A review by thebookstagrambabe
The Women by Kristin Hannah

adventurous challenging emotional reflective fast-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

5.0

Women can be heroes. When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath hears these words, it is a revelation. Raised in the sun-drenched, idyllic world of Southern California and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing. But in 1965, the world is changing, and she suddenly dares to imagine a different future for herself. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path. As green and inexperienced as the men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is over-whelmed by the chaos and destruction of war. Each day is a gamble of life and death, hope and betrayal; friendships run deep and can be shattered in an instant. In war, she meets—and becomes one of—the lucky, the brave, the broken, and the lost. But war is just the beginning for Frankie and her veteran friends. The real battle lies in coming home to a changed and divided America, to angry protesters, and to a country that wants to forget Vietnam. The Women is the story of one woman gone to war, but it shines a light on all women who put themselves in harm’s way and whose sacrifice and commitment to their country has too often been forgotten. A novel about deep friendships and bold patriotism, The Women is a richly drawn story with a memorable heroine whose idealism and courage under fire will come to define an era.

Let me start off by saying what I remember of the Vietnam War consists of the movie Forrest Gump and my obsession with the Broadway revival of Hair in the late 00's, Because of that, I came into this one pretty open and ready to learn. To say the least, wow just WOW! I  don't even know where to begin with this one This story was just one of the most beautiful written stories I've read in the past year. Frankie McGrath's story is turbulent, frustrating, and redemptive. I cried so hard multiple times and this story was steeping into my dreams. Her parents were equally frustrating and adorable. The men she meets overseas are swoon-worthy and also awful. But the women are the real heroes of this book. The sisterhood they share to get through the war and keep each other afloat post-war is truly beautiful. We need more books about the unconditional love of female friendships!

Please be aware this book is pretty graphic, especially the first half of the book. I am a squeamish person so I had to skim through some of the descriptive parts to get through it. This book also comes with a fair amount of trigger warnings due to the nature of war and the trauma that comes from it. 

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review. This book releases 2/6