Thanks to Net Galley for an advanced copy of this book.
I really enjoyed what seemed to be an authentic portrayal of the women who were part of the VietNam war. There were parts that were difficult to read, but definitely needed. Although there were some love dramas that were a little too much, the overall story and writing quality outweigh them. Read this book and learn about women in war, their contributions, sacrifices and what happens after. Highly recommend.

This was the first time reading a book from this author and I will go back to read her all of her books. I have learned so much from this book about women in the war, especially since history only teach us about the men. This book tackles issues such as birth control and how women were view in that time. We also get some of the hippie and civil rights movement that was going on in that period of time. This was an amazing book!!!!

As always, Kristin Hannah delivers. A great story about the women who served in Vietnam. Hannah paints a vivid picture of what it was like to be a nurse over there during the war and what it was like to return to the US and try to assimilate back into civilian life.

Being from a military family, I was excited to read this book. Kristin Hannah obviously did extensive research on the Vietnam War, which made the first part of this book an unflinching look at the hell everyone endured and the bonds that are formed between service members.

The second part of the book was a painful reminder of the toll war takes on people. Added to that was the extra burden Frankie faced being a woman vet when the country thought “there were no women in Vietnam.” Reading her struggle with PTSD was powerful and the strongest part of the book for me.

The only criticism I have is with the romance part of the story. It was too forced. And the twist at the very end seemed like it was tacked on and ruined what otherwise would have been a strong, triumphant ending.

This book will appeal to fans of: historical fiction, military fiction, and strong female characters. I will recommend it without hesitation.

“Women can be heroes, too.”

Personal review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Emotionally complex, deeply moving, a story rooted in one females journey pre, during, and post Vietnam war. Kristin Hannah is an auto buy author, so when this one was announced and popped up on @netgalley, I was thrilled to request. I haven’t read much about the Vietnam War, so I went in thinking it would be similar to Forest Gump, which I adore. And in a few ways, it was. The main character Frankie was so well developed like Forrest and Jenny, but this novel focuses on the female contributions of Army Nurses during the war, and how they were overlooked post war and treated so badly after Vietnam. Set in two parts, during the war and after, this is the tale of fear and bravery in the jungle, and the struggle to move on in a world that didn’t seem to value soldiers, especially women medics post ‘Nam. It was difficult to watch the main character struggle with PTSD before it was a diagnosable medical issue, and her family dynamic left me wanting to shake her parents! This coming of age novel, was unassuming and unexpected for me, and I don’t know why, because it is Kristin Hannah and she is the queen of plot and character development! I slipped into this one easily, like a warm cup of coffee on a Saturday morning. Thank you @netgalley, @kristinhannah, and @stmartinspress for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: 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.

The Women by Kristin Hannah follows Frances “Frankie” McGrath from her peaceful home town on Coronado Island to war torn Vietnam in the 1960s. After Frankies brother Finley enlists in the Air Force and is sent off to Vietnam, Frankie decides to join the Army Nurse Corps. With very little training she is sent straight into destruction and chaos where she meets Barb, Ethel, & Jamie who become her best friends, coaches, confidants and so much more. Frankie does 2 tours in Vietnam where she makes friends, falls in love and sees the best and worst of humanity. She is then sent home to a thankless country full of angry and confused civilians who call her ‘baby killer' and blame the soldiers for the mistake that is the Vietnam War. Frankie must now find a way to adjust to life after war, in a world where no one wants to remember the missing, the forgotten, the brave… The Women.

I’ve come to expect nothing but excellence from KH and with this latest novel, she did not disappoint. ‘The Women’ is just as heart wrenching & enveloping as ‘Home Front’, and as immersive and emotional as ‘The Nightingale’. The emotion is so raw and powerful. I was right there with Frankie, every step of the way, feeling everything she felt, completely immersed and totally loving it. This is the first novel I have read about the Vietnam War and there is so much I just did not know. I am inspired to educate myself further and will absolutely be checking out the suggested reading material in the Authors Note. As always the novel is focused on a FMC, however KH did a fantastic job of including the fellas as well. I love how the people she consulted with prior to publishing encouraged her to change the originally chosen fictional locations to real ones that were actually part of the war. My favorite part of the story is the inclusion of parts of her own life she experienced, for example how Frankie always kept the bracelet of her fallen POW as a reflection of Kristins own bracelet she received in middle school. I also enjoyed the relationships Frankie cultivated throughout the story, and how each one played a significant part of who Frankie became, the good and the bad. The way Kristin emphasizes the struggles that women went through back in the 60’s is wildly comparative to what we still experience today in 2023. We’ve come so far, yet we haven't. Finally, the end was so unexpectedly beautiful. I knew there had to be more to that one part of the story but I must admit I did not see that coming! It was brilliant!

