The Women

Kristin Hannah is back, baby!!! In a world where The Nightingale is numero uno I am here to tell you The Women gives it a run for its money!What an emotional rollercoaster ride! In true Hannah fashion, she rips your heart apart and mends it back together but with this one she did it to me several times. In a span of two pages, mine was pieced together just to be shattered again. But the ending. Oh my goodness. That ending. 🥺❤️Historical fiction has always been a favorite of mine, but the last year or so I haven't really focused on it. I knew when I saw this book releasing I was going to read it and with the high praise I saw right off the bat even before its release, I had a feeling I, too, was going to love it. But I also was hesitant, because Historical Fiction hasn't been my go to lately. It can seem daunting to me at times. They are usually based on true stories and real people, so you know it is going to be an emotional ride. You just don't know if you are ready to embark on that journey or not. If you know what I am talking about or have felt similar, I am here to tell you, do not let that hold you back on reading this book! This book has the emotions of a romance novel, the edge of your seat tension like a thriller, and it is an absolutely must read for everyone! Please don't let this one pass you by. Even if historical fiction is not your normal go to genre, I promise this one is worth it!Hannah's writing is something magical. You are immediately hooked and transported to this world she has created on page one. In our world of reading books, there are good writers, there are bad writers, and then there are phenomenal writers. And Kristin Hannah, my friends, is a phenomenal writer!! When you read her books, you are seeing the words play out inside your head so easily, you feel like you are watching a movie. She is cinematic and that is how I know this book is going to translate so well to screen. How can it not with the foundation she has provided them?? (Yes, Warner Bros. has picked this up for a film! 🙌)So many HF novels focus on WWII. I love those books just as much as the next person, but it is so refreshing to get a different time period, especially from a queen like Hannah. I know nothing of the Vietnam War. I do remember seeing footage of how some people reacted and their opinions of the war, but not to the depths this book takes you on. Or how women were treated that were veterans in this war. That was eye-opening and heart wrenching, but sadly not surprising.Yes, this felt personally for me. As a nurse and a former ICU nurse, I love when we get a protagonist that is also in my field. But this book gutted me and made it feel like Hannah personally dug deep into my soul and stirred up feelings I had buried down deep with this one. I was wrecked. Like sitting in a Mexican restaurant with people all around with tears streaming down my face wrecked while reading this book. I can't tell you the last time a book emotionally wrecked me like this one did. Now I am not saying everyone will have that visceral reaction. In fact most probably won't, but I am just telling you that is the response this book got from me. 😅 As usual, I went in blind not knowing what this book was about. I saw high praise and great feedback so I was excited, but like I said earlier I wasn't expecting this response from reading it.If you'd like to know a short synopsis of the book, it centers around a combat nurse, Frankie, who as recently graduated from nursing school, and despite her parents' protests and disappointment she has joined the Army to assist as a combat nurse in the Vietnam War. You watch Frankie transform from a naive, young girl who is in way over her head into a straight rockstar and that is something I think everyone in our field can relate to despite all of us not being in a similar predicament she is in.It is divided into two parts. Frankie's experience during the war and when she comes home. That was another unique take that I appreciated from the author. So many books stay in the combat part of war. Rarely have I read one where you go with the protagonist when they come back home and deal with the "After" part. There are some triggers, so if you want to know more about those feel free to reach out!I've never read a book centered around the Vietnam War, so I am extremely grateful Hannah chose this time period to write this amazing novel. And if you haven't gathered it already, I highly recommend this book for everyone. You are simply doing yourself a disservice if you skip over it. Period.**Also fun fact and as if i couldn't love this book anymore, my name made an appearance in the book. Granted it was spelled different (Celine), but it was still a pleasant surprise. ☺️

I'm a Navy/Vietnam/Agent Orange Vet. Frankie's "welcome home" was a lot like mine, including being told that the Navy wasn't in the war. This was one of the (very) few stories I've read about the war that I believed in. Thank you Ms. Hannah.

