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dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I think it's objectively this author’s best book I've read, but god it's hard to get through the ideology. It's based on female Vietnam veterans working in field hospitals. It has a lot of anti-protestor sentiment and tends to vent annoyance towards people who were upset at what happened in Vietnam. It has the implication that only people who went to ‘Nam were allowed to complain about US involvement. I get that the main argument is “these people shouldn't automatically reject the sacrifices of the good soldiers who just wanted to help,” but still. The book mentions some of the fucked up things the US did, but never really grapples with it. That's why people are upset about what happened in Vietnam. I would hope the narrator would understand, given that she saw the US-caused casualties firsthand. Also about the Agent Orange toxin/carcinogen they were exposed to.
That said, it does raise interesting questions about agency in war and where the blame should lie. I see how the government is at fault, so harassing individual soldiers might be out of line, but individual soldiers are what let the war continue too. Volunteers who weren’t forced into action by poverty, for instance. The way the book starts is with this pro-war family raving about their son enlisting and it’s frankly painful to read.
So yeah, interesting ideas but I don’t always agree. I like the relationship and camaraderie between Frankie, Barb, and Ethel, although the latter two don’t get much development throughout. Also, Rye being a jackass was annoying, but I found the therapy and healing section useful and effective.
That said, it does raise interesting questions about agency in war and where the blame should lie. I see how the government is at fault, so harassing individual soldiers might be out of line, but individual soldiers are what let the war continue too. Volunteers who weren’t forced into action by poverty, for instance. The way the book starts is with this pro-war family raving about their son enlisting and it’s frankly painful to read.
So yeah, interesting ideas but I don’t always agree. I like the relationship and camaraderie between Frankie, Barb, and Ethel, although the latter two don’t get much development throughout. Also, Rye being a jackass was annoying, but I found the therapy and healing section useful and effective.