In 2021, I went to D.C. I saw the Vietnam Women's Memorial, took photos, and spent a brief moment being proud. However, now I wish I could go back and sit longer with those women. The Women made me want to learn more about and do more for those who came before me.

I have had to sit with this review for a bit. I don't know if I can clearly explain my experience with this story. So, the below will likely be a bunch of ramblings.

If you have ever read a book by Kristin Hannah, then you know to keep the tissues handy. I don't know why I continue to read her stories when all she does is cause me emotional damage. I had so many feelings reading The Women. I was sad. I was angry and filled with rage. I was astounded and baffled, and for some unknown reason, I loved it all.

The Writing
Hannah's writing always works for me. I may not always like her story. I struggle considerably with her contemporary works. The Nightingale and Winter Garden are two of my favorite books. Yet, The Great Alone was a complete miss for me, and I struggled to care about any of the characters in The Four Winds. But I like her narrative style, her sentence structure, and the simplicity of her writing. Her sentences are often short and clipped but pack deep emotion. This remains true in The Women.

Atmosphere
I don't know much about Vietnam. I was born a few years after it ended, and other than what I learned in school, I have never really read up on the subject. However, what I do know is the impact the war had on people. My dad is a Vietnam vet, and while he doesn't talk too much about what happened, it has left a visible and lasting toll. He cannot sit in a restaurant without facing all exit points. Loud noises, like fireworks, are a horrifying experience for him. Growing up, it was devasting to watch. I felt like Hannah captured this. The whole time I read this, I kept thinking Dad does that. If even an ounce of what is in this book is true, I can't imagine how anyone ever recovers from a war, soldier or citizen alike.

I could visualize the world Hannah built, from the clothing and the hairstyles to the locations. I was transported to the era, standing side-by-side with Francis (our main character), struggling, fighting, grieving, and laughing.

Characters
I think what I like most about Hannah's books are her characters. If I connect with them, then I am hooked. While we only follow Francis, Hannah deftly tells the story of The Women who went to war and those who stayed behind. Hannah is known for destroying her characters. She makes them suffer unbelievable heartache, and then she makes them suffer again.

Francis will stay with me for a long time. She does some of the most frustrating things I have ever seen a character do. I wanted to slap her and shake her at so many points. However, since I have first-hand experience with a vet, I understood, and no matter how many times she tried to blow up her entire life, I kept rooting for her. I wanted her to succeed. I wanted her to find her way in a world she no longer knew how to live in.

Through Francis' eyes, we learn about the horrors of war, including the aftermath, which told the nurses who risked their lives to save soldiers that they didn't matter, that they weren't good enough and that something was wrong with them. It was heartbreaking to read.

Plot
Hannah makes a few plot choices that frustrated me. Unfortunately, I can't say more without spoiling portions of the story. Since I have read so many of Hannah's works, I expected them. I sat there waiting for them and cringed when they occurred. Despite these things, I still loved this book. Maybe expecting them helped me get over it. However, I can see many readers not used to Hannah's writing being annoyed by her choices.

Overall, if you are a fan of Hannah's historical fiction, you will love this. Just don't forget the tissues.

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

Kristin Hannah does it again. The Women sucked me in right from the start. It’s amazing to hear about the women who served in the Vietnam War. I really felt for Frankie. Another fantastic book. A must read.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and Kristin Hannah for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

My favorite genre is probably historical fiction and a large number of historical fiction novels are center around war, especially WWII. It seems in recent years, we have begun to hear a lot about the important roles women played in these wars. Kristin Hannah’s new historical fiction novel, The Women, also centers around a war, the Vietnam war. I, personally, haven’t come across many historical factions about the Vietnam war so I was very intrigued by this one. I had high hopes when I started this book and it far exceeded all of my expectations. It was phenomenal!

The Women is the story of the young women who served as Army nurses in Vietnam. Frankie is one of these young women who severs two tours of duty in Vietnam. The first half of the book is about her time in-country while the second half describes her struggles upon returning home. The negative reception from just about everyone as a returning Vietnam vet and the effect of PTSD, just about brings her to her knees. The story concludes at the dedication of the Vietnam War Memorial in DC.

