Kristin Hannah, renowned for her bestselling works of historical fiction, delivers a powerful chronicle in her latest sweeping epic 'The Women.' Set in the tumultuous 1960s, the novel immerses readers in the harrowing experiences of three nurses on the front lines of the Vietnam War, as they endure devastating loss and struggle to cope with returning home to a society that neither honors nor respects them.
Hannah, beloved for her masterful storytelling and vividly drawn characters, has delivered another triumph certain to rank among her finest works. Frankie McGrath stands among her most memorable characters. “The Women “cements Hannah’s place as one of the most popular novelists of our time.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, & Macmillan for the opportunity to read and review this book before it's publication date! This in no way affected my review, opinions are my own.

Review: One of my favorite authors, Kristin Hannah continues to prove that she has an unbelievable way with words. It's unbelievable how quickly she sucks you into a novel and makes you care so much about all of the characters. There are parts of her books (especially her more recent ones) that are a bit melodramatic and require a bit of suspended disbelief, but to be honest I don't know that it bothers me so much.

While there is a bit of heightened drama on the interpersonal side, the research and care that Hannah provides to the historical aspects of her novels is top tier and so welcomed. I feel like I learned a ton about the Vietnam War that I was not aware of before (mostly the women's experience of it), and I was very grateful for this book so that I could do more of my own research.

I did really enjoy the characters in this novel, even when they're making the most piss poor decisions - but my favorite part of the novels, and pretty much all of Hannah's novels, is the way she writes relationships between women. I do think this book is her penultimate example of that, and the relationships between the Frankie and her two best friends will stick with me for a long time.

Overall Rating: ★★★★★ / 4.63

Rating each element of the book out of 5★
Characters ★★★★
Atmosphere ★★★★★
Writing ★★★★
Plot ★★★★
Intrigue ★★★★
Logic ★★★★
Enjoyment ★★★★
Pacing ★★★★
Dialogue ★★★★

★ did not like / ★★ it was okay / ★★★ liked it / ★★★★ really liked it / ★★★★★ loved it

I thought that the first half of The Women was better than the second, and I had a hard time getting into this book altogether. It felt very long and though it was well written, it felt a bit tedious. I'm fairly certain that this is just a reflection of my current mood and book slump, however, so I'm trying not to blame the book too much here!

This book is perfect for a Book Club. The second I finished it, I wanted to know who had read it, so that we could discuss.. Kristin Hannah is an amazing writer. Every one of her books, I get sucked into and The Women was not an exception. I cried, I was angry on the character's behalf, I laughed, it was a rollercoaster of emotions. Most importantly I think it made me look into the real historical events that took place with women who went to the Vietnam war. It feels very parallel to some of the events going on in the world today, so I would encourage everyone to read it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an Advanced Reader Copy of The Women!

Kristin Hannah has done it again. I actually finished this book a while ago and have not stopped thinking about it at least daily. I have done a lot of digging and research on the Vietnam war because this book opened my eyes to the absolute horrors from this time.

Following ‘Frankie’ along her journey from proper socialite to literal trenches was a rollercoaster of emotions. Her desire to belong on her family’s ’Hero Wall’ leads her on a long journey of empowerment, maturation, heartbreak, resilience and so much more. You can tell Hannah did her research to make this book as historically accurate as possible.

This book is for anyone looking for a fast paced, emotional, historical read!

I adored this book from the very first page to the last word. That said, I read a lot of the less than stellar reviews and I completely understand why those were given as well. My reveiw will explain why I loved it so much and why I think everyone should read it, but first I should start with the issues I had with it because those who didn't have personal or relatable experiences will surely find these issues more glaring. There are a few spoilers about what happens at the end, although they are a bit predictable anyway.

First, the protagonist Frankie was wildly unlikable until the very end of the book. This was understandable given how she was raised and the trauma she faced in Vietnam and more when she returned to the US, however it did get annoying that every man she met fell madly in love with her, Her 2 best friends adored her and dropped everything at any moment to come and save her time and time again, and she never really did much for any of them.

Second, the romantic story lines. It was kind of irritating that the entire plot of the book was supposed to be about the women who served in Vietnam, how they went against the norm time and time again, how "women can be heroes" (which was told to her by a man), how they pushed back against the world saying "there were no women in vietnam", and yet Frankie's entire story revolved around the men that she was involved with, starting with her father and continuing across 20 years and 3 "epic" love stories. Up to the very last page she was still trying to impress her father and gain his approval, and the very last thing that happens is that she reconnects with her first epic love and starts a new relationship with him. (I believe the author does this to provide SOME kind of happy ending after an entire book nothing happy at all.) Even Barb, who previously stated "I don't want that life", finally found love and got married and that was somehow her happy ending. I would have loved to read the story of these heroic women without their lives revolving around men.