Really related to everything in the novel, same age as main character, similar circumstances, my husband served in Vietnam during Tet offensive and had terrible experience on return to USThe whole story just moved me, especially about the women serving. Loved it

I have always chosen other genres of books figuring I never enjoyed history why would I enjoy an historical book, this book captured me don the very beginning and now I want to learn more about the war and those who made the ultimate sacrifice

I have been a nurse for 33 years, I have great respect for these nurses. Many nights in an ICU when there are just too many admissions to keep up, I have often used the term "Incoming" referencing what these women experienced. Maybe I was doing them a disservice, but it is also out of respect for what we nurses do on the front line everyday and we are never recognized for our efforts. In the book it was the Government and Vietnam War that caused such harm to these Veterans of War, now it is Corporate America making profits off of our labors. Burying the truth of what really happens in hospitals, this book sheds light on what these doctors and nurses experienced. I pray for them,their families and the nurses still out there keeping the healthcare system together. We are Heroes!!!

The Women is about a young nurse going to Vietnam. Her life while there and the struggles she faces when she comes home. Reading about her journey and how she and all the Vietnam vets were treated. The book is so good from the first page to the last. It is worth reading. Another Kristin Hannah book that she did an awesome job writing.

This book was sometimes hard to get through for me because of the very graphic descriptions of wounded soldiers and the Vietnam War in general. It was so well written that I had to put my squeamishness aside and carry on to get to the end of the story. And what a great story it was!

This is definitely one of the best books I’ve read this year. I couldn’t put it down even though I was deeply devastated with some of the things that happened in this story. It’s a raw and honest telling of the horror of war and the overwhelming trauma these people endured. This book is just… beautiful. I absolutely loved it and I am recommending it to EVERYONE.

I wasn’t sure what to expect going into The Women by Kristin Hannah—this isn’t my usual genre—but I’m really glad I read it. It was emotional, powerful, and full of heavy topics that left an impact.The story follows Frankie, a young nurse who joins the Army during the Vietnam War. Watching her grow, struggle, and navigate both the war and its aftermath was heartbreaking but eye-opening. I didn’t cry like some readers mentioned, but I think that’s because there was so much going on, it felt hard to fully process one thing before another emotional hit came.What stood out the most to me was how much I learned—especially about the role of women during the war and how badly they were treated when they returned home. It made me want to learn more about that time period, and I genuinely hope this story gets adapted into a movie someday. I think it would be an incredibly important and moving film.The writing was beautiful, and the friendships in this book were a bright spot. While the pacing felt overwhelming at times, this was still a powerful and worthwhile read. Definitely one I’ll be thinking about for a long time.

I could not pit this book down. It’s a quick read and an amazing story. What a roller coaster of emotions, dedication, struggle, and sadness of the Vietnam war. As an American you should definitely read this story, especially if you’re a woman. They were there in Vietnam and endured as much as the soldiers fighting the war. I would recommend this book to everyone.

An excellent read, a true testimony to the Vietnam war, the soldiers and the women that were there to help, heal, fight and suffer as they all did. Kristin did a fantastic work with engagement and imagery. Very well written and an emotional truth brought to attention.

OMG! I could not put this book down ... I lost sleep !!! The relationships and bonds formed in this book were amazing, strong and often heart breaking :( Sadly, the service, strength and fortitude of the women heroes of the Vietnam war were never mentioned in the 20th Century. I actually lived through the draft memories of male friends in high school who were scared to death of their number being called. I knew no one who wanted to fight in Vietnam!When the movie, Hunger Games came out, the anxious memories of my friends being drafted came back to me. I shared this feeling of parallelism with some of my younger friends who had no memory of the Vietnam war. They defended their belief that there was no comparison.Thank you, Women, of the Vietnam War and all that you did for our country. I am sharing this book with every strong woman that I know :) ... and several men :)