My favorite Kristin Hannah novel is Nightingale but I think this new one, The Women, is even better. I felt she truly captured the mood of that era, the struggles, the violence, the civil unrest, the country’s mistrust of the government, the shame of a nation for turning their backs on their returning vets. I would highly recommend this book to all readers, If you one read one book this year, this is the one to read.

Kristin Hannah has had the idea for a book about Vietnam War nurses since shortly after the war’s end, and finally she decided that she was ready and the time was right for readers to accept such a story. Having seen the brutal effects of war on American soldiers and Vietnamese civilians alike and having worked to save lives when so many casualties were set aside to die due to their irreparable wounds, many nurses, just like the soldiers, suffered from emotional trauma. In the days before PTSD had a name, nurses seeking help from the VA were regularly turned away, told there were no women in Vietnam. Noncombatants didn’t count.

Such is the basis of Hannah’s The Women. Frances “Frankie” McGrath, a recent nursing school graduate from a wealthy California family, enlists with the hope of being near her beloved older brother Finley, who is following the family’s male tradition of serving in the U.S. Navy. Rather than being assigned to a large Saigon hospital far from combat as expected, Frankie finds herself much nearer the fighting. When Frankie proves woefully unprepared for the first mass casualty incident, her experienced nursing roommates, Ethel from Virginia and Barb from small-town Georgia, teach her how to survive life assigned to the Army’s 36th Evac Hospital.

Slightly less than half the novel chronicles the horrors and the happier moments of Frankie’s two tours in Vietnam, including her relationships with Jamie and Rye, men who steal her heart. Hannah spends the remainder of the book on Frankie’s life after returning to a divided homeland, characterized by anti-war protests and the rejection of Vietnam vets as “baby killers.” Shunned by society, including her own parents, Frankie struggles to readjust and cope with her memories of those she has lost. Readers will find the second half of the book as captivating as the first, and perhaps more important. Centered on Frankie but including not only subsequent meetings with Ethel and Beth, but also introducing other Vietnam nurses facing similar problems coping with their military experience and adjusting to civilian life. Spanning the years from 1966-1982, The Women is a must for readers interested Vietnam or in thoroughly researched historical fiction.

At times, I found the writing somewhat “preachy,” perhaps because I was old enough during the Vietnam War era to be aware of much of what Hannah describes. Certainly, the divided nation, student protests, draft card burnings, and animosity many Americans exhibited toward returning vets were a part of my early university experience. Similarly, as an undergraduate writing tutor for several young men newly returned from the ongoing war, I was privy to a few of their stories, whether written in essays or conveyed during a tutoring session as they needed to talk. However, I’m aware that most readers will be younger than I. The majority will have been born years, if not decades, after the war. What struck me as overdone and preachy will likely prove helpful, even necessary, for such readers.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance reader copy of this important historic novel. Kristin Hannah brings the era and its human tragedies and hardships to life.

4.5/5

Shared on GoodReads and will be shared on Barnes & Noble as the release date approaches.

Frankie, a female nurse, impulsively joins the Army to serve in the Vietnam War like her brother. This decision has far-reaching consequences for the rest of her life.

I haven't read a Kristin Hannah book in several years. As soon as I heard about The Women, I had to get a copy. It didn't disappoint! Kristin Hannah described this book as a tribute to the unsung women serving in Vietnam. Hannah showed us their bravery, struggles, and sacrifice for this country while highlighting how their service was often unrecognized or discounted. I commend Hannah for her ability to help us better understand this difficult and pivotal time in our country's history.

I loved Frankie. She is idealistic and flawed yet so real and relatable at the same time. Frankie's fellow Vietnam nurses, Ethel and Barb, hold a special place in my heart. Everyone should be so lucky to have friends like them. Their enduring friendship gets each other through unimaginable times.

