I went into this story blind, and I was so excited that the FMC was a nurse! This story follows Frankie, a nurse in the Vietnam War. It highlights the absolute horrors of war, and the lifelong effects after.

The book is split into two parts, the first part is during the war, and the second was after. I will say, I enjoyed the first part of the book more. The second part seemed a bit redundant and dragged on a little for me.

However, I really did enjoy this book so much! I was very invested in Frankie’s story, and found myself thinking about her even when I wasn’t reading the book.

Thank you so much NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Title: The Women
Author: Kristin Hannah
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Historical Fiction

Thank you @macmillanaudio for the #gifted listening copy that is expertly narrated by Julia Whelan. She is a favorite narrator of mine, but I was particularly impressed how well she seamlessly could do so many voices, both male and female in this one. I was also thrilled to have a @netgalley copy from @stmartinspress so I could follow along and highlight my favorite quotes! And there were many!

Folks, I think it will come as no surprise to no one, but Kristin Hannah has done it again! WOW! We readers are often asked our favorite book and it’s like picking a favorite child! There are so many! My default answer has always been The Nightingale by KH because I love it so much. Now, I don’t know . . . I think The Women might have just taken my top spot as my favorite book by her.

Let me explain why. There are going to be a TON of reviews for this book, but I would like to make this one a little personal for ME!

This book is obviously going to reach Veteran’s of the Vietnam War. It’s going to hit that whole generation. Likely nurses in general. First responders. Doctors. Really any one that takes on a medical or support roll. But, it really hit me too. I’m a military spouse of 24 years. I sent my husband off to 3 combat deployments and many, many more separations. This book made me remember those early years of the Iraq war very vividly. It gave me all the feels. And oh my gosh, Frankie, it felt like you were walking in her shoes. Truly heartbreaking.

What I Loved:

—A book exploring a different time period; Vietnam war isn’t often written about. Loved the authors note that she wasn’t just using books, but mostly people to help in this writing/editing journey. I also loved that while she had the idea to write this book in 1997 she recognized she didn’t have the writing skills yet. What maturity!

—The friendships. Thick as thieves. Not only did Hannah shine a spotlight on the mantra “Women can be heroes” but she included a Black nurse, which was very progressive in that time.

—I’m always rooting for love, but I think these side stories also showed Frankie’s character growth both in country and then her struggles with trauma when she couldn’t reacclimate.

—Two part story. Hannah didn’t shy away from war, trauma or addiction. This book was REAL!

—That ending. It felt somber and hopeful while still stay true to a story like this. It made sense.

I hope you plan on reading this one too and find it as deeply moving as I did! I have a KH shelf, but this one is going on my favorites!

@bookfriendsbookclub is reading this in February if you would like to join us! This demands to be discussed!

Big thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Ms. Hannah, for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

We're barely a full month in but I feel confident saying this is one of the best books of the year. Powerful, brutal, moving, heartbreaking. In short, Frankie (Frances) McGrath is devastated when her brother is shot down in Vietnam not long after going to war. She signs up as a nurse with the only branch of the military that will take her right away: the Army. Frankie heads over to Vietnam with only a minimum of training and absolutely no idea what's really in store for her. Vietnam is a brutal shock, but Frankie adapts and grows into a fiercely capable OR nurse. After two tours of duty Frankie returns home, where life is not at all what she expected and she spirals into addiction, depression and despair.

Frankie's journey was absolutely riveting. This is a fairly sizable book and I FLEW through it. I was absolutely blown away by the amount of research Ms. Hannah did. Frankie's depictions of trial by fire in the operating room, of the heat and humidity of Vietnam, of the constant noise of gunfire and rockets, of the gruesome wounds suffered by the soldiers, and of Frankie's grief and sorrow at the constant loss of life, were incredibly moving. I found the portion of the book set in Vietnam to be the strongest, as Frankie's strength shone and her confidence and capability were hardened like steel in a forge. Her return stateside was equally powerful, but infinitely sadder. I was vaguely reminded of Lieutenant Dan in Forrest Gump, angry and sad and broken. However, as Hannah takes pains to show, Lieutenant Dan was given a forum for his feelings whereas Frankie was constantly denied hers. Incredibly devastating. It's so hard to watch Frankie spiral but her spirit proved stronger than her demons.

