I expected this to be a really good book. It was even more. Ms. Hannah has taken a subject very few know much about and educated the reader about a very painful time for our country. I was thirteen when the Vietnam War ended. I was aware of the war but certainly never had the insight into what those who served went through, much less how traumatic it was for the women who served.

The story of Frankie's service as a nurse, her return home, and her resuling PTSD was deeply emotional and filled with despair. It was definitely not an easy story to read, but such an important story to read. It makes you stop and ponder your own beliefs about the war and those who served their country and were ridiculed for it. It made me stop and think about my husband's service in Afghanistan and his resulting PTSD (and yes, they really do wind up on the floor during nightmares). It makes me wish I had spent more time listening to him when he came home. This story has made me determined to listen to him more about his service and ask questions.

Thank you for this book, Ms. Hannah.

I listened to the amazing audio version of this book narrated by Julia Whelan, who did an amazing job, mixed with reading the book.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the gifted copies. All thoughts are my own.

I am not old enough to know the Vietnam war in real life so I only know what I’ve been taught in history class. Reading this book was eye opening for me. I knew vets were not treated well when they returned home but had no idea how much worse women were treated. Frankie became a real person on these pages. Her experiences were powerful and she is not a perfect person. I’m glad this book has been written not only as a great read but a great way to teach us a little about history.

I never thought another Kristin Hannah book would top The Nightingale, but this one might. Cried throughout. The female friendships 🥹😍😭 the horrific realities of war and the aftermath 💔💔😭😭 the terrible homecoming back in America 😭😭💔💔 this book brought it all to life in the most incredible way. 5+/5 ⭐

I have to start this off with some personal background- I have a one year old baby and since he was born I went from reading 100 books a year down to 25. I read this book in two days!! It completely broke my slump. I really didn't have a grasp of the day to day reality of what it was like serving in Vietnam, nor did I completely understand how cruel Americans were to the returning heroes. Hannah once again completely immersed me in a time period and historical event I really should have known more about. I loved the Nightingale and Great Alone (and Magic Hour from her earlier work), but I think this officially takes the cake as my #1 Kristin Hannah book. Five stars!!!

A BIG thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's press for advanced copy for honest review.

I'm sure you know, Kristen Hannah needs no introduction. And I am also here to tell you The Women will be another be hit! Book clubs get ready for this one! Surprise - two book subscriptions book clubs have this on their radar :)

The women can be heroes too!

The Women by Kristin Hannah is one of her best books. It was an amazing about a topic I knew nothing about and the struggles faced by women involved in the Vietnam conflict and the struggles they faced both during the war and coming home.

*Thank you, NetGalley, for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and unbiased opinion

Kristin Hannah tells the untold story of Frankie McGrath and the other women heroes of the Vietnam War. Detailing the harshness of a harrowing war and then the heartbreak of coming home to be shunned and excluded, Frankie's story is all consuming as she navigates her return dealing with love, loss, social unrest, and family acceptance.

Frankie is only seventeen when her brother is killed in Vietnam, and she decides to become a combat nurse. After some quick training, she is shipped off, where you learn on the job immediately. Some friends and mentors help her, and she begins to gain confidence in herself and her relationships. When she returns from war, she has experienced more loss and trauma than most twenty-year-olds. Now Frankie must figure out how to return to normal life and decide how she can go on.

This book is very intense and sad and riveting. You immediately love Frankie, worry about her decisions, and root for her. I also loved (and hated) the side characters. There is lots of talk of war injuries and surgeries, but I felt like if you can handle Grey's Anatomy, you can handle this book. It is also confined to the first half of the book as the second half is much more relationship drama, mental health discussion, and Frankie trying to find her way. I loved the music and culture of the times that was inserted and the political ties-ins (although Hannah doesn't really make this a political novel, it is more of just the context of the story.)

I knew little about Vietnam and I thought this book was a very accessible way to read about it. The subject matter is dramatic, but this book is very readable. It is now vying for the spot of my favorite Hannah novel, and I definitely felt bits of her other memorable moments in this one with touches of the friendship from Firefly Lane, PSTD and trauma from The Great Alone, living in extreme hardship from Winter Garden, and courage and resilience from The Nightingale.

