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4.52 AVERAGE
4.52 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-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
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-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
If I were to divide this book into three parts, the first part would be fabulous. The middle I felt was “meh”, but the ending wrapped it up all and I loved it. Some of it was a bit overly dramatic but it definitely makes your heart go out to a group of women let down by a country.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
There were aspects of this book I really loved, and they were strong enough that they largely outweighed my criticisms, but not completely. The writing was captivating, the descriptions of trauma and PTSD were compelling, and the characters each gave you reasons to root for them.
However, the book was brought down by one full star for me because it felt like the character development all happened off-screen. The book includes many time skips, some scenes jumping ahead by months and others by years. The author assumes we will just fill in the blanks about the development and growth that happens to our characters over that time, without giving us enough substantive scenes to make those changes believable.
For example, when Frankie first starts as a nurse in Vietnam, she is unprepared and floundering by the challenge it presents. We see her work her way up to Surgical Nurse, which feels like genuine character growth, but that is truthfully the only time I felt that way.Frankie's 'badass' surgical skills, her friendships with Ethel and Barb, and especially her recovery at the end of the book, all felt unearned because they happened offscreen. Frankie spends two years in Virginia trying to heal and spending time with her best friends and are privy to almost none of it? For a book who's central theme revolves around friendship, I did not feel like the friendship was compelling enough, as we are largely told rather than shown the depth of Frankie's friendship.
Additionally, the latter half of this book felt like torture porn to an extent that was almost comical. It was as if everything bad that could ever happen to someone happened to Frankie.Over the course of ~100 pages, Frankie struggles with severe PTSD, grief, unplanned pregnancy, a miscarriage, a broken engagement, adultery, drug and alcohol addiction, DUI, and attempted suicide. It got to the point where I wanted to stop reading, it was that bad. The book did turn around, but I didn't feel as though the end was as satisfying as it could be, because again most of the character development for Frankie happens off-screen and is told to us.
However, the book was brought down by one full star for me because it felt like the character development all happened off-screen. The book includes many time skips, some scenes jumping ahead by months and others by years. The author assumes we will just fill in the blanks about the development and growth that happens to our characters over that time, without giving us enough substantive scenes to make those changes believable.
For example, when Frankie first starts as a nurse in Vietnam, she is unprepared and floundering by the challenge it presents. We see her work her way up to Surgical Nurse, which feels like genuine character growth, but that is truthfully the only time I felt that way.
Additionally, the latter half of this book felt like torture porn to an extent that was almost comical. It was as if everything bad that could ever happen to someone happened to Frankie.
challenging
emotional
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
Easily one of my favorite reads of the year. This is my first Kristin Hannah book, and I can say with confidence that she nailed this one.
The setting was vivid and the characters were disturbingly believable. Although we have a much better understanding of PTSD and the trauma that survivors face nowadays, it still hurt to feel so immersed in Frankie’s life. Her pain was palpable and seemed never ending for a while there. There were a few times when I had to put down the book and completely step away for fear that my heart would keep breaking for Frankie and the realities of so many veterans upon their returns home. I’m glad I kept reading though. This story was a tough one to get through but felt so necessary by the end. I imagine I’ll find that to be a theme in Hannah’s other works. I look forward to finding out.. just maybe after I read something a little lighter first.
The setting was vivid and the characters were disturbingly believable. Although we have a much better understanding of PTSD and the trauma that survivors face nowadays, it still hurt to feel so immersed in Frankie’s life. Her pain was palpable and seemed never ending for a while there. There were a few times when I had to put down the book and completely step away for fear that my heart would keep breaking for Frankie and the realities of so many veterans upon their returns home. I’m glad I kept reading though. This story was a tough one to get through but felt so necessary by the end. I imagine I’ll find that to be a theme in Hannah’s other works. I look forward to finding out.. just maybe after I read something a little lighter first.
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
this book has made me feel sooo many things! wow!
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
inspiring
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
Beautifully written story covering the Vietnam war and the struggles of the women. Loved the female relationships throughout the book.