While this book is about Vietnam and its aftermath, there are so many timely insights. I will continue to think about these tidbits for a long time.

I had a couple of quibbles with the book. However, these things didn't dampen my overall enjoyment of this impactful and emotional story. Set aside some time and grab some tissues, because you won't want to put this book down.

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press for an early copy of this book.

When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath hears these unexpected words, it is a revelation. Raised on idyllic Coronado Island and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing, being a good girl. But in 1965 the world is changing, and she suddenly imagines a different choice for her life. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she impulsively joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path.

As green and inexperienced as the men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is overwhelmed by the chaos and destruction of war, as well as the unexpected trauma of coming home to a changed and politically divided America.

Everything written by Kristin Hannah is gold. I love her writing, I love her characters. I love the history she imbues into her stories with so much research and detail. I will read anything she writes.

The Women is beyond gold, it is a diamond. I've read many a historical novel about war. This one made me feel like I lived it. You will live through the trauma with Frankie, suffer and drown in it. Bring your tissues. What a tribute to unrecognized veterans, to the unseen heroes. Kristin Hannah has done it again. This will be one of the biggest releases of 2024. I couldn't put it down. Beautiful. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced digital reader's copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!

My knowledge of the Vietnam War is minimal, only knowing about the protests against the war, the damage done by Agent Orange, the post-traumatic stress resulting from the war, the atrocities committed by both the North Vietnamese and the Americans, and a bit about the creation of the Vietnam Memorial. I did not know much about the women who served as military nurses, so I knew I would read the story when The Women was offered as an advanced reader's copy.

The Women is about a young woman, Frankie, who recently graduated from nursing school and comes from an influential family in southern California. Frankie is sheltered in her early years and knows little about the world except within her sphere. When her brother ships out to Vietnam and is shot down in his helicopter, Frankie feels the need to serve the men in Vietnam and enlists, with minimal experience, as an Army nurse. Not only does she want to serve because of the loss of her brother, but she also wants to make her father proud by continuing a family legacy.
When Frankie lands in Vietnam, she knows very little about the country or the war; the news stateside consistently reports on the wins but nothing about the spoils of war. Frankie arrives at the first base to receive her orders and learns quickly that the war is not what she expected. She gets sick from drinking the water, has difficulty with the oppressive climate, and is terrified by the gunfire and bombings. Readers will follow Frankie to her first unit, where she befriends Barb and Ethel, two seasoned army nurses. With their guidance and support, as well as the army doctor, Jamie, she muddles through her first few months of service. Frankie is horrified by the devastation she witnesses from the young men she aids. She has the ability to walk young men to their deaths by holding their hands and writing their mothers about their final moments. Her abilities grow as a surgical nurse, and Frankie learns how to perform procedures alone due to the sheer number of wounded coming in and the lack of medical capacity to aid them. She also learns how to have fun during the war, waterskiing and having beach parties during the downtime between incoming casualties. Then, Frankie is given new orders and serves as a nurse in an abysmal base in Vietnam, located in the deep jungle where the unit is also under a barrage of enemy fire. Readers can feel the suffering of not only the wounded but also the medical personnel and all that they witness in the heinous injuries from war.
The novel evaluates not only the conditions of the war setting but also what Frankie endures when she arrives home after two tours. Frankie is shocked when people scream at her and spit on her when she lands in California. Her parents don't acknowledge her service, instead choosing to orchestrate a lie that she was never in Vietnam. Readers will witness the post-traumatic stress that Frankie endures, from night terrors to treating herself with alcohol and drugs. Her mental state is fleshed out and demonstrates how war impacts veterans. And Hannah does a tremendous job illustrating the contributions military nurses made to save lives.
I empathized with Frankie and her journey during and after the war. It was horrifying to read and brought tears to my eyes.
One criticism I can convey is that I did not know some of the acronyms used or some of the military language. The book would benefit from a short appendix with this language.
Overall, a tear-jerking look at what military nurses experienced in Vietnam and how evil and devastating the war was for all involved.
Potential readers: there are numerous triggers in this book, including suicidal ideation, substance use, miscarriage, gore, war violence, and adultery.