Kindle Uncorrected Digital Galley Edits: I must apologize as I was so engrossed in the book I did not look for edits in the first few chapters.
Loc 1833 - Ch. 11 an extra ‘his’
Loc 2239 - Ch. 12 At first a C-130 is mentioned and then in the next few lines, she calls it a C-131
Loc 2311 - Ch. 12 Missing an ‘a’ between her & hug
Loc 3454 - Ch. 19 Missing an ‘s’ on the word “parent” - “...parents lied about my service in Vietnam.”
Loc 3872 - Ch. 20 The word ‘had’ missing between she & been
Loc 5801 - Ch. 30 An extra ‘a’ between into & wicker
Loc 6107 - Ch. 31 An extra ‘saw a’ between she & crowd
Loc 6662 - Ch. 34 An out of place ‘a’ between had & plenty
Loc 6694 - Ch. 34 The word ‘trunk’ should be ‘truck’ - “ice cream truck”
Loc 6749 - Ch. 35 The word “mostly” should be “most”

<!> An enormous Thank You to NetGalley, Kristin Hannah, and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me the opportunity to read this title in exchange for my honest review. <!>

one of my favorites by the author yet. what a story, full of action and a little romance. kristin hannah has opened up my world to history and I’m not mad about it. seeing it our country’s past through a female lense changes everything. loved it

You read Kristen Hannah to feel something and dang, if she doesn't make you every time. Raw, Emotional, full of twists and turns, and incredibly eye opening.
I appreciate the astounding research put into making this historical fiction book. I remember pulling books off my parents shelves about the Vietnam war in high school and devouring them but never hearing or reading about women's stories of being in the war. I love how you learn little pieces of history as your reading this emotional story.
Kristen Hannah does it again , everyone!
*I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review*

To say I loved this book is an understatement. Makes my top favorite books list, no doubt. I gained such a new appreciation and admiration for nurses in war. I knew so little about the Vietnam war and this truly opened my eyes on many accounts.

The friendships depicted in this book were amazing. Frankie is an incredibly flawed, yet inspirational character. I wanted to scream with her every time someone told her “no women were in ‘Nam.”

Kristin Hannah does it again. Thanks NetGalley for the advanced copy. I cannot wait to talk about this book endless.

Frankie has lived an idyllic life with her family on Coronado Island. That all changes when a friend of her brothers tells her "women can be heroes, too". The year is 1965 and her brother, a Naval Academy graduate, has left for Vietnam. Frankie impulsively joins the Army Nurse Corps to follow him. Frankie soon discovers that serving in a hospital in the jungles of Vietnam is nothing like what she imagined. The story follows Frankie during and after the war and the friendships, loves and heartbreaks she experiences. This is Kristin Hannah at her absolute best, telling the story of the women who served and their harsh reentry into civilian life. I didn't realize how these women were basically ignored as veterans- people repeatedly telling them that there were no women in Vietnam. This is a story that will stay with me for a very long time. I highly recommend this novel!

Thank you to NetGalley for an Advanced Reader Copy of The Women by Kristin Hannah. This Historical Fiction novel gives readers a glimpse at the hardships females faced while serving their country during the Vietnam War and the repercussions that awaited them once they returned home. The Women is a powerful novel that leaves the reader yearning for more. This could be Kristin Hannah’s best work yet.

This is my third Kristin Hannah book, and probably my favorite. In her true fashion, this is all at once beautiful, heartbreaking, frustrating, and hopeful. And so, so important. She tackles the tough topics of PTSD and addiction in a way that feels real and respectful, something that isn’t always easy to do. I love how Hannah always tells the story from the perspective of the ones who are often overlooked, and this one felt extra important.

4.5 stars

Hannah's latest THE WOMEN is a triumph in how it deep dives into one woman's participation as a nurse in the Vietnam War and how that experience impacts her life and reintegration into American society with PTSD afterward. This also sheds light on the social history in that timeframe.

This is such an immersive novel as the reader follows Frankie from her impulsively enlisting to get her picture on her father's "hero wall," her naivete soon replaced by trudging through the horrors of war. As a reader, we get a front seat to the action in Vietnam.

Frankie makes lifelong friends with Ethel and Barb. She meets men who she becomes infatuated with. In many ways, her life is like a typical young adult, but against the backdrop of the war, everything is heightened.

I do have two quibbles with this novel. In the end, very little star deduction because I felt like I learned so much through reading this historical fiction novel.

