The Women

 In 1965, America was changing. The children born during and right after World War Two were now adults, and they began envisioning America their way. Born the children of patriotic veterans, they are now watching their friends and brothers be sent to Vietnam for a war that doesn't make sense. But the patriots will still do the right thing: volunteer to serve their country. Finley McGrath is one such patriot, and so is his little sister, Frankie.

The McGraths were raised on stories of military heroism. The men joined up while the women made homes that supported their servicemembers. Frankie, however, isn't ready to settle down and become a housewife. She has a brand new degree in nursing, and there's a war that needs nurses, so Frankie signs up with the Army Nurse Corps and heads to Vietnam.

Every day, Frankie sees the worst of war. She also builds bonds with those she serves. Those who understand. When she returns home, though, it is an entirely different war. No one wants to believe that women were in Vietnam, and everyone thinks that Frankie needs to put that part of her life away and move forward. But without the support she needs to cope with the war experiences, Frankie feels like she's just a disappointing failure to everyone.

I am an affiliate member of Amazon and bookshop.org, so any purchases through this post's links will earn me a commission. Check out the about page for more information on that and how I get my hands on these fantastic books.

The Women is a tragic and beautiful story in a typical Kristin Hannah style. It is a story that desperately needed to be told. While it focuses on one woman, it spotlights the fact that female servicemembers are often forgotten about. Those women need all the support that their male counterparts get.

I did have points where I struggled while reading. As a military spouse, PTSD sufferer, and child of an addict, some things were difficult to read. But these things are the reality for many people, and just because they hit too close to home doesn't mean I should avoid them because those stories are just as valid as mine.

I can say that this is one book that lives up to all of the hype it has been given, and I recommend it highly, especially for book clubs, as it has so many perspectives for discussion.