Book Review: The Women

Mrs P

March 9

Women can be heroes...

Kristin Hannah ~ The Women

Synopsis

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 overwhelmed 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.

Review

Despite being a huge historical fiction fan, most of the books I've read about Vietnam have been about the local people and the impact the war had on them. In The Women, we see a new perspective - that of the nurses who cared for the injured soldiers.

Although this book has a fantastic sense of place, for me it is the characters that make this book magnificent. The friendship between Frankie, Barb and Ethel may have started as one of shared experiences, but it develops into a deep bond that most of us can only dream about. Amidst the horror and sacrifice, they manage to snatch memorable moments, and when they return they continue to be there for each other no matter what. It is a little one-sided at times, but considering Frankie's struggle, we cannot berate her too much.

Despite Frankie being a little selfish, we see her blossom from a privileged young woman into a real hero. It seems unthinkable that nobody accepts that women played such a huge role in the conflict, denying their very existence in Vietnam, despite many of them suffering from PTSD and several dying in service to their country.

Hannah maintains the focus on the war and its aftermath, without getting distracted by other historical events of the time. While she does mention some of the turbulent themes in the USA, we are always with Frankie and her story.

The plot is a little predictable in terms of her male relationships, and a little far-fetched inasmuch as a lot of people survive against the odds, but overall this is a well-researched, sympathetic story of the women in Vietnam. Beautifully written, it's devastating and poignant, but with just the right amount of hope and morality.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.