This is an emotionally charged page-turner from the viewpoint of a young nurse, Frankie McGrath, whose life is forever changed by the Vietnam War. The story is heartbreaking as the horror of the war comes alive through Hannah’s beautiful writing. Her characters are well developed and their fear, pain and hope are palpable. A dramatic and vividly detailed telling about a little-known aspect of the Vietnam war. I would definitely encourage everyone to read this book as it truly will give you a new perspective on the horrors of war.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio who provided me with a copy of this book. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Man oh man can Kristin Hannah write! I mean, from the second I started listening to this I was completely and utterly transported back in time. Learning about the experiences, the terror, the grief of the Vietnam war was so powerful. There were moments I didn’t breathe for the visceral fear I felt for the people who served and for the innocent civilians caught in the middle of a brutal battle. I’m so grateful to Hannah for writing something that opened my eyes to what happened over there and also to the way veterans were treated upon their return.

This is an incredible book and the audio, done by Julia Whelan, was phenomenal. Thank you Macmillan Audio for the alc via Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Perfection. Everything we’ve come to expect from Kristin Hannah. Thoroughly researched details that help us learn about a different time and place. Every time the author starts to earn the reader’s trust, she pulls the rug out from under us. Trauma, heartbreak, discovery. I cried for Frankie and kept rooting for through all of her questionable choices. The Women is exactly what Historical Fiction should be.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I think this book is going to be the best of 2024! I cried multiple times throughout this book. Kristin Hannah writes beautifully. She's not afraid to take the ugly and gritty aspects of humanity and history, and write about it. She is one of my favorite authors, and this book did not disappoint. It was so beautiful, so heart-twisting, and so gut-wrenching. I have a new perspective on Vietnam and what the Vets went through there, as well as when they came home. I absolutely loved this book. It will be one that I buy for my personal library.

This book and its characters will live with me for a long, long time. The way Kristin Hannah draws readers into the hospitals, helicopters, and rural villages during the Vietnam War is mesmerizing. Hannah continues to be a favorite author of mine.

Kristin Hannah...we all know can do no wrong.

This was truly so deeply moving and impactful. I don't know that my words can do this justice, but you must read this. Pick it up and devour it. Yes, you'll cry. Yes, you'll feel broken, but isnt that what we love and crave in a KH book?

This book, I can't put into words how amazing it is. Kristin did a great job at making you feel like you were really there. I have done multiple interviews with Vietnam veterans for historical projects, but never women. Women were second class citizens during this time and I feel like the main character felt like she was a little above a second class citizen while she was over working as a nurse at these med camps. Once she got in the groove of how everything worked at the camp and gained knowledge she found herself. Others, including men seemed to respect her and her position. It is a roller coaster of emotions while you read but it is so worth it!

Every Kristin Hannah book is a complete experience. She takes the most interesting settings and characters and turns them into a work of art with receipts. Her research is top notch and I not only learn new things but get deeply engrossed in each of her books. This one has really left me in a trance. Loved it!

Julia Whelan did a wonderful job narrating the audio as always!

Popular author Kristin Hannah is back with another powerful and heart wrenching historical fiction. I really appreciated the way this book put a spotlight on all the overlooked women of the Vietnam War and the strength of medical workers. It successfully captured the complexity of the time period and was a really in-depth and personal look at so many things going on at the time. It was also impressive how the storyline was not formulaic and I really wasn’t sure which path it was going to take sometimes.

I think there were a lot of important takeaways that can be applied today as well (like letting people who have been through traumatic things talk about and process their experience instead of pretending it never happened.)

So many emotions both positive and negative throughout the story but it was so hard to stop listening. I do think it was accurate of the time but there was so much suffering of all kinds and whenever I thought the main character hit rock bottom things just got worse. If you’re sensitive to content definitely check trigger warnings first.

If you know me then you know that I am a crier…I am often moved by commercials (especially the dog ones during the super bowl), movies with happy endings or honestly sad ones too, I teared up this year at my nephews holiday recital. There is just something that happens when I am moved by something that I truly cannot contain the water works.

This book will probably go down as one of my most cried over books of all time. This story is such an important one and I think Frankie may be my favorite character of all time.

“Maybe happy now, happy for a moment, is all we really get. Happy forever seems like a shitload to ask in a world on fire.”

