I’ve read a lot of Kristin Hannah and this is my favourite book so far! The Women follows Frankie McGrath, a young woman from a life of privilege in the time of the Vietnam War. Her brother and his friend, Rye, inspire her to sign up as a nurse in service. I won’t spoil it for anyone but as you can imagine, Frankie endures 2 years of hell whilst in Vietnam and inevitably comes back a shell of her former self. What makes it worse is that the idea of women in service is either laughable or easily deniable to majority of Americans, making it even harder for Frankie to get the help she needs. This book is a fantastic historical account of the Vietnam war, written in a perspective I hadn’t considered before.

Wow. I normally write my reviews straight after finishing a book, but I had to let this one wash over me before I could even formulate my thoughts about it.

I’ve rated each of the three Kristin Hannah books I’ve read so far 5 stars and there is a reason for that: this author can literally do no wrong. Her writing is just so special and the perfect escapism every time ♥️

The Women is an incredibly hard-hitting and vitally important tale of the heroic part that women played in the Vietnam War and the unforgivable way in which they were pushed aside and forgotten about. We are taken back in time to 60s America; JFK has not long been assassinated and endless American troops are being sent to Vietnam in an attempt to battle communism. Among those heading to Vietnam is Frances “Frankie” McGrath, a young woman from a wealthy family whose desire is to follow in her brother Finley’s footsteps into the war, as an army nurse.

Frankie’s journey is unthinkable, it blew my mind to imagine so much happening to just one person and I was brought to tears multiple times throughout her story - this is definitely a book that requires you to have tissues on hand 😭

There was so much I adored about The Women: Frankie the badass MC and her unwavering quest to become a hero, the beautiful female friendships she forms especially with Barb and Ethel, the non-stop action which had me flipping pages as quickly as possible and the incredibly vivid and compelling portrayal of life on the frontline and the issues post-war veterans face. Also, that ending 🥲 had me choked up good and proper, be prepared!

I don’t feel like there is anyone better than Kristin Hannah who could write about such important topics and bring them to life in that magical way she does. An easy 5 star read that will stay with me for a long, long time.

Thank you to Pan Macmillan & Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Women is a huge contender for top best books of 2024 and we are only in February. It is full of emotions of what it means war, friendship and grief. This is a book that shows the what it means to be a woman in a man's world, more specifically in the '60s and '70s, but also the long journey and the ups and downs to finding oneself. I loved everything from the characters and their evolution and decisions to the plot and the writing style of the book.
Kristin Hannah wrote another book to add to my shelf.

An engrossing and fast-paced coming-of-age historical drama about a young girl who goes to Vietnam without realizing what she's doing and ends up becoming a woman (with plenty of issues). A great novel about war, friendship, changing and evolving, post-traumatic disorder and the continuous tribulations that women face every day. I loved Frankie's evolution and was sad to see her struggle with addiction and PTSD. Realistic and poignant.

Wow! I absolutely devoured this book, I knew very little about the Vietnam war as it was a little before my time but this story has got my so interested.
Frankies character was so relatable and all the emotions she felt I felt too, I laughed and cried and enjoyed every second of this book and I thought the ending was perfect. A new author to me but I was 100 % be looking for other books by her. This is definitely a contender for one of the best books I have read
Thank you

Thanks to Netgalley and Pan McMillan for the ARC of this book.
I love Kristin Hannah books they are all very moving and tug at the heartstrings. This book was moving but didn’t tug as much as the others. Although it was called” The Women” it was very much about one woman only who wasn’t that likeable. Everytime anything went wrong she didn’t seem to try very hard herself just relied on others to help her out. Would like to have found out more about Ethel and Barb and the war in Vietnam itself as I was a teenager myself during that time and took very little notice then.
It always amazes me how authors write about the diverse subjects that they cover with so much insight, it must take a lot of investigation into the proposed book.
Look forward to see what subject Kristin Hannah covers next.

I was excited to read the latest novel by this author she never disappoints and this book definitely did not . An unusual take on the Vietnam war from the side of The Women that served . Focusing on the friendship of Frankie Ethel and Barb although a hard subject of war and the horrors that were faced this book will stay with me for a long time . I would thoroughly recommend this book which is a stand out read

“Women can be heroes too”
When Frankie, a 20 year old nursing student hears these words, it’s an inspiration.
It’s 1965 and times are changing and she suddenly sees a new different plan for her life - joining the Army Nurses Corps and serving in Vietnam.
She is overwhelmed by seeing the destruction of war first hand, which has far reaching consequences when she returns back home.
A very moving and impactful novel, showing the realities of war from a female perspective
Looks at the politics of war and the lack of support for veterans when they return home.
The characters were so emotive and captivating, could easily see it translating to the big screen.
Thanks @kristinhannahauthor, @panmacmillan & @netgalley for the amazing read

The Women is a graphic, emotional story of a young nurse who volunteers to serve the US Army during the Vietnam War. I know the after effects of this war still haunts the American nation and the author paints a brutal picture of the debt a generation of men and women paid. The novel deserves to be made into a film. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

To say I was hooked and couldn't put this down is an understatement. I read it in 24 hours and couldn't stop thinking about Frankie and her story. What a fascinating but heartbreaking recount of the women who served in the Vietnam War. I have always adored Kristin Hannah's writing, and The Women is another 5 star read for me without a doubt. Thank you #netgalley for the arc.

Francie had seen the wall of honour on the study wall of her Fathers office for a long as she can remember. It's all male what she never expected was that she could make a difference be a hero that in 1965 America a girl could grow up to be more than a Wife and Mum. That's what she's always been groomed for or told rather, it's was what her parents expected and when the country was at war it was for the men to go and fight.

