The Women
A Novel
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4.6 • 275 Ratings
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- $16.99
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- $16.99
Publisher Description
A #1 bestseller on The New York Times, USA Today, Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times!
From the celebrated author of The Nightingale and The Four Winds comes Kristin Hannah's The Women—at once an intimate portrait of coming of age in a dangerous time and an epic tale of a nation divided.
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.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Kristin Hannah is the queen of the impeccably researched and heart-wrenching historical drama. Nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath is living a safe, sheltered life until a random comment at a party sends her down a new path: “Women can be heroes.” Hoping to join her brother—a naval officer serving in Vietnam—Frankie enlists in the army and is shipped into the heart of the conflict, where she discovers the cost of war firsthand and forms strong bonds with her fellow soldiers as they face unimaginable challenges. Hannah’s enthralling tale explores themes of duty and friendship. Whether she’s describing a nerve-racking helicopter ride or a chaotic peace rally, her flair for detail makes every moment pop as Frankie evolves from a naive society girl to a hardened veteran. The Women is an unforgettable story about what it means to serve.
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
“The Women” left me breathless!
I couldn’t put this book down and read it in a single night! An emotionally labile, thought provoking, heart-wrenching, yet inspirational & hopeful read. The loss of innocence, naivety, but also the strength & resilience of Frankie & her friends, (of all women), during this period of great political & societal change, is so eloquently written, beautifully told!
Fantastic
Amazing, heartfelt, heartwarming story about a flawed family and some great women. This is a must read!
Raw, riveting and real
Like many, I was ignorant about the role women played in Vietnam…thank you Frankie and Kristin for making me aware of the sacrifice that has been for too long ignored. Beautifully written, you feel like you are there…during and after.