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A review by serenityofbooks
The Women by Kristin Hannah
5.0
Wow! Kristin Hannah has done it again – The Women is a book I will think about for a long time to come. She has masterfully crafted a story that bring together all the elements I absolutely adore in historical fiction – bringing to light the untold stories of women in cruicial periods in history. This book is heart wrenching, powerful and thought provoking and in my opinion, a MUST read!
The Women is a rich exploration of the Vietnam war and the role women who served as nurses played. Through the eyes of naïve & privileged 20 year old, Francis “Frankie” McGrath who impulsively signs up to use her new nurses skills to serve her country and honour her family legacy of service. But what she confronts in the jungles of Vietnam is nothing like what she was prepared for and she must quickly adapt. The experiences of the war, the bonds formed during wartime and the traumatic homecoming shape her life in unexpected and heartbreaking ways.
There is so much to discuss when it comes to this book – it would be perfect bookclub pick! I didn’t know very much about the Vietnam war. I don’t remember ever learning about it in school so have only ever known the basics through TV shows (MASH) and movies (Forrest Gump). Kristin Hannah vividly captures the chaos and trauma witnessed by those vets on the page. Returning home to a country that had betrayed them was a heart-wrenching reality, compounded by the women's lack of recognition for their service.
I loved the depiction of the women who went to war though Frankie and her two best friends and fellow nurses, Ethel and Barb. Very different women who all shared incredible strength and resilience in the face of chaos and devastation. I’m so glad the real-life service women are having a light shined on their heroism though this work of fiction.
While I could discuss this book endlessly, I'll conclude by saying that Kristin Hannah's brilliance shines through once again. The Women joins my list of all-time favorite books alongside The Nightingale and The Great Alone from this remarkable author.
The Women is a rich exploration of the Vietnam war and the role women who served as nurses played. Through the eyes of naïve & privileged 20 year old, Francis “Frankie” McGrath who impulsively signs up to use her new nurses skills to serve her country and honour her family legacy of service. But what she confronts in the jungles of Vietnam is nothing like what she was prepared for and she must quickly adapt. The experiences of the war, the bonds formed during wartime and the traumatic homecoming shape her life in unexpected and heartbreaking ways.
There is so much to discuss when it comes to this book – it would be perfect bookclub pick! I didn’t know very much about the Vietnam war. I don’t remember ever learning about it in school so have only ever known the basics through TV shows (MASH) and movies (Forrest Gump). Kristin Hannah vividly captures the chaos and trauma witnessed by those vets on the page. Returning home to a country that had betrayed them was a heart-wrenching reality, compounded by the women's lack of recognition for their service.
I loved the depiction of the women who went to war though Frankie and her two best friends and fellow nurses, Ethel and Barb. Very different women who all shared incredible strength and resilience in the face of chaos and devastation. I’m so glad the real-life service women are having a light shined on their heroism though this work of fiction.
While I could discuss this book endlessly, I'll conclude by saying that Kristin Hannah's brilliance shines through once again. The Women joins my list of all-time favorite books alongside The Nightingale and The Great Alone from this remarkable author.