Powerfully haunting, The Women by Kristin Hannah is historical history but it is still the history of many of us. I was in middle school with the war ending in the spring of my senior year of high school. Friends had family members who served and yes, they were men but I knew female nurses served too. It had never occurred to me that they were even more forgotten than the men. Here in the states, we knew how the men were treated when they came home being told ot to wear their uniforms off the base. This story brings that all up front and centered.

I also knew and have now seen the Vietnam War Memorial both in Washington and the one erected in my home state. At least they are now calling it a war. When I was young it was conveniently and shamefully called a “Conflict” by the government. No matter what it was called it di not change the fact that lives were sacrificed both in Vietnam and here at home. Those who served deserved better.

This is the story that needs to be told. After reading Ms. Hannah’s notes about the book, I understand why she had to wait until now. She has masterfully written a powerhouse of a story from one nurse’s perspective. It should be required reading today. It is certainly one I will never forget.

An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

"There were no women in Vietnam" true or false?

Before reading this, if the above was a trivia night question, I would have likely said true but I stand corrected! This book chronicles how important "the women" were in the Vietnam War mostly through the eyes of Frankie, a nurse who volunteered to serve through the Army, and somewhat through the experiences of her fellow nurse friends she meets when she arrives.

I applaud the authors research as I believe she did a lot of due diligence in trying to get the emotions and feelings surrounding those who lived through this time period correct. My uncle served during Vietnam and my mom says he was a changed man when he came home. In his late 70's now, he's also experienced a lot of unexplained health conditions in the last 10-15 years of his life, which we now know may be the effects of agent orange. I felt like even though this is historical fiction, I learned a lot about the war, the feelings surrounding it and the sacrifices made and how that has contributed to feelings about the military and service even today.

My biggest complaint about this book was the romance side. Frankie is apparently a guy magnet because every man who says more than 3 sentences to her seems to fall for her. It was also slightly predictable which robbed me of an emotional connection because I knew things would circle back, not once but TWICE which seemed slightly ridiculous. I wish the author would have focused more and sooner on Frankie's PTSD and less on her outstanding ability to fall for unavailable men. It was frustrating that she just kept running into the same wall over and over again but that was part of the point. PTSD wasn't known then like it is now and women especially weren't treated and evaluated for depression like they are now.

Overall it was a powerful book that enlightens an era and time that not many talk about because it was so controversial. Glad the author is shedding the light on such important contributions.

DNF at 50%.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily. I'm not sure why I grabbed this book as I did not enjoy the only other Hannah book I've read, The Four Winds, but everybody and their brother seems to love this author, so I thought I'd give her another try. The subject matter was different. I love historical fiction, but it seems like everyone concentrates on WWII. I was happy for the change.

I appreciate the attempt by Kristin Hannah to shed light on the women nurses who served in Vietnam and the shaft they got from society when they returned home. But I had issues with several things:

1. Frankie is the perfect, beautiful, all-American white girl who constantly has men falling at her feet. Not kidding you, every time a man was introduced into the story, I wondered when the two would hook up. It felt very Danielle Steel-like. As if her value as a human being could only be validated by being with a man.

2. The graphic medical content. I expected some but found myself skimming and skimming because I don't need detailed descriptions of horrible injuries and attempts to save lives. And it went on and on for a hundred pages.

3. The lazy way of using letters to weave 1960's events into the storyline. I don't know of anyone who summarized the evening news in letters to loved ones, but that's what the letters were like.

4. I really didn't get a feel for Vietnam the place, and Frankie's lack of interaction with the Vietnamese people the U.S. was allegedly fighting for.

Those are just a few of the things that bothered me, and in 2024 I've decided that I'm not going to force myself to finish books I'm not enjoying, even if I get them for free from the publisher. I realize I'm an Outlier and most everyone else will love this book, but I didn't.

The Women
By Kristin Hannah

This book is a real eye-opener. If you are old enough to remember the Vietnam War and the state of the country at the time, you must remember that returning vets were treated badly. But most of us had no real idea of the horrors of that war, nor the lies we were being fed by our own government. And we sure didn't know that the troops in the field were being lied to as well.