The only thing I don't love about this book is the title. It is about women, but it is primarily about Frankie, and I thought this title was bland and unhelpful. I wish it would have been titled "We Were There" or "The Long Haul" or just something more memorable. The good cover is memorable, but the title is completely forgettable.

I cannot wait for my book club to read this for March so we can discuss it.
Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review. This one is a must read.

Eye-opening, gut-wrenching and powerful. The Women is an intense book about female nurses in a forgotten war. I was immediately drawn to this book being a nurse myself and it will, without a doubt be one of my top books for 2024.

Frankie McGrath wants more for herself than the typical expectation of getting married and having children. Her brother was celebrated for enlisting and hearing that “women can be heroes,” she has decided to do the same.

After arriving in Vietnam, Frankie quickly realizes she was naïve and unprepared as a new nurse for what lay ahead of her. She forges ahead and finds she does not come out of Vietnam the same person that went in. Serving during war is only part of the story. Arriving home, to a thankless country in chaos leads to a more tumultuous integration back into life.

This was an amazing and awe-inspiring story that represents what women in the Vietnam war may have experienced. Kristin Hannah truly wrote a masterpiece. I cannot stop thinking about this book! All I can say is I fell apart with that ending! I finished this book with an immense amount of appreciation and gratitude for women that have served our country.

Thank you to Kristin Hannah, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for allowing me to review this book before publication.

Kristin Hannah can pull alllll the emotions out of me, and The Women is no exception. The ending had me speechless and wanting to press this book into everyone's hands. Kristin Hannah is historical fiction for people that don't typically like historical fiction because of her propulsive plots and luminous writing. My only gripe is the Vietnamese felt a bit one dimensional. I know this wasn't their story, but there had to have been more.

Another sweepingly epic story by the incomparable Kristin Hannah! I devoured this book in just a few days, gripped from beginning to end. Hannah’s writing is like no other, her research is exhaustive and her characters leap off the page and right into my heart. In this story, Frankie is a privileged young woman, who wants to make her dad proud. He has a “wall of heroes” containing pictures of all the family members who have served their country honorably. So after Frankie’s brother, Finlay, heads off to Viet Nam, she decides to join the Army so she can join him in the fight as a combat nurse. I don’t want to say anymore for fear of giving away spoilers but I learned so much reading this. I was very young when the Viet Nam war was ending. And, unusual for me, but this story made me cry many times over. I’m glad I read it in the privacy of my own home so I could feel all the feels and express my emotions over all the moments that tore my heart in half. Thank you Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be available for purchase on February 6, 2024

Well, I am going to be That Person. That Person who does not rate the book everyone is raving about 5 stars. I just can’t. And here’s why…

First of all, I do want to say that I very much appreciate that Kristin Hannah chose to write a novel about something other than World War 2. It was refreshing to read about the Vietnam War, a war about which very few novels have been written. Furthermore, I appreciate that she focused on the women (and sidenote: I detest this title). Women’s contributions and experiences in history are often overlooked and probably more so in regards to the Vietnam War. I, for one, honestly never thought about it.

Secondly, Hannah does capture the setting very vividly. There are a lot of gory war scenes, you can feel the heat of the jungle, the stress, the exhaustion, etc. Similarly, she captured the experience of PTSD well (as far as I know, not having experienced it myself). I think it’s important to have this experience vividly exposed both for the sake of empathy as well as for those who have gone through it to feel heard and seen. She clearly did a ton of research on PTSD as well as on the war and the time period.

So why not the raving 5 stars? Quite simply, because Kristin Hannah likes to jerk people around emotionally and because the romance in this is obnoxiously awful. Emotionally, this book is seriously “everything but the kitchen sink”. Just throw in every tragic thing you can think of, it’s there. Just when you think something good might happen, nope. The tragedy gets almost repetitive and boring. Like, how many times do I want to read about her bloody clothes and men’s gaping wounds? How many times do I want to read about her drunken pill popping à la Valley of the Dolls? And the romance. Ugh, don’t get me started. I predicted basically what would happen every single time a love interest was introduced and I was right. She falls in love suddenly with no real reason other than feelings like “he brought her back to life”. Gag me. That’s not real, especially not after a 5 minute conversation.

