The Women: one woman's story in a war the country wanted to forget

The Women by Kristin Hannah is one woman’s story as she goes to war and must fight to have her and other women’s contributions in the war recognized. Twenty year old Frances “Frankie” McGrath is a nursing student who wants to make her family proud. So proud to be worthy of the heroes wall which serves as a memorial to the war heroes in the McGrath family. Someone tells her that even women can be heroes which brings a revelation, she will take her nursing skills to the war effort. She joins the Army Nurse Corps and she is not prepared for what she will encounter. With the help of her fellow nurses, Ethel and Barb, Frankie sees firsthand the chaos and destruction of war, the gamble of life and death. Little does she know that the war is just beginning as she heads home and finds a country even more divided, angry protesters as her contributions are essentially forgotten. 

I have loved Kristin Hannah’s stories since I first picked up Firefly Lane (2008). The Women is a hard hitting, gut wrenching, emotional story that shines a light on the women who put their lives on the line to serve their country only to have their country deny they were even there. It is a story of friendships and courage under fire. Part 1 focuses on the war itself as Frankie is not prepared for the carnage. It is emotional and heartbreaking, filled with moments of gasps and plenty of tears. Part 2 focuses on her return home and her struggles to return to civilian life. I was shocked to learn that for the longest time, no one knew or no one would acknowledge that women served in Vietnam. It pains me to know that the male veterans were vilified and yet the women were ignored and forgotten. Overall, The Women is another amazing story from Kristin Hannah. I highly, highly recommend it. 

The Women is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook