‘The Women’ is the first novel by Kristin Hannah that I’ve read and I wasn’t sure what to expect. I read it in two days! What an emotional ride, a curious but powerful mixture of wealthy west-coast California 1960s living and ‘in country’ action in the Vietnam War.
Part-romance, part-war story, part-feminist history, ‘The Women’ is about Frankie McGrath, 21-year old nursing student from a privileged California family, who follows her older brother Finley to Vietnam where he is fighting. Inspired by her father’s heroes’ wall honouring the sacrifices made by their family in the service of their country, Frankie wants to make a difference too. Full of enthusiasm she ships out to Vietnam wearing her smart naval uniform, including girdle and stockings, and a bag containing her work fatigues, pyjamas and a pale blue summer dress recommended by her mother for days off. Her first day, ill from drinking unclean water, she lays on the cot in her ‘hooch’ wishing she’d stayed at home. When she meets her room-mates, Ethel and Barb, they’ve just come off shift, are exhausted, covered in blood and unworried about stripping off in front of her.
This book is not just Frankie’s story but that of Ethel and Barb and all the other women who served in the Vietnam War. Unrecognised, ignored and discounted, except by their hospital colleagues and the men whose lives they saved, these heroic women sacrifice everything. Part One is set in Vietnam as Frankie gains experience, learning how to nurse in a war zone, working in indescribable conditions, long hours, filth, blood and bombs. She falls in love for the first time, sees friends finish their tour of duty and return home, and transforms from a ‘turtle’ to a highly-respected surgical nurse.
Part Two is perhaps even more shocking. Frankie returns home as the anti-war feeling in America is gaining a voice. Spat at and ignored as she arrives at the airport, she returns home to Coronado Island to find her mother still living her country-club life while her father is in denial about Frankie’s war service. Adjustment to ordinary life is difficult and when she does reach out for help, Frankie is rejected by the veterans’ support services because she isn’t a Vietnam vet. Repeatedly told ‘there were no women there,’ Frankie falls between the gaps. She finds a nursing job but soon finds her war experience counts for nothing; she is designated a beginner, on probation and put on the night shift.
This is both a difficult novel to read and also compelling. Frankie is a warm-hearted character, determined and loyal. She gives her heart fully. Because, according to official and popular conception at the time, there were no women in Vietnam, she is unable to get a diagnosis of PTSD. So she stumbles and falters towards help, a heartbreaking path to read.
A powerful story of a horrific time in America’s recent history, ‘The Women’ shines a light on the role of women in wartime. An immersive, often brutal read, there are also moments of beauty, love and most of all friendship. These women are still in my thoughts.
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Absolutely amazing book. I could feel the passion and despair of the mc, the horrors she went through and her will to keep pushing forward. My honest recommendation for everyone. Big tnx to the publisher and NG for providing me an e-copy in exchange of my honest review.

Wow. This was my first Kristin Hannah and it absolutely won’t be the last. What a story. The first chapter or two seemed slightly rushed, but once Frankie landed in Vietnam I was hooked and couldn’t put it down. The friendship, the romance and just the pure strength through all the horrors faced blew me away. By far the best book I’ve read this year!

***advance review copy received from NetGalley in return for an honest review***
It took me a while to get around to reading this, I wanted to but suspected it would be heavy going. It actually isn’t, in a way - it’s incredibly readable and Frankie draws the reader into her life and her story almost immediately - but of course there is some heavy subject matter to contend with. It’s a fantastic book with a satisfying ending, and shines a light on a period of history that has remained dark for many reasons. This is a definite recommend, a powerful read that is sure to stay with you long after the final page.

Well firstly I feel every other 5 star review I’ve ever given has been blown out the water with this book. Yes it is not my usual read but decided to give it a go in the rare sunshine we’ve had this week in the UK. I could not put this book down. Yes I have read the review about the poor romance and yes it may have been predictable at times but there was always a twist I hadn’t seen coming. I also need to say I know very little about the war in Vietnam but will be doing some more reading around it now.
Frankie is a young inexperienced nurse who rightly or wrongly decides to enlist so she can go to Vietnam and help the soldiers. As a nurse myself I found some of the medical dramas hard to read and the images I found myself thinking of will stay with me forever. Frankie finds her feet and becomes one amazing nurse at the age of 21 she is lucky to have the support of the other nurses. Her story is compelling and I was disappointed when part one of the book her time in Nam ended but I didn’t need to be. On her return her family were embarrassed and had lied to people about where she had been. She was spat on by strangers and told there were no women in the war. Through all this she is falling in love for the first time with all the wrong men. Her battles with PTSD are hard reading but so important to read. I so want them to make a film of this book as it would be an award winner. Thank you Hannah for writing this story.