So anyway, I do love that underappreciated women in history are finally getting their time in the spotlight but next time someone does this, can we get some less sappy, sentimental plotlines to make these people real?

I’m a Kristin Hannah fan but for some reason the writing fell flat for me in this one. I love the subject matter and the fact that Hannah is shining a spotlight on veterans who are still undervalued and unappreciated. I also really enjoyed the portions of the book where Hannah really dug deep into what these women faced in Vietnam. Unfortunately, the characters themselves felt crafted out of tissue paper and their relationships came across as surface level at best. For example,
Frankie has two best friends who fly across country at the drop of a hat to help her through a breakup but we never really understand what binds them as friends other than their shared Vietnam experience. The most disappointing was Frankie herself who starts out so exceptionally sheltered and naive (she needs a man to tell her that women can be heroes) and is essentially rescued every step of the way by someone walking in to her life and taking her under their wing. Everything happens to her. Even the climactic moment where her father finally admits that she’s a hero happens as a result of a random soldier thanking her for her service. I really wanted to like this book more.

Kristin Hannah does it again. This was heartbreaking and eye opening. This was the first book I’ve read about the Vietnam war and I have learned so much. There are a lot of heavy parts of it but it’s needed so we can experience how it really was. She did a beautiful job with it. The research she must have done is just incredible. Absolutely read the authors note. This book is just stunning. I can’t wait for everyone to get their hands on it. Thank you to @netgalley, @stmartinspress and @macmillan.audio for the gifted early copy.

I’m not crying, I’m sobbing. Kristin Hannah does her thing yet again and breaks my heart only to piece it back together.

I received this as an ARC through netgalley.

I knew what I was getting into here. I love Kristin Hannah. She does a spectacular job of making you feel, bringing you into the story.

The plot follows Frankie through her time pre Vietnam, during Vietnam, and the disaster that is post Vietnam. We lose a lot of people close to Frankie (and the reader too, let’s be honest), but not all is at it seems. In true fashion, the author is historically accurate and has obviously done extensive research. I love a good historical fiction, and few can do what Kristin Hannah does.

The characters are lovable and pitiable at the same time. All of these characters go through hell and see things no one should have to see, and I appreciate the honest way the author portrays them. Everyone struggles, and even minor characters endear themselves to the reader. There’s also a decent level of representation accurate with history. Not a lot of LGBT+ themes, but during the time it was all very hush hush and private. I do love that she brought several equal rights movements into the story, including gay rights.

The writing. Oh man, the flow is perfect, the language is easy, and I could’ve easily read this in one sitting. I only wish everyone could write this well.

Obviously I loved this book and it gets 5⭐️. Four Winds still has it beat, but only barely.

I assiduously avoid reading books about Vietnam for personal reasons, but…Kristin Hannah. Like the author, I was in grade and middle school during most of the war. I have memories of what was going on both in USA and over there that are varied. I also remember having a MIA/POW bracelet when I was a freshman, the war ended when I was a high school senior. Hannah’s telling the story of army nurses during and after is well researched and well written. As with her previous novels, the history is as important as the characters and storyline. The storyline is detailed and comes full circle. VERY good.

Another amazing book from Hannah. This belongs amongst one of her best books, and that says a lot considering she wrote the masterful The Great Alone and The Nightingale. I want to thank NetGalley and St Martins Press for the ARC. I am so thankful to read such a powerful novel.

Title: The Women
Author: Kristin Hannah
Source: DRC via NetGalley (St. Martin’s Press) in exchange for an honest review
Publication Date: February 6, 2024
Synopsis: Goodreads
Purchase Link: Amazon

Other books by this author: The Four Winds

Why did I choose to read this book?

