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bringmybooks's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, & Macmillan for the opportunity to read and review this book before it's publication date! This in no way affected my review, opinions are my own.
Review: One of my favorite authors, Kristin Hannah continues to prove that she has an unbelievable way with words. It's unbelievable how quickly she sucks you into a novel and makes you care so much about all of the characters. There are parts of her books (especially her more recent ones) that are a bit melodramatic and require a bit of suspended disbelief, but to be honest I don't know that it bothers me so much.
While there is a bit of heightened drama on the interpersonal side, the research and care that Hannah provides to the historical aspects of her novels is top tier and so welcomed. I feel like I learned a ton about the Vietnam War that I was not aware of before (mostly the women's experience of it), and I was very grateful for this book so that I could do more of my own research.
I did really enjoy the characters in this novel, even when they're making the most piss poor decisions - but my favorite part of the novels, and pretty much all of Hannah's novels, is the way she writes relationships between women. I do think this book is her penultimate example of that, and the relationships between the Frankie and her two best friends will stick with me for a long time.
Overall Rating: ★★★★★ / 4.63
Rating each element of the book out of 5★
Characters ★★★★
Atmosphere ★★★★★
Writing ★★★★
Plot ★★★★
Intrigue ★★★★
Logic ★★★★
Enjoyment ★★★★
Pacing ★★★★
Dialogue ★★★★
★ did not like / ★★ it was okay / ★★★ liked it / ★★★★ really liked it / ★★★★★ loved it
Graphic: Blood, Drug abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Medical content, Mental illness, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Addiction, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Gun violence, Infertility, Torture, Miscarriage, Murder, Child death, Cursing, Drug use, Pregnancy, War, Alcoholism, Cancer, Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Self harm, Vomit, and Suicide attempt
jeggert10's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: War, Toxic relationship, Child death, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Medical content, Medical trauma, Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Death, Alcohol, Drug abuse, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Pregnancy, Racism, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Sexual content, Cursing, and Miscarriage
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Torture, Abortion, Cancer, Panic attacks/disorders, Gaslighting, Police brutality, and Rape
esjackson's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Car accident, Grief, Violence, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Alcoholism, Gore, Gun violence, Cursing, Suicide, Addiction, Child death, Alcohol, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Death, Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Medical content, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Vomit, War, and Self harm
Moderate: Classism, Vomit, and Cancer
Minor: Torture, Hate crime, Abortion, and Police brutality
bearybooky's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Sexism, Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Racial slurs, War, Violence, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Gore, Gun violence, Infertility, Miscarriage, Murder, Alcohol, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Sexual content and Pregnancy
sour_tangent's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
My Dad was POW in Vietnam, was captured during the Tet Offensive & spent time at the Hanoi Hilton. Both my grandmothers were combat nurses during Vietnam & my Dad's Mom worked for The League of POW/MIA Families after her return. I understand so much more now 😭
My Mom read this book 1st, then my Dad & now I have. My Dad says that Kristin Hannah's descriptions of places he's been were "extraordinarily accurate" & how she wrote the war & the aftermath, when they returned was "excruciatingly well written". He said the book was hard to read at times due to painful memories but also very healing. It was the best of times & the worst of times.
I feel like this book was written for me, but im not narcissist enough to "actually" believe that, but I needed this book more than I will ever realize. Her characters were heartbreakingly real & I felt every word & every painfully real moment. I've never cried so much from a book & even after finishing a book. I know these characters & I've now seen these places because of Kristin's amazing storytelling.
This book is one of the absolute best books I've ever read!! Get a box of tissues... or maybe 3 & strap in for a journey you'll never forget. This book made its spot on my top shelf that I reserved for my favorites & ones I will reread again & again. 👏bravo👏 standing ovation 👏 someone make this into a series because it's too much for a movie & it needs to be told.
Graphic: Pregnancy, Sexism, Medical trauma, Death, Addiction, Mental illness, War, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Medical content, Misogyny, Racism, and Self harm
It's a very descriptive telling of Women Nurses in Vietnam Warchelse34's review against another edition
3.0
Hannah is an amazing story teller. I give her that. There were parts I enjoyed in the book and things I didn't. So 3 star average rating I'd say. Not my favorite book of hers, but not my least favorite.
Moderate: Medical trauma, Drug use, Addiction, Sexual content, Mental illness, War, Pregnancy, Child death, Car accident, Drug abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Miscarriage, Alcoholism, Death, Cursing, and Medical content
hjnorris89's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
I'll remember this one simply because the book based around Vietnam War and its after effects just goes on from one traumatizing event to the next... all the grief is emotionally challenging.
There were characters I loved (primaripy the women crew), and characters I wanted to love but in the end wound up with heartbreak one way or another.
The end of this book left things on a hopeful note, thankfully - im thankful her parents came around finally....though in some respects the whole ending seemed almost too good to be true after all she had been through... maybe that's just my way of seeing it??? Lol
As a girl who is all in for fairy tale endings, I hope Francis truly gets her happily ever after (if that's even possible) story.
Graphic: War, Suicide attempt, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Medical content, Grief, Death, Blood, Self harm, Pregnancy, Addiction, Alcohol, Mental illness, and Drug abuse
music_girl84's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Cursing, Death, Violence, Vomit, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Torture, War, Blood, Deadnaming, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Animal death, Excrement, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship
clevelandbookgirl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: War, Violence, Self harm, Miscarriage, Medical content, Gaslighting, Child death, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Infertility, Grief, Mental illness, Medical trauma, and Gore
Moderate: Torture, Sexism, Addiction, Alcohol, and Blood
Minor: Drug use, Racism, and Drug abuse
carly_the_librarian's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
What I liked:
- I especially enjoyed Part 1, set in Vietnam. It was fast paced mixed with war, hospital emergencies, and dramatic romance.
- I loved the friendship between Frankie, Barb, and Ethel.
- There were quite a few unexpected plot twists- especially with Rye!
What I didn't like:
- Part 2 was a harder read. I think it is an important part of the Vietnam veteran experience, so I see why it was important to include it. However, it was tough to see Frankie continually hurt herself and not catch a break for so long. I felt it was perhaps a bit too much at times.
- The romance in this book definitely kept me guessing, but there wasn't a satisfying end in my opinion. The storyline with Rye was heartbreaking. I didn't see their story ending the way that it did which made me feel for Frankie. I felt like the ending was hinting that she and Jamie might end up together, although I wish that had been solidified more. However, I do think that part of the character development for Frankie was learning to be happy on her own after letting romantic relationships affect her happiness for so long.
Graphic: Mental illness, Medical trauma, Addiction, Death, Grief, Medical content, Sexism, War, Alcohol, Gore, Infidelity, and Blood
Moderate: Drug abuse, Pregnancy, Alcoholism, Miscarriage, and Car accident
Minor: Misogyny, Cursing, Drug use, and Suicidal thoughts