Another masterpiece by Kristin Hannah. Bringing forgotten heroes to the front center, Hannah's The Women vividly paints the life of Vietnam nurses and the different kinds of trauma that war leaves behind.

This book is one of the best books I have ever read in my life. I haven't read any other Kristin Hannah novels but her reputation sure precedes her so I had high expectations for this book. Well, I can report that every expectation was met and I was still blown away by how phenomenal this book was. Her writing 100% deserves all the love and hype it gets. I am so in awe of authors who write historical fiction books, or really any book that requires a great deal of research to write. Because these authors not only have to have the ability to construct a good story, but they also have to know their facts. So I was extremely impressed with Kristin Hannah and this book. I went into this book totally blind to the subject, and once I began reading I realized how ignorant I was to the subject. This book is about the women who were there in Vietnam during the war. It is a gripping, captivating read that will have you thinking about things and places and events in history that you've never thought of before. I had a paradigm shift while reading this book and I"m grateful for the insights it brought me.

I loved the characters in this book. I realize more and more that I'm easily annoyed by female protagonists in books. But I adored Francis, the main character in this book, and I loved her friends as well. I was dying to figure out what happened and where everyone ended up, but I also didn't want to read too fast and sacrifice being able to savor the story.

I think everyone needs to read this book. Dare I say I think this book should be considered as one that schools require students to read? It covers such important parts in American history that are usually not discussed. I had no idea women played such an important role in war, and I'm now going to be diving down rabbit holes to learn more about the women that aren't talked about enough.

I really can't say enough good things about this book or author. I am now officially on the Kristin Hannah train and I probably will be forever. I don't know how her other books can beat this one, as I already know this book will have a lasting affect on me, but I'm excited to read them.

Thank you, Kristin Hannah, for the years of research and for all the effort you put into constructing this masterpiece. It was time well-spent for this book is one of the best I will ever read.

*A huge thank you to Netgalley and the author for allowing me to review and advanced copy of this book. I loved it.*

I had such high expectations for this newest Kristin Hannah book, but unfortunately it just did not live up to her previous novels that I have read for me. As a Canadian, it was very interesting to learn more about the war in Vietnam and the attitudes surrounding it in the states during that time. It was especially interesting to learn how the women who served were treated. With that being said, there were numerous plot points that I found predictable and frustrating. I will be reading more Kristin Hannah in the future, this one unfortunately just wasn’t for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

“𝘞𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘦𝘴, 𝘵𝘰𝘰.”

I've been sitting on this review. I loved the first part and felt fully immersed in the early 1960's. Vietnam War is a war I knew little about, but every time I fact-checked the events mentioned in this book, sure enough, it happened. Between losing their loved ones to downplaying the reality of the war, Kristin Hannah nailed the pain and anger of everyone involved.

It was the return from the Vietnam War that this book took a nose dive into unbelievability for me... not regards to events around the war, but in character storylines. Several eye-roll, yea right moments.

I expect hardships and strong women when reading her books, but happy endings are not always necessary. Not to say this was an happy ending, yet it felt like the author was reaching for a way to end it. IYKYK. No spoilers, dm if you want to discuss more. This book is why I love the @aotmbookclub buddy reads so much.

DETAILS: Kristin Hannah // February 6, 2024 // 480 pgs // Gifted: @stmartinspress @Netgalley

