This wasn’t the book I was expecting when I first read the blurb. I was expecting to sob, but not a single tear was shed!
I found the topic of the book fascinating & it’s made me want to find out more.
BUT unfortunately a few things let this book down… the pace & length… too slow & long.
The drama was worthy of storyline in Eastenders. I mean I get it but poor Frankie just couldn’t catch a break!
Needless to say, the writing was beautiful & it’s not put me off the authors books at all.
3.5*

Incredible. What a gripping read which was hard to put down. The horror of what people lived through and all because they were Jewish. Would highly recommend this book

Frankie McGrath is a young girl that doesn’t quite know what she wants from life. When her brother Finley goes to Vietnam, Frankie decides to join him by becoming an Army Nurse. A great story of loss and trashed and the heartbreak of coming home to a country against the war. Another book from Kristin Hannah.

Wow. I had high expectations of The Women after reading several other of Kristin Hannah's work and adoring it, and this book certainly did not let me down. An incredible read about the women based in Vietnam during the war, but also a wider picture on life for everyone whilst out there and upon return to America. A truly heart breaking read with a main character who was so likeable that you were rooting for her the whole time. I would have no hesitation in recommending this to anyone and everyone. One of my top books of the year so far!

The Women is a novel about the role that women played in the Vietnam war. As with all Kristin Hannah books, its a sprawling epic spanning years and lost love. Frankie honours her families role in the forces and signs up for nursing in the Vietnam war. Her experience is harrowing and life changing but when she returns home people either don't believe that she was there or think her contribution was insignificant. It's a brilliant and beautiful read.

As always, a very well researched and written book by Kristin Hannah although I struggled with the main character a bit. I know I should be more sympathetic and I do really admire these women who go to war but I just didn't find her very likeable I'm afraid. As a record of what the troops went through and particularly their treatment when they came back, the author doesn't hold back. A horrific war made worse by the undoubted atrocities that did happen and the lack of any support or empathy for the veterans.

Stunning prose. The Women is a heartbreaking and raw account of Frankie McGrath, a nurse in the Vietnam War. We follow the ravages of war and the horrific scenes she encountered, alongside her growing skills, and loving friendships and relationships. The fear when war crept closer, the joys in their celebratory moments, then the painstakingly difficult return to civilian life in an America whonhas turned against the Vietnam veterans. The PTSD and lack of recognition as even being a veteran as women "didn't serve" in that war brings fresh challenges. This book serves to remind us that these women did indeed serve ams should be remembered and lauded for their work. Simply brilliant. #thewomen #KristinHannah #netgalley

I was so looking forward to reading this book having loved Hannah’s The Nightingale and I wasn’t disappointed. The characters are beautifully drawn and convincing and I learned so much about the Vietnam War from the perspective of the women who served there. I highly recommend this novel.

Wow, this is quite simply the best book I have read for some time. I highly recommend to anyone. I have read a few of Kristin Hannah’s books but this is by far the best. I was quite young at the time of the Vietnam war so only have vague memories of the time itself but have learned more in the intervening years. This book puts a whole new take on that period of history I had not considered. It will stay with me for a very long time.

Kristin Hannah is fast becoming one of my automatic read authors. Her attention to detail and ability to hook into the reader's emotions is nuanced and I cannot close on of her books without wanting to know more or having fallen a little in love with the characters.

The Women follows Frankie McGrath as she navigates life as an Army nurse in Vietnam and the life she must create when she returns from combat. We are with her as she attempts to save lives at the base hospitals, as she finds moments of joy amidst the chaos and horror of war. We are with her as she falls in love, as she is hurt and heartbroken, as she tries to make sense of the ghost of a veteran she is made to believe she is. Along for the ride are her two best friends - Barb and Ethel - each of whom has their own battles to fight as returned service women.

An extraordinary book that made me gasp, and yell and almost cry. And want to know more about the Vietnam War.

Fabulous must read.

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!!