I had heard how good this was and yes, it absolutely lives up to the hype.Frances McGrath- Frankie grows up in a patriotic, red blooded American family. Her older brother Finley, a Naval Academy graduate, is set to ship to Vietnam. It’s what the men of the family do- they serve. Frankie desires to feel the sense of pride her parents, especially her dad, feel about service so volunteers to join the Army Nurse’s Corps to join her brother.Y’all, what follows is a lotTo take in. The book is basically two stories- Frankie in Vietnam and Frankie home from Vietnam. Her feelings about family, patriotism, war, change over the two tours she spends in Vietnam. Her disillusionment with the official story told by the US government is set against the protests back homeLook, part 2 is rough as Frankie tries to readjust to life back home. Not only does she come back to a world that does t approve of the war, she comes back desperately needing help and is refused over and over again- her service is denied because,” women didn’t serve in Vietnam” Frankie struggles with career, family, and society.I’m not doing this book justice. I’m an Iraq vet and warning, do not read this on a plane at 30k feet like I did. I relate with Frankie more than any character in a long while. While not as severe, female vets STILL have to fight to get our service recognized.Just read the damn book, it’s good.

What the HELL? There is no other way to start this review. I’ve never been so angry at a book.How could a nation ignore the fact women were over in Vietnam? Just because they weren’t in the front lines did not mean they didn’t serve. It didn’t mean that they didn’t experience everything a front line soldier experienced. They saw such horrific injuries to all walks of life. They had to enlist in one of the armed forces therefore they WERE veterans!France’s parents were horrible. Especially when she returned home. To come home to angry and disrespectful civilians and then experience from your own parents.Veteran help is something I strongly support. My own dad hated the VA and I now understand more his reasoning. I suspected he had PTSD from Korea. No wonder so many of our veterans suffer from so many addictions. They helped themselves in ways they could. Was it the best? No, but you do what you have to to get through the day.We as a nation still need to do better for our veterans that have seen active combat. They served our country and fought for us. Military PTSD is real. We should not shame them for it. We weren’t there. They were.Read this book then do your own research if you don’t believe we failed an entire generation of veterans.

The Women is one of those rare books that lingers long after the last page. Kristin Hannah has delivered a deeply moving and eye-opening story that follows a young woman—first as a nursing student, then through the chaos of the Vietnam War, and into the turbulent aftermath back home.What struck me most was how this novel illuminated a part of history that often goes unrecognized: the women who served in Vietnam. I was shocked—and honestly angered—by the disbelief and dismissal the main character faced from the VA and others who refused to believe women were even in the war. That truth hit hard.The scenes set in and near the field hospitals were harrowing and felt entirely authentic. The writing captures both the physical and emotional toll of war with such clarity that I found myself holding my breath more than once. The romantic relationships were also well-drawn—messy, believable, and reflective of the surreal world of wartime, where time and distance distort everything.I’m so glad Hannah didn’t end the story with the war’s conclusion. Following the character into the years beyond made it clear how war marks a person permanently, and how the struggle doesn’t stop when the fighting does. There’s no neat resolution—and that’s exactly the point.This is an important, beautifully written novel that gives voice to the silenced and forgotten. A must-read for anyone who thinks they know the story of Vietnam—it turns out, there’s so much more to be told.

The Women by Kristin Hannah absolutely wrecked me—in the best way. I devoured this book and felt every single word settle into my bones. It’s a powerful, raw, and deeply emotional journey through a part of history that doesn’t get nearly enough attention: the role of women during the Vietnam War.Reading about how these brave, skilled, compassionate women were dismissed, ignored, and outright disrespected made my blood boil. The way they were treated—by the military, by the public, even by their own families—was infuriating and heartbreaking. I lost count of how many times I clenched my jaw or had to put the book down just to take a breath.But the friendships in this story? Pure magic. The bond between the women—their loyalty, their strength, their shared pain—gave me all the feels. It was sisterhood in its most raw and powerful form. Through trauma and tragedy, love and laughter, these women held each other up when the world let them down. And that’s what stayed with me the most.Kristin Hannah has outdone herself. Again.This book is a triumph. A war story, yes—but also a love story. A friendship story. A truth-telling story.And one that I’ll never forget. I absolutely loved the ending. Was more than I could hope for.