There is no doubt that Kristin Hannah can write an immersive, well-researched pageturner. In The Women, she turns her attention to the Vietnam War, and specifically the women (or one particular fictional woman) who served in the US Army Nurse Corps in Vietnam and whose work went largely unacknowledged at home in the US.

Frankie McGrath is a young, white, wealthy woman from a privileged family in California who, inspired by her brother, impulsively signs up for service in Vietnam, against the wishes of her parents. Her idealism quickly turns to sand when she arrives in Vietnam and is met with the brutality and horrors of war. She meets two friends there, Ethel and Barb, who she goes on to lean on constantly throughout her life, and falls in love twice, with devastating consequences.

While the novel did have me turning pages, it also left me feeling very unsatisfied. This is really a love story wrapped up in a war. Yes, it pays tribute to Vietnam veterans and the manner in which they were treated upon their return home, and yes it goes into gory detail on some of the horrific injuries sustained by those serving, but it skims over the war itself and the devastating impact it had on the Vietnamese people.

While it's called The Women, I couldn't help but think it would have more appropriately named "Frankie", as it's really the story of her life. Her friends are bit-part, one-dimensional characters who we never really get to know but who appear willing to drop everything at the drop of a hat and fly cross-country to help Frankie. The love interests in the novel are also very cliched, and there are overlaps in the story between two of them that felt wholly unnecessary. I felt Rye could have been cut out of the story entirely and it would have been all the better for it.

As I said, Hannah writes a great, sprawling pageturner but this one left a bit to be desired on several fronts I felt. 3/5 stars

Many thanks to the publisher Pan Macmillan for the arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A must read for anyone interested in Vietnam and the atrocitious war. This tells the forgotten stories of the nurses stationed there, a fictional account on how lives were changed.
Expertly written, its sad, lovely and inspiring.

This book changed my life - not an understatement.

The way that Kirstin Hannah portrays women is hearbreaking and everyone needs to read this.

This book was my book of 2024, I'm still struggling to put my thoughts and feelings into words.

Hannah has this way of taking you back in time, but not just in mind but in body too, like you can feel the wind in your hair and smell the air. 'Women can be heroes'? Ummm... I think we know they are heroes! Just read the acknowledgements and read up on source material from all of Hannah's books. They existed before you and I were born and long may they live on and keep it coming!

I balled my way through this much needed coming of age truth of just what it was like on front lines, friendships cemented for life, love, lust and loss.

I could read Frankie's story again and again, but my heart couldn't take that. This book spoke to my soul. if you haven't read it yet, please pick it up.

I love Kristin Hannah’s books and this was no exception! I learnt a lot about the time period and the characters will stay with me for a long time.

This book is a stunning exploration of war, loss, love, and the unbreakable bonds of friendship that transcend the horrors of history. This powerful novel will take readers on a deeply emotional journey, capturing the heroism of ordinary women who, faced with the devastations of war, find their strength in each other.

At the heart of The Women is Frances "Frankie" McGrath, a young nursing student who, in 1965, makes a decision that will change her life forever. Raised in the sheltered confines of California's Coronado Island, Frankie is a dutiful daughter, a good girl who follows the rules. But when her brother is sent to fight in Vietnam, she impulsively joins the Army Nurses Corps, eager to make her own mark on the world and help in the war effort.

What Frankie finds in Vietnam is far from the idealism she expected. As a green, inexperienced nurse, she is thrown into the chaos and brutality of war. Amidst the overwhelming carnage, she also faces the trauma of returning home to a country forever changed by the conflict. But it is in the most unlikely of places—through her deepening friendships with other women—that Frankie discovers her true strength and the lasting power of female camaraderie.

Hannah’s writing in The Women is at once immersive and heart-wrenching, offering readers a visceral sense of what it was like to be a woman during this turbulent time. The friendships formed between the women are not just a lifeline through the brutality of war but a reflection of the resilience and solidarity women often find in one another. Through Frankie’s eyes, we witness not only the physical scars of war but the emotional wounds that linger long after the battles have ended.

What makes The Women so unforgettable is how deeply it connects the personal and the political. The novel is more than a story about the Vietnam War; it is a meditation on love, sacrifice, and the often-overlooked contributions of women in times of crisis. As the women navigate their own personal losses and heartaches, they find power in each other’s presence. The Women is a poignant reminder that while war may reshape the world, it is human connection that allows us to endure.