Frances “Frankie” McGrath is twenty years old when her brother Finley ships off to Vietnam. Growing up in beautiful Southern California, they shared a charming childhood, surfing at the beach and riding bicycles throughout their bucolic neighborhood. Their father spent his time at work while mother doted on them between martinis and lunches at the club. Now, out of nursing school Frankie is determined to make a difference. She shocks her family by enlisting with the Army Nurse Corps. With little experience, Frankie is instantly overwhelmed. Upon arrival at the hospital tent, her two roommates quickly become mentors and sisters. Through countless exhausting nights filled with the blood curdling screams of injured soldiers, Frankie becomes a top surgical nurse executing procedures she never imagined. At the same time, her compassion is endless - understanding that sometimes holding a patients hand through his last moments is all she can do. After two tours she returns to California a different person. The public is protesting the war as they spit on the returning Vietnam Vets. Frankie is left with parents that do not recognize her sacrifice and hard work, who will not accept that a woman could contribute. Frankie suffers through excruciating nightmares. As a nurse she recognizes her PTSD but with no-one to help her navigate the pain she turns to pills and alcohol, a slippery slope to the bottom. This novel highlights the heartbreak of war for those who serve, their loved ones left behind and the hardship veterans face upon returning to civilian life. Sadly, a history that continues to repeats itself. Well researched and expertly narrated, author Kristin Hannah’s latest novel releases February 2024.

Kristin Hannah has written many great novels but this is her most important book yet. This is the story of Frankie McGrath a young nurse who enlists to go to Vietnam to gain experience in Nursing and to serve her country as her family tradition. Her time in Vietnam is traumatizing yet it is the returning to civilian life that is the most difficult. Although a work of fiction, Hannah has captured the experiences of many women veterans. Read this book and thank a veteran for their service,

“Women can be heroes, too.”

When her brothers friend says the above line, Frankie almost immediately decides that she wants to be on her fathers Heroes wall with the men from her family. Sure, she can’t go to Vietnam to fight, but her nursing degree means she can serve in a different capacity. She has always been the perfect daughter, so while her parents don’t love that she signed up, Frankie wants to make a difference in the world. What she doesn’t expect to find a vastly different experience than the one being portrayed by the news to America. Nor does she expect to be despised for her service upon return…

By chapter two I already knew this was going to be a five star book. Ever have that feeling where you can just tell right away? I am glad to say that this book held onto that initial feeling and blew me away. I will admit that I didn’t know a ton about Vietnam going into this book. I mean obviously I knew the basics, but this book taught me so much more about the effects it had on our country and the men and women that served. I feel the need to start by saying that I despised Frankie’s father. He infuriated me so much throughout the book, I just wanted to smack him. He certainly wasn’t the only man I felt that way about though I won’t give spoilers! I have seen some people say they wish that Frankie didn’t come from such an affluent background, but I think that really added to the story for me. To take someone that privileged and have them come home to people truly hating them for their service made such an impact, and I think it helped to see how truly devastating the effects of the war were on the veterans when they came home, even the ones that had all the privilege in the world. Not just in people being against what they fought for, but also not having the services they needed to help with their PTSD. If one more person said “women weren’t in Nam” I was going to scream. The women are so often forgotten when we think of wars, and I am so glad that Hannah dedicated a book to them and their service. I want to discuss so many things about this one but it’s all from the second half so dm me if you have read and want to chat further! This book was Kristin Hannah at her absolute best. There was one tiny thing in the end that I didn’t feel was necessary, but it was so minor that it didn’t take away from the book for me. I think you will know exactly what it is when you read this one. Anyway, go preorder this book! You will want to dive in the second it hits your hands!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC!

Kristin Hannah really does make you feel all the feels. Keep some tissues handy when reading this one.

I absolutely loved this book and could not put it down. The book is so fast paced and just the right amount of detail. I always find Kristin Hannah is the queen of research and you really can tell in this book again.

Even if you are not interested in history about Vietnam war I promise you will love this book. Highly suggest picking this one up.

4.5 rounded down. Kristin Hannah’s The Women is a much-needed book on the role women played in Vietnam and their lives as veterans in a time when public opinion in the US of the war left them as pariahs.

A largely unknown fact, women did serve in Vietnam. I don’t think there has been much written on them. When they came back to the US, male veterans didn’t see them as veterans and gaslighted them - saying no women served in Vietnam. I appreciated that the book showed the turmoil many serving as soldiers or nurses experienced in fighting a war they soon came to disagree with. And, not just turmoil, the actions many took to protest the war they served in. I’m glad the book addresses PTSD, which was, at the time, not as widely understood.

