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4.51 AVERAGE
4.51 AVERAGE
What a rollercoaster of emotions! So amazing and so frustrating!! As a nurse, this speaks to me, especially the traumas of every day that other people just can’t understand. I can’t imagine doing that in a combat setting. Although this did have a happy ending, it took a lot to get to it. What a testament to female friendships. So good.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was one of my top two books this year. It was and exceptional exploration of the women who were integral to the Vietnam War. The way that Hannah makes you feel deep emotion through her writing is absolutely stunning -- I cried so many times throughout this book (so much I lost count).
Frankie, our FMC, goes into war as an idealist and comes out an entirely different person. The writing about wartime, about what she had to do, the things she saw, was gutting. But equally, the friendships, the love, the way we saw Frankie fall over and over again but then get back up, was beautiful. She went through so much, during the war and after.
I knew Ry Walsh was going to be trouble from the moment we met him, and I had a sneaking suspicion that he would come back as a POW, but I didn't predict that he would be MARRIED. I could totally understand how Frankie fell into an affair, and believe the things he was saying to her, even if from the outside, everyone could see that he wasn't being truthful and that he was never intending to marry Frankie. Seeing her make her way through that heartbreak and come out on top had me cheering for her.
Seeing her relationship with Henry, who ultimately was a safe space for her, made so much sense after the war. Seeing her try to differentiate between safety and passion, and what love was even supposed to feel like, was deeply identifiable. I loved that in the end they were able to remain friends.
And Barb and Ethel!!!! The true MVPs of the story. To have friends like that is special and I appreciated seeing how they all bonded during the war and remained so close afterwards.
Finally, the political sentiment woven into the story felt deeply relevant, especially with the government actively lying to the population about the things that were happening in Vietnam. It reminded me that we have been through dark times as a nation before, and that we somehow made it through. It gave me hope.
Ugh, just everything about this story was absolutely gorgeous. I would recommend to anybody.
Frankie, our FMC, goes into war as an idealist and comes out an entirely different person. The writing about wartime, about what she had to do, the things she saw, was gutting. But equally, the friendships, the love, the way we saw Frankie fall over and over again but then get back up, was beautiful. She went through so much, during the war and after.
I knew Ry Walsh was going to be trouble from the moment we met him, and I had a sneaking suspicion that he would come back as a POW, but I didn't predict that he would be MARRIED. I could totally understand how Frankie fell into an affair, and believe the things he was saying to her, even if from the outside, everyone could see that he wasn't being truthful and that he was never intending to marry Frankie. Seeing her make her way through that heartbreak and come out on top had me cheering for her.
Seeing her relationship with Henry, who ultimately was a safe space for her, made so much sense after the war. Seeing her try to differentiate between safety and passion, and what love was even supposed to feel like, was deeply identifiable. I loved that in the end they were able to remain friends.
And Barb and Ethel!!!! The true MVPs of the story. To have friends like that is special and I appreciated seeing how they all bonded during the war and remained so close afterwards.
Finally, the political sentiment woven into the story felt deeply relevant, especially with the government actively lying to the population about the things that were happening in Vietnam. It reminded me that we have been through dark times as a nation before, and that we somehow made it through. It gave me hope.
Ugh, just everything about this story was absolutely gorgeous. I would recommend to anybody.
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Another 5 stars for Kristin Hannah because wow this book wrecked me in the best way. I cried, I smiled, I learned, I loved right alongside Frankie. It’s beautifully written and honestly one of my new favorites. What really hit me is how much it showed that the war didn’t end when these women came home from Vietnam, they had to fight all over again just to be seen.
The line that stuck with me:
“We were the last believers, my generation. We trusted what our parents taught us about right and wrong, good and evil, the American myth of equality and justice and honor.”
The line that stuck with me:
“We were the last believers, my generation. We trusted what our parents taught us about right and wrong, good and evil, the American myth of equality and justice and honor.”
adventurous
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Sobbing. One of the most beautiful books I’ve read! I just love being a woman after reading this. The imagery in this book is insane and she depicts emotions and the hard things in life so beautifully!!!?