The Women: A Novel

Kristin Hannah is back, baby!!! In a world where The Nightingale is numero uno I am here to tell you The Women gives it a run for its money! What an emotional rollercoaster ride! In true Hannah fashion, she rips your heart apart and mends it back together but with this one she did it to me several times. In a span of two pages, mine was pieced together just to be shattered again. But the ending. Oh my goodness. That ending. 🥺❤️ Historical fiction has always been a favorite of mine, but the last year or so I haven't really focused on it. I knew when I saw this book releasing I was going to read it and with the high praise I saw right off the bat even before its release, I had a feeling I, too, was going to love it. But I also was hesitant, because Historical Fiction hasn't been my go to lately. It can seem daunting to me at times. They are usually based on true stories and real people, so you know it is going to be an emotional ride. You just don't know if you are ready to embark on that journey or not. If you know what I am talking about or have felt similar, I am here to tell you, do not let that hold you back on reading this book! This book has the emotions of a romance novel, the edge of your seat tension like a thriller, and it is an absolutely must read for everyone! Please don't let this one pass you by. Even if historical fiction is not your normal go to genre, I promise this one is worth it! Hannah's writing is something magical. You are immediately hooked and transported to this world she has created on page one. In our world of reading books, there are good writers, there are bad writers, and then there are phenomenal writers. And Kristin Hannah, my friends, is a phenomenal writer!! When you read her books, you are seeing the words play out inside your head so easily, you feel like you are watching a movie. She is cinematic and that is how I know this book is going to translate so well to screen. How can it not with the foundation she has provided them?? (Yes, Warner Bros. has picked this up for a film! 🙌) So many HF novels focus on WWII. I love those books just as much as the next person, but it is so refreshing to get a different time period, especially from a queen like Hannah. I know nothing of the Vietnam War. I do remember seeing footage of how some people reacted and their opinions of the war, but not to the depths this book takes you on. Or how women were treated that were veterans in this war. That was eye-opening and heart wrenching, but sadly not surprising. Yes, this felt personally for me. As a nurse and a former ICU nurse, I love when we get a protagonist that is also in my field. But this book gutted me and made it feel like Hannah personally dug deep into my soul and stirred up feelings I had buried down deep with this one. I was wrecked. Like sitting in a Mexican restaurant with people all around with tears streaming down my face wrecked while reading this book. I can't tell you the last time a book emotionally wrecked me like this one did. Now I am not saying everyone will have that visceral reaction. In fact most probably won't, but I am just telling you that is the response this book got from me. 😅 As usual, I went in blind not knowing what this book was about. I saw high praise and great feedback so I was excited, but like I said earlier I wasn't expecting this response from reading it. If you'd like to know a short synopsis of the book, it centers around a combat nurse, Frankie, who as recently graduated from nursing school, and despite her parents' protests and disappointment she has joined the Army to assist as a combat nurse in the Vietnam War. You watch Frankie transform from a naive, young girl who is in way over her head into a straight rockstar and that is something I think everyone in our field can relate to despite all of us not being in a similar predicament she is in. It is divided into two parts. Frankie's experience during the war and when she comes home. That was another unique take that I appreciated from the author. So many books stay in the combat part of war. Rarely have I read one where you go with the protagonist when they come back home and deal with the "After" part. There are some triggers, so if you want to know more about those feel free to reach out! I've never read a book centered around the Vietnam War, so I am extremely grateful Hannah chose this time period to write this amazing novel. And if you haven't gathered it already, I highly recommend this book for everyone. You are simply doing yourself a disservice if you skip over it. Period. **Also fun fact and as if i couldn't love this book anymore, my name made an appearance in the book. Granted it was spelled different (Celine), but it was still a pleasant surprise. ☺️

