This is my 3rd read by Kristin Hannah and I think it’s safe to say she is well in the auto-LOVE category! I cannot wait to explore her other novels!

Something about Hannah’s writing is just absolutely captivating and beautiful! It flows elegantly and I thoroughly enjoy her style!

This book was a kick ass woman empowering novel. I love me a strong FMC and Frankie was just that. This book had me gasping with shock and feeling heartfelt with emotions. I always worry with Historical Fiction I’m not going to understand historical references and therefore fall at following the story but this was an educational, eye opening read. Women were there in the Vietnam war. They served their country.

This has confirmed that I’d like to make my way through all the rest of her novels I have yet to read!

You just cannot go wrong with a Kristin Hannah book she is phenomenal!
Hannah always tells remarkable stories that are so well told and well researched you feel like you’ve experienced it all too.
This was so moving and beautiful, I loved it!

As always Kristin Hannah does not disappoint. The Nightingale will always be my favorite but this one comes pretty close to it. Her writing is simply amazing and her characters feel so real. She always chooses a very interesting setting for her books and it always feels like you are there. She never writes a story where I do not have to cry. Fantastic book!

There aren’t the words to explain how amazing and heartbreaking this book is, this is the best thing I’ve read in such a long time. I went through a whole wave of emotions reading this book, I still can’t quite believe how the Vietnam veterans particularly the women vets were treated after the war, by society and the support groups who were put in place to help. I was so angry and frustrated by the women were treated, even to an extent how Frankie’s family treated her. I was totally absorbed by this book, even when I put it down, I couldn’t stop thinking about it and I know it will stay with me for a while yet.

There were no women in 'Nam"

I decided to pick up the latest Kristin Hannah book, The Women as I had visited Vietnam and the war sites such as the DMZ a number of years ago so was keen to learn more about the war from an American female perspective.

The book tells the story of an idealist young American girl Frankie McGrath from Coronado Island, California. She's a trained nurse and decides to enlist for the US Army and go and serve in Vietnam after her brother has shipped off in the Navy to make her family proud.

She's thrown into the thick of it as soon as she arrives, nothing has prepared her for the realities of the warzone, the atrocities she has to deal with, the injuries and death of US Soldiers and the local population alike. The war stories are a gritty mix of battles, senseless death and horrific injuries such as children of napalm burns or soldiers losing limbs. She forms a strong bond with the other female nurses Barb and Ethel who become her rock helping her grow both in Vietnam and when she returns home.

The second half of the book is about coming home and living after the tours of duty. The anti-war movement is in full swing and no one wants to discuss her experiences in Vietnam. There are no supports available to her to deal with her PTSD, she's basically told to get married and have babies to help her forget! Her life spirals out of control and it's only the support network of her best friends Barb and Ethel that help her rebuild her life.

Hannah delivers some great messages of the futility of war, the horrific suffering of the troops and local Vietnamese populations alike and the long-term health problems associated with exposure to agent Orange. We learn of the overwhelming Black or Hispanic young men who were drafted to fight a war they increasingly didn't believe in and then ignored when they came home as the anti war demonstrations intensified and the increasingly powetful voice that veterans started to have in the anti-war moment.

I really enjoyed this book, Hannah's romance side plots were a bit too soap opera like for me but she shines such an important light on the treatment of these women who had served so bravely and helped so many soldiers come home and were then erased from history!

Highly recommend and if you're a Hannah fan, you're going to love it!

Harrowing. Powerful. Immersive.

This is a very strong contender for my book of 2024.

I absolutely loved this book, totally captivating, it was one of those books you just can't putdown.

This was my favourite read in so long!

I literally could not put it down.
Such a captivating story, loved every single character, felt all the emotion and really got took away with the plot.
Heartbreaking, exciting, inspiring!
Every twist and turn was as exciting as the last.
A must read for 2024, will definitely be recommending to everyone who listens.

3.5 stars

I have some mixed feelings about it. First of all I don't know much about what happened during the Vietnam war. But knowing Kristin Hannah always does a ton of research and reading her author's note makes me believe that it is a quite accurate portrait of women during that time. I loved the first 70% and I flew through them. Kristin Hannah always does a great job with writing strong women and very emotional stories about their lives - also this time. My heart broke for Frankie more than once. When I hit the 70% mark things went a little downhill in my opinion though. Some moments were off, some happened too quickly, some paragraphs just didn't feel like Kristin Hannah. I enjoyed the last 10% again but it's definitely not her strongest work for me. What I really loved about this book is the friendships Frankie made during her time in Vietnam. She saw so much horror but she also had her friends to talk to and rely on and that is something she held on to during the whole book.

Thank you to Kristin Hannah, Pan Macmillian and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

It’s been a few weeks and I still think about this book a lot.

I absolutely devoured this book. I was hooked from page one!

I’ve never read anything like this before and will definitely be seeking out more from this author. I loved the plot and have been looking for more books similar to this story.

I can’t wait for more from this author!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book.
I’ve read quite a few of Kristen Hannah’s books - with The Nightingale being one of my all time favourites!
This book doesn’t disappoint….as always tissues are a must when reading. Frances story really was a fantastic read - keeping me up late into the night to finish the book!
This will be one that’s I buy as gifts for friends as I loved it so much!!

