Member Reviews
A beautiful, powerful, personal look at the experiences of women during the Vietnam War, as told through the experiences of a battlefield nurse named Frankie. I couldn't put it down.
Kristin Hannah never ceases to amaze me with her writing. Her storytelling is remarkable, she forces you to feel the emotions the characters are feeling, you see what they see and it's incredible.
The Women isn't just a story about the forgotten women of the Vietnam War, it's a story about women and for women in every generation. It's about the absolute devastation of a war-ridden country and the effects of that war on the people and environment. It's about embracing your family because you just NEVER know what will happen and when it will happen. It's about the beautiful friendships and relationships you encounter when you're at your absolute lowest. This book is a masterpiece,
Frankie was such a beautifully written and well-thought out character. I loved seeing the way she evolved in all the different stages of her life. The absolutely tragic way she fell apart but also the beauty in her ability to stitch it back together. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC, it was insanely beautiful.
Kristin Hannah has done it again! She has a gift for taking a portion of history and making it real. Her ability to help you put yourself in the place of her characters and feel what they feel is unparalleled. In The Women, we are taken to the Vietnam War as our idealistic young nurse, Frankie McGrath, signs up in the Army. As we follow her journey to war, gaining and losing friends and her innocence, and coming home to a country that hates its veterans and says women were not even there, we also see the tearing between the government and the people. I felt the damage done by the media and the people, and the scenes in the VA (twice!) were devastating. Frankie's destructiveness and the rebuilding of her life was a devastatingly beautiful read about a time that is still such a struggle to face as a society. It reminded me, though, that every phase of life has both difficult and beautiful moments if you keep looking for them. Another excellent historical fiction book that I feel everyone should experience.
Kristin Hannah does it again. What a beautiful, heartbreaking, and insightful story. I have a deep appreciation for books that teach me about a topic or time in history that I don't have strong knowledge on. And I also appreciate how strong all of her female characters are. She really does a beautiful job portraying different women and their stories. My heart broke for all the difficulties the main character had and I wish I could go back in time just to Welcome her home! Beautiful story!
The Women was the most powerful book I have read in a long time. It tore my heart to shreds and built it back again and again. The story of Frankie, a nurse serving in Vietnam, and the aftermath of war from her perspective, was absolutely gut wrenching. I cried multiple times throughout the novel and then again at the end. The story was beautiful and raw, leaving the reader with a deep understanding of just how awful Vietnam was in more ways than one. This book is something that all Americans should read - to better appreciate those who go to war, to help them heal when they return, and to hopefully never have a repeat of something as horrifying as Vietnam. This story has settled into my soul and is not one that I will forget.
-5 stars
Thank you to #NetGalley and #St.Martin’sPress for an eARC of #TheWomen by #KristinHannah
All views expressed are my own.
Kristin Hannah does it again. She takes one of the lesser frequented historical fiction eras and brings it to life. This time it's through privileged young woman Frankie McGrath as she surprises her parents with a decision made almost on a whim to join the war effort in Vietnam as a nurse. You follow her from the start, challenges, so much trauma, friendships, romantic relationships and more.
The story is so captivating that you won't want to put it down. I shed a tear halfway through, as the perspective doesn't shy away from the atrocities of the soldiers or to the civilians of Vietnam.
If you're reading this and sensitive to any trigger warnings, be warned: there are so many as you'd expect if you follow a wartime narrative before and afterwards.
Thank you to Netgalley and to St. Martin's Press for the ARC.
#KristinHannah #NetGalley
As someone that was not born in the USA and didn't move to this country until 1993, I didn't know the extent of the Vietnam war. The Women picked my curiosity and lead me to research more about it. This book is not only the story of a female nurse in Vietnam and her struggles readjusting once she got back in the States. It's a story about the value of friendship, how love can build you up but also tear you down, and lastly the relationship with your family. I found myself tearing up more than once.
Definitely worth checking it out. Thanks to NetGalley, Kristin Hanna, and St Martin's Press for this ARC.