The story here revolves around a naïve young woman from an upper class background who decides, when her brother is killed in Nam, that she should volunteer as an Army nurse to make her family proud. Little did she know or understand the dynamics of the war – or the price she and all the other vets would pay for doing what they perceived as their patriotic duty.

This is a story of love and lies, sacrifice and heartbreak, PTSD and addiction – and ultimately the value of friendship and love to bring us back from despair. The comradeship of veterans – and most notably Vietnam vets – led to the admittedly belated recognition and thanks of a grateful nation. And finally to the recognition that there were indeed women who died over there in their attempts to save lives.

I can understand the author saying it took her years to be able to write this story – and I, for one, am very glad she did.

Hot Take: This book would never end

The Women details Frances “Frankie” McGrath’s experience serving in the Vietnam War as a nurse. And her transition into civilian life.

This book had no plot—it is based on one character. The problem is….Frankie isn’t likeable. She is an entitled, spoiled rich girl. She has everything handed to her, and her reason for going to war was to be on the hero’s wall and not wanting to work her way up at the hospital. Although she constantly pulls on her veteran roommates, she couldn’t be bothered to provide support to nurses that arrived after her. Apparently, she hasn’t heard of paying it forward.

Hannah also never gets into what makes Frankie so unique, what makes her special, what drives her. What about her would the world miss if she was gone?

My favorite author says it best: “Every sentence I write is surrounded by the ghosts of the sentences I could have written at that point but chose not to.” In The Women, I wanted to hear about the other servicewomen. After Part 1, it was time to transition to someone else. How did Major Goldstein, the chief nurse, get to her position and how did she cope with placing the nurses, determining their fates? Why didn’t we shift to Ethel and Barb and what happened before Frankie?

Additionally, Hannah is far too verbose, leaving the reader to wade through needless paragraphs, inserting uninteresting details. Sorry, I just don’t care about the cheap motel especially at the end of the book. Not sorry.

The foreshadowing is so heavy that the book becomes predictable, and there are far too many characters—all of them are undeveloped. The author did far too much telling instead of showing. Show us memories of Finley and Frances. Give us the backstory on Ethel and Barb. Don’t tell us. Show us.

Although I greatly enjoyed learning more about the brave women who valiantly served our country, this book was a chore to read.

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

How much I spent:
Electronic text – Free/Nada/Zilch through NetGalley provided by publisher

Wow Kristin Hannah truly is a gift to readers! A few years ago I read the Nightingale also by Kristin Hannah and it remains one of the top books I have read. Kristin Hannah doesn’t disappoint in her latest book The Women! This book like the Nightingale touched my heart and elicited so many emotions! I haven’t read many books about the war in Vietnam and with her unforgettable characters Kristin Hannah weaves a story that tells how the main character Frances “Frankie” McGrath and other women she befriends are affected by the war in Vietnam. From her sun-filled life in California to the horrors of war in Vietnam Frankie is faced with challenges both on and off the battlefields where she is a nurse. The war for many is overwhelming but the battle that lies ahead for Frankie and her friends from the war when they return home ends up quite challenging. Division at home and dealing with protesters greets them when they return. Through this inspirational story Kristin Hannah shows how one woman through her own trials and tribulations can persevere and help others especially other women who were forgotten in this war. I am so thankful to #Netgalley and the publisher #St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy of this wonderful book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was incredible. Hannah always has such a way with characters and this is no different. I haven't ever known that much about the Vietnam War, but it was still enjoyable (in a depressing way).

Though I didn't always agree with Frankie's decisions this book did a good job talking about the complexities of war, PTSD, love, family, and hurt.

Frankie having just graduated wants to follow her brother’s footsteps and enlist to serve her country as a nurse in the war in Vietnam. Against the wishes of her parents, Frankie decides this is the way to prove to her father that women can be heroes too!

Frankie sees and experiences way more in the war than she ever anticipated. She finds and loses love, makes friends, sees many things that break her, and learns just how strong she can be. What she doesn’t realize is the real battle is when she comes home to a country divided and the ramifications of surviving the war.

Kristin Hannah never disappoints me! This ranks right up there with all her other books! Well written and heartfelt! Definitely a must read when it is released on February 6th! Thank you to #NetGalley, #StMartinsPress and #Kristin Hannah for the ARC!

