Allison's Book Report: “The Women” by Kristin Hannah

I have such a treat for all of you historical fiction lovers out there. This week’s book is an absolutely “unputdownable” (I am still really trying to make that word happen) coming-of-age story that will keep you turning pages from start to finish.

Kristen Hannah is a beloved author of fan faves like “The Nightingale” and “The Four Winds,” and her winning streak continues with her latest release, “The Women.” “The Women” is the story of Frances “Frankie” McGrath, a twenty-year-old nursing student. Frankie had an idyllic and sheltered childhood as the daughter of wealthy and conservative parents on beautiful Coronado Island, California. She has always prided herself on doing all of the right things and never rocking the boat. But in 1965, the world is changing, and Frankie begins to imagine a different future for herself. When her older brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows in his path. Frankie is as green and inexperienced as the men sent to Vietnam to fight, and she is immediately overwhelmed by the chaos and destruction of war. Every single day is a matter of life and death, but Frankie still manages to make deep bonds with the people around her, and she learns how fragile human life really is. Frankie eventually returns home - one of the lucky, the brave, the broken, and the lost. She returns home to a changed and divided America, full of angry protesters and people who are ready to forget Vietnam.

“The Women” far exceeded my expectations, and dare I say it is in the running for the best book I have read so far in 2024. It is the story of one woman gone to war, but Hannah manages to shine a light on all of the women who put themselves in harm’s way in Vietnam, only to mostly be forgotten. I was struck by how many people told Frankie, “But there were no women in Vietnam!” and how often she was denied care or assistance or even just recognition upon her return. I admit that I was not very aware of the role that women played in Vietnam, so this was a real eye-opener.

I loved this book so much, and I can’t wait to talk about it with other readers. Go grab a copy of “The Women” and read it (maybe all in one day like I did) and then pop over to my Instagram @allison.the.reader and let’s read and ramble all about it together.