emilywemily6 's review for:

The Women by Kristin Hannah

4.75

challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-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

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This was gut wrenching. As a nurse who previously worked for the VA, this book really had me feel a lot of things. You hit the ground running with the story starting quickly and you jumping in to Vietnam. While titled “The Women,” this is more about one fictional woman’s experience serving in Vietnam as a nurse, returning home to a country disgusted by her part in the war, and coming to terms with her new self with continues hardships and traumas. I was more invested in the war story than her personal story, and found the second half of the book a lot more predictable (men suck, tbh), but I still felt for her and couldn’t put this book down. This was my first Kristin Hannah but it won’t be my last.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, War

Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Alcohol

Minor: Cancer, Infidelity, Racism, Torture, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Classism