I have read several Kristen Hannah books in the past and have enjoyed them all. Yet, when friends in my social groups began to rave about Kristen's latest book, The Women, I hesitated to read it. I was afraid it would trigger anxiety and questions about my self-worth. I used to be an Army nurse, received my education through Walter Reed Army Institute of Nursing, and am considered a Vietnam Era veteran as I joined the ANC in 1974. However, I never served "in-country" and often felt unworthy to be recognized as I did not have combat nursing experience. I am extremely grateful for the experience I received both as an Army student nurse and my 13 years of ANC nursing experience. Without the Army, I could never afford college and, therefore, would not have become a nurse. In Delano Hall, where our nursing classes were held, there is a room affectionately known as the "dead" room. On the walls were portraits of nurses "Killed in Action" or KIA. I use to stare at those pictures and both dred failing my classes as rumor had it you would be deployed to a war zone, at the same time I bemoaned the end of the war as I would never win the respect a combat nurse commanded. In my first assignment post graduation from nursing school, I used to wonder nightly if Maryland made a mistake granting me a license! I was sure it was obvious to everyone on my unit that I didn't have a clue as to how to do my job! Especially as I was put in charge of nursing supervision, my third night on duty! I was a nervous wreck until my third year of post-graduate nursing! I finally decided to read The Women during a Kindle Reading challenge. The challenge to read a 2024 Amazon Editor's Choice Best Novel of 2024 was made simpler as I already had The Women by Kristin Hannah in my library. I knew I was going to love this book when I read the statement made at Frankie's brother's going away party - "Women can be heroes, too." This matter of fact acknowledgment that women could be honored as much as men was the impetuous to Frankie volunteering to join the ANC. Frankie was gobsmacked by this easy acceptance of women's worth. Immediately, I remember the recruiter who introduced me to the WRAIN program that changed the trajectory of my life back in my freshman high school days in 1970. Until that time, I never dreamed I could receive a four year college education and get my nursing license. Women in my family never went away to college. It was just too expensive. I could relate to Frankie's astonishment that a male acquaintance would openly declare his belief in women's equality. I was smiling through my tears as I read that scene. Kristen's story was made even more intense and powerful as she vividly described Frankie's arrival in Veitnam during a red alert. Later, I was surprised to find the words blurring as I read about operating on the mud floor of a tent under the operating table while holding a flashlight in her mouth; as bombs exploded around her! The blurred vision was not a spot on my glasses but tears that were pouring from me in response to Kristen Hannah's moving word choice. Despite being an avid and fast reader who can usually finish one book a day, The Women was so emotionally intense I had to take frequent breaks, sometimes as long as 24 hours , before I was calm enough to read it the book again. Kristen perfectly portrayed the problems female veterans have getting adequate health care open return home. I began to scream in anger when Frankie was told that there were no women serving in Veitnam! The ignorance that women veterans were forced to deal with was appalling. However, I was pleased at how detailed and factual Kristen's account was of Frankie's encounters with VA. Kristen's research was impeccable. The characters in The Women were well-developed and relatable. The commonalities and differences between Frankie and her two besties, economically, beliefs, and even romances helped to keep the story moving. I especially loved the sisterhood that developed because of shared experiences of the war. The lifelong friendships I developed during my years in the ANC are some of my fondest memories. I am really glad I finally read this book. It brought back memories both good and bad of my time in service. It helped me to accurately voice some of my buried issues from that time, and I believe I am healthier since reading this magnificently written story! Thank you, Kristen. It was an intense journey, but I believe at least for myself, I came out better mentally and emotionally for having read The Women.

A book that is informative, interesting, funny , sad and at times difficult to read. I took a few breaks while reading this. The heavy subject matter weighed on my heart. I was just a kid during the war but remember my older sister had a POW bracelet. I am a nurse but have never worked under conditions like these nurses did. And then to come home and not even be acknowledged? I enjoyed the story of these women and what they experienced in Vietnam and at home when they returned. This book allowed me to learn of their dedication and sacrifices and they earned my respect as well. Thank you to Kristin Hannah for writing about them and allowing us to learn of their stories.

The novel is well written and easy to read. It is cohesive and sequential. Most of the characters are unfortunately two dimensional. The novel is wordy and repeats phrases and images. How many times must the drink Tab be mentioned, the red earth dripping from eyes be screen shot, and the copious amount of humidity and blood be highlighted? Having said that, I enjoyed the first half of the novel and would rate that a 4.5. It was accurate and brutal and raw. The second half of the novel I found contrived. Is the reader really to believe that ALL of her former lovers return from the dead, the missing, the leavings? How can the strong, independent combat nurse fight like a warrior in Vietnam but act like a helpless, naive whimp around men. It truly destroyed her persona as a heroine..

