The Women by Kristin Hannah

The Women

Author: Kristin Hannah

Genre: Historical fiction

Format: Digital ARC via NetGalley

Publish Date: February 2024

Read: November 2023

Favorite Quote: Women can be heroes, too.

Story Synopsis: The Women follows the story of Frances McGrath - aka Frankie. Coming from a Naval family, Frankie grew up with stories of war heroes and military reverence. After nursing school, her brother gets his orders for Vietnam, while she’s expected to stay home, find a husband, and have children.

So, she enlists with the Army to be a combat nurse. After two tours in Vietnam and lots of on-the-job training, Frankie comes home as a changed woman in an ever-changing society. Faced with PTSD and constant comments that “women weren’t in Vietnam,” Frankie must figure out how to deal with heartbreak, trauma, and forging a life in a world where women aren’t seen as heroes.

Why does this book beguile? The Women is one of 2024’s most hotly anticipated books. When I received the copy from the publisher, I had no idea what to expect from the story. As I started it and realized it was about Vietnam and that timeframe, I felt apprehension. This isn’t my usual type of story.

That quickly went out the window. I was fully immersed by the third chapter.

Kristin Hannah’s quiet yet powerful writing style lured me in and quickly made me care about Frankie McGrath. I thoroughly enjoyed the realism of this story and how Hannah highlighted the unsung heroes found throughout history: women. The Women is beautiful, powerful, inspiring, and fast-paced.

Rating: 5/5

Link*: The Women by Kristin Hannah

If you’re interested in this, read*: The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah