4.25 – 4.5 STARS

“The Women” is a well-written, riveting historical fiction novel that stayed with me long after I finished the very last page. It is the tragic, eye-opening reality of the unsung heroes of the Vietnam War—the women who served their country and whose suffering and sacrifice was never adequately acknowledged.

Having been too young at that time to understand much of the Vietnam War, this book was a true awakening for me, stirring up a myriad of emotions. However, there is so much pain, loss, hurt, heartbreak and devastation in this novel with very little else to balance the story out, that I had a hard time picking this book back up anytime I put it down. I wanted—no, needed—a bit of light amidst all of the dark, especially when my anger hit an all-time peak right around the 80% mark.

While this was not an easy novel for me to get through from start to finish, the long and arduous journey was definitely well worth traveling. It’s also a testament to the strength and resilience of women whose tireless sacrifices often go unnoticed in a world still largely dominated by men.

I am one of the readers who think Kristin Hannah can do no wrong. Her research, her writing style, her character development are all superb. I was excited when I heard that she was going to tackle this specific time period and the Vietnam war since I do not know much about either.

This one taught me about women nurses in Vietnam, made me feel deeply for the characters (at one point I audibly GASPED), and engrossed me in the culture and time period (music, protests, activism, "Summer of Love", etc).

I did enjoy the first half more than the second which contains a lot of trauma based on the first half: PTSD, alcoholism and pill abuse, suicidal thoughts, accidental pregnancy, etc. But the entire book was my pleasure to read, despite the graphic and heartbreaking depictions of war. The women's friendships were one of the best parts of the book.

I feel luck i was allowed to read and advanced copy of the book. She has done it again.

Powerful. As both a female history teacher and someone who teaches US History to 16 and 17 year olds Frankie’s story is immensely powerful. Throughout US History many voices have been forgotten, silenced, or ignored. Women in war and their stories is one that this country has yet to reckon with. Frankie’s story of going to Vietnam and serving her country is one filled with tragedy, death, and the inevitable traumas of returning to a peacetime country. Mix this with the political volatility our country expedites during and after the Vietnam war Frankie’s voice is a painful struggle for her existence. Fans of Kristin Hannah will be astonished and taken on a powerful ride of history and the life of an unrecognized war heroine. Do not pass this up.

This is one of those books that will stay with me for a long time! The amount of research that went into it to really capture the feelings in Vietnam and afterwards was just amazing. Frankie's journey felt real and I felt the fear, heartache, and hope right along with her.

The Women are truly the stars of this book. Frankie, Barb, and Ethel were true heros even in the face of the belief that women didn't go to Nam. This book is a great reminder on how far we've come as a society and how far we need to go.

This is one of the best books that I have read in a long time!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this ARC for my honest review.

“The women had a story to tell, even if the world wasn’t quite yet ready to hear it, and their story began with three simple words. We were there.”

Don’t ever let anyone tell you there were no women in Vietnam because dang would they be wrong! I absolutely loved this story of a dangerous time and a divided nation. Y’all I have not cried at a book in SO LONG. But this one had me in tears multiple times. The amount of people who didn’t believe that Frankie served her country overseas as a nurse absolutely destroyed me… and the people that mattered most to her were ashamed of her going and lied about where she was! 😩 She saw combat, held friends, strangers, and children as they passed. She loved and lost, not to mention the struggles of reintegrating when she came back home.

Given the nature of this book, some readers may find scenes triggering and upsetting, so keep that in mind that this won’t be for everyone.

jamie lover forever!!! ❤️‍🩹

Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me a digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

"𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦, 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘴𝘬𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴; 𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘥. 𝘍𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭. 𝘔𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩: 𝘸𝘢𝘳 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘴𝘢𝘸 𝘪𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦. 𝘊𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘶𝘱, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵."

One of the most anticipated books of the year is out in the world tomorrow! 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙒𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣 centers around Frances "Frankie" McGrath who joins the Army Nurse Corps to serve in Vietnam. The first part of the book is set during her time there. She lands in country, inexperienced and overwhelmed, and quickly has to rely on her fellow nurses to cope and survive. The second part of the story is about Frankie's life and struggles post-war.

