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A review by mmarlborough
The Women by Kristin Hannah
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
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? Yes
4.0
Kristin Hannah strikes again with a new female centered historical fiction book! I really love the research she does to a time period and the way she shines a light on the women’s role in a historically male dominated time.
Frankie McGrath has grown up starring at the Hero wall in her Father’s study, documenting all of the men in her family who have served their country. Her brother enlists and Frankie decides that women can be heroes too - so she signs up to become an Army nurse. But her family doesn’t understand why she doesn’t want to stay at home and get married like all of the other girls. Frankie is in over her head overseas, trying desperately to help the wounded soldiers. But what she really wasn’t prepared for is how Americans treat veterans when they are home and how hard integrating back to a civilian life could be.
I learned so much in this book, not just about the Vietnam War itself but how veterans and women were treated after. I loved that only a third of the book was at war and the focus was on Frankie’s trauma after she served. I also really liked the friendships she made overseas and the lasting bonds created. I almost wish the novel was centering around all of these women instead of it just being Frankie’s story, as their different classes and races would have been fascinating to see in their own POV. I found Frankie’s romantic relationship plots a little too much and diluting the power of the rest of the book, but still really enjoyed this one - but not quite as much as “The Nightingale” or “The Great Alone.” I have some much of Hannah’s backlist that I have to get to still!
✨Trigger Warnings: War, Death, Medical Content, Miscarriage, Alcoholism, Suicide Attempt, Child Death, Mental Illness, Infidelity, Racism
Frankie McGrath has grown up starring at the Hero wall in her Father’s study, documenting all of the men in her family who have served their country. Her brother enlists and Frankie decides that women can be heroes too - so she signs up to become an Army nurse. But her family doesn’t understand why she doesn’t want to stay at home and get married like all of the other girls. Frankie is in over her head overseas, trying desperately to help the wounded soldiers. But what she really wasn’t prepared for is how Americans treat veterans when they are home and how hard integrating back to a civilian life could be.
I learned so much in this book, not just about the Vietnam War itself but how veterans and women were treated after. I loved that only a third of the book was at war and the focus was on Frankie’s trauma after she served. I also really liked the friendships she made overseas and the lasting bonds created. I almost wish the novel was centering around all of these women instead of it just being Frankie’s story, as their different classes and races would have been fascinating to see in their own POV. I found Frankie’s romantic relationship plots a little too much and diluting the power of the rest of the book, but still really enjoyed this one - but not quite as much as “The Nightingale” or “The Great Alone.” I have some much of Hannah’s backlist that I have to get to still!
✨Trigger Warnings: War, Death, Medical Content, Miscarriage, Alcoholism, Suicide Attempt, Child Death, Mental Illness, Infidelity, Racism