5/5 ⭐️Wow, exceptional but also, I am not okay after that (lol). Not to be dramatic, but this was a life-changing read. Not only because of the exceptional writing and storytelling, but because of the insight it offered into the Vietnam War, particularly the often-understated role of women who served. This book offers powerful recognition of their experiences.Watching Frankie’s growth in the first half of the book while she’s in Vietnam was incredibly inspiring. I found myself rooting for her, sitting on the edge of my seat during every MASCAL, hoping none of the casualties would be one of her friends. I felt like I was there with them,in the O club, in the chaos, in the camaraderie. I was moved to tears just 100 pages in. The love stories sewn in are so heart wrenching.The second half of the book was heartbreaking and infuriating. Seeing how much Frankie struggled to transition back to civilian life and the disrespect she faced made me so angry for her. The writing was so immersive I often forgot I was reading, I felt like I was at Frankie’s side the entire time. That’s a true testament to how detailed and powerful the storytelling is.This book unexpectedly shed light on a part of history I knew very little about. I went in not really knowing what to expect, and came away deeply moved and honored to have read such an incredible story. Learning about the women who served in Vietnam through this powerful narrative is something I won’t forget. I’ll be thinking about this story for a long time.TLDR: Powerful, moving, and unforgettable. A beautifully told story that honors the women who served in Vietnam, I’ll be thinking about this one for a long time.

This was a hugely educative book, highlighting the role of some 10,000 American women involved in the Vietnam war, and whose stories and contribution were dismissed with phrases like, “But there were no women in ‘Nam.” “But you weren’t in combat.”I found myself doing a lot of research about the details in the book especially in the first half of the book which is about Frankie’s experience “in country”. I looked up terms like hooch, ao dai, O Club, flak jacket, the Vietnam Women’s Memorial and more.I also learned about the practice of sending personnel on a one-year “tour of duty”. I explored the broader debate around this policy, which some commentators have argued meant that there were too many inexperienced people in Vietnam, with those who had worked long enough to gain experience then having to leave. This issue arises for Frankie who decides to extend her tour because there aren’t enough experienced nurses to help.I loved the friendship between Frankie, Ethel and Barb—their time together in Vietnam, their correspondence with each other, spending years together in Virginia, and just being there for each other through thick and thin.I have read some reviews that have criticised the novel for focusing on Frankie’s story (especially given her privileged background). I can understand the author’s choice on focusing mostly on one character arc, given though there were multiple points at which women’s contribution was recognised.I really liked The Last Best Place Ranch that Frankie established in Montana, which became an important place for women returning from the Vietnam War. Whereas the heroes’ wall in Frankie’s childhood home featured only men, there was a wall at the ranch celebrating the contribution of women.While the book is fresh in my mind, here are some other themes that stood out to me:1. The role of women in warfare and traditional male roles. Frankie’s father did not accept Frankie’s decision to go to Vietnam and told others that Frankie had gone on exchange to Florence instead of to war in Vietnam. There are parallels here with the story of the main girl and her father (Father Mun) in the Hong Kong movie, The Last Dance.2. The role of women in other capacities—eg the women who lobbied to get more information about their missing husbands who had become prisoners of war. Some were reported as having died but they had been taken as POWs. Kristin Hannah talks about the POW bracelet she wore as a child bearing the name of a soldier she never met.3. I’ve seen a number of reviews who found the love stories a bit unbelievable, especially given two of Frankie’s love interests in Vietnam basically came back from the dead. I appreciate it seems improbable but this is also a romance novel and is intended to be a crowd pleaser :)4. The historical context on the reporting of the Vietnam War (Frankie believes that the Stars and Stripes publication underreports casualties) as well as political and public attitudes around the Vietnam War and the return of Vietnam War veterans was educative. This is particularly in light of Barb’s work as a war veteran protesting against the Vietnam War. There were also some poignant moments eg when Frankie went to an old friend’s wedding shower and none of them understood her experience in a war zone or really tried to understand. Instead she was criticised by her parents for “causing a scene”.5. Reading the book also deepened my understanding of veterans’ experience. For example, a comment is made that most POWs were pilots and during captivity, they still bonded, found ways to communicate and held rank. But there was participation in many different ways—eg medical staff, journalists, etc.6. The contrast between the responsibility Frankie had as a combat nurse vs being a nurse in a civilian hospital was interesting. Frankie found it difficult to fall into line and do basic roles where she had tackled much more challenging situations in Vietnam. Where she performed a life-saving procedure on a patient back in the US, she was fired for it for having performed a procedure a doctor should have done and which she was fired for (because it created a liability for the hospital—even though it arguably saved the patient’s life).