I've seen nothing but five star reviews for this book and think it will be for many more people who read it after tomorrow. I highly recommend to anyone who loves historical fiction. Personally, I just didn't connect with the characters as much as I have with her other books. I appreciated Frankie's journey and growth but something was missing for me to make the emotional connection. I also had a few smaller issues with the second half (but don't want to spoil in any way here) and wished I were reading with a buddy group or book club because there's some great discussion points. I loved her friendship with Ethel and Barb and really wish we could have somehow had a bit of their perspectives too. But overall I really enjoyed it and Kristin Hannah is no doubt a phenomenal storyteller. I also think the subject is an important one. Reading this made me want to learn more about the real women who served in Vietnam and have added a few non-fiction reads to my TBR from the author's acknowledgments.

A gripping novel with a rare female perspective of the Vietnam War and a needed reminder that "women can be heroes." Heartbreaking, emotional and obviously written after much (and meticulous) research, Frances "Frankie" McGrath's story is completely engrossing.

I have already recommended this book to friends and will continue to do so, not only to those who are already Kristin Hannah fans, but also to those who may not have read any of her previous books.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advance copy of this amazing book!

This is one of the best books I've read in a long time. I will be thinking about this one for a while.

The Women follows Frankie McGrath as she navigates becoming a nurse and then joining to Army Nurse Corps and shipping off to Vietnam in the late 1960s. Frankie spends two tours in Vietnam serving in evac hospitals before returning home to California to backlash from nearly everyone. Her parents won't even acknowledge she was in Vietnam, strangers spit on her, and there is no support from the VA for women. Frankie is lost and angry and trying to find herself again after doing what she thought was right by serving her country in a war that was not supported by the people.

Kristin Hannah makes magic when she writes. I felt every emotion possible while reading; happy, sad, angry just to name a few. I've yet to read a book by another author who is able to tell a story where the reader feels so transported to another time and place.

I learned so much from this book, too. I went in not knowing much about the Vietnam War and came out with very mixed emotions. Not having been alive when the war occurred, I don't have a first-hand perspective. The anger I feel towards the American government and the sorrow I feel towards the veterans and their families and the Vietnamese civilians...I didn't expect to feel those things while reading a historical fiction novel. It takes a gifted writer to make a reader feel while reading.

You should run, not walk, to pick this one up on release day.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the digital copy. My review is honest and voluntary.

I have chosen to withhold my review of The Women by Kristin Hannah in accordance with the marketing boycott of reviewing and platforming titles published under St. Martin’s Press and associated imprints. As a company, St. Martin’s Press has yet to meaningfully acknowledge and address the harm caused by a marketing employee who perpetuated Islamophobic sentiments against those of Palestinian descent specifically, and has a documented history of discriminating against readers of Arab heritage in general. As a reader, I refuse to participate, even passively, in perpetuating harm against my fellow readers in an activity all should be able to enjoy.

Once action is taken by St. Martin’s Press as a company to address the harm caused and how they will be dedicated to a decisive plan of action to address needs for diversity, equity and inclusion, I will upload my review of The Women by Kristin Hannah.

The Women is a sweeping story of one woman’s journey in the Army Nurse Corps in Vietnam, following her through harrowing experiences in country and her struggles at home after she returns from the war.

The book is divided into two parts, with Part One detailing Frankie’s experiences in Vietnam. This first half of the book is excellent and exceedingly well researched. Kristin Hannah has been delving into this topic for a long time and it shows. She paints a raw and immersive portrait of what it was like in the depths of the hell that was the Vietnam War. The imagery is gritty and powerful, and Frankie’s growth from a naïve, starry-eyed FNG to a mature, experienced surgical nurse is compelling. Frankie’s friendship with her fellow nurses Barb and Ethel is particularly well rendered.

Part Two details its own kind of hell when Frankie returns from the war and grapples with assimilating back into her civilian life. Although Hannah highlights many critical postwar difficulties, such as PTSD, trauma, and the disdain many Americans held toward the war and its veterans, ultimately this part of the book didn’t resonate as much with me. Hannah throws every imaginable trauma at her protagonist – just when you think Frankie has hit rock bottom and suffered enough, something even worse knocks her down. It was a little too melodramatic and soap opera-y for me, especially one particular plot point that is fairly unlikely the first time but becomes downright eye-rolling when it happens a second time (IYKYK). I would have preferred a deeper exploration of a smaller set of issues, but overall Frankie’s character arc is a good one.

