Great story about the bonds of friendship! This is a heartbreaking story about the role of women during Vietnam and the aftermath of war. The characters were relatable. Another great book by Kristen Hannah!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I am writing this review after just finishing this book minutes ago. Kristin Hannah has outdone herself with her newest book. The research that goes into her books amazes me.. You literally feel like you know her characters. Frankie, Ethel and Barb- three courageous nurses that served in Vietnam are at the center of this book but there is so much more to the story. . Beautifully written and gut wrenching at times- The Women is a definite must read - I learned so much about what the men and women serving in Vietnam went through. A wonderful, brilliant book! Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Kristin Hannah for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is my first book that I read by Kristin Hannah, and I definitely will be reading more! I do enjoy reading books about the Vietnam war and so the description made me eager to read this one. We are first introduced to Frankie (Frances) at her parents' wealthy home at a going away party. Her brother just graduated as an officer and is on his way to Vietnam. When a fellow guest mentions women can be heroes too, Frankie joins the Army Nursing Corps and heads to Vietnam as well. She is completely naive, shocked and stunned during her first few months there. The first half of the book is all about her experiences in Vietnam, the chaos, the drinking, drugs, wounded men, etc. The second half of the book deals with Frankie's return from Vietnam. She suffers from PTSD, which was not really understood at the time. She returned to a country ashamed and upset at their involvement there. The My Lai massacre also didn't make it easy for soldiers to be commended for their service. In the late 60s and 70s, these men and women were often considered an embarrassment and a war everyone wanted to forget. As a woman, Frankie found it even harder to find anyone who could relate to her. The book spans 20 years in Frankie's life. This is a must read! I received a complimentary eBook from the publisher in exchange for a review.

I love Kristin Hannah’s books and the depth of emotion that she brings to her characters and their stories. The Women did not disappoint. While it took me a little while to get into this book, once it captured me I was all in.

In The Women, Kristin Hannah tells the forgotten and heartbreaking story of the women who served in the Vietnam War. You slowly get to know and love Frankie, a young, idealistic nurse who follows her brother to war in a quest to become a hero in her father’s eyes and take her place on his office wall of heroes. The book details the heart-wrenching losses and intense bonds Frankie experiences throughout her active duty, as well as her return to a life much different than she imagined. Kristin’s words pull you in to Frankie’s struggles and make you root for her to find peace.

This was an important story for Kristin to tell. I learned a lot along the way and feel honored that I was given this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. You should definitely add this to your To Be Read list right now!

A powerful book. I couldn't put it down. I was in high school during most of the Vietnam war. I never felt anger toward the returning vets, but I was young, naive, and in my own bubble of football games and what to wear to school. This book truly opened my eyes to the way our government lied to us, and the government, as well as many citizens, abused and neglected our vets most of whom didn't want to go, but were drafted. This book is a must-read for everyone. It should be required reading for high school history classes.

Thank you to @netgalley , @StMartinsPress and @KristinHannah for this ARC. I am at a loss for words for how beautifully heartbreaking this book is. The array of emotions I felt reading this book was more than I can explain. The book follows the story of Frances "Frankie", a nurse fresh out of school who volunteered for the war in Vietnam to be closer to her brother fighting there. She survived two tours of combat nursing at the front lines only to come home and be spit on for fighting in a war that many think the US shouldn't have been fighting. The media made many believe that there were no women in 'Nam and though they were all suffering from the same PTSD and effects of Agent Orange, there was no support for them.
I am guilty, as many are, of never really understanding this war because it was the generation before me. I know almost everyone my age knows someone that fought. My dad himself, dropped a college class because of the professor only to soon find out that he was now downgraded to a part time student and open for the draft. Who knows how his life would have turned out to be, now volunteering for service than going through the dreaded draft and having no say on the branch of service or duties. Not many people who survived WW2 are still living to tell their story but many Vietnam Vets are in the world and with real problems.
Don't miss this book. Don't miss a chance to educate yourself and don't miss yet another soul changing book from Kristin Hannah.
#TheWomen #KristinHannah #Feb2024

I loved The Women which is a historical fiction set during the Vietnam era. This story is heartbreaking , inspiring and will leave you with many emotions. Frankie McGrath who is a nurse decides to enlist after her brother dies in Vietnam. It follows her through her tour, coming home and how she eventually finds herself. The story is very graphic and sometimes too much detail but is probably very accurate in what happened in Vietnam and the aftermath. I will recommend this book to everyone. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the E-ARC. This is my own opinion.

Can I give The Women by Kristin Hannah 6 stars? Or 10 or 20? Seriously, Hannah has completely outdone herself yet again. Every time I pick up a new one of hers, I think, well, it's probably not going to be as good as The Nightingale, or The Great Alone, or The Four Winds. And yet...

Kristin Hannah's superpower is writing fiction set against the backdrop of real historical moments. Yes, it could be called historical fiction, but I feel like it's slightly different in that the characters and their stories are more imagined. But that doesn't mean they feel any less realistic. It's clear that Hannah does her research before writing her stories.