Now, on to the reasons I rated this 5 stars.

First, there are so few books written about the Vietnam war, even fewer about the women who served. As a historian, this is an area of history that has been hidden and neglected for years and I appreciate anyone who is willing to do the research. There are people who still believe that there were no women in Vietnam, even though 8 of their names are inscribed on the memorial. I tfound it to be really accurate (based on what I know). She even used the real names of places, hospitals, and some people.

Second, my personal experiences. I'm an Army vet and spent years later in life working for the Air Force (as a civilian). While things have definitely changed a lot in the military from the 60s to the 90s (when I served) and even more since, some of the core experiences for women serving remain the same. I can also confirm that there were many men stationed unaccompanied overseas who were married with families, yet claimed to be single and carried out full relationships with unsuspecting women. This storyline was valid and true to life.

Lastly and most importantly, my dad was a vietnam vet. While he never talked about it (and I mean not once in my entire life), it was clear that it affected him (negatively) for the rest of his short life. This book provided me insight into the real conditions over there, into the horrors that those men and women saw, the horrible things they were ordered to do. The complex PTSD that every man and woman returned the the US with. With zero mental health care or even anyone who understood what mental health care was and why it was neccessary. No opporturnies, no prosects, no one who even wanted them here. The welcome or lack there of that they experienced upon their return is something that will forever be impossible for me wrap my head around. Many young men and women volunteered (because they though they were fighting for and protecting their country), but many others were drafted and forced to go. Hannah does an amazing job at capturing the emotions and pain of Frankie and the other characters as well. The outbursts, the defiance, the drinking and drug abuse all in an effort just to cope and keep living. At the core of this book is that pain, and it is the most important part regardless of a few annoying storylines. The Vietnam War damn-near destroyed an entire generation and now we (my generation) are the recipents of passed down generational trauma. This is something we need to be actively reading about, talking about, seeking mental health care for, and healing from.

Completely shattering and heart-wrenching from the very first page, raw and real, at times impossible to read, and never redeeming, this is an exceptionally important book that arrived just in time before the entire world has forgotten about this awful, awful war, the men and women who were lost to it (both Americans and Vietnamese), and those who returned and became our parents and grandparents.

I don’t know how I can review this book and it convey my feelings for it to even be close to enough.

I honestly don’t know if I’ve read a historical fiction set around the Vietnam war before and this was so eye opening, impactful, heart-wrenching, and inspiring even. Frankie was the kind of MC I love to read about. She was such a lovable flawed character. I loved the female friendships in this book. There wasn’t a single thing Kristin Hannah missed on for me in this. She WROTE. I’m in awe. One of my favorites for this year for sure!

Historical fiction isn’t usually my cup of tea but Kristin Hannah really just kills it every time. I mean, I guess this is only the second book I’ve read from her, but both times I’ve been blown out of the water, absolutely enthralled and moved to tears. Her storytelling is immaculate and her characters really just give you someone to root for.

There’s a lot of art that focuses on the Vietnam War. The war is romanticized on so many ways by the art it inspired. Many incredible movies set during then, tons of songs inspired by the time, but never have I seen any of them really even mention the women of the war. Obviously I know this book is a work of fiction, but it made me consider war in a new way. It’s definitely still something I feel strongly against, but this story deepened my respect for those who serve and all they sacrifice.

There were many characters in this book I really enjoyed, which made the betrayals and the wins all that more emotionally meaningful. There were also deaths of characters that were immensely heartbreaking - mostly side or background characters. I was heartbroken reading about the gross negligence of this country and the horrific deaths and life changing injuries faced by those who served. The mental impacts of the war and the lack of care for mental health during the era. The way that the women who served were ostracized for “not being in the field.” The impacts of Agent Orange, those which I’m still seeing today in my real life with relatives who fought in the war and survived, but at what cost.

I couldn’t believe how much I was attached to this book and its story. I wasn’t ready for it to end even though it was a textbook in size (as are most of Hannah’s books). I was deeply satisfied with its ending though, and felt everything in this book was well rounded.

