She is mentored and becomes a force to reckon with in the field hospital. I imagine the operating room scenes were hard to write but the author is able to immerse us in that setting and we can feel all the emotions involved. The story continues for Frankie when she returns home. Like the majority of those returning she faces struggles and emotional devastation. For Frankie it is difficult to find help because she is a woman. The reader is with her every step of the way. Her story deserved to be told and I thought it was an honest portrayal of the time.

I can't remember a book that has given me such an emotional reaction and lasting thoughts. I thought the book was extraordinary! Thank you netgalley for the chance to read this book. Thank you Kristin Hannah for gifting us with this story.

Words may not be able to express my thoughts on this book because it was so AMAZING and there are not enough stars to reflect my true thoughts. This book provided me with insight into what is why like to be a female nurse during the Vietnam War and how they were treated after the war. Although I had a general idea of how those who served in Vietnam were treated after the war, I never realized that female nurses because they didn't see combat were not considered true veterans of the war. This story also made so many of the aspects of the war real to me.

Frankie McGrath decides she wants to do her part during the Vietnam War by serving as a nurse. The story provides insight into her day-to-day experiences. It exemplifies her fear, the horrible working and living conditions, the exhaustion and the senseless deaths. The number of deaths Frankie and her fellow doctors and nurses saw on a regular basis were severely underreported by the U.S. government. Despite all of this, the story also exemplifies the amazing female friendships Frankie created in Vietnam and how those relationships sustained and supported Frankie after the war.

When Frankie returns from Vietnam, she struggles with the normalcy of life. She is angry with so many individuals, rarely sleeps because of the nightmares, and abuses alcohol and drugs to survive. Today we refer to this as PTSD but back then, Frankie wasn't eligible for any support from the Veterans Administration or others because "there were no women in Vietnam." If you didn't see combat, there was no reason you should have challenges or issues.

After the war, Frankie has several instances of her world falling apart and eventually, she hits rock bottom. Knowing all that Frankie went through, you can't help but root for her success and you will have to find out for yourself how things eventually turn out.

I love a story that focuses on history and provides me with insight beyond my current understanding. I also love when authors exemplify the role women have played in our history and the significant impact of their efforts. The female nurses in Vietnam were true unsung heroes.

I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed above are my own.
#TheWomen #KristinHannah

Frances (Frankie) McGrath is a young woman who is inspired by her older brother, Finley, to join the military. She becomes an Army Nurse and is sent to Vietnam to help save the lives of the young men fighting in the war. We follow Frankie from her time spent serving her country and the aftermath of returning home during a tumultuous time in history.

I did enjoy the book, but it wasn't a 5 star read for me. This is my third book by Kristin Hannah so I think that made me predict certain events that happened and it took away that emotional impact for me. I do think this is a powerful book and shows a time many are not familiar with. It brings to light the women who served their country and the mistreatment and denial they faced upon their return. We see that change within Frankie as she experiences PTSD before it even had a name and she had nowhere to turn to for help. What I loved most from the book was, the found family and women empowerment represented. Frankie found a true & strong friendship with Barb and Ethel.

Kristin Hannah does it again with another moving, heart-wrenching novel shining a light on women in history. "The Women" is a beautiful tribute to the brave women nurses who served in Vietnam and is an important reminder that women can be heroes. This book will break your heart over and over again, but Hannah's incredible storytelling will keep you coming back for more. Frankie is an extraordinary heroine who you will root for through all of her ups and downs. Her story was not an easy one to read, but I am so glad I did. Can’t recommend enough!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.