This book is about the American women in Vietnam whose contributions were minimized, whose presence went unremarked (if not outright disbelieved) and whose lives afterwards were just as shattered but with less support. And it is PROFOUND. I will say this: this book is not for the squeamish. There is nothing gratuitous about the depictions of war wounds and violent injury; it is a fact of war. I almost felt, reading it, that if these brave men and women were able to suffer these wounds for their country (and, in some cases, live the rest of their lives with the scars) then the least I can do is read about them. And please, do not skip the author's note. I found her words regarding her research and the firsthand accounts of her interview subjects very moving.

I really, really, really, really, REALLY enjoyed this book and will be happy to recommend it widely.

The Women

The lyrical writing of Hannah is unmatched.

I ended up listening to the audiobook and I can say without a doubt the audiobook is fantastic! Well done worth the listening length.

Every character, every story, it is so stuck with you that you are them, or they are your friend or neighbor. It’s like you know these people in real life.

The sorrow and pain that Frankie lives through throughout this war is a tragedy yet there is such an underlying theme of hope in every heartbreak.

We as readers are taken on a journey that for me I haven’t heard much about. I’ve read a lot of historical fictions regarding WWII but none on the Vietnam war. The stories of women in war as nurses. The strength they had and the pain they went through along with fellow soldiers. How they were disregarded afterwards. And we’re not given the respect and acknowledgment of all that they did to help.

This book will stick with me for a while.

The Women was such an emotional story. Following the life of the brave Frankie who joined the war in Vietnam as a nurse. The horrors and chaos that she witnessed, the friendships she found in Ethel and Barb, I felt all the emotions as if I was there. Then to return home and face the horror and injustice of a different kind. Kristin Hannah is such an incredible writer. This story really sucked me in and really made me think long and hard about the horrible reality of a war and what our veterans are still facing everyday.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley for this ARC.

This is my first book by this author, but definitely won’t be my last. I was blown away by how this book drew me in and didn’t let go. Beautifully written story about a naive young nurse who follows her brother’s path and goes to serve in Vietnam. She experiences the overwhelming horrors of war and then comes home to a world that is less than kind. This book is 480 pages long but I wish it was much longer because it was so hard to see the story end and let go of characters you feel are friends. Highly recommend.

The Women is a powerful novel by consummate storyteller Kristin Hannah. Ms. Hannah delves into a period in US history from a naive mid 1960s, through the tumultuous 1970s, and into a calmer 1980s. Francis “Frankie” McGrath has followed all the rules. Raised by her more than comfortable parents Connor and Bette on Coronado Beach in the company of her big brother Finley, Frankie is naive and idealistic. Having attended Catholic schools and colleges, Frankie is about to graduate as an RN as her brother is preparing to ship out to Vietnam. An Annapolis graduate, Finley will be an aide to a higher up. There is great celebration and merriment at the party, after all he won’t be going to the front.

Floundering after graduation, bored with her small Catholic hospital night shift job, Frankie wants to make a bigger difference. After all, Finley’s academy roommate told her that women could be heroes too. With that piece of advice, Frankie makes the recruitment rounds but the only branch that will take someone just out of college with limited experience is the Army. Her timing of enlisting turns into a family disaster.

Upon arrival at the Thirty Sixth Evac Hospital, Frankie quickly realizes she is in over her head. It is her two hooch mates, Ethel Flint from West Virginia and Barb Johnson from Georgia, that take Frankie under their wings teaching her along the way while forming a lifelong connection that will always tie their lives together.

Not only is this the very powerful personal story of Frankie McGrath, it is also reflective of the many social and political issues of the time and told in a manner linking them all smoothly together as the stories of Frankie and all of the returning Vietnam veterans is beautifully told. In addition to the way public sentiment moved from total support to veterans being spat upon, Ms. Hannah brings in the struggle for equality for women, for civil rights for all, for equality for all those placed in the margins, and to erase the terrible misconception that there were no women in Vietnam. Also tackled are the issues of PTSD, addiction, homelessness, and other mental health topics suffered by the returning Vietnam veterans.