For me, Vietnam is one of the most fascinating times in U.S. history. It's also one of the most tumultuous times in recent history. Men and women sacrificing their lives in droves, only to be spat upon when returning home by their progressive, war hating peers. The horror of Vietnam still thunderingly echoes today.

In The Women, Kristin Hannah tells the story of the women at the forefront in Vietnam. There were "no women" in Vietnam, expect the women nurses who were very much at the front lines dealing with horror and destruction every single day. The women who had to be strong to provide hope to men, many of whom would never see another girl again.

The Women is a powerful story, the best book I've read this year. I'm jealous of those who get to discover it for the first time on February 4, 2024. Put it on pre-order immediately. You're gonna want this one the minute it's available!

Special thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced e-galley in exchange for my honest review.

I loved the Vietnam 1960s/1970s setting and love that there's going to be a novel by a super popular author like Hannah about the often forgotten women who served in Vietnam, but this wasn't a favorite of mine. It felt quite elementary in story structure and writing, and the ending was very predictable. I still think it was an important read, especially the commentary on PTSD and mental health, and I will recommend it to people who are looking for cozy historical fiction, I think a grandmother would love this!

This novel follows Frankie, who has just graduated nursing school and decides to go overseas to aid soldiers in need in the Vietnam war. The first half of the book largely covers her time while in Vietnam, in the second half of the novel covers her time after she returns home.

I really enjoyed this book. The pacing was really well done, and I was never bored while reading. The first half centered around Frankie’s time in Vietnam and was more action-packed. It also centered around her friendships that she formed while in Vietnam, and these carried over into the second half of the book. Her friendships with the two women that she met in Vietnam were some of my favorite parts of the book. The second half of the book focused more on Frankie as a character and how she coped with being home after being in the war. I really enjoyed how the author portrayed this, I felt that it was a very realistic and I could feel how painful it must’ve been for all of the men and women returning home from Vietnam.

I do think this book was a little bit predictable and sometimes I found myself annoyed at what was going on in the book. I don’t know if this is something that I can really take a star off for but I’m going to lol.

Overall, this was a really great historical fiction novel. I could tell that a lot of really great research was put into this novel. Kristin Hannah even mentions in the author’s note that she has been wanting to write this book for a very long time and I can tell that she is very passionate about this subject. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and I highly recommend!

Here is another historical fiction winner from Kristin Hannah. This time she tackles the Vietnam War, trauma of the 1960s, and women's rights. Frankie is the fascinating and likable protagonist, but there are many other characters who help to make this story a massive success. The writing is exceptional. I think the author's deep research shows in the historical accuracy of the times, or as much as I remember, as I lived through it. I highly recommend this book for everyone, men and women alike. Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing an ARC. I really appreciate it!

💭 Breathtaking, devastating and evocative, The Women was masterfully crafted and bursting at the seams with emotion. It's a novel that shifted my understanding and perspective and one that I will, without a doubt, never forget.

📚 The Women
✍ Kristin Hannah
📖 Historical Fiction
⭐5/5

➡In 1965, idyllic Frances "Frankie" McGrath believes she can put her skills to good use and make the world a better place. Born into a family that idolizes war heroes, including her brother, she sees herself as a trailblazer when she enlists to serve in Vietnam as a nurse. Like so many of the troops she treats, Frankie is unprepared and overwhelmed by the mayhem and devastation of war, and startled by the new reality that she returns to.

Frankie's story is told in the before, during and after of one woman's harrowing experience in Vietnam. Through the love, loss and loneliness that can only be associated with war, Hannah tells the unforgettable story of one woman but the tale of countless women whose dedication, service and sacrifice deserve the gratitude of a nation.
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🙏 Immense gratitude to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of The Women. All opinions are my own.

🎯 What I loved: Wow. This book honestly blew me away. It typically takes me a while to get into historical fiction novels, and a bit more time to read but I could not put this down and devoured it in two days. Hannah's tremendous aptitude for humanizing tragedy on a personal level is unlike any writer I've ever experienced. Though going into a Kristin Hannah book I know I'm likely to have my heart broken, I feel like I always come out the other side with a different perspective and wisdom than I had going in. Without giving away any spoilers, I'll just say that this book was incredible. It moved me to tears, had me believing in the resiliency of the human spirit and broke me apart over and over.

🙅‍♀️ What I didn't: This book was incredible but be prepared to cry.
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Read if you love:
*emotional reads
*historical fiction focused on the 1960s and 1970s
*war fiction
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See also: The Nightingale, Home Front, The Alice Network

This book broke my heart and put it back together again! It is everything a historical fiction novel should be. I am anxious for it to be released so that others can read it and I can discuss it with them. I will recommend it everyone at my library. The characters are so realistic they feel like long time friends. I cheered Frankie on through all of her challenges and struggles.