ARC Review — The Women

Kristin Hannah is an amazing storyteller. The Women is just another example of her ability to tell the stories of incredible women throughout history. Because of Kristin Hannah, I’m here to say there were women in Vietnam.

Frankie will forever be one of my favorite female main characters. She was brave and strong and resilient. Her pain and suffering was so real and heartbreaking — especially after she returned home from her two tours in Vietnam. This book is so eye-opening to the experiences of those who served (especially the women) but also America’s reaction to the war in Vietnam. I will never forget about the love, friendship, remembrance, recovery, and strength that is portrayed throughout this entire book.

The Women was definitely one of my most anticipated reads of 2024 and it did not disappoint. This was an easy 5 stars for me!

Over the last 24 hours I have been nothing but captivated by this story and I’m sure it will stay in my mind for years to come. Frankie’s coming of age tale and her growth as a nurse is inspiring and oftentimes heartbreaking. Women tend to be forgotten when it comes to retelling of war stories but this book is a prominent reminder that they were there. There are so many positive things I could say about this book but it could fill pages, instead I urge everyone to read this story the first moment they can.

I feel honored and privileged to have been gifted an arc to this incredible story by Netgalley and St. Martins press in exchange for my honest review and opinions.

What an important piece of history we don't hear about! The first half was so engaging and I loved being in the war with Frankie. The second half was a bit slower and really heartbreaking. I always expect to cry in a Kristin Hannah book. It felt resolved at the end and brought it back to hope and joy.

Thank you Netgalley for my advanced copy!

This book is one of the best I've read in a long time. The writing is excellent. It gives the reader a snapshot into an era of the Viet Nam war and the times afterwards. You felt like you were there and seeing the horrors of it all with the vivid details . You could not help but feel the how they felt.

This is the story of Frankie, a nurse who chose to go. She wanted to help and that she did. While a fictional character. you know she was about the ones who really were there. At the end, the author explains her research, those who read the story and helped her make it feel real.

I grew up during the times so know some but not enough. I now live in an area that Sharon Lane came from. I've seen her statue and was so glad she was mentioned in the book. Also, POW/MIA bracelets were real to me. I have one. My person came home.

This is a great book and for those who don't know the times, I think they will learn something while reading a really good story.

When you open a Kristin Hannah book you must gird yourself against an onslaught of emotions that will run very deep.

The Vietnam War certainly left a mark all over the world. Men came back from the war forever changed but what about the women. The women that helped save lives or helped to lift spirits of soldiers who knew their face was the last they would ever see. This book gives a voice to all those women who put their lives on the line, stepped up to make a difference, those that ended up being ignored and overlooked when they came back home.

This story was woven with so much compassion and dedication to the facts of such a brutal war. It certainly left a deep mark on my heart.

**Received ARC through NetGalley. Voluntarily reviewed**

5 stars.

The Women by Kristin Hannah brought me to tears on more occasions than I could count. This story is heart-wrenching, powerful, amazing, and sickening all in one. The emotions are REAL. I feel absolutely honored to know Frankie and I hope one day to find my Barb and Ethel. Women have been serving our country for years and often it is the men who receive the recognition. I am thankful that these women, told time and time again that "There were no women in Vietnam" held together and I am thankful to Kristin Hannah for telling their story.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this advanced reader's copy.

Even though I enjoy reading historical fiction, I can honestly say that I have never picked up a book about Vietnam. And admittedly I probably wouldn't have had it not been written by Kristen Hannah. However, Kristin Hannah as a way of pulling you so far into a story that you can actually see the events playing out in your head. As someone born after the Vietnam War, it's scary to read just what happened as the troops returned home or even as the war was happening. It's absolutely amazing how recent these events actually took place in our country, and I applaud the author for writing about this period of history. More people need to know what women like Frankie and the others of her generation endured as they served even if they weren't the men in combat. I appreciated the way in which Kristin Hannah did try to make a distinction between the medics and the soldiers in combat so as not to diminish anyone's role during the war. So, this book may have been a long time coming, she first conceived of the idea for this one in 1997, but the completed was definitely worth the wait.

Another captivating story by author Kristin Hannah! Her writing really takes you through it and brings to life our country’s history, often in a heart-wrenching way.