All in all, this is a meaningful book about an important era we don’t see enough in historical fiction that highlights the bravery and heroism of the forgotten women who served their country in Vietnam. Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me an advance copy of this book.

A new book by Kristin Hannah is always worth the wait. What I loved about this one is that it took things I had vague knowledge of in a history class sort of way- women were in Vietnam, those who were in Vietnam were treated terribly when they returned, a developing understanding of PTSD at that time- and made it feel deeply personal. The first part of the book focuses on Frankie's time in Vietnam and the connections she made alongside the absolute horrors she faced, but the rest focuses on what happens when she comes back a completely changed person. The story is incredibly immersive, and despite being nearly 500 pages I tore through this one and probably would have read more.

Kristen Hannah does it again! I was worried when I first started the book because the pacing felt so quick. It was like we met Francis, and then boom, she's in Vietnam. After sitting with the book for a few days, I realized that Hannah may have done that. She didn't know too much about the character before seeing how her time in Vietnam shaped her. I appreciated how we got to see Francis in Vietnam and how she coped with it afterward, and I especially loved the surprise and the end of the novel. I'm already counting down to the next book by her.

I can’t say enough about this book. It’s got great writing, plotting and fascinating characters.
Frankie McGrath was raised in a pro-military family in San Diego. Her brother went off to fight in Vietnam; she was supposed to stay home and marry well. She’s patriotic and wants to be on her father’s “hero” wall so she enlists to be an Army nurse. She’s told many times “there are no women in Vietnam” but she finds herself at an airbase completely out of her depth.
The war is like nothing she could imagine, and she and the other nurses work under indescribable conditions. She makes lifelong friends and romantic connections, but just as she was unprepared for Vietnam she’s equally unprepared for what she finds back home.
This is a powerful story of a country who’s torn over Vietnam and its aftermath, and how the veterans cope with life after the war. Frankie is told again and again that “there were no women in Vietnam” but she and her friends are living proof that women were definitely there.
I highly recommend this book, it’s already on my top 10 list of must reads. 5 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

I remember taking a history course about the Vietnam War in university. It covered everything from the causes, the war tactics and weaponry, the responses and reactions around the world, Cronkite, and the way the war ended. I can’t remember mention of a single woman’s involvement. (Which, let’s be honest, says a lot about the way that liberal arts education is handled at the hands of white men. Anyway…)

Hannah tackles this topic head on in her typical, heartbreaking style. The story of Frances (Frankie) McGrath enlists as a nurse in the war after losing her brother in combat. With only American propaganda to fuel her understanding, she has a real shock when thrust into the thick of things.

We follow along Frankie’s growth and character arc, through love and heart wrenching loss, detailing so many facets of this brutal war that had been swept under the rug and denied by media for far too long, and then of course, what it meant to return home as a veteran (the men formally recognized as such, and the women dismissed).

I thought this was a gorgeous tale, touching on so many themes: race, PTSD, addiction, advocacy, family (found or otherwise) and trauma.

Frankie’s brother has been killed in Vietnam. Frankie decides she is going to do something different than what her conservative parents want for her. She signs up for the Army Nurse Corps. She is immediately shipped to Vietnam. To say this experience changed her life is an understatement, it ruled her life for years to come.

Frankie’s experience in Vietnam is something I will think about for weeks…heck…months. Add that in with how she was treated after she got home, even by her family, no wonder she had trouble adjusting.

Well, February is starting off with a bang! And this book is the reason! It is so dang good! Hannah incorporates so much into this novel. The research, the strong characters, the fantastic writing, the setting…GEEZ! This is such an amazing read!

Julia Whelan is one of my all time favorite narrators and she nailed this book!

Need a novel which will have your emotions all over the place…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

With each new historical fiction novel she writes, I love Kristin Hannah even more! And this book was by far my favorite. If I could give this book ten stars I would! The story put me through the emotional wringer: from the gruesome wounds and lost soldiers Frankie saw as a nurse in the operating tents in Vietnam, often under attack herself, then the shocking reality of coming home to a changed America where the returning soldiers are blamed and even hated for a war they never wanted. Her struggles with PTSD were heartbreaking and hard to read. I thought the story was well researched and beautifully written, most of the story sad and heartbreaking but leaving the reader with a sense of hope at the end. I highly recommend this book to everyone!