The Women By Kristin Hannah The Women is historical fiction about female nurses serving in the Vietnam War. The book begins with the mid 1960s military buildup in Vietnam, carries through the American withdrawal in 1973 and many years thereafter to the 1993 dedication of the Vietnam Memorial. The narrator, Frankie McGrath, was raised in a wealthy Coronado, California environment. She earned a nursing degree at a small Catholic college. She was very close to her older brother Finley who was killed in the Vietnam War. In response, to save lives, Frankie signs up to become an Army nurse requesting service in Vietnam. After completion of basic training, March 1967, Frankie was on a plane to Vietnam. One of the strengths of this book is its realistic account of casualties in Vietnam. On Frankie’s first full day, mass casualties (referred to as MASCAL) arrive: Medics ran in and out, carrying men on litters: one lay screaming his own severed leg on his chest; another had no legs at all. Their uniforms were bloody; some of their faces were still smoking from burns … there were gaping chest wounds – one guy she could see had a rib sticking up. (page 46) In diverse ways, with descriptive and emotional depth, the reality of life, casualties and death is portrayed. There are moments of tragedy and moments of hope; difficult times and good times. In this environment, friendships form deep and fast. Ethel Flint from Virginia and Barb Johnson, from a one stop-light town in Georgia, both experienced nurses, her hooch roommates, support Frankie as she develops her nursing skills and resilience. On a difficult day, Frankie works side by side with a surgeon, 12 hours or more. With fellow nurses, doctors, medics, chopper pilots, an environment of compassion and care amid human suffering is essential. This works also lays bare the tragedy of the Vietnam War. There was no winning in war. Not this war, anyway. There was just pain and death and destruction; good men coming home either broken beyond repair or in body bags, and bombs dropping on civilians and a generation of children being orphaned. How could all this death and destruction be the way to stop communism? How could America be doing the right thing, dropping all these bombs – many on villages full of the old and the young – and using napalm to burn whatever was left? (page 141) The service people on the ground understood this simple truth, one that the political leadership of our country did not have the courage to learn. After two tours of duty, Frankie returns to America, a transition that is difficult in another way. The message from her family, former friends, at work, even in the VA hospital, is “Don’t talk about it.” Female nurses are repeatedly told, there “…were no women in Vietnam.” At an engagement party with high school friends Frankie thinks, She was standing with a bunch of debutantes and sorority girls, who were planning a wedding with fresh flowers and honeymoons abroad while men their age were dying on foreign soil. Not their men, though... (pp. 262 – 263) Particularly for women, there is another difficult part of this transition The intensity of medical care in Vietnam makes degrees and demographics irrelevant. A senior surgeon pushes Frankie to do a tracheotomy so he can care for another patient. Capable confident women can be themselves and form deep friendships as did Frankie, Barb and Ethel (these confident capable women are also immensely attractive to men, but that is another story). Stateside traditional limitations remain. In her first post-war nursing position, Frankie is fired for performing a life-saving tracheotomy. Part of what is so awful about the engagement party is “… this staid, unchanging world of flowers and champagne and women in summery dresses,” (p. 260) the same world that defined her mother’s life. But this is only the beginning of a lengthy and difficult transition. Sleep is difficult with repeated nightmares about Vietnam incidents. As a result of the ambivalent attitudes in America about the Vietnam War, veterans feel ashamed. Shame and silence lead to substance abuse. VA counseling is not provided to women because they were not in combat. The Vietnam War affects Frankie, Barb and Ethel, and many who are involved with them: their families, friends, at work, romantic partners, engagement in protest. The writer does not shy away from the difficult parts of this lengthy post war era. The book is primarily about the personal lives of the three principal nurses. And the author provides the unique perspective of good historical fiction enabling us to contemplate how the Vietnam War changed America as a whole, a change that we are still struggling with today. The work is descriptive with space for the reader to form one’s own judgment. Published in 2023, the author conceived this work in 1997. In a concluding Author’s Note, she writes “… as a young writer, I wasn’t ready to tackle such an important and complex subject. I didn’t feel I had the skill or the maturity to achieve my vision. It has taken me decades to circle back to the Vietnam War era.” (p. 467) This work also benefits from close collaboration with nurses who served in Vietnam. This is a richly rewarding book, an engaging personal story as well as a source for reflection on this era. Julian Schroeder