Frankie McGrath was raised in post-WWII America to understand that service in the armed forces was a great honor and an act of heroism. After her brother Finley deploys to Vietnam, Frankie, newly graduated from nursing school, signs up to become an Army nurse. But her parents’ reaction is not the pride she expected, and once she gets to Vietnam, she realizes just how unprepared she was for the realities of war. When she returns, haunted by the things she experienced overseas, she comes home to a changed nation whose citizens now spit on soldiers rather than thanking them for their service. Adjusting to war was hard – but coming home and trying to fit back in is even harder.
The only other Kristin Hannah I’ve ever read was The Four Winds. It was traumatic and I’ll never read it again, but the fact that I slammed that “Request” button SO HARD on NetGalley as soon as I saw she had a new book should tell you what an amazing writer she is. I knew she would hurt me and I did it anyway. Her writing is absolutely gorgeous and packs an emotional impact without ever devolving into melodrama.
There’s a lot of heavy stuff in this book – REALLY heavy, traumatic stuff - but it’s less bleak and hopeless than The Four Winds was. In The Women, no matter how far Frankie falls, there’s still that undercurrent of love that flows from Barb and Ethel, the women who were there with her, the only ones who can really understand her. (I was terrified that one of them would die. I think The Four Winds scarred me.) Their friendship is the emotional core of the novel. And Frankie's character arc is a truly compelling one.
Five stars (and a realization that I simply MUST read more Kristin Hannah!)
Representation: POC characters
CW: PTSD, war, gore, substance abuse, infidelity, pregnancy loss
I am not going to rehash or re-write the synopsis you can read it for yourself!!
Pre-order this one now. I got my copy ordered!
Pub date is Feb 6th
If I could give this more than 5 stars I would
Tissues needed that ending will kill ya!
Kristin Hannah did it again I loved this book. This is one of those books that will make you mad, cry and laugh maybe ugly cry too.
If you liked any of her other books your gonna love this one more.
My thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Through the lens of one woman’s story, Kristin Hannah underscores the impact of women during Vietnam.
We meet Francis “Frankie” McGrath in 1966 during the farewell party for her older brother Finley, who is to serve in Vietnam. Shortly after, rejecting the traditional plans of her conservative parents and imagining a different future for herself, she enlists in the Army Nurse Corp and follows her brother to war.
Immediately, Frankie’s life is thrust into a reality painted by the chaos of war, the incessant din of gunfire, and the blood-drenched, endless hospital shifts that eventually shape her into a skilled surgery nurse.
While in Vietnam, Frankie falls in love, faces the devastation of loss and heart break, forges lifelong friendships, and reshapes her world and place in it as a result.
The second part of the novel shakes the ground beneath her once again, as she returns to a country divided and a life markedly different. There is no gratitude for her service, no real belief that she—along with other women—were even there. And while the world is intent to dismiss Vietnam, Frankie, like so many others, finds herself utterly broken and lost.
Through Frankie’s story, Hannah takes us on an extraordinary journey that’s deeply evocative and sobering—one that explores everything from the massive loss of life (on both sides) in Vietnam, to the political division the war engendered, to both the physical and psychological scars Veterans struggled with upon their return to a country defined by protest and a hostile dismissal of their sacrifice.
Through rich details and cultural signposts, Frankie’s story felt intimate, transportive, and all consuming. I couldn’t put it down, even as tears streamed down my face in parts particularly difficult to read.
There are so many reasons I have loved this, and all the Kristin Hannah books I’ve devoured. One of those reasons is that her stories stay with me long after I’m done. They’re steeped in compelling histories I yearn to learn more about, and I always spiral into them in the aftermath of reading.
I can’t recommend this book enough. I listened to the audio version (narrated by Julia Whalen) and it’s amazing.
