A review by aylareve_reads
The Women by Kristin Hannah

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

YOU GUYS THIS BOOK WAS INCREDIBLE. I CRIED.

When her brother joins the war in Vietnam, Frances "Frankie" McGrath, a nurse, knows she wants to follow her brother across the globe. Frankie joins the fight as a Army Nurse Lieutenant and steps into world she never imagined. She's exposed to the horror and destruction of war, constantly trying to stay alive not only physically but mentally.

This is a story about fighting for what you believe is right, friends who pull you up when you are at your lowest, love and loss, and healing from unseen trauma. This book is about the American women so served in Vietnam and all they sacrificed to be ignored by the very country they served.


This was my first Kristin Hannah book and it was so beautifully written and I was blown away the entire time. This book tackled the dark side of war and how when left unchecked, human beings can accomplish horrible things. They can lie and cheat and kill.

I think this book hit me harder because I'm in the military. I have family members who have been effected by PTSD. I have friends who have committed suicide because things got to heavy for them.

I think this book captured how a woman serves in the military can be very different than how a man serves. There's judgement and sexism; people not thinking you're good enough to be a leader just because you are a woman. I've experienced it.

I empathized and cried for Frankie. She deserved so much better than the hand she was dealt. She went looking for help and was turned away. Vets were treated like garbage back then, and sometimes even nowadays, because of the things they were told to do. When you sign up to serve, you do what you are told. You don't really get an option to object.

This book was just so wonderful and I connected with every page. I think stories like this need to be told. They MUST be told.