1) Upon arriving in Vietnam in the mid-1960s, Frankie admits that she doesn't interact with Black people. And when Barb (who is Black) is one of her roommates, I wish the book would have had them have to struggle understanding each other before they became friends. Instead, it was an instant friendship via Ethel. As a Black woman who was so progressive in the 1960s, I'm not sure how Barb's friendship with white Frankie and Ethel would have looked after they got back stateside.

2) The ending. Too cheesy, didn't need to add that.

All in all, this was an excellent novel!

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

i am a big fan of kristin hannah. i've read
most of her books and loved them. this novel, however, made me feel indecisive about how to review it.

frankie mcgrath signs up to be a war nurse in vietnam. she ships out, sees the horrors of war, finds love, and experiences immense trauma as she watches men die daily. worse yet, when she comes home, she is told repeatedly that "there were no women in 'nam."

this novel explores life, death, and grief in the context of war time america and vietnam. it also examines the effects that veterans endure after war. my issue with this novel is that it is told from a very white perspective.

the few vietnamese characters in this novel are unnamed, have no role nor part, and are virtually silent. hannah does not hide that civilians were murdered, but she does not go into the virulent racism that plagued the time. she insults the hippie peace movement. i had a sour taste in my mouth for this novel. it was very much told from one single perspective. there are a few black characters, but they take a back seat to the action most of the time.

i just don't see how it is appropriate, in 2023. to dehumanize vietnamese people. it was uncomfortable for me to read this novel because it was so ethnocentric.

the writing is really great, the story is compelling, but i couldn't move past the first half of the novel being so pro-war and so ignorant of vietnamese individuals. it definitely plays into this "savage," "uncivilized," "third world country" ideology that just isn't true.

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I received a free e-arc of this book through Netgalley. I haven't seen many books about the Vietnam War let alone about the women in the Vietnam War so this felt important to read. It is a coming of age story for a young woman who thinks she will make her family proud by going to war as a nurse, but instead things all seem to go wrong especially as public opinion turns against the Vietnam War. It is a compelling and troubling read about this time in history.

This was my first book by Kristen Hanna but it will not by my last. I was so captivated by Frankie’s story of love, loss, triumph, bravery, and heartbreak from the beginning to the end. It made me question my own knowledge, thoughts, and beliefs around the Vietnam war and the experiences of those both in country and at home. I will not soon forget this beautifully written story about THE WOMEN of Vietnam.

Thank goodness, a historical fiction that isn't WW I/II! Kristin Hannah dives into the Viet Nam war era with upcoming release (2/6/24) The Women, based on female nurses' service in that war, and their lives after.

The 480-page novel centers on Frankie McGrath, who decides to enlist in the Army Nurse Corp, after seeing her older brother ship out to serve. In Viet Nam, she has a lifetime of learning jammed into a few years - becoming an expert nurse, making lifelong friends, feeling romance for the first time. The writing felt authentic and real.

But after she returns home, her very existence is questioned. "Women didn't serve in Viet Nam," she is told over and over again. Even her own parents ignore her contributions, focusing only on her brother's.

Like all of Kristin Hannah's books, this one was educational, and well written. I loved it, but felt the parents' response to their daughter hard to believe. Perhaps it is representative of the time, but wow, pretty awful. It was very rewarding to see Frankie's journey throughout the book.

I was so excited to get this Advanced Reader Copy to review from NetGalley, and have it also be a selection for my book club. I liked this book so much more than Four Winds. 5-stars.

.
The Women by Kristin Hannah
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

As a child of the ‘70s, sheltered entirely from the atrocities of the Vietnam War, I took great interest in reading about this historical (albeit in my lifetime 🥺) time period. Of course I’ve seen and read much about the young men who served and were not respected as they should have been, suffered PTSD, before we knew what that was and witnessed crimes against humanity. This book addresses that, but more specifically from the view of the overlooked female veterans of the Vietnam War: the nurses. The Women.

What I liked:
•Frankie is fierce and determined to serve her country. She is willing to live in dire conditions and learn how to survive and thrive in her job while witnessing awful events. She comes of age quickly.
•The Women: specifically refers to Frankie, Barb & Ethel ~ 3 nurses teaching each other the ropes, but also showing devoted friendships and love in Vietnam and beyond.
•Frankie’s parents ~ I wanted to hate them. But I couldn’t. The author wrote these characters in a way I think I could relate to them ~ they were products of their time. And while they were awful to their daughter at times, I believe they truly loved her, and SHE never gave up on them.
•Music references ~ I’m making a Spotify playlist of all the songs mentioned in the book! It’s such an incredible time of music!
•hope. This book had me hopeful throughout, broken-hearted often, but without giving anything away, had a satisfying ending. And yes, I cried….and books typically don’t make me cry!