Well one chance encounter and everything changes now it's Frankie whose signed up and of to war to help the cause in Vietnam as her brother has done. The 1st battle was the easiest but she wasn't to know that telling her Mum and Dad would be made worse by bad news but off she goes. She also had to find a route to signing up that really was the easy bit.

What i witnessed and hopefully you will witness is the story of a brave girl who becomes a women very quickly and witnesses some of the most harrowing sights a human can see. As causality after causality piles into the make shift hospital/s no one can be prepared for this. The heartbreak continues in the soldiers and her colleagues. Barb and Ethel become sister there for each other in the thick of it all. This is a tale unlike others I've read, the cost of giving your all seeing the worse and best of humankind and then to be treated as well you need to read but...... Barb and Ethel are the friends that are needed they been through the battle but Frankie stays the course and pays a price few will be able to comprehend.

This is really an incredibly well written novel that shows a depth of the human strengths and pain the reality of war plus the vulnerability of the soul. Its an emotional rollercoaster and a read you will not forget in a hurry. 5 stars is not enough. Nurses may not hold rifles but they are definitely in the frontline, saving lives whilst the bombs keep falling the mortars still firing them the memories. This is one heck of a read.

Wow what a read - Vietnam and the aftermath from a female perspective. The penny dropped for me in understanding the American - from my British viewpoint - over the top thankfulness for ‘serving the country’. I hadn’t realised the impact the pain and embarrassment of Vietnam had had on their national psyche.

When things threaten to get a bit too syrupy the author throws in a blast of reality, and I shed a tear towards the end. Best book this year!

A stunning 5 star read that will stay with the reader for a long time.

Frankie follows in her big brother's footsteps and travels to Vietnam, offering her services as a nurse. It is fair to say that she did not know what she bargained for when she first stepped foot in the hospital.

The author brilliantly depicts the experiences of service men AND WOMEN at this time through vivid imagery. I found myself tearing up at various points in the book. The characters each added an insightful element to the story.

Huge thanks to netgalley and the publisher for this advance copy, an absolute honour.

The Women by Kristin Hannah ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Another masterpiece by this author. Tackling the subject of the Vietnam War from a female nurse perspective. At points I found this hard going but it is a beautifully written story of war, love, loss and heartbreak. Highly recommend

Very shallow and left a gross taste in my mouth regarding the "White Character is the saviour and all indigenous/ native characters bare no meaning". I've read loads of historical novels during my teens and first years as a bookseller (former favourite genre of mine) and while they all were mostly very European-centric, they still had something good to come out of them and some excellently managed to convey a message. This book just felt like a waste of time. Will not be reading anything else from the author.

I’ve read some emotional books in my time but this one is going to stay with me for a while. I was a young child during the Vietnam War and although I remember it being on the television, and a pop song ‘19’ (check out the lyrics), that really is the sum total of my knowledge. I know a lot more now - it’s clearly extremely well researched. What a brilliant writer, you feel all the emotions and Frankie is a true heroine, alongside all the other young men and women sent to fight for ‘democracy’.

Briefly, Frances ‘Frankie’ McGrath is just 20 years old when, in 1965, she joins the Army Nurses Corps and follows her brother to Vietnam. She is totally unprepared for the horrors of war but with the help of new friends and colleagues she is a good nurse and completes two tours. She even falls in love but returning home her life has changed inexorably and she falls out with her family. It’s not the hero’s welcome everyone is expecting with her country and it’s people turning against the war and those who were part of it.

Frankie went to war expecting support and pride from her family but that didn’t happen and my heart broke for her. The details of the war in the early parts of the book are quite graphic, so be aware, but it is never gratuitous. The treatment she, another veterans received on returning home was terrible, I was shocked that people didn’t believe that women had been involved in the war. This is a wonderful, but harrowing read, I was so engossed that I read this in a day, I just needed to know! It has got to be a top read for 2024, it deserves all the praise and support I’m sure it will get. Fabulous.

Thank you NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for this eCopy to review

Don't let the first part put you off, yes it was very graphic about Frankie's nursing experience in Vietnam but it makes it very clear how truly horrific and pointless the loss of life was

After her 2 tours Frankie really struggles to return to life back home and her relationship with her parents falls apart. Her nurse friends save her and help her pull her life back together. Frankie becomes involved in the effort to get POWs released and meets Henry. She lives with him and agrees to marriage when she becomes pregnant and hopes she will grow to love him even though her heart belongs to another, Rye who she believes is killed in action.

After a tragic miscarriage, Frankie ends her relationship with Henry as when the POWs came home he was on the plane. Frankie's life falls apart again. Can she pull herself together or will it all end in tragedy?

The prejudice she suffered as a woman and a Vietnam war veteran was heart-breaking, it really opened my eyes to this point in history which I did not know much about

This book .... honestly Kristin Hannah writes the most beautiful books tackling so many subjects. This means I'm learning about places, events and people that otherwise I wouldn't be exposed to. But the way she writes just takes you on the journey and you can't help but be embraced by it. It's at the point where Kristin writes a book and I'm already pre-ordering it. The Women is no different. It's just a beautiful story about the Vietnam War from a woman's point of view. Loved it. Learned from it. 5 stars isn't enough for this book. Thank you for the opportunity to read it.

Once again this author never fails to deliver quite amazing books
Her attention to detail is second to none if you only read 1 book this year make it this one.
Can't praise it enough.

An absolute ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ read and completely unputdownable. This book is the rare wonder of a super storyline and a cast of characters you really care about - but also opens your mind up to an era of history you knew nothing about. I learned so much about Frankie's time as a combat nurse but also the prejudice, shame and trauma facing the vets on their return from Vietnam. It'll be hard to top this book for me! All books by @kristinhannahauthor is an auto-read for me so I was thrilled to receive an advance copy from @netgalley