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The Women
Kristin Hannah
February 6, 2024
St. Martin’s Press
480 pages
Find It On: Amazon | Goodreads | Bookshop.org
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“Women can be heroes.”
This book is WORTH the hype!! In this book, Kristin Hannah takes us on a journey with Frances (Frankie) McGrath, who decides she is going to join the military as a nurse and go over to Vietnam to serve her country. She joins the army, goes to bootcamp, and then she’s sent over to start working. It’s a huge shock to her. She meets Ethel and Barb, who are her roommates and show her the ropes. But the one was one thing to deal with, coming home after was another difficult situation. Turned away by the VA when she asks for help, Frankie doesn’t know how to deal with her feelings and nightmares. Discouraged after she is constantly told that women weren’t in Vietnam, and seeing all of the protests against the Vietnam war, she tries to find her way.
I don’t even know where to begin this review. Hannah illustrates what it was like to be a women at the time – that they were supposed to get married and have babies. She also illustrates just exactly it was like to be a woman to decided to enter the military to help out. Not thought of as a real veteran. It’s heartbreaking how women during that time were treated. These women (and men) are really inspiring. They were selfless and brave. They had so much courage. I wish I could be half of what they were.
Hannah did a wonderful job describing what it was like in Vietnam for the men and women who served in their various roles. I honestly felt that I was right there along side of each of the characters. It felt scary. They never knew if that day was going to be their last, but they kept moving forward doing what was expected of them. Frankie saw some difficult situations in the hospital working as a nurse, ones that I don’t think I could ever handle.
Hannah also did a wonderful job with dealing with all of the after effects of war after a soldier/nurse comes home, especially at that time. How women were turned away from getting help, and everything that they go through in those days and years ahead.
I’ll be honest, I wasn’t sure about this book. But it’s wonderful; it’s beautiful; it’s a must read.
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