This was a great historical fiction novel about the women of the Vietnam War, the roles they played, and how they were overlooked as "vets" upon return to the United States because they didn't see combat. Kristin Hannah always does a fabulous job with historical fiction, and I loved her decision to keep the names of the hospitals and cities true to what they were. I loved her connection to the war, personally, and how she incorporated that into this book as well. Frankie serves 2 years as a nurse during Vietnam, makes some lifelong friends, but comes home to a country in turmoil and a family who seem disgraced by her. She's constantly told to forget the war, let it go, and move forward - easier said than done. I'm sure the experiences of Frankie in this book mirror those of actual nurses who saved so many lives during Vietnam but weren't recognized for their bravery for far too long. Well written, engaging, informative, and gut wrenching.
Get your hankies ready! The Women is a near constant tearjerker.
Nothing goes right for Frankie. Frankie decides to finish her nursing degree to join her brother in Vietnam. It’s 1965 and war is still considered a patriotic duty. The day she joins up, her family receives notification that Frankie’s brother is dead. But Frankie is still obligated to go. So, she does. Vietnam is chaotic and terrifying. But Frankie soldiers on. While there, she meets lifetime friends and endures tragic news.
I am purposefully not mentioning the multitude of spoilers past this point. However, suffice it to say, it’s great historical fiction. Many parts were surprising even for someone who lived through the war as a child.
It is hard not to empathize with Frankie even when she makes poor decisions. She is a unique woman (notice I didn’t say character because she seems so real) who will be hard to forget. I read this book like a whirlwind because I just had to find out what was next for Frankie. However, I was disappointed with the rather pedestrian final scene. I was hoping for a more empowering end to Frankie’s story. To be honest, I had already written one in my head by then but perhaps it was too far away from modern times for my conclusion. Anyway, The Women is a very powerful book that is highly recommended. 5 stars and a favorite!
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.
Boy, did this ever bring back memories! I'm dating myself here but I went to university from 1966-1971 so I was in the midst of all these things that were happening. Such tumultuous times with the war, the protests, the sit-ins, the marches, the assassinations, the Civil Rights movement, riots. When I was home, my family would watch the war coverage on the nightly news during dinner and my dad and I would argue over it--so much so that my poor mom would run around closing windows so the neighbors wouldn't hear us, lol. And OMG, the music! The sound track to our lives! My husband was drafted (before I knew him) but was sent to Germany to serve. Fortunately none of our friends were killed in Vietnam, but every one of them, to a man, came back damaged in some significant way.
But we didn't hear about the women who went to war.
Kristin Hannah has created a novel to change that, to show the role played by women in Vietnam. Sure, they weren't in actual combat, but they faced horrors and dangers and worked hard under impossible conditions to help save as many wounded soldiers as possible. Theirs was often the last caring face a dying soldier saw, the last sweet encouraging words they heard.
And then to go home to be spat on and shamed. To be told by veteran's groups 'There were no women in Vietnam.' And so to not get the help so badly needed to recover from PTSD, as it is now known.
Terrific story told with great heart and understanding. I loved all these characters. What a time to come of age!
I received an arc of this novel from the author and publisher via NetGalley. Many thanks to them. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
This was one of the best books I have ever read. I will have a book hangover for a while. I cried so much. Kristin Hannah's writing is so engaging. I was hooked from the start. I enjoy historical fiction but I don't think I've ever read a Vietnam War book. To be honest, I didn't know this would be a book I'd enjoy because I didn't think I'd find a book about the Vietnam War all that interesting. But oh my goodness was I wrong! She definitely did her research. I felt like I was there in Vietnam with Frankie. The descriptions and writing were so vivid and I could feel her emotions as I was reading. While this deals with the Vietnam War, it deals with so much more and I don't want to go into too much detail because it was powerful not knowing how it all unfolded. I will say there are some strong trigger warnings so if you have certain triggers, look into it before picking this one up. I thought she handled the serious topics so well. I loved this book so much - it will stick with me for a while.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for advanced copies. Opinions are my own.
With her latest, The Women, Kristin Hannah looks at the women who served in the Vietnam War.
"Frankie McGrath finishes nursing school and volunteers to serve as an Army nurse in Vietnam. She is assigned to an evac hospital and thrown into the chaos on her first day. Her new bunkmates, Barb and Ethel, pick her up and teach her what it takes to become a combat surgical nurse. Frankie struggles with the bloodshed and chaos but she survives her tour. Her welcome home is not what she expects. People call her baby killer and spit on her. Her family won't even admit she was there.