This was definitely out of the norm for me but I absolutely loved it! It was so good and hooked me from page one! Must read

1966 Vietnam

Frankie, after graduating with a nursing degree, joined the army in order to serve in the Vietnam war. Her motivation was to follow her brother who was already serving a tour. Once Frankie arrived in Vietnam, the tour did not begin as planned, yet she was determined to make a difference. Because of the author’s detailed descriptions, it was easy to imagine the character's appearance. Each page held my attention and I needed to keep reading. I’ve read many of the author’s novels, all were well written and researched.

Frankie showed amazing bravery when faced with the war nobody wanted to fight. Everyday, the doctors and nurses faced soldiers' injuries, knowing that most young men would lose an arm or leg and eventually die. The hospital staff formed a pseudo family knowing the friendships were temporary. Together, the women forgot the soldiers and what could have been done to save the men’s lives. Not surprising, the memories followed Frankie home. Those memories followed her home in the form of nightmares. Frankie experienced one heartbreak after another. Moreover, she had a difficult time returning home from Vietnam. It’s no wonder that Vietnam Vets take their own lives or abuse drugs and alcohol. Frankie's life was like It's an Oreo cookie that exploded and Frankie was left to pick up the pieces.

I could not read the last 25% fast enough. I wanted to get to the ending just to see how Frankie”s life resolves.

A huge thank you Kristin Hannah, St. Martin’s Publishing Group, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and in exchange for an honest review.

I was very very apprehensive going into this book.

I have found, lately, that I really struggle with heavy storylines. The world, right now, feels heavy enough without my favorite downtim activity pulling me deeper under. So here I was, about to start a story about Vietnam of all things, and I was really very afraid I wasn't going to be able to finish it.

Color me surprised that, while The Women does not shy away from any of the ugliness of the war or the time period in which it took place, it somehow didn't feel that heavy. It felt serious and important, but not crushing.

The story itself felt like a fascinating glimpse into a time and a war that has never made much sense to me. I was gripped by Frankie's experiences - the horrors of war, and the pockets of impossible lightness that existed in the middle of it all. While sometimes Frankie wasn't likable, and many times her decisions frustrated me, I also think they held pretty true to what the experiences of a war vet (particularly the female vets) of that time. I actually didn't struggle to like Frankie at all. I felt like she was very flawed, but very human. Her story was surely not a "feel-good" one, but it was not without hope or redemption in the end. She felt real to me and I think that's what kept me glued to the pages, even when the pacing lagged a bit.

I also adored the strength and tenacity of female friendships in this book. If there's a love story that resonated, it was that one. I adored the bonds that were formed under the harshest of conditions, and the unshakeable unconditional love and friendship that resulted from it. These girls were beautiful, ferocious, and inspiring and I adored reading about their friendship.

The romance within was not quite as satisfying. While I didn't hate the ending, I also...didn't really know quite what to make of it. Something about it didn't sit right with me, which is at odds with the fact that it was basically the fairytale ending I had hoped for. Frankie also made some - several -questionable romantic decisions throughout the story. It didn't land the way I wanted it to, but I also appreciated that it was probably pretty true to character for someone who had experienced so much trauma and heartbreak. I didn't fault her for losing her way and I felt fully rewarded when she finally found it again.

In all - this was a story that felt important. It was compelling and fascinating (and sometimes heartbreaking and horrifying). There was a lot - a lot - going on in here, but having just turned the last page I find myself feeling a little lost and lonely without Frankie in my orbit. I'm a bit hung over, but overall happy with how everything played out. It's not for the faint of heart, but I enthusiastically recommend it!

Kristin Hannah is one of my favorite authors. Her books are always memorable, and they make you feel all the feels. This book was no exception.
I don't generally love books about Vietnam, but I read it because of the author. This book sheds a great light on the women who served in Vietnam, and the harsh realities that they endured for serving our country.
I didn't love the main character's many romantic entanglements - how they started, and how they went down, and the sheer number for how many fell for her seemed questionable. I liked her friends, and had little patience for her parents and community. The ending was brilliant!
~Thank you to NetGalley and publisher