I loved the television programs MASH, China Beach, and the play A Piece of My Heart. Using my memories of these shows as well as living through these years only a handful of years younger than Frankie, the beautiful narrative penned by Ms. Hannah made me feel as though I was in the middle of this story, right there beside these well drawn characters. It takes a very specially gifted author to write the stories Ms. Hannah writes and to tackle the topics and history periods she tackles. As good as all her prior books are, I’m choosing a new favorite of hers just like I did when her last book was published. And it will be my favorite Kristin Hannah book until her next book comes along! I very much enjoyed this book, in fact I completed it in short order, and I do recommend it!

When Frances “Frankie” McGrath's brother graduates from the Naval Academy and then immediately ships out to Vietnam, Frankie can't imagine a world without her best friend by her side. The twenty-year-old nursing student does what she thinks is the right thing to do, and joins the Army Nurse Corps to follow him over there. However, before she can even leave home, the family already receives the news that no family wants to get.... Frankie's brother was killed in action. Too late to change her mind, Frankie heads out. It is overwhelming and chaotic, and if it weren't for two other nurses there that she was rooming with, Frankie wouldn't have been able to cope with the devastation of it all. However, the real battle turns out to be not in Vietnam, but after she returns home. She has trouble reacclimating to civilian life, she has PTSD, and no support groups will allow her to join because she is a woman and "women weren't in Vietnam". Frankie is beginning to wonder if there is even a place for her in this world.

This book was so emotional. I can not tell you how deeply it touched me. I had never considered the impact on the women, and that they may have not been treated as fairly and compassionately as the men who fought were. For as long as I can remember there have been female nurses, the earliest being the tv show Mash, and they never showed the disparity between men and women. Do not be put off by how long the book is, It is worth it. It is heartbreaking, and enlightening, and something you will not want to put down. I highly recommend it!

A great book that covers a really tough topic - the Vietnam War. This book is well written and thought provoking.

My favorite historical fiction books are the ones that teach me something new, Kristin Hannah does such a great job of making history come to life.. In this book, you learn about what is going on in the US as well as Vietnam during the war. There are descriptions of the music, the heat, the rain, mildew, helicopter prop wash, helicopter sounds, etc - that all make you feel like you are actually there. Kristin Hannah does a great job of using all of your senses as you read her books.

The Women is one of those books that gets you involved from the very beginning. The story is about the war but told in a way that makes it possible to read. Once you start the book it is hard to put down.

Kristin Hannah does it again!

I was beyond excited for the chance to read this book. Hannah is the author of one of my favorite books, The Great Alone.

This one has all the feels as well.

Frankie is a nurse in Vietnam. I felt the horror she had to endure, appalled at how they were treated when they came home, annoyed with how many times she had to hear "there were no women in Vietnam". I was heartened and inspired by the true friendships she developed.

All the characters seemed true to life, which is rare in many books. I love this aspect of the book.

It's not an easy read, but well worth the emotions it brings.

5 wonderful!

Thanks to netgalley, Kristin Hannah and St. Martin's Press for the awesome read.

When Frankie, a young nursing student, is told women can be heroes, she takes it to heart and enlists to serve as a nurse in Vietnam. The Women is her story of bravery in war, and in her return home to a country that has been divided.

I read a book in my teens about a nurse in the war in Vietnam who comes home a changed person, that I must have read during a really pivotal time in my life because it has always stuck with me and continues to be one of my top ten favorite books of all time. I've even re-read it as an adult, and it holds up! It's nearly impossible to find in print, but in case you're interested in looking it up, it's called The Road Home by Ellen Emerson White. I mention it to say that The Women had big boots to fill for me! I can honestly say that I think it may have joined The Road Home in my top ten favorites! Kristin Hannah has knocked it out of the park again!