I have recently gotten a lot more into historical fiction and the exploration of what women have gone through for so many years. This story will break your heart and then put it back together again.

“Some things don’t bear the weight of words.”

@justjuliawhelan narration was riveting and tender and I was chomping at the bit whenever I had to stop reading with my ears to this story. Her ability to completely immerse you in the story is like no one else I have ever listened to.

I will be recommending this to everyone I know. You need to read this one and that really is all there is to it.

5 stars


Thank you @macmillian.audio for the early copy

Out February 6th

Do you enjoy reading with your eyes more or your ears? Any audiobooks you highly recommend? How are you doing today?

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/193752824-the-women" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="The Women" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1689874194l/193752824._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/193752824-the-women">The Women</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/54493.Kristin_Hannah">Kristin Hannah</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6165385991">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
This was my second audio of the year, and I do feel like it makes a difference in how I process the book. There were some repetitions in the language that may not have stuck out to me as much had I been reading in my head vs hearing it read aloud. <br /><br />Slight spoiler included:<br /><br />The Women focuses on First Lieutenant, Frances McGrath, Army nurse, who serves 2 tours in Vietnam. I love that this novel brings light to the brave women of this era that have been often overlooked and forgotten. I also love how the author depicts PTSD. We have learned so much about the trauma response in the last fifty years. Hannah gives a very realistic portrayal that made me think about how much harder dealing with those symptoms would have been when there was very little awareness of what they were experiencing and why. I love the journey that Frankie takes through processing her experiences in Vietnam to discovering herself and her purpose. As mentioned above, there was a little bit of repetitive language, and I personally think it could have ended earlier because our main character had evolved past surviving to a place of thriving in her own identity and purpose. That being said, I do love a joyous ending, and I did appreciate the blessing and possibility given to Frankie (Frances) in the end. <br /><br />I think the real strength of this book is in the details. The Women gives its reader a clear depiction of sights, sounds, experiences and emotions of the turbulent late 60s and early 70s. It puts us into the shoes of the under-appreciated nurses of Vietnam who should absolutely be remembered as heroes along with the men who served and sacrificed during this conflict. <br /><br />And, I have to give a shout out to the inclusion of occupational therapy (I think it was around 67% in the audio). Not only does the book reference OT, but where Frankie ends up and what she ends up doing is all about the importance of finding occupations (not jobs) but hobbies, relationships and activities with meaning and purpose.
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3418106-megan">View all my reviews</a>

Wow. I am actually a bit speechless right now. I have loved every single Kristin Hannah book I have read but this one really stands out for me. Maybe because it covers a topic that our country has failed to educate us about. Or maybe because I have family that was personally affected by this war. Regardless, the story told here is powerful in so many ways. It brings such a level of humanity to an incredibly horrendous time in our world’s history. Even in its most painful moments, I was completely enraptured by Frankie and everything she was going through. I know this is a work of fiction, but wow does it feel like someone’s diary. I know the things Frankie goes through parallel to real life experiences that these soldiers and nurses went through. I know the treatment she received isn’t far off from what actual people experienced when they returned from this war. Even in all my studied in school and even during my four year HISTORY degree, I never once was taught about the Vietnam war beyond that it happened and that it was not a well received effort. I have family members that served and upon their return home, they never talked about their experience, taking whatever horrors and treatment they endured with them to the grave. I have family that is still living with the repercussions of Agent Orange.

All of that made this book hit that much harder. But even without that personal link, this book hits so insanely hard. Frankie is a complex character who goes through way too many challenges. Her story is full of hope and love and so much heartbreak. I’m a little mad at Kristin Hannah for putting us readers through this, but wow what a beautiful powerful story. The writing is top tier, just incredible. Truly one that I will never forget.

As always, Julia Whelan outdid herself with the narration. She is the queen of audiobooks and I will stand by that. I would happily listen to any and all books she narrates. She added such a real feeling to Frankie.

Kristin Hannah is an amazing storyteller that gives us insight into a volatile time in our nations history through the eyes of a young woman, Frankie McGrath. When she is told that women can be heroes she is inspired to enlist in the Army Nurse Corps in Vietnam. Upon her arrival she is immediately thrust into an environment of chaos and war. She is completely over-whelmed by the brutalities that are an every day occurrence. If the horrors of war were not bad enough, Frankie returns home to a divided nation where the existence of women in war is not even recognized. Frankie and her fellow Vets struggle as they try to return to a normal life among family and friends who do not know how to relate to them.

