The Women
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4.5 • 1.1K Ratings
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
'Astonishing. Compelling. Powerful' - Delia Owens, bestselling author of Where the Crawdads Sing
'Stuns with sacrifice. Uplifts with heroism' - Bonnie Garmus, Number One worldwide bestselling author of Lessons in Chemistry
From the worldwide bestselling author of The Four Winds, The Nightingale and Firefly Lane (a Number One series on Netflix), The Women is a story of devastating loss and epic love. It is both an intimate portrait of a woman coming of age in a dangerous time and a story of a nation divided by war.
It would be the journey of a lifetime . . .
'Women can be heroes, too'. When twenty-year-old nursing student, Frances "Frankie" McGrath, hears these unexpected words, it is a revelation. Raised on California's idyllic Coronado Island and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing, being a good girl. But in 1965 the world is changing, and she suddenly imagines a different path for her life. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she impulsively joins the Army Nurses Corps and follows his path.
As green and inexperienced as the young men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is overwhelmed by the chaos and destruction of war, as well as the unexpected trauma of coming home to a changed America. Frankie will also discover the true value of female friendship and the heartbreak that love can cause.
The Women is the story of one woman who goes to war, but it shines a light on the story of all women who put themselves in harm's way to help others. Women whose sacrifice and commitment to their country has been all too often forgotten. A novel of searing insight and lyrical beauty, The Women is a profoundly emotional, richly drawn story with a memorable heroine whose extraordinary idealism and courage under fire define an era.
SHORTLISTED FOR THE ABIA INTERNATIONAL BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD 2025
Praise for Kristin Hannah:
'Powerful and compelling' Christy Lefteri, bestselling author of The Beekeeper of Aleppo
'You would be hard-pressed to find a book club that has not discussed one of her novels' New York Times
'A rich, compelling novel of love, sacrifice and survival' - Kate Morton
'A masterclass' - Karen Swan
'Powerful' - Matt Haig
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
When her brother heads off to serve in the Vietnam War in 1965, 20-year-old Frankie boldly enlists in the Army Nurse Corps to follow suit. What she sees there may shock her, but it doesn’t come close to preparing for the divided America she will return to. Kristin Hannah’s epic historical novel showcases the under-reported role that women played in a long, contentious conflict. It also examines the strong bonds that form when ordinary people are thrust into the most extreme and life-threatening circumstances—and the difficult path they face when trying to readjust to civilian life. In the case of the titular women, there is also the added challenge of fighting to be recognised for their heroic efforts. Hannah weaves all of this together in a tale that is equally ambitious and humanistic.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Hannah's emotionally charged page-turner (after The Four Winds) centers on a young nurse whose life is changed by the Vietnam War. Before Frankie McGrath begins basic training for the Army in 1966, her older brother Finley is killed in action. Frankie excels as a surgical nurse in Vietnam and becomes close with fellow nurses Ethel and Barb. After Ethel's tour ends, Frankie and Barb gets assigned to the base at Pleiku, near the Cambodian border, where some of the heaviest fighting occurs. There, she reunites with Navy officer Rye Walsh, Finley's best friend, and they become lovers. When Frankie returns to the U.S., she's met with indifference for her service from her parents, who are still grieving her brother's death, and disdain from people who oppose the war. She leans on alcohol and drugs while struggling to acclimate to civilian life. Though the situations and dialogue can feel contrived (Rye, after announcing he's re-upping, says to Frankie at the close of a chapter, "I'm not leaving my girl"), Hannah's depictions of Frankie tending to wounded soldiers are urgent and eye-opening, and a reunion of the three nurses for Frankie's benefit is poignantly told. Fans of women's historicals will enjoy this magnetic wartime story.
Customer Reviews
Excellent
A difficult subject but I couldn’t put it down.
A solidly grounded work of historical fiction
I really enjoyed reading this, the book made me happy, frustrated, and sad at various points throughout and that's what I feel a good book should do, it takes you on a journey.
There were parts of the narrative that felt glossed-over or not explored deeply enough for me, but in general I thought KH portrayed some very "real" characters here, and I was compelled to keep reading and find out what happened to them. The historical aspects also came across as well-researched, which I always appreciate in historical fiction - I sometimes like my characters and their stories to be fictional, but I always like the setting to be real.
Historical realisation for me
Definitely should be made into a movie.