This month’s book review features Kristin Hannah’s latest work, “The Women,” which explores the often-overlooked women heroes of the Vietnam War.
I’m a big fan of Kristin Hannah, who has written over 24 stand-alone novels. Her latest release, “The Women,” did not disappoint. It’s set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War and follows 20-year-old Francis (Frankie) McGrath, from Coronado Island, California, who volunteered for service in the Army Nurse Corps.
Hannah does a great job of portraying what a brutal war it was, and especially what it meant to be a woman in that era serving in Vietnam. She describes Frankie’s journey through the extreme trauma she experienced while treating patients on the front line of battle.
This isn’t your typical war novel but one that gives voice to the friendships, betrayals, and hope amid chaos that women serving in Vietnam endured. Frankie entered the war as a naive young woman who was from a wealthy family living on Coronado Island. She came home a different person, damaged and hardened from her war experiences.
Although her family was steeped in the military, they were shocked about her enlistment and hid the truth of her service from their friends and neighbors. Frankie was prompted to serve in 1965 following her brother, Finley, who had recently shipped out for Vietnam in the Navy. She mistakenly thought her parents would be proud of her choice.
While serving, she makes friends with two other nurses, Ethel and Barb, who become a lifeline for her when she returns home. After coming home, Frankie faces many personal struggles before coming to terms with who she is and what she has experienced.
The amount of detail included in this book reflects the extensive research conducted by the author on the Vietnam War, which brings the book to life. She sheds a needed light on the women heroes who sacrificed so much and were ignored by many for their bravery.
This moving, unflinching story deserves to be read and remembered.