At around one quarter through The Women Kristin Hannah writes "Words were creators of worlds; you had to be careful with them." While referencing one of her characters, this passage also sums up what Miss Hannah has done with The Women: her words have created a world that while known to many, reflects the horrors of the Vietnam War in a way that feels new and undiscovered. Although it seems impossible as it as been said about nearly every one of her works, Kristin has achieved an unparalleled level of literary brilliance with The Women-it is simply stunning from beginning to end. Every word feels precious and fragile, like they could crumble in your hand if you're not careful. And she does not gloss over the ravages of war-the scenes of death and destruction are vivid and plentiful. The second half of The Women finds Vietnam War nurse Frankie back home to an America she does not recognize. Her father is ashamed of her military service, she is spit on and cursed at by those protesting the war, everything Frankie thought she knew about herself and the world seems gone. The Women is bold and strategic- through the plot Kristin takes a stand on the Vietnam War without preaching. If you are young and didn't live through it, Vietnam will feel fresh amid the horror; if you are older The Women casts a light on female military service that was often ignored or frowned on even more than for males. You've heard about the Vietnam War from the men, now live it through the eyes of The Women.

The Woman is the latest book from Kristin Hannah, a masterful storyteller. Set in the mid-60s, the story begins with the introduction of the brother of Frances McGrath, who is recently graduated from Annapolis and headed to Vietnam. Missing her brother, eager use her skills as a nurse, and believing that her father will treat her as a hero like her brother, Frankie enlists in The Army Nurse Corps and is promptly shipped off to Vietnam after basic training.

This is Frankie's story of her time in Vietnam along with the other nurses, who saved the lives of both American GIs and citizens of Vietnam. While they weren't on the front lines with a gun, they were on the receiving end of attacks, mortar shelling, and trauma-inducing experiences. They also lost many of their fellow soldiers.

When Frankie got back to the United States, she wasn't greeted with hugs and parades, she, like many other military members, was greeted with physical and verbal abuse from the citizens that she was protecting. When she went to the Veteran's Administration for help with her flagging mental health, she wasn't welcomed in the counseling groups for Vietnam vets, nor was she offered help, because was told that "there were no women in Vietnam".

The Women is a book that has been waiting to be written for the last fifty years. Not only were the men who fought in Vietnam mistreated by the American people and their own government that they swore to protect, the women who served were doubly mistreated because they were ignored and denied what they had been promised.

Kristin Hannah gets it right: the placing of women on pedestals for being the "weaker sex", the romances, the fighting for what was right, and the relationships of the women, who only had each other for support.

The book must be shared. It must be read. The women of our military mustn't be forgotten for their service.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press free in exchange for my honest review.

Shades of China Beach! Kristin Hannah does an excellent job of writing about women in war situations. This time it is the war in Vietnam. When her beloved brother in killed in Vietnam naive twenty year Frances (Frankie) McGraw decides to serve. She rapidly completes her nursing training and signs up with the army nurse corps. The reality of war in Vietnam knocks the naivety right out of her. The story of her service and friendships both during her time in Vietnam and in the years following is riveting.
Thanks to NetGalley for an eGalley of this title.

The first half of this book told story after story of the horror of mangled bodies, the terror of war, young men’s torsos ripped apart, and the heroism of doctors and nurses dealing with seemingly never-ending hours of trying to save lives. While I learned a lot and could feel the pain and sorrow of such atrocities, I found myself feeling guilty. Where was the plot and where was this story going, I asked myself.

It got a little better when young Frankie returned home, but then things bogged down again. As she dealt with with PTSD, depression, and feeling unappreciated, the story became repetitive. A couple of sad romances were thrown into the mix to add even more melodrama.

All of this is not to say that there wasn’t value in learning about how devastating it must have been for women nurses who served in the army and seemed to have gone unnoticed in their efforts during the war. Even the VA turned its back to Frankie when she begged for help. All because she wasn’t a man who’d been in combat. I also appreciated the story’s inclusion of Frankie’s enduring friendships with Barb and Ethel. Their shared experiences resulted in a lifelong bond.

I’m generally a Kristin Hannah fan, and while this book disappointed me, other readers may not feel the same. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I was so excited to get this ARC for “The Women” from the fabulous Kristin Hannah. I highly recommend this story - I was such a fan!

This was an eye opening read on the women who served in the Vietnam War and the effects it had on their lives. As always, the author emerses you in the characters while enlightening me on a historical topic I knew little about.

Kristin Hannah does it again. I think I learned more about the Vietnam war in the five days it took me to read this than the lifetime of schooling I've had. I am absolutely impressed with how well this book was written, how uncomfortable some scenes were but so beautifully done, and so much emotion woven into the story of Frankie.

I left this book feeling like I needed to know more and be better, and I think that's the mark of a wonderful novel. I'm so hopeful that this one goes on to win awards and do big things - its just that good. In a time where we are connected to every piece of news immediately, this one takes you back to a war where the death counts are grossly under-counted and propaganda is high. Beautifully done. Absolutely recommend this one.