The Women by Kristin Hannah
Last night I stayed up until 1 am finishing this book— and I laid in bed emotionally spent. But also so thankful, inspired, and grounded by the story that unfolded in this book.
The Women by Kristin Hannah has been on my list to read for awhile. I love books with a medical theme but i’ll be honest, i’m not the biggest historical fiction fan. But forget that because now I want to deep dive into all things Vietnam war and army nurses.
If you are unfamiliar with this book, here’s the summary:
The Women by Kristen Hannah Book Summary
A #1 bestseller on The New York Times, USA Today, Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times!
From the celebrated author of The Nightingale and The Four Winds comes Kristin Hannah's The Women—at once an intimate portrait of coming of age in a dangerous time and an epic tale of a nation divided.
Women can be heroes. When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances "Frankie" McGrath hears these words, it is a revelation. Raised in the sun-drenched, idyllic world of Southern California and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing. But in 1965, the world is changing, and she suddenly dares to imagine a different future for herself. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path.
As green and inexperienced as the men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is over-whelmed by the chaos and destruction of war. Each day is a gamble of life and death, hope and betrayal; friendships run deep and can be shattered in an instant. In war, she meets—and becomes one of—the lucky, the brave, the broken, and the lost.
But war is just the beginning for Frankie and her veteran friends. The real battle lies in coming home to a changed and divided America, to angry protesters, and to a country that wants to forget Vietnam.
The Women is the story of one woman gone to war, but it shines a light on all women who put themselves in harm's way and whose sacrifice and commitment to their country has too often been forgotten. A novel about deep friendships and bold patriotism, The Women is a richly drawn story with a memorable heroine whose idealism and courage under fire will come to define an era.
Book Review: The Women
5 stars. No question.
I do not give out 5 star ratings just like that— seriously, this is my first one this year. But there was no doubt in my mind that this story deserved all 5 of ‘em.
From the very first chapter, I was invested in Frankie’s journey. I was proud of her, disappointed in her, mourned for her, and truly loved the depth and capacity and range she showed as a woman. She was multi-faceted (along with the supporting characters, whom I also loved) and brave and inspiring.
You know it’s good when I audibly gasp at certain things, waking up my husband (woops, sorry honey). As much as I thought I had an idea of where the book was heading, the delivery was thoughtful and unexpected and kept me fully engaged in what would happen next.
That said, I do think it is warranted to give a quick disclaimer. This is not a light-hearted, feel-good read (although I think the final takeaway is one of empowerment). It’s graphic and heavy, and downright heartbreaking at parts. But I believe it is incredibly important- not only for the history of the United States, but women and the role they play in our country’s history and future.