This book was incredible. The setting - the 60s and 70s, the Vietnam War, different spaces across the US, the characters - Frankie, Barb, Ethel and even the men sprinkled throughout, the raw storytelling. All of it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this read. All opinions are my own.
Without any knowledge of the Vietnam War, I opened this book on the strength of my regard for Kristen Hannah's writing. This was a truly astonishing book that delved into the atrocities of war, the devastation of PTSD, and intermingled within are the interpersonal relationships of parents, siblings, lovers, and friends. Frankie's choice to enlist changes her life completely. Hannah doesn't dwell much on the experience of the men who were drafted, which seems appropriate for a book titled "The Women". With all the resources available today, her experiences seeking help for her PTSD exposed the lack of knowledge for veteran care. Even the fact that as a nurse, she was not considered to be a veteran of the war. I hated the way her relationship with Rye ended up. In the moment when Frankie was strong enough to leave him, a simple lie brought her back. Would a stronger version of herself been able to overcome that and still leave him?

This is one of the best books I've ever read. It's hard to do it justice in a review. It hit home on all that the Vietnam war did to US culture. Frankie McGrath chooses to go to Vietnam as an Army nurse, but she isn't ready for what she is about to experience. Besides the fact that women were treated poorly--in fact, their service is entirely ignored by most US citizens, she enters a world of death, oppressive heat, monsoon rain, and generally poor conditions. Despite all the odds, she becomes an incredible nurse. But when she returns home to California, she is faced with a country that has turned against her those who served in the war and trauma beyond what she could ever imagine.

“The Women” is not just Frankie’s story; it is an ode to the countless women who, like her, ventured into the heart of darkness, armed with little more than their courage and a steadfast commitment to healing. Hannah’s portrayal of war’s chaos, the bonds forged and broken in the crucible of conflict, and the arduous journey of reintegration into a society that seems to have moved on without them is both heart-wrenching and enlightening.

What sets this novel apart is Hannah’s ability to capture the essence of an era—the music, the mood, the whirlwind of social change—and distill it through the experiences of her characters. Frankie’s return home to a divided America, her struggle to reconcile the person she has become with the nation she thought she knew, is a powerful commentary on the cost of war and the resilience of the human spirit.

This is actually more like 4.5 stars, because I could not put it down. This book took over my life and it consumed me. It’s a story we all need to hear and understand. It’s told beautifully and taught so much about veterans that served in Vietnam.

As far as the story is concerned: the first half was 5 stars easy. There were a few plot holes for me that I just couldn’t let go. Frankie volunteers with the POW group but never looks up Rye’s name? Come on. And don’t get me started on the ending. I’m not sure why it’s bothering me, but brining Jamie back felt lazy. Like she never checked up on him? Insert eyeroll.

This is hands down THE BEST Kristin Hannah book I’ve read to date! I am not ok. This book was a wild ride and Frankie is now a part of my soul. I learned so much from this book and now all I can think about is the women who served our country and the struggles they endured upon returning home. My heart!

What a phenomenal story. It was beautifully written and plucked those heartstrings just like Kristin Hannah’s previous work. Another masterful piece of historical fiction.

This book was incredibly affecting and well-researched - one of my favorites by Kristin Hannah. I loved that she shone the spotlight on a group that we haven’t heard about much in Vietnam War content.

Kristin Hannah is absolutely one of my favorite authors! I have read all her books and this definitely falls into my top 5 of her books. I found the story so moving and was invested from the very beginning. I love how she applies research without hitting you over the head with it. I would highly recommend this book! It was wonderfully written and just is such an incredible story.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for this advance copy. Kristin Hannah is a favorite author and I have read her books for years. When I first picked up this book, it didn’t sit well with me. I found the main character ridiculously naive and it just wasn’t the right time for me to experience the amount of trauma and gore that is the first 40% of this book. When Sharon McMahon picked this as her book club selection, I decided to give it another try and I’m really glad I did. It’s clear Hannah did exhaustive research on the women who served in Vietnam. What I found even more fascinating was in the second half of the book, where she focuses on Frankie’s return home and the many challenges facing veterans (& women) of that time. It was probably too long in places and had some silly plot points (every man Frankie meets falls madly in love with her) but the overall message of the book definitely makes it worth the read. An important look at the history of the 1960s and definitely a favorite from Hannah.

I love Kristin Hanna’s books. This one was right up there with my favourites. Highly recommended. .

Learning more about the Vietnam war was interesting, so many brave people who didn’t receive respect or much needed heathcare following their service because it was a war we should’ve never been in. Some of the medical unit scenes were too graphic for me.
What I didn’t enjoy was this felt like 3 different books and it seemed to go on and on, there were so many side plots that I felt took away from the real story. Every man Frankie met fell madly in love with her and several even came back from the dead, it got to be too cliche - I wasn’t sure if I was reading a historical fiction novel or a harlequin romance.
Julia Whelan narrated this book wonderfully.