OVERVIEW
OMG!!! This book is unbelievable! I read it in about 24 hours and could not put it down. It is another 5.0-star book! Unbelievable!!
This story focuses on the unforgotten heroes in Vietnam - the female nurses! All throughout the book, the female Vietnam Veterans are told that "there were no women in Vietnam" and dismissed when their PSTD issues come to the surface. They are the unsung warriors who made a difference so that many young men could go home to their friends and families. Heroes!!
This novel focuses on in-country in Vietnam in 1967-1968 and primarily focuses on one specific nurse, Frances "Frankie/Frank". It starts with her enlisting through the dedication of the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington D.C.
The story is brutal, horrible, and ghastly. The Vietnam War was horrible for both sides and so much went wrong to create a totally FUBAR situation. There are so many layers to what happened in Vietnam that it will never be fully understood. The young men and women who sacrificed so much were simply pawns in an old, white-man game of power.
Definitely an outstanding novel, but what makes it so strong is that it tells the untold story of the women in Vietnam - the nurses!!
OVERALL REVIEW: 5.0 stars
Writing: 5.0 stars
Since this is the first book by Kristin Hannah that I have read, I was completely blown away by her amazing writing. It is like she is painting a picture for me with her writing, but it is so much more. I could not only see what she was writing about, but I could feel, hear, smell, and taste it!
Normally, I am hesitant to read popular books and authors, but Kristin Hannah proved me wrong. All of her readers are not wrong, she is a phenomenal writer!!
Interestingly, Kristin Hannah and I are very close in age and were born in California. What she talks about in her Author's Note was very real-life for me as well. It was a scary time for kids as we didn't fully understand what was going on!
Character development: 5.0 stars
This was a contemporary historical fiction book as it happened less than sixty years ago. But there were the normal large numbers of characters in a typical historical fiction novel! All of these characters added to the story and were necessary to fully understand the detailed storyline.
The main characters are Frances "Frankie/Frank", Ethel, and Barb who are in the Army Nursing Corps (ANC) and are immediate best friends while they serve in Vietnam and throughout the book.
The secondary characters are their patients, fellow medical personnel, and other service members in Vietnam. Back home, their parents, friends, and spouses are also big secondary characters.
Finally, the Vietnam War is the tertiary character. It negatively impacts the lives of everyone that it touches. There was no one who left Vietnam the same person that they were when they arrived. The war was a greedy and evil character.
Storyline: 5.0 stars
The storyline was about what happened before, during, and after the Vietnam War for the three best friends, but most focus was on Frankie. These three friends were "ride-or-die" friends who were there through the worst and best times for each other.
It was a painful, heartbreaking story that these three women experienced, but there are many, many more who went through the same traumas during the war in Vietnam. Everyone from the Soldiers to the Marines to the doctors to the helicopter pilots was negatively affected by their own private, personal experiences. Then they all came home and had people spitting on them. Horrific!
The main locations were Vietnam, Kauai, Virginia, California, and Washington D.C.
Memorable/Informative: 5.0 stars
This was extraordinarily memorable and informative. I knew that there were nurses in Vietnam because I watched a few episodes of China Beach. But, I never for a second thought about the horror - Hollywood glamorized their roles which was an insult to what they endured and accomplished. I need to do more reading on the topic - it is a powerful story that must be told before all of these heroes pass on.
Book cover: 5.0 stars
Perfection.
Book title: 5.0 stars
Very appropriate!
Gut feeling: 3.0 stars
I was very unsure about whether I would like this novel or not as I have never read any of Kristin Hannah's books.
Suggestions:
A map of the locations would have been a helpful addition.
Highly RECOMMEND
BOOK INFORMATION
The Women by Kristin Hannah
480 pages
St. Martin's Press
Release date of 02/06/2024
INFORMATIONAL LINKS
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
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