Frankie McGrath is a rather spoiled young woman from a wealthy family, whose aspirations for her go no further than a good marriage, a place in society and the production of children. Frankie has other ideas and after the death of her beloved brother, she enlists as an army nurse and is shipped off to the Vietnam war. The war stories are a gritty mix of battles, senseless death and horrific injuries. The more personal story is the relationships that develop between the medics and the soldiers. Frankie finishes her stint in Vietnam and arrives home to denial that women were ever in Vietnam, and to a lukewarm reception from her parents who believe she should never have blemished the family name by enlisting in the first place. The two parts of the story are woven together seamlessly and the book is a meditation on the senselessness of war and the devastating effects it has on friends and foes alike.

I absolutely loved this book, I read the first half relatively slowly but raced through the second half.

Really emotional portrayal of the Vietnam war, PTSD and how the role of women in the war was downplayed.

Some predictable romance storylines but loved the story.

Always will love Hannah's ability to make me hyper-fixate on a time in history. I thought that compared to some of her other characters, Frankie was a bit flat and had 'not like other girls' vibes. I also expected some of the plot points. That being said the writing was engaging and I found myself draw in.

This is a gripping and inspiring read! Frankie McGrath is a young woman from a privileged Californian background. When her brother, Fin, follows in the family footsteps of joining the army, Frankie also decides to sign up for the Army Nurse Corps during the brutal Vietnam conflict. At Fin’s leaving party, she stands in her father’s office and looks at the family ‘Heroes Wall’ with one of Fin’s friends, Rye. He tells her that women can be heroes too … but can they really be this in a world that values male honour and expects women to play the passive home-making role?

Set against a backdrop of horrifying war in Vietnam, as well as feminist and anti-racist protests in America, Kristin Hannah explores the grisly reality of war and the political madness that led to the countless deaths of young service-men and women … because of course there were women in Vietnam.

This novel is a rarity in that it provides us with a chronological account of Frankie’s experience before, during and after the war: her struggle for acceptance, her friendships, her romantic relationships, as well her PTSD after the sheer terror of life in combat. The music of the 60s features strongly and cultivates a powerful sense of a world in transition. This is a cracking page-turner!

✨ BOOK REVIEW ✨

The Women - Kristin Hannah
🌟🌟🌟.💫

LIKES
☀️ The first half was absolutely brilliant. Between the fast pace and the heartbreak laced in every word, I could barely put it down. It wasn’t until past the 50% point that my rating dropped down from a 5*.
☀️ The way mental health, trauma and healing are portrayed.
☀️ A realistic representation of PTSD.
☀️ Plenty of character growth.
☀️ Wonderful friendships I couldn’t get enough of.
☀️ Harrowing, immersive descriptions of each and every setting.
☀️ It inspired me to want to read more about women who served in the war, particular the Vietnam war which I knew very little about going into this.
☀️ How women connected to the war were consulted as part of Kristin’s research.
☀️ It sparked all kinds of emotions from sadness to anger to joy.

DISLIKES
🌙 I could’ve done without the romance storylines. They were the least interesting part of the book and so massively underdeveloped that I never understood why Frankie caught feelings for anyone. It caused a real disconnect for me.
🌙 I wanted to hear more about her friends lives beyond the highs and the odd fleeting comment. Given the name of the book, I think including more of their perspectives would’ve helped this to shine even more.
🌙 Too much foreshadowing.

They also served

The first part of the book reads like a gritty MASH and sets the scene for the real meat of the book when Frankie returns state side. The Vietnam veterans receive less than a hero’s welcome and no-one wants to hear their stories. For the women it’s even worse, they face a total denial that they were ever there.

On returning home her parents are less than welcoming. Frankie faces loss, denial, PTSD and the shock of betrayal by the man she loved and thought was dead and spirals into addiction and alcoholism. Her army nurse best pals are always there for her and she ultimately finds positive outlets for all the anger and pain she’s carried with her.

The book vividly shows how shamefully the men and women who served in Vietnam were treated. The way the historic elements of the book are portrayed will stay with me.

I was given this book from the author via netgalley only for the pleasure of reading and leaving an honest review should I choose to.

Absolutely amazing book! Hannah always manages to pull the heartstrings whilst telling the most compelling of stories that we just get lost in! Loved it!

SPOILER FREE REVIEW!
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I’ve previously enjoyed another book by Kristin Hannah and this book did not disappoint. I have already bought a copy for my Mum to enjoy.
The themes in this book are really important. We shouldn’t forget our history. Women can be heroes too.
The story is based around women who apparently were never in the Vietnam war back in the 60’s. The horrors or war and the horrors or coming home after serving their country.
I really loved main female characters, the women, and the bonds they grew. I don’t envy Frankie’s journey but boy was I jealous of where the story took her!
This book is definitely worth reading guys.

A truly unforgettable piece of writing. With characters and settings so vivid and thought provoking this is a book you won’t be able to put down. Kristin Hannah tells a story so poignantly that everyone should read.

Obviously I'm aware of the Vietnam War and the issues faced by veterans on their return to the US with the public not 'liking' it as a war and wanting to ignore the people who fought but this book showed how widespread it was and how utterly soul destroying it was for them. I had also not realised that no one acknowledged women were in country and they also suffered from being ignored by the setups which were there for veterans.

The horrors faced by those in Vietnam can never be truly imagined but this book helped bring it to life and understand what they had to deal with and then how life had changed for them on their return - while still suffering the after effects of being exposed to Agent Orange and the like.

I found it powerful and sad with humour all at the same. A great read.