Frankie seeks help for her stress and nightmares, but is told over and over "There were no women in "Nam" How will she make people understand what she's going through? How can she find a life?"
This book will rock you emotionally. How does a society fail a group that did nothing but serve their country in a war no one wanted? Frankie is a great character and a great representative of all the women who served in Vietnam. You feel for her and all the times she sought help and ended up banging her head against the system. You admire the grit to be a better nurse and her ability to connect with the soldiers in her care.
There is some incredible tension in the scenes especially when the field hospital is under attack. Hannah makes you live the chaos.
Thank you Kristin Hannah for shining the spotlight on these brave women. This is a book everyone should read. If you haven't visited the memorial in DC, go see it. If you have neighbors that were Vietnam vets give them a hug. And read this book.
Does Kristin Hannah ever miss?! The Women blew me away. I have a great uncle who served in Vietnam and through my childhood remember hearing talk about his "flashbacks" and such. It's such a shame how Vietnam War vets were treated upon their return and this book really highlighted that but even more so the women who served. There were times I was so angry at how Frankie was treated when she was just trying to get help. Yes, The Women is a work of fiction but how many women ended up in the downward spiral that Frankie did
because of the rhetoric that women didn't serve? It's just appalling to think about. As with any KH novel, I was reduced to tears many times. Most were tears of sadness but there were tears of joy as well. I'm glad that we got Frankies story from the beginning to nearly the bitter end. The Women is truly an epic saga. There were some things that happened that I saw coming a mile away and some that I didn't. Overall, you can tell the depth of research and heart that went into this novel. It's one not to be missed!
Kristin Hannah does it again with The Women! This story takes places during a period of American history I knew very little about. I feel like I walked away from this book with a much deeper understanding of what it was like being a Vietnam veteran, especially as a woman. The veterans from that period had to deal with the trauma of going to war in addition to the trauma of returning to the U.S. with little to no support from fellow citizens. I like that this book tackled mental health and the lack of support that was available in the 70s. I wish that I could read this book for the first time all over again!
The first half of this book is set in Vietnam where Frankie McGrath has volunteered to be a nurse during the war. The second half is when she has returned to the United States and is struggling with her mental health. A very readable, powerful book that highlights what nurses went through and how their contributions were often dismissed.
KH does it again with her latest book.. sure to be a bestseller!This book is HF set in the time period of Vietnam. It is so well researched and KH is an artist in how she paints the scenes throughout the book in that the reader feels like they are right there. KH addresses important mental health topics such as PTSD, alcoholism, and drug addiction which many of the survivors of Vietnam seem to battle. KH describes what it’s like for our warriors to reintegrate back into society and the challenges that they face. Not many books are written on Vietnam from the women’s perspective, the nurses who served in Vietnam. Tending to the wounded, assisting in surgery, and sometimes being the only person there with a wounded soldier to lend comfort and support in their last minutes of life.This book left me with such a book hangover. I still can’t stop thinking about the characters in this book. Beautifully written and not to be missed!
Many many thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me an ARC in exchange for my review.
I am at a loss for words right now, at least ones that do justice to what I have just read. Mrs Hannah has written a story bringing to light all the suffering and sacrifice that women have gone through during the wars, in this case Vietnam. Women who just because they are women have been kept anonymous and denied recognition and help when most needed. The way they are marginalized not only by the press, society, and most painfully by their families is a real shame.
As this author always does, the criticism of politics and governments is brutal and very accurate. I don't think she is lying when she tells us how they hide the truth and use it for their own benefit.
I found it a very accurate criticism of the USA, and the worst thing is that much of what was fought and struggled at that time, especially for women, it seems that nothing was learned and today we have to do it all over again.
This story is almost impossible for me to review without dropping spoilers, so I'll keep quiet but I do recommend you read it as soon as you can, it is very worthwhile.