War is such an atrocity of violence, deemed necessary, but the Vietnam War carried a lot of politics with it, leaving people split with their opinions. As a member of a military family I have watched them serve several generations, fighting for our country, so the book touches on the patriotism and lack of after the Vietnam War. Out of the men in our family that have served, we have had one female that made a big impact, but dealt with the disrespect of it too. Emotions run high when the support is not there backing them. I can't imagine how so many felt when a nation jeered them instead of cheering like patriotism during the Gulf War.
This well-researched historical fiction has been captured so many times, but not from the female perspective like Kristin Hannah has written. It will anger you and sadden you from the dishonor they received. Their work as medical personnel was vital when hundreds suffered wounds irreparable, but they felt pride in their work and had no idea when they arrived in the U.S. they would see a battle of their own. As people spit on them and cursed them, they felt all their sacrifices and commitments were fruitless to the American people. Americans did not see the chaos and destruction of war, except the media side, or that every day was a gamble without the equipment and supplies to keep hundreds of men alive.
Frankie, a nursing student, lived comfortably in her sheltered lifestyle with her wealthy parents, so she surprised them when her brother ships out to war, she does too. When she returns, even her own family shows signs of betrayal. This will have you crying and cheering, but it is also downright brutal sometimes. Excellent book that should be shared during Women's History Month in March.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this incredible ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book. I have not stopped thinking about it since I finished it, and I have lost track of the number of people I’ve told to read it. Friends, family, the random woman next to me while I was getting my hair cut last week…

Kristin Hannah is a can’t miss author for me, but this is by far her best book yet. I cried several times reading The Women, and I’m not usually a crier when I read.

Frankie was raised in Southern California by conservative parents, and her father’s office wall was filled with photos of the generations of men in their family who proudly served in the US Military. When her brother ships out to Vietnam, she dares to imagine a different future for herself than the one her mother impressed on her and she impulsively joins the Army Nurse Corps and heads to Vietnam.

My heart broke for Frankie as she was so unprepared for the reality of war, and I thought that she was such a tangibly human character. I don’t want to go into too much of the plot because you should experience it for yourself, but there were moments in this book that ripped my heart to shreds and others that made me see red. This book was SO WELL DONE.

The Vietnam War is an era of US history I am admittedly not very familiar with, and I thought that Kristin did an excellent job showing the complicated feelings that surround that time. She wasn’t afraid to show how the situation in Vietnam was not how it was depicted at home and the atrocities committed against the Vietnamese civilians. The story takes place partially in Vietnam and partially after Frankie returns home, and I am glad Kristin chose to dive into topics like PTSD and how things don’t just snap into place once you leave a combat zone.

Please read this book. It is so powerful and important. I cried writing this review, if you need any further convincing. This book is going to stay with me forever.

Thank you to @stmartinspress for an eARC. All thoughts are my own.

Many thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for gifting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was phenomenal!!

The Women
Set in the Vietnam War, Hannah depicts a vivid setting. How unjust the time was for women, veterans, and the local Vietnam people. So much loss, so much pain, so much grief, and the ups and downs of a war really hits the mark here.
Our main girl decides to become a wartime nurse, using her registered nurse degree to save many lives. This for me was the best part of the story! Obviously I am an RN, and the intensity of being thrust into a war zone without any nursing practice under her belt. Fight or flight. The absolute pressure put on us nurses today is 100 percent relatable to that time period. (Side story 😂 In nursing school, I actually had a dream that my classmates left me at the battle front of a war alone. CAN WE SAY PTSD?) I really loved the character growth and healing portrayed throughout the story. I loved the calling of her profession. I loved the heartbreak because what Kristin Hannah book doesn’t make you love even the emotional parts that breathe life into the story. Excellent read for me which matches all the rave reviews its been receiving.
Highly recommend!
Let me know your thoughts below!
Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the ebook!
#bitchesbebookin #netgalley #kristinhannah #thewomen #historicalfiction #vietnamwar #nurse #read #book #books #

I make a point of following Kristin Hannah and reading all of her books right when they are published. I was thrilled to be approved to read The Women on NetGalley. Wow! It was such a great book! It was on the longer side at almost 500 pages, but I zipped right through it. It seems that the Vietnam War is often not well taught perhaps because in semester long chronological classes, they run out of time before they can delve into this part of history very deeply. For that reason, I don't have a lot of background knowledge about Vietnam other that bits and pieces and the big overviews that I have picked up over time. I was thrilled that The Woman was an amazing story, but also accurate and informative for readers like me that needed to know more about the war itself.