This book is a masterpiece that stuns with its emotional depth. It will make you cry, laugh, and ultimately leave you with a sense of profound gratitude for the friendships that define us. If you are looking for a novel that combines historical resonance with powerful, unforgettable characters, The Women is not to be missed. It is a triumph of storytelling, as compelling as it is heartbreaking, and a testament to the indomitable strength of women.

Kristin Hannah's The Women didn't meet my expectations, as it felt more soapy than realistic in its portrayal of the story. While the novel had good potential, the characters lacked the depth needed to create truly impactful drama. Instead of feeling emotionally invested, I found the narrative to be superficial, with the characters' motivations and growth not explored deeply enough to carry the weight of the themes it was trying to address.

Thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I thought the characters had good complexity to their storylines and didnt want to put the book down. It was emotional, engaging, historical, and as a nurse myself, enjoyed the connection. Have recommended to my friends.

Totally blew me away. Ambitious and unflinching, it opened up a time in history I knew very little about. Kristin Hannah just gets better. It’s not an easy read, but it was completely absorbing. Highly recommend.

3.5

I've read and loved previous works by this author, however this one didn't meet my expectations. But I'll start with the positives.

I found the storyline interesting and it kept me engaged. I finished it in two sittings and genuinely enjoyed the listen.
The subject matter was well researched and shed light onto the forgotten women that served in Vietnam, and the struggles that they faced.
The atmosphere was well done, making the book feel immersive. Which is something I've come to expect of Kristin Hannah's writing.

However, where it fell a little flat for me was that it at times felt really predictable. There was too much foreshadowing.
Also, and from this point on there will be some Spoilers, so don't read more if you don't want to have the book spoiled...

I didn't like the romanced plot or I should say plots.
Especially the jump from Jamie to Ry felt really fast, and none of the relationships felt like they had any depth to them. It never felt like she got to know them very much at all, before she was struggling with her feelings for a man she knows she shouldn't fall for.
However, the thing that I disliked the most was the ending.

Overall this was a very fast paced book, with a lot of positives too it. But certain aspects fell flat for me. But I will definitely still pick up books by Kristin Hannah in the future.

This is the first book I’ve read by Kristin Hannah. It was a great read . Set during the Vietnam war and it’s an emotional and gripping read .

I'm actually slightly embarrassed to say that The Women was my first Kristin Hannah read and wow have I been missing out.

The Women was an incredible read and one of my favorite's of the year, it was moving, emotion filled and truly beautiful. I felt all the emotions while reading this and the writing was so amazing. I'm now off to read all of Kristin's others books.

I received an ARC of his book via netglley. I have read several of this author's works and generally find them a good read. This book starts off at pace in developing a narrative about a war that raised as much Conflict in the country fighting it as in the arena of war itself. The idea of crafting the storyline around a small, often forgotten flank of female nurses was i thought unusual.. The initial unfolding of events in Vietnam, the development of the female characters both in their work and recreation was i thought generally well done.

The book itself is edging towards the lengthy side and at times lt had a certain amount of predictability to it - I felt I could see where it was going well before the next events in the book were unfolded.

I loved the characterisation of Frankie, Ethel and Barb and I do feel the author truly captured the enormity of what they faced in Vietnam. I don't know whether I truly didn't like the way it developed in the aftermath or whether I just wished that things could have been different

The Women tells a story about the Vietnam War, but from the perspective of the women who diligently served but were forgotten for too many years.

Our protagonist is Frankie, and what a character she is. Coming from a privileged American family, she is expected to be demure and to expect little more than marriage and motherhood. But as Frankie sees her beloved brother off to war, she makes a bold decision. Against her parents wishes she signs up and as she starts her first shift as a nurse in Vietnam, she realises just how sheltered a life she had led.

She becomes a hero and finds her purpose. But life and loss take their toll. She falls in love and experiences overwhelming grief.

This book doesn't pull any punches when recounting the horror of war and it was most certainly a difficult read.

Upon returning to the U.S. life becomes perhaps even more difficult for Frankie, and so many others returning from a war that was opposed by so many. Women weren't acknowledged and certainly offered no help.

Alongside the story of war, there is love and grief and healing. This is an epic story that enthralls from the beginning and thankfully leaves the reader with a glimpse of hope which was a welcome conclusion to a book that by necessity has darkness running throughout.

Wow! Powerful, mesmerizing, educational - just read it. Capturing the unappreciated part women played in the Vietnam war. Naive Frankie joins the war effort to make her family proud. Instead she begins a complex journey of self-discovery, while dealing with the post trauma of war and falling deeply in love. Too many facets to even describe, this book rolls effortless from one thought-provoking theme to another in an epic journey. As always, beautifully written, captivating characters, and an attention to details that puts you in the scene itself. Love this writer!