The Women

 The title of this review says it all.  This book is about the women of the armed forces.  It shares their story of women in service and the courage they deployed to serve our country.  This book focuses on the Vietnam War.  There is an important story to tell. 

Synopsis:

“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. “ (amazon.com)

My Thoughts: 

I enjoyed this book.  The pages turned themselves as I read them.  I am a huge fan of Kristin Hannah.  The subject that she covers in this book is important.  Even before reading this book, I had been educated about mental health and how that can really impact people.  The government has changed a lot about its response to veterans of many wars.  Have they really changed it for women?  I felt for Frankie as she seeks help from the VA and the resulting experience.  One of the questions I had while reading was what about the nurses in World War II, especially the Angels of Bataan?   If you want to read about the Angels of Bataan, I highly recommend When We Had Wings by Ariel Lawhon,  Kristina McMorris, and Susan Meissner.  Now let’s get back to the Women.  My only issue with the book was how everything but the kitchen sink is thrown at Frankie.  There were several opportunities for the climax to appear before page 400.  The declining action was very short.  I look forward to whatever Kristin is working on next.

Rating: 

4.5/5

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