Book Synopsis:
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.
My Review:
The Women is powerful, absorbing and thought provoking read that will be staying with me for a long time.
Firstly I must admit to not knowing much about the Vietnam war so I found it fascinating to learn what it was like to serve over there. It must have been a very intense experience with medical staff having to deal with horrific injuries in very difficult situations, often without appropriate equipment. My heart was in my mouth as I watched Frankie and her friends deal with all the casualties often while under attack. It was very interesting to learn that the people posted over there also tried to help the local population by offering medical help that they wouldn’t have otherwise be able to access.
The story follows Frankie both during her experiences in Vietnam and when she returned home to California. I did prefer the scenes set in Vietnam but Frankie’s experience when she returned home were absolutely shocking to read about. I can’t believe that people treated Vietnam veterans that way and that there was almost no support available for them, especially for the women who served. My heart broke for Frankie as I watched her struggling with her reality whilst battling the nightmares from her experiences. It made me so angry to realise this was probably what a lot of Vietnam veterans experienced at the time.
I absolutely loved the friendship that blossoms between Frankie, Ethel and Babs which was so heartwarming to read about. It was so lovely to see them grow gradually closer and see them support each other through the toughest moments they could experience. I really liked that they stay friends and continue to be present for each other in the important moments of there lives.
Overall, as you can probably tell, I absolutely loved this book and will be recommending it to everyone. The book had a great pace to it and there was always something happening to keep my attention. I read this book over a weekend which is no easy feat with three children but I just couldn’t put it down! I feel this is a book that everyone should read not only because it describes an important moment in history but it also lays bare the experiences of war that can last long after the fighting has finished.
Huge thanks to the lovely Chloe from Pan Macmillan for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
Kristin Hannah is the award-winning and bestselling author of more than 20 novels. Her newest novel, The Women, about the nurses who served in the Vietnam war, will be released on February 6, 2024.
The Four Winds was published in February of 2021 and immediately hit #1 on the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Indie bookstore’s bestseller lists. Additionally, it was selected as a book club pick by the both Today Show and The Book Of the Month club, which named it the best book of 2021.
In 2018, The Great Alone became an instant New York Times #1 bestseller and was named the Best Historical Novel of the Year by Goodreads.
In 2015, The Nightingale became an international blockbuster and was Goodreads Best Historical fiction novel for 2015 and won the coveted People’s Choice award for best fiction in the same year. It was named a Best Book of the Year by Amazon, iTunes, Buzzfeed, the Wall Street Journal, Paste, and The Week.
The Nightingale is currently in pre-production at Tri Star. Firefly Lane, her beloved novel about two best friends, was the #1 Netflix series around the world, in the week it came out. The popular tv show stars Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke.
A former attorney, Kristin lives in the Pacific Northwest.
Over The Rainbow Blog 
Wonderful review. This sounds really good! x
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