The Women by Kristin Hannah Rating: 5 star rating An unforgettable, heartbreaking masterpiece you won't be able to put down! The Women by Kristin Hannah is an emotional ride. It is a powerful historical fiction book that follows Frankie McGrath, a sheltered girl from California who joins the Army Nurse Corps in 1965 to follow her brother to Vietnam. The first half throws you into the trenches with her. Frankie becomes an incredible surgical nurse working under chaos, surviving horrific mass casualties and heartbreak. She loses her mentor and crush, a surgeon named Jamie Callahan, and a pilot friend named Rye Walsh. The only things keeping her together are her fellow nurses, Barb and Ethel, who become her lifelines. The second half completely broke my heart. When Frankie comes home, society shuns her, and everyone tells her that women weren't even in Vietnam. She spirals into severe, undiagnosed PTSD, turning to alcohol and pills to numb the flashbacks. She hits rock bottom until her dad steps in and saves her life, checking her into a hospital. In a huge twist, the doctor running her rehab facility is her ex-fiancé, Henry, who helps diagnose her trauma and gets her on the path to healing. Thankfully, there is a beautiful sense of closure. Frankie moves to Montana to start a ranch refuge for other female veterans called "The Last Best Place." The book wraps up in 1982 at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in D.C., where Frankie finally gets the recognition she deserves, and she even runs into Jamie Callahan, who miraculously survived his crash years ago. It ends on such a hopeful note of true healing and peace. You will definitely need tissues for this one. I recommend this wonderful book. I purchased this book for myself. All review opinions are my own. # KristinHannah author #TheWomen

This book caught my attention and never let it go. I listened on audio. The narrator was great. The story was compelling. I also read Then Nightingale by Hannah. It was a great book too. But for me The Women far surpassed it. Highly recommend this book.

I have always held a place in my heart for those who served in Vietnam. This book was riveting, one of those you cannot put down. It was powerful and brought me to tears several times. The best book I have ever read. I have no other words. Read it and feel it.

Highly recommended.. Serious subject written about with care and the characters were brilliantly portrayed. Was sad to finish this one.

I admit I'm not an emotional reader. It takes a lot me make me shed tears while reading, but the ending of this book was surprisinly emotional for me. I love reading historical novels, but I knew little about the Vietnam War and its outcomes to the soldiers and nurses who ventured in there in service. A really good book that like many other that I've been reading, show the forgotten role of women in wars that marked a whole generation.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A Riveting Tribute to Courage and Sisterhood The Women by Kristin Hannah is an extraordinary novel that immerses readers in the untold stories of women who served in the Vietnam War. Through the eyes of Frances “Frankie” McGrath, a young nurse from a privileged background, we witness her transformation as she leaves behind her sheltered life to serve in a war-torn country. The narrative delves deep into her experiences, capturing the chaos and camaraderie of the battlefield, as well as the profound challenges faced upon returning home. Hannah masterfully portrays the complexities of war, not just in combat but in the emotional and psychological toll it takes on those who serve. The bond between Frankie and her fellow nurses, Barb and Ethel, is heartwarming and authentic, showcasing the strength found in sisterhood amidst adversity. The novel also addresses the often-overlooked contributions of women in the military, shedding light on their sacrifices and the struggles they faced both during and after the war. The writing is evocative, drawing readers into the turbulent era with vivid descriptions and compelling characters. Hannah’s meticulous research and attention to detail bring authenticity to the story, making it both informative and deeply moving. The Women is a testament to resilience, friendship, and the enduring spirit of those who serve. It’s a must-read for anyone interested in historical fiction that honors the unsung heroes of our past.

Me gustó mucho, la historia es dura, escrita de forma que se lee fácilmente, muchas emociones, toca temas difíciles de forma entretenida y que invita a seguir leyendo.

One of Kristin Hannah best books! Has of all her books had to put down and almost read in just two days. Great insight on not just Vietnam war but on all wars following that one. A book that confirmed all my believes. KH is a great story teller because she uses real life incidents. Her stories are never dull or meaningless.