I have read several Kristen Hannah books in the past and have enjoyed them all. Yet, when friends in my social groups began to rave about Kristen's latest book, The Women, I hesitated to read it. I was afraid it would trigger anxiety and questions about my self-worth.I used to be an Army nurse, received my education through Walter Reed Army Institute of Nursing, and am considered a Vietnam Era veteran as I joined the ANC in 1974. However, I never served "in-country" and often felt unworthy to be recognized as I did not have combat nursing experience. I am extremely grateful for the experience I received both as an Army student nurse and my 13 years of ANC nursing experience. Without the Army, I could never afford college and, therefore, would not have become a nurse. In Delano Hall, where our nursing classes were held, there is a room affectionately known as the "dead" room. On the walls were portraits of nurses "Killed in Action" or KIA. I use to stare at those pictures and both dred failing my classes as rumor had it you would be deployed to a war zone, at the same time I bemoaned the end of the war as I would never win the respect a combat nurse commanded. In my first assignment post graduation from nursing school, I used to wonder nightly if Maryland made a mistake granting me a license! I was sure it was obvious to everyone on my unit that I didn't have a clue as to how to do my job! Especially as I was put in charge of nursing supervision, my third night on duty! I was a nervous wreck until my third year of post-graduate nursing!I finally decided to read The Women during a Kindle Reading challenge. The challenge to read a 2024 Amazon Editor's Choice Best Novel of 2024 was made simpler as I already had The Women by Kristin Hannah in my library.I knew I was going to love this book when I read the statement made at Frankie's brother's going away party - "Women can be heroes, too." This matter of fact acknowledgment that women could be honored as much as men was the impetuous to Frankie volunteering to join the ANC. Frankie was gobsmacked by this easy acceptance of women's worth. Immediately, I remember the recruiter who introduced me to the WRAIN program that changed the trajectory of my life back in my freshman high school days in 1970. Until that time, I never dreamed I could receive a four year college education and get my nursing license. Women in my family never went away to college. It was just too expensive. I could relate to Frankie's astonishment that a male acquaintance would openly declare his belief in women's equality. I was smiling through my tears as I read that scene.Kristen's story was made even more intense and powerful as she vividly described Frankie's arrival in Veitnam during a red alert. Later, I was surprised to find the words blurring as I read about operating on the mud floor of a tent under the operating table while holding a flashlight in her mouth; as bombs exploded around her! The blurred vision was not a spot on my glasses but tears that were pouring from me in response to Kristen Hannah's moving word choice. Despite being an avid and fast reader who can usually finish one book a day, The Women was so emotionally intense I had to take frequent breaks, sometimes as long as 24 hours , before I was calm enough to read it the book again. Kristen perfectly portrayed the problems female veterans have getting adequate health care open return home. I began to scream in anger when Frankie was told that there were no women serving in Veitnam! The ignorance that women veterans were forced to deal with was appalling. However, I was pleased at how detailed and factual Kristen's account was of Frankie's encounters with VA. Kristen's research was impeccable.The characters in The Women were well-developed and relatable. The commonalities and differences between Frankie and her two besties, economically, beliefs, and even romances helped to keep the story moving. I especially loved the sisterhood that developed because of shared experiences of the war. The lifelong friendships I developed during my years in the ANC are some of my fondest memories.I am really glad I finally read this book. It brought back memories both good and bad of my time in service. It helped me to accurately voice some of my buried issues from that time, and I believe I am healthier since reading this magnificently written story! Thank you, Kristen. It was an intense journey, but I believe at least for myself, I came out better mentally and emotionally for having read The Women.