This was a gripping story that depicted the struggles that many women faced during and after the Vietnam war. This was a well researched, impactful story that was intertwined with drama and heartache. If you enjoyed Hannah’s other works of historical fiction then you will enjoy this one.

The narration by one of the best in the industry, Julia Whelan, makes the story come alive. She delivers a raw, emotional performance that makes this a 5 star read for me.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

#TheWomen #NetGalley #KristinHannah

This is a gripping story, difficult to get through at times. The first half takes place in Vietnam, where Frankie served as a combat surgical nurse. At times, it is brutal, bloody, devastating and heartbreaking. It gets very heavy. The second half takes place after Frankie comes home. While most of the violence has ended for Frankie, she encounters struggle as a veteran of an unpopular war.

The Women is deeply moving and exquisitely told. I listened to the audio, and Julia Whelan’s performance is absolutely five star.

Kristen Hannah made me care about Frankie and all the women in Vietnam. What they experienced there was so extreme, but they came home to repeatedly be told “There were no women in Vietnam.” I looked it up, and there were an estimated 10,000 women from the USA who served in Vietnam.

I typically read cozy, safe stories. The Women is the opposite of that. But it is so so good. I’m so glad I stepped out of my comfort zone for this one.

Thank you so much Netgalley for this wonderful ARC from one of my favorite authors. Kristin Hannah has done it again. I rarely enjoy historical fiction, but when this woman writes about history, I can’t get enough. The writing is beautiful, a story about a war that had so many divided and the nurses who saved countless lives while serving their country and putting their own lives at risk. I loved Frankie from the first chapter. Young and naive, she enlists to find her brother, not realizing the hell she’s about to endure. While saving lives, she falls for not one, but two men. After the war, she’s left to pick up the pieces of her existing life, but she’s not the woman she once was. Struggling with the aftermath, she must come to terms with hard truths and seek help to overcome all of the heartbreak. I’ll stop there because I don’t want to ruin it but the author definitely had me reading all day until it was finished. Also the narration was fabulous!!

I was *so* excited about this book, but I found myself wanting to DNF it at several points. I’ll skip the synopsis since you can find that elsewhere and just stick to my 2cents.

I think from the jump, I wasn’t rooting for Frankie. I wasn’t rooting for her demise by any means, I just didn’t like her and thought her “naive, rich, privileged” storyline was predictable and unoriginal. I would have much preferred to follow the storylines of one of her two friends instead—they felt like original characters. I thought the depiction the author did of Vietnam (both the war itself and the politics) was done very well—i enjoyed all the “time and place” work done throughout the entire 20 year window the book covered. I also deeply appreciated the “there weren’t any women in ‘Nam” focus of this book and how it treated PTSD. I just… didn’t like this book’s MC and found the plot dawdled along. The white saviorism also put a bad taste in my mouth, but I did appreciate that some attention was given to the terrible things the military did to the Vietnamese as well as its own people (agent orange and its impact on cancer rates and miscarriages/birth defects).

Kristin Hannah will forever be an “auto-read” author for me, I was just disappointed by this book.

TYSM for the audiobook ARC from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio

Kristin Hannah has done it again. The courage, research, and creativity it took to tell this story is commendable. I have emerged from this audio book enlightened and educated on the women who served in the Vietnam war.

THE WOMEN is a work of historical fiction paying homage to the unacknowledged women who served in the Vietnam war and the trauma they suffered after returning to the U.S. Divided in two parts, the first covers the war itself. It's the mid-60's and 19 year old Frankie McGrath is a brand new nurse with very little experience. Her brother, Finley, is serving in Vietnam and she wants to use her nursing skills to serve her country also. The Navy and Air Force won't accept her with so little experience, but the Army will. She's excited and nervous, but when she arrives to serve at her first hospital, she is shocked at the level of daily trauma the men and women are enduring. Back in the states, they were painted a much different picture of the war and what was going on in Vietnam. Frankie meets two women, Barbara and Ethel, who help her adjust to the daily attacks and the severity of wounded men. Frankie gets involved romantically with two soldiers. This ends up causing her much grief. The second part of the book covers her return and adjustment back in the U.S. She is met with protesters shouting "Baby Killer" and spitting in her face. Her parents never supported her going to war and she is not welcomed with open arms. She is told by everyone to forget it ever happened. She is left coping with PTSD alone and no one in America will acknowledge that she even served in Vietnam, saying "there were no women in Vietnam". The VA hospital is unwilling to allow her to receive proper care. Only Barb and Ethel can be there for her occasionally. This untended trauma leads to Frankie making many heartbreaking decisions that spiral into deeper despair.

