Becca Reviews: The Women by Kristin Hannah

I immediately need to add ALL other Kristin Hannah books to my TBR list, this was 5/5 easy.

This story follows Frankie and her time as a nurse in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. She may not have been on the front line in the sense of fighting and killing others, but she certainly saw action and saved many lives.

Frankie hails from a proud lineage of war veterans, though her father was an exception, having been deemed unfit for service. Her grandfather, however, did see action, and the story opens at a party celebrating her brother’s enlistment in the Vietnam War, before he leaves the US.

I only found out when reading the author's note at the end of this book that Hannah's novels specifically focus on resilient women in tough life circumstances and that could not be more accurate. Frankie is quickly faced with the stark reality and hardships of an Evacuation Hospital. She faces power outages, nearby threats, and soldiers with life changing, or life ending, injuries.

The first part of the book follows Frankie's trials and growth as a nurse during her time in Vietnam. As well as the close and intense friendships that blossom in such a place. Not to mention a few romances that occur along the way!

The rest of the novel delves into Frankie's mental health struggles stemming from her time in Vietnam, as well as the deep shame that haunts her. First, there’s the burden of returning from a war so fiercely condemned by the American public and the world. Then, there’s the painful realisation that her own parents view her enlistment as a source of disgrace rather than pride. The details outlined upon Frankie's return are disgusting and really made me consider how soldiers are portrayed. Logically, we know the people fighting the war are NOT the war itself but it's very hard to separate the two.

This novel is a rollercoaster, with several climaxes and 'new chapters' for Frankie. The most poignant takeaway for me was the AMOUNT of characters telling Frankie that 'there were no women in Vietnam'. I felt so sorry for her and the other women (and all those affected!), and it truly made my blood boil. Not only is she told this by family friends and people on the street, but also by people at anti-war rallies and PTSD specialist psychiatrists... The lengths the world and society will go to in order to erase women will never fail to shock me.

This is easily my favourite read of 2025 so far and the book I would most want to recommend to anyone who will listen.

In 1993, almost 20 years after the war ended, a memorial was erected in Washington D. C. for the women, specifically nurses, in the Vietnam War. You can take a look here.

Vietnam Women's Memorial

Picture from COL (R)Constance J. (CJ) Moore Lecture Series.

Read: 16/04/2025

Published: 06/02/2024

ISBN: 9781250178633

Price: £5.99 (GBP)