The Women: A Novel
$15.81
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A #1 bestseller on The New York Times, USA Today, Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times!
From the celebrated author of The Nightingale and The Four Winds comes Kristin Hannah’s The Women―at once an intimate portrait of coming of age in a dangerous time and an epic tale of a nation divided.
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.
From the Publisher
Publisher : St. Martin’s Press
Publication date : February 6, 2024
Edition : American First
Language : English
Print length : 480 pages
ISBN-10 : 1250178630
ISBN-13 : 978-1250178633
Item Weight : 1.55 pounds
Dimensions : 6.6 x 1.4 x 9.6 inches
Kayla Sick –
Phenomenal 5 Star Read!
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.
Kirchersmiles –
Gut-Wrenching, Beautiful, and Unforgettable
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.
Celene –
Absolutely amazing! An easily, well deserved 5 star read!
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. ☺️
Book Lover –
Emotional Story of Women in Vietnam War
Kristin Hannah’s book, “The Women” was a very emotional, gut wrenching story that brought out feelings that I had hidden for years. I grew up with the Vietnam War all around me on the evening news the body count was reported, fellow classmates (boys I’d gone to school with) got drafted etc. All those feelings & memories that I’d repressed came back but the story about the women during Vietnam was good. I highly recommend it but if you grew up during that time like I did just be prepared to feel some repressed emotions.
Helena Gurjão Pinheiro do Val –
I admit I’m not an emotional reader. It takes a lot me make me shed tears while reading, but the ending of this book was surprisinly emotional for me. I love reading historical novels, but I knew little about the Vietnam War and its outcomes to the soldiers and nurses who ventured in there in service. A really good book that like many other that I’ve been reading, show the forgotten role of women in wars that marked a whole generation.
Frederike Rudman –
Truely inspiring, couldn’t stop reading, the story caught me from page 1!I think it’s a book that you won’t forget and that, especially for women, shows how fortunate we are nowadays.
Anja Steinmann –
Très beau livre; il nous replonge dans l‘histoire de la longue guerre au Vietnam au travers des personnages attachants, fragiles, courageux, humains. Très bien écrit.
Cesca B –
I listened to the audio version of this book and loved it (great production, well read). The story is gripping, the characters ring true against the harsh historical setting of the Vietnam war. Highly recommend.
Judy Jessee –
On a scale of one to five, this book is at least a ten! I love it, it grabs you from the first chapter, and it is hard to put it down. I do read many many books, but this one is fast becoming my number one favorite! Highly recommend!