Name: The Women
ISBN: 9781250178633

Kristin Hannah

"When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances "Frankie" McGrath hears these unexpected words, it is a revelation. Raised on idyllic Coronado Island and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing, being a good girl. But in 1965 the world is changing, and she suddenly imagines a different choice for her life. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she impulsively joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path. As green and inexperienced as the men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is overwhelmed by the chaos and destruction of war, as well as the unexpected trauma of coming home to a changed and politically divided America."--

A Novel

The Women

Abigail F

I imagine it would feel wonderful to be good at something that mattered. That is something that  too many of the women of my generation didn’t consider.

Love mattered in this ruined world, but so did honor. What was one without the other?

… as a woman, she knew how fragile dreams were…

From now on, all of them would have a deep understandin of both man's cruelty and his heroism.

Atika R

Left me speechless, emotional, and ever so angry at men. Once again an incredible book by Kristin Hannah and definitely one of my favs this year 

Hannah L 

Fire I never read history type books when I thought it was gonna end it kept going hate that I can predict what the men do

Angeleeka

This book left me speechless. I’ve never had a book bring me to tears so much, it was very detailed oriented and I felt like I was living France’s life! 

Sàrah Cearfoss

In Kristin Hannah style, this is a heavy one. The middle part, which focused on Frankie’s post-war suffering, could have been about 30% shorter, though Hannah definitely drilled in the struggles of a Vietnam vet with PTSD. An important perspective on the forgotten women in Nam.

Jacqui Spears

This book has been my best read this year thus far. It broke my heart open many times. Frankie's life was so deeply layered and intertwined with so many complex situations. All the best books are the ones that ruin you in some way. This is one for me. Beautifully written with heart shattering content.

Tomika Lou

I liked the second part best, sue me! But it was all good and it reminds me how much I love my friends

Miranda Hall

My favorite Kristin Hannah book to date. She’s at the top of her craft here. The Women is a powerful story of the nurses who served their country in Vietnam told through the eyes of Frankie McGrath with support from her close friends and fellow nurses Barb and Ethel. At first, when the book was about halfway over and Frankie returned home from Vietnam when her military service was over, I wondered how the rest of the novel would go, if it would slow down. Not at all. The second half is just as powerful and indeed painful. It tells of Frankie’s struggles in assimilating back into a country that not only rejects her but tries to diminish her service. What results is a long, painful healing process as well as a character study. This was so well done and the pacing, writing and (thankfully) editing were all on point. Hannah’s best work to date. The settings were truly wonderful as were the supporting cast. Frankie was a phenomenal character. I can’t think of a single complaint.

Amanda

I was reading this for a book club. I think I would have put it down around 30% of the way through otherwise and I think I should have. 

There were some beautiful passages and really important lessons, and SOME people would love this. But by god did the middle 40% go slowly and by god was the last 30% utterly ridiculous 

Hannah Bateman

I was reading this for a book club. I think I would have put it down around 30% of the way through otherwise and I think I should have. 

There were some beautiful passages and really important lessons, and SOME people would love this. But by god did the middle 40% go slowly and by god was the last 30% utterly ridiculous 

Another great read from Kristin Hannah. I appreciate how she approaches such heavy topics with meaning and intention. I enjoyed the story but felt that it was a little far fetched to have both of her lovers “come back from the dead”. The middle third dragged a little bit for me but it all wrapped up very nicely.

Paige Paul

Good storyline but didn’t get drawn into the characters and story 

Maria talarico 

i totally understand the hype. i actually loved the ending and thought the exploration of PTSD/addiction/tramua/treatment of female women Vietnam veterans was soo interesting. 

 the author would have presented a more nuanced portrayal of her experiences in Vietnam. We don't even get to know the name of a single Vietnamese person... we just see them as passive, unmotivated, perfect victims who all wear ao dai's (everywhere?) 

Jordan Chan 

i totally understand the hype. i actually loved the ending and thought the exploration of PTSD/addiction/tramua/treatment of female women Vietnam veterans was soo interesting. 

i just wish the author would have presented a more nuanced portrayal of her experiences in Vietnam. We don't even get to know the name of a single Vietnamese person... we just see them as passive, unmotivated, perfect victims who all wear ao dai's (everywhere?) 

Took awhile to get through but great read. Still thinking about it weeks later. 

Madilyn Taylor

Thank God for girlfriends. In this crazy, chaotic, divided world that was run by men, you could count on the women.

This book has broken my heart and destroyed my life because I just wanted to read it all of my free time. It is about 10K US women stationed in Vietnam, mostly as nurses, and they had to give multiple fights after coming home to the US, starting with a recognition as a veteran. I’m so glad that I read it.

Bilge Ince

Thank God for girlfriends. In this crazy, chaotic, divided world that was run by men, you could count on the women.

This book has broken my heart and destroyed my life because I just wanted to read it all of my free time. It is about 10K US women stationed in Vietnam, mostly as nurses, and they had to give multiple fights after coming home to the US, starting with a recognition as a veteran. I’m so glad that I read it.

Absolutely heartbreaking. Story of a woman and her journey as a nurse in Vietnam followed by the unwelcome return home and the struggle that came with that. Truly encapsulates what I imagine was PTSD before it was recognized as a thing. It brought me to tears feeling her frustration. 

Amanda 

I just loved this book. Determination. Defeat. Love. Love lost. Love found. Vietnam was no joke. But life went on. 

Jeannie Gallagher

Emily Lucie

Fantastic book. I was taken on a journey to Vietnam. Heart wrenching reflection at times. Very well written 

Joanna Tweedale

I won’t lie, going into this book I was very skeptical. Too many people had said it was the best book they’ve read by her and I didn’t know what to expect. What I did know? Was that I was excited to read a historical fiction book that wasn’t about World War 2. Do I think it’s the best book I’ve ever read? No. But it was refreshing. It was encapsulating. I think the reason it’s so resonating to so many women who have been so enamored by it is because we can all see a piece of ourselves in the main character. We all have gone through the pain and hardships that come with being a woman. We’ve all been cast aside at some point in our lives because we live in a man’s world. I think that alone is what takes this book from being a good book to a great book. This was a beautiful way to tell a story that is so often pushed aside. A refreshing viewpoint to a piece of war that everyone, women included, sometimes neglect to remember. 

Kaitlyn R

Good quality historical fiction... Medium ending. 

Gordon McArthur

Another brilliant heart wrenching story from Kristin Hannah.

emily  amata

Great book! It’s definitely slow paced until the end but worth the read. Made me feel all the emotions possible! Frustrated, sad, joyful, proud to be a woman, etc. 

Alicia Evans

Very slow paced historical fiction are usually not my go to books, but this is definitely one that I believe everyone should read once in their lifetime. Our veterans’ sacrifices deserve to be remembered and honored. Makes you realize how grateful we need to be for what we have and the freedom we constantly take for granted.

Sasha

The story of Frankie’s experience servings as a nurse in the Vietnam war and the difficult return to life as a civilian, in an America where most were against the war, and even more believed there were no women there. Through this book I not only learned more about the Vietnam War, but also learned greater empathy for our veterans. Such a big fan of Kristin Hannah and her work. 

Kaitlyn Wendler

Amelia C 

Wow! What a book! What a journey. What an important and complex story. The Vietnam war was senseless and devastating, and this book was a tender account of the pain and suffering of the Vietnam war veterans but especially the women. Don’t let anyone tell you there weren’t women in Vietnam! They have tried to erase them and their stories but alas! They persisted. 
Kristin Hannah knows how to grab a hold of our hearts and not let go till well after the last word of the last page. Easiest 5 star ever!

The Women A Novel