BOOK OF THE MONTH
The Women: A Novel
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.
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Community Reviews
Her meticulous attention to detail truly brings the Army experience for women to life. As a fellow veteran, I found myself nodding along, feeling understood in ways I couldn't have imagined. Although I didn't serve in Vietnam, the portrayal of the challenges faced by female soldiers resonated deeply with me. The struggles the main character faces upon returning home hit close to home, reflecting the complexities of military life and its aftermath.
This book has definitely earned its spot among my all-time favorites, and Kristin has firmly secured her place as one of my top authors.
In 1965 Frances "Frankie” and her Brother Finley McGrath are living a carefree and luxury life. They live with their parents on Coronado Island in California. Finley and Frankie spending long summer days surfing, since their front yard was the beautiful beach.
Finley goes to the Naval Academy after graduation. Hoping to be among the photos on his father’s “Hero’s Wall” proudly displayed on his office. In the midst of the Vietnam War, Finley is sent to Vietnam to serve his country. Frankie is besides herself with her brother gone and her parents trying to get Frankie to become a secretary and a wife.
One day, word comes that Finley’s helicopter was shot down and he has been killed. There were no remains to send home. This leaves the McGrath family with so many unanswered questions.
Frankie decides that she can become a Nurse and go find Finley’s remains in Vietnam. She is enlisted into the Army Nurse Corps. When she finally gets in country, Naive Frankie is overwhelmed by the chaos and destruction of the war.
This story is written about the women nurses in the Vietnam War. We learn about Frankie’s story, but also about those same women coming home, and having to continue to fight for themselves. Many of the women ended up with PTSD, flashbacks, and nightmares but they couldn't get the help they needed, due to the government thinking since they did not “see action”, they did not need the help like the men did.
I love Frankie’s character. Knowing that the world was changing, and she suddenly dares to imagine a different future for herself. She went in thinking that she needed to be on her father’s “Hero Wall”, but little did she know that she would become her own hero, and that is all she needed. I enjoyed the female friendships that were formed and lasted a lifetime. Overall, this is my favorite Kristin Hannah book.
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