What I didn’t like:
•it’s difficult to read about this time period where our country was not at its finest in how we treated our troops and how the US was engaging in unforgivable behavior with civilians in Vietnam.

Thank you to @kristinhannahauthor, @stmartinspress and @netgalley for the ebook ARC. Publishing date: February 2024.

Book 58 of 2023
Read August 15-26

I hardly have the words to describe this book. It was so real and so emotional that my words can't do it justice. The 1960s were the years that I grew up - I graduated from high school and college and got married during that decade. I protested against the war and marched for equality but I never blamed the soldiers -as many people did - I blamed the politicians who took our country to this horrific chapter. I knew that there were women in Vietnam but I never really thought about the fact that they too were faced with terrible conditions and terrible experiences and often came home with PTSD and scorn from their fellow Americans. This beautifully written and well researched book by Kristin Hannah takes on the subject of women who served as nurses in Vietnam and what they faced on a day to day basis during the war and after their return home. I think that this book should be a must read for people who don't know much about Vietnam and what was going on in the United States during this time period -- it will be a real eye opener for them.

“Women can be heroes, too.”

Frankie McGrath has lived a rich and sheltered life with her conservative parents and her brother. Her father has a wall of heroes in his office with pictures of brave men in the family who have fought in wars. As the story begins, her older brother's picture is destined to go on the wall because he's leaving for Vietnam. A friend of his asks her why women can't be heroes too and that causes her to re-think her life plans. Her parents plan was that she would marry well and have children. She decides that after she finishes nurses training, she'll volunteer to be an Army nurse and go to Vietnam. When she is making her plans, she is totally naive about what it will be like and when she first gets there she is overwhelmed. She realizes that she made a huge mistake until her two roommates take her under their wings and teach her what needs to be done. The friends are there for each other during their tears and despair as they watch young men die all around them and they are also by her side years later as she works to become part of American life again. They are plagued with poor living conditions, working long hours and not having enough trained staff. It gets to the place that they all hate to hear the sound of helicopters bringing in more wounded and dying. But Frankie overcomes the issues and becomes a strong nurse even learning some operating procedures. We see a once quiet girl overcome the adversity that is thrown at her on a daily basis. When she returns home. she finds out that no one - not even her parents - are proud of what she's done. Her parents don't want to even talk about her time during the war. When she goes to the VA for help she's told that there were no women in Vietnam so she has to work through her issues on her own with the help of her friends. Her life is in chaos as she tries to go back to work and is relegated to bedpans and minimal duties after being responsible for the life and death of young soldiers. Will she ever be able to find the peace that she yearns for?

Frankie is one of the most well written and complex characters that I've read. It was easy to make a connection with the young and naive Frankie and then to stay connected with her throughout her years in the war and the years she fought to recover from the war. We were always taught in school that it was the men who lost their lives or who returned from war as broken people. Frankie is a reminder that women too were part of the wars and also returned as broken people and - in the case of Vietnam - unappreciated and scorned by the American public. I have loved previous books by this author but The Women is my new favorite.

Warning: Clear your calendar because you are not going to want to put this down AND have Kleenex close at hand because this story is going to cause tears of sadness, frustration and joy throughout.

3.4

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*Received an eARC from netgalley for my honest review. Thank you!

I just finished reading The Nightingale, so I was pretty excited to get into another of Kristin Hannah's books.

Unfortunately, this one didn't really do it for me. I didn't feel myself connect much with any of the characters. The cliches that occured in The Nightingale weren't nearly as glaring and outlandish as the ones in The Women, and I just couldn't ignore it. All the plot twists (?) were either extremely obvious or made no sense to me. The writing also fell flat from the repetitiveness and there wasn't any subtlety.

I think I appreciate that the author tried to make this book about a war Vet attempting to assimilate back into a world after war, and heal in the process of all these challenges that befall her, especially as a women who doesn't receive the recognition and comfort she deserves, but the impact got eaten up by the back and forth, dramatic romance. At times, it felt like I somehow stumbled into a romance novel. I'm happy that in the end, the narrative refocused itself to be about the main character's healing journey, but I really wish it wasn't so rushed and surface level. I think the process of her healing only took up ~15% of the book, when it should have been more.

I did enjoy the first 1/3 of the book focusing on the main character's time in Vietnam. She found her calling, she experienced many losses, had a few brushes with death, but she learned how to be a better nurse, saved many lives, and met the people who would be in her life forever. I loved reading her mature through her time as a combat nurse.

Overall, the book has a wonderful message about remembering women during war, but the execution could have been done better.