The story line of a nurse serving in Vietnam juxtaposed with her white privileged upbringing was a wonderful starting point for the story. Frankie was conflicted about so many things during her time in war because reality was not quite what she always was told. I loved how Frankie grew and changed over the course of the book and I thought her relationship with her parents was very realistic.

I would highly recommend this book and see that even though it is only February, this is going to show up on many best of 2024 lists come December! This is five stars for sure!

I have never read a book that made me feel like The Women does. I felt like I was along side the women who were experiencing Vietnam. I could feel their hope when they signed up that they would be making a difference to the men fighting the war. I could feel their apprehension of leaving their homes and heading to a country that was foreign to them. I could feel their fear as they stepped off the plane into a world that was nothing like what they expected. I could feel their distress at what was happening at home, knowing that they did not have many people’s support for the war they were fighting.

The Women is a story that reminds the reader of what a large part women had Vietnam. The Women is a story of the friendships formed during war and how those friendships withstood the horrors that were lived through both in Vietnam and once they came home.

Kristin Hannah is the historical fiction queen. She knows how to take history and bring it to life with her words. With each book of hers that I read, she cements herself as a must-read historical fiction author.

Another beautifully written book by the talented Kristin Hannah!! Whewww.. this book was emotional and heavy! But it was SO GOOD! I usually stray away from books about war because it's just not my thing and doesn't usually interest me, so I was worried about this one and if I would enjoy it. I was blown away though by how much I did in fact enjoy this one even with war being a main theme. Kristin Hannah is amazing and can make any topics interesting. The Women is going to stick with me for awhile, it is very deep and thought provoking. I read this book in 24 hours, it's hard to stop once you start!!

Thank you St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley, for a copy of this in return for my honest review.

Kristin Hannah is a go-to author for me. Her historical novels are insightful and thought-provoking and bring forward facts and events that are sometimes lost or forgotten in the passage of time. In this case, her well-researched story takes us back to the Vietnam War. Young Frankie has decided to enlist in honor of her brother who has gone to serve in the Navy. She has seen how proud her parents are of her brother after their family's long-standing, multi-generational, commitment to serve its country, and she longs to impress them in the same way while also supporting her brother in-country. As a nurse, she feels she can contribute her skills in helping those soldiers who are wounded in action. The first part of the book details her experiences in that capacity and the deep connections she makes with those who stand beside her. When it's time to return home, finally, she finds that "home" is not what it was when she left. I had forgotten some things about that time in our history and simply didn't know about others. But Hannah brings the facts to life in this story I will remember this as one of her best. This book can be difficult to read at times, but it is riveting. This look back in time at our country's response to this war is truly worth learning about, and remembering. Thank you to #NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for bringing this book to my attention and for allowing me to read an advance copy. Pub date February 6, 2024.

Short synopsis: In attempts to make her parents proud, Frankie McGrath joins the Army Nurse Corps and goes to Vietnam during the war.

My thoughts: I absolutely love KH way of telling such tragic and heartfelt stories. This one brought out so many historical truths that happened during and following the Vietnam War. I don’t know much, but you can tell much time and research was put into this book.

The first half was devastating and tragic, heartbreak after terrible heartbreak had my emotions reeling. Part 2, I do have conflicted thoughts on, it seemed there were a number of events and situations put in the story for shock factor. But ultimately I felt like a lot of it needed to happen for Frankie to hit the rock bottom she needed to seek out real help.

This is a story of unsung heroes. Those who put their lives on the line to save men in battle. This is a powerful story of resilience and, strong women, and fighting for recognition.

I did part of this on audio, and while I absolutely love Julia Whalen’s narration I felt more attached to the story reading the physical version. I am taking the blame for that myself, I’m very prone to multitasking and I think that got in the way some. I’d personally recommend the physical version or an immersive reading with both physical and audio.

Read if you love:
- Vietnam War Historical fiction based off facts
- Books that will destroy you
- Strong and Brave women