This book is one of those that hopefully will ripple through our culture. It filleted me with a butter knife. It is a HEAVY read and it got heavier and heavier as it progressed. But I felt compelled to learn. I needed to understand. I remember my mom saying that when my uncle returned from Vietnam and was never the same. I couldn't help but think of him when reading this. It made me angry to know that so many women were simply ignored and told they DIDN'T EXIST as veterans in the Vietnam war. I am thankful to Kristin Hannah for doing the intense research to tell this story. I'm thankful to all who served our country in this war. And I'm thankful to the women who were brave enough, after returning to the states, to get up every day and continue to do the next thing in their pain and suffering.

Julia Whelan was absolutely PERFECT to read for this book. Her care and creativity for the characters and subject matter was captivating and beautiful.
A very special thank you to MacMillan Audio and to Netgalley for this audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Kristen Hannah has created another book that seems as if it was always meant to be written, just waiting on the perfect author to do it justice. Her ability to weave fact and truth into fiction, producing something in between, is amazing. Every. Time. But here, especially, it will still hit close to home for many. Because it’s history, but not that far gone yet.

And let’s talk about the audiobook for a second. Julia Whelan is narrator royalty. She could vocalize the Cheesecake Factory menu and it would sound like the best story you’ve ever heard. So, Whelan reading what is an absolutely brilliant book anyway, it just took it above and beyond. I can’t recommend the audio experience enough.

“There were no women in Vietnam.” If that lie persists today, well, let’s let a brilliant piece of Historical Fiction impart some Non-Fiction and heavy doses of reality to the masses. Sure, the fictional threads also create entertaining and addictive plots in between, but the core of this book is very real. Emotional, political, psychological… it’s harrowing but accessible.

If you’re old enough, you’ll know the general tone(s) surrounding the Vietnam War, and you’ll appreciate this story. And if you’re too young, then you’ll have an eye opening experience that you’ll also appreciate. And among all that is the love, loss, grief, and resilience of Frankie and the women. Smart and passionate, dramatic but grounded. This is one of the year’s must read books.

Frankie is a 20-year-old nursing student when her older brother Finley goes off to fight in the Vietnam War. Her father has a Wall of Heros in his office to honor family members who have fought for the United States in various wars and conflicts. When Finley's friend tells Frankie, "Women can be heroes, too." she decides to follow her brother into war as a nurse.

Frankie is completely unprepared for the carnage experienced by American soldiers and Vietnamese citizens alike. There's nothing like war to make you learn fast though. In no time, Frankie becomes an amazing trauma nurse and a hero to US soldiers. She experiences numerous losses while in Vietnam which made the book hard to listen to at times.

When Frankie returns to US soil, she is forever changed by the war, experiencing PTSD along with the male soldiers. When she tries to get help, she is repeatedly told, "There were no women in Vietnam." She must fight for recognition and help for herself and her fellow war nurses, This book is powerful and gives information on a part of American History that isn't often written about. It was a 5-star listen for me.

Big thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an advanced listening copy of The Women.

“Men lie and they die.”

It’s only January and I’ve already got a top read for the year under my belt, but are we surprised, it’s Kristin Hannah. I don’t have many words for the perfection that this book is, and you absolutely MUST read it when it comes out in a couple of weeks (Feb 6). The Women focuses on those women that served in the Vietnam War, specifically Frances “Frankie” McGrath. She is a fantastic protagonist, encapsulating all that I’m sure women went through while serving over there, and I’m telling you she went THROUGH it. From the shocking events she had to cope with upon arrival in Vietnam, to the struggles she went through upon coming home, this was a wonderful and heartbreaking read that I was engrossed in from the moment it started.

The inimitable Julia Whelan reads the audio, and as such I cannot recommend this medium enough, she only enhances the story and the experience of reading it and proves why she is a favorite narrator of mine.

Thank you to St. Martins Press and Macmillan Audio for the copies to review.