I think it’s possible that Kristin Hannah is one of the greatest historical novelists of our time, and at the same time one of the greatest women’s fiction writers. Her writing is so evocative, compelling, and just goddamn GOOD that you almost have to be brave and courageous to read her work. She doesn’t pull punches and will leave you emotionally drained (in a good way) and better informed about the world. I know this section is about why I chose to read the book but really it wasn’t a choice, it was a necessity.

What is this book about?

I have tried to write what this book is about like, 5 times now. The synopsis of it is included in both the Goodreads and NetGalley links above, but this book was so many different things that I don’t know how to put them all into words. I found that I had to read this book during alone times because I was just quietly crying the entire time I was reading it. I finished it last night in bed and I was just crying onto my pillow right through the very last words. I think this book is the kind of book that will speak to each reader individually (women especially) and your experience will be different depending on your personal life experience.

What is notable about this story?

I think this is the saddest book I have ever read other than Lily and the Octopus by Stephen Rowley or An Untamed State by Roxane Gay. I am not sure if I cried every moment I was reading, but I know there were times when I had to set the book down or I would start crying, or I was already crying and the husband was about to come into the room. I felt this book, deep in my bones, every step of the way and I’ve never even been in the military. There was something deeper here, more raw – pure grief, exhaustion, determination, resilience (I hate this word), submission, acceptance – it’s like all the emotions were thrown in a pot and melted together to make this book. I want to read it again right now. I haven’t felt that way about a book in a long time, but I want to read it again knowing how it ends to see if I feel anything differently. This book is a journey everyone should want to go on. What a fucking triumph. Kristin Hannah out here putting out banger after banger and I just sit back and say thank you ma’am may I have another.

Was anything not so great?

I know that the focus of this book was on Frankie (Frances McGrath) but I could have done with a bit more about Ethel and Barb, her two fellow nurses from Vietnam that mentor her and help her acclimate to wartime nursing. They are fast friends through the war and afterwards, and Barb and Ethel show up time and again for Frankie, no questions asked. I wish I could have known more about those other two women. This isn’t a critique, just a wish. They were so fabulous in their own right that I wish I could have spent more time with them.

What’s the verdict?

First 5 star review of the year and I cannot recommend this book enough. If you are a woman, you need to read this book. If you were alive during the Vietnam era you need to read this book. If you are a Vietnam veteran, this book honors you and if you can read it please get it. If you are a millennial like me and grew up with the Middle East as the focus of many wars, you should read this book so these memories and events aren’t lost with our parents and grandparents. Kristin Hannah is always going to be a highly recommended author here at Angry Angel Books, so just get out there and read her work. You won’t regret it.

The Women by Kristin Hannah
5/5 Stars! Loved this book so much! I am so happy that I was able to read this book before its release. I normally would not reach for a book during a war era, but the author set the stage instantly and you are immersed in the story, feeling like you are watching the charachters in real life. The book follows the life of Frances "Frankie" McGrath and her journey as a female nurse in the Vietnam War. We get a bit of her life before, during and after the war. Kristin's books always border on sad and bleak, and this was no different, although you do have a glimmer of hope for the charachters! I will say the descriptive writing and romance in this book was better than I expected. and one last thing. Justice for Coyote, Henry and most of all, Frankie. (NOT a spoiler, you'll understand when your'e done reading!)

TW: war, graphic descriptions of injuries, mentions of suicide, cheating/infidelity, miscarriage, death, PTSD.

Kristin Hannah really hits it out of the park with this book. She does such an exceptional job of setting the scene, and really making you feel like you are IN it. There is so much darkness, juxtaposed with the lightness of friendship...I loved the focus on female friends here. The topic is clearly very dark, and it definitely intrigued me to start looking more into the women that were part of the Vietnam War. I did find the pacing to be a bit off, as the latter sections of the book and Frankie's life seemed to be on fast forward, when there is still so much important growth happening throughout. While I love Frankie, there were times I didn't understand her, or agree with her choices, I found her to be so incredibly human. I loved this book so very much, I could not put it down once I started. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to provide my honest review.