In this book we follow the story of 20-year-old Frances (Frankie) McGrath. She has come from a long line of men in her family who served in the military. Her dad has a wall of photos honoring those heroes. Frankie’s brother joined the Navy and is headed for Vietnam. She is desperate to do her part. Being a woman, means little opportunity to throw her hat into the ring. She finally gets accepted by the Army for a nursing position.

The first half of this book goes into detail of her experience out in the jungles of Vietnam and the dark reality of the attacks, injuries and death she must face each day. The female friendships she forms with the other nurses is beautiful and inspiring. The second half of the book is more about her return to the states and grappling with PTSD and the rejection from society and by her own father.

I gave this book 3-Stars because this is one of those instances that while I know it was a good book, it simply wasn’t for “me”. There was far more usage of cursing in this book than the others I’ve read by this author. There were also two intimate scenes that crossed a line for my personal reading taste. This was a very bloody and gruesome read. Debriding of dead tissue, amputations, removal of shrapnel, charred flesh and human excrement. It all just got to be a bit too much. This was my fifth Kristin Hannah read. I adore her work, but this one was harder for me to digest. My father-in-law is a Vietnam vet, now struggling with Alzheimer’s. Although he remembers very little these days, Vietnam is as clear as ever and his number one topic of conversation. Perhaps this book just hit a bit too close to home for my heart as well.

*Mentions of PTSD, alcoholism and miscarriage.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Kristin Hannah has out done herself again! I remember after reading The Nightingale it took me months to rate another book 5 stars again. Well I will be in that same situation again for at least the next 6 months. The Women was a beautifully written novel about the women in the Vietnam war. A war that not only did not celebrate our military but out right said there were no US women in Vietnam. The novel tells the story of Frankie McGrath, a woman that volunteered to be a nurse to follow her brother there, become a hero in her dads eye and did two terms there. Kristin shows us what it was like to come back from the war, the friendships that were made and how they managed to live in society after. An outstanding book!

Kristin Hannah can do NO wrong in my eyes when I see her name I'm all for it I don't even read the description I just know I want and need it. The great alone and fly away series will probably always just hold such a special place in my heat of books. When Frances "Frankie McGrath's brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path when she hears that women can be heroes too. 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. I was shocked to learn that the Nurses who provide medical care to soldiers were not considered Veterans even though they signed up with the Army. That they could not go to the VA for help with PTSD. It was appalling and heartbreaking. Besides the beautiful writing, I loved how Hannah showed the strength of female friendship. How the women supported each other and formed a family unit amongst themselves. This was one of the highlights for me. They lifted each other up, loved each other, accepted each other’s faults, celebrated their strengths, and when everyone else was letting them down, they knew they could count on each other. This was hands down a beautiful novel and I am so thankful to have gotten the chance to read it. Five stars.

Historical fiction at its best puts a wonderful story in a different place and time and allows you to learn about that time - really understand what it would be like to be there. This book is historical fiction at its best. I love the choice of the Vietnam war. So much historical fiction is written about WWII and it was so impactful to see the lives of people who served in Vietnam, through the eyes of Frankie McGrath, a nurse serving in combat zones. Frankie went through so much love and loss, and we follow her 2 years in Vietnam and her difficult reentry "back in the world" I'm glad the author gaves Frankie the struggles that we hear so much about from Vietnam vets, after going through a traumatic time there. The author also did a great job showing how women were overlooked among the veterans coming home. The book made me cry a few times, but I couldn't put it down!

I finished this a week ago and can’t quit thinking about it.
Following Frankie through her journey was heartbreaking, harrowing and heartwarming all at the same time.
Frankie has graduated nursing school but is so unsure of what to do with her life. What is expected of her is to get married and have children. When she loses her brother in Vietnam, she hastily decides to join up as a nurse. The Army is the branch that will get her there the quickest.
Frankie arrives in Vietnam and quickly forms a friendship with Ethel and Barb. These 3 unlikely friends become each other’s life line. There is love and loss and more heartbreak than one person should ever endure in this book. There are so many strong women in this book. This is a different side of any Vietnam war book you have ever read.
This book follows Frankie to Vietnam and back. The continued friendship of Frankie, Barb and Ethel is a huge theme of this book. As each woman works to find herself after the war.
This is a book I will be thinking about for a long time.
Trigger warnings- war scenes, alcohol and drug abuse, suicide attempts