Frankie’s romantic relationships were where I struggled and why the book isn’t rated as a five - I won’t go into detail for fear or spoilers. An event at the ending also was highly implausible. The interactions with Vietnamese were cursory, but I understand that there wasn’t time or space to build out that subject line.

Kristin Hannah is like a Grim Reaper of historical fiction. “The Women” will rip your heart out, replace it, rip it back out, in a heartbreaking cycle. Keep some tissues handy…especially when you least expect it.
We are captivated by Frances “Frankie” McGrath as if she is a real person telling her story right next to you as you are reading (even though she is a masterpiece of fiction). Our journey with Frankie is over about 20 years. Frankie follows in her family footsteps by enlisting as a nurse in the military during the Vietnam War. Kristin Hannah envelops you in the events of the Vietnam War though vivid descriptions. Frankie flounders miserably but though strong friendships and events that align to actual events of the war, her character shows what an integral part of survival in Asia women were. Women played a major role in the Vietnam War and Kristin Hanna dives deeply into real issues and dynamics during that time.
Upon returning, we continue our journey with Frankie through struggles, PTSD, and life spiraling out of control. She is far from perfect…but who wants to read about a perfect character? I often found myself wondering about “WWFD” or “What Would Frankie Do?” AFTER finishing “The Women.” I’m not sure I wouldn’t make some of the same decisions as Frankie. We can never know how someone will respond to tragedy unless in similar circumstances.
“The Women” is another 5 STAR Kristin Hannah read! I feel like I am still experiencing this amazing read!

If you’ve read this, you’ll understand the importance of telling a Vietnam Vet thank you for their service.

Frankie McGrath’s story has touched me and consumed me. This is a story especially for the women who served in Vietnam that were told “there were no women in Vietnam” after coming home from their tours.

We don’t talk about the Vietnam War nearly as much as we should and I’m so glad that Kristin Hannah wrote this book. We need more historical fiction set in this era, about the men and women who served and did or did not come home.

The instant you start this book you’ll be hooked. You’ll love the cast of characters (well, MOST of them) and become immersed in Frankie’s world and life over the span of 20+ years. PTSD is a massive part of this novel as well, giving an insight into what veterans both then and now face when they come home. It was really hard to read painstaking sentence after sentence of Frankie’s struggles, so know going into this book that there are going to be really graphic descriptions of wartime trauma that will haunt you as much as it did her.

I can’t wait to have my hands on a print copy of this book. Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for allowing me to read an e-arc of this fantastic novel.

This book ripped my heart out in the best way possible.
Kristin Hannah, I love you so much.
I always become so invested in the stories and the characters that Hannah writes because they are so vivid and riveting. I can always feel exactly what the character is feeling, deep in my soul. This one in particular--the story of Frankie McGrath and the women who served as combat nurses in the Vietnam war--had me on the edge of my seat. I really could not put this down and it had me visibly freaking out on an airplane while the women next to me were leaning over me and sampling a bunch of perfumes from the flight attendant.
Like Hannah's other historical fictions, The Women is incredibly immersive in the Vietnam War era with the descriptions of the scenery, the culture, the politics. It sheds light on a side of history rarely talked about, which is the women in the war. It is equally inspiring and frustrating to learn about. But at the core of all of this is a story of women's friendship. To me, that was the most touching part.
It is a beautiful story that I will never forget, but warning: it is very upsetting so prepare the tissues. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for a review.

Knocked it out of the park again, Kristin Hannah! Any fans of hers are going to love and devour this novel. Set during the Vietnam War, a conflict I don't know much about, this is the tale of Frankie, a young woman who decides to enlist in the Army as a nurse and goes overseas. This book spans her service years and her post-war years, where she struggles. There is drama, as there usually is with Hannah's books, but its realistic and emotional. I couldn't put this down!