Reviews with content warning for Pregnancy - The Women

Another great book from this author! She captures what her main character’s life was like and uses that to reflect on what so many other women must have gone through. Its crazy to me that there is no official statistic about the number of American military women stationed in Vietnam. Everyone tried so hard to erase them and their service.

As always, the writing is great! “Maybe that was why people built walls: to look away, to ignore anything they didn’t want to see.” Definitely worth reading! 5 stars

Historical fiction with diverse characters

Content Warnings

mbrogs2024's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

smcrain's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Kristin Hannah does it again. Another very compelling, emotionally gripping read. I loved The Nightingale, but I equally enjoyed this one, perhaps even a little more? It's hard to say as memory is fickle, but either way this was definitely another five star read from me.

Content Warnings

eftucker11's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark informative sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

The story gets dragged along kicking and screaming by Hannah, a writer who seems incredibly eager to show you something but doesn't want your gaze to linger too long. The plots weaves and winds from trauma to trauma as our main character, Frankie, struggles to cope with her experiences during and after the Vietnam War. Hannah seems terrified to slow down and take her time with a few key moments instead of bombarding the reader. This leads to the plot whizzing by in a whirlwind so rapid that it dulls their impact.

On top of that, her descriptions of the different settings from the Mekong Delta and Central Highlands of Vietnam, to the sunny coasts of southern California, are all formulaic. They offer paper-thin window dressing that is quickly tossed aside as we race from plot point to plot point.

The focus on romantic subplots also distracts the central plot and muddles its messaging. While it's understandable that a young woman, away from home for the first time and surrounded by young men, would feel attracted to some of them, the emphasis the story places on it drags attention away from the suffering of the Vietnamese people, and the American servicemen and women. The final pages of the story completely encapsulate what I'm talking about, but I won't specify why to avoid spoilers. Suffice to say, our main character's romantic troubles persist throughout the book, and wax and wane between being central to the story and off in the periphery, despite the fact that this book is meant to be a story about experiencing and recovering from the horrors of war. It reads like a cheap addition meant to tittilate the reader, but serves little purpose aside from, once again, traumatizing the main character.

Also, the depiction of the main chracter as a victim of war trauma is riddled with clichés that would have been more tolerable were they not repeated so many times. After the third or fourth time the main character recounts a terrifying war story to a horrified listener, again, the event loses its impact.

The story shines best when Hannah writes about the sisterhood of the nurses, coming together to support each other during and after the war. Of course, a huge segment of their time gets skipped over so the main character can go back to enduring hardships. The excessive focus on the traumas the character suffers ultimately overrides their purpose, making the reader turn away out lf exhaustion instead of sympathizing.

It was a quick read which I'm unlikely to repeat, and I wouldn't recommend it to others.

Content Warnings

amanda_reads13's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

We follow Frankie journey before, during, and after her service as a nurse in the Vietnam war.

Kristen Hannah manages to capture the spirit of an entire generation in this novel. This is a beautifully written story filled with devastating truths and complex characters. I love how Hannah managed honour these forgotten women while still unveiling the horrible truth of the war.

Vietnam war vets experienced things that no others before them had. They were shunned when they returned home, especially the women. Coupled with the lack understanding of mental health and PTSD, this lead to an epidemic depression drug/alcoholism, and suicide amongst the vets.

This book was a rollercoaster of emotions. There are part of this book that will make you so mad - the unethical war tactics, the white saviour complex, and the horrific treatment of the veterans, especially the women. There are parts that will make you cry - the loss of so many lives, the struggles Frankie goes through to be seen, heard, and healed, and the betrayals. There are parts that will fill your heart - the beautiful friendships, women supporting women, and that ending.

The entire ending was such a therapeutic release after so much pain and sadness. Her parents finally recognizing her service and Jamie being alive! This filled my heart with so much joy!

The characters in this book are strong, yet flawed. In the end, Frankie has grown and evolved to the point where she is almost unrecognizable from the woman she was at the start of the book. She grows from a woman who endured so much pain and heartache that she wants to take her own life to a woman who is able to use that pain to help and save other women.

The friendships in this book are so beautifully written. These three women from such different backgrounds and worlds are thrown together in in the midst of war. Their bond is unbreakable. They see each other through every step in life and show up for each other.

Content Warnings

jessailene's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This book deserves more than five stars. After initially getting the book, I set it aside for a few days, unsure of what to expect. (I initially picked up the book because my sister read it and highly recommended it along with my best friend who hadn’t actually read the book yet, but has praised a lot of Kristin Hannah’s works.) However, once I started reading, I was hooked within 30 minutes, fully immersed and committed. It’s been over 10 years since I’ve read a book as quickly as I did The Women, and that speaks volumes about how captivating this story is.

Growing up post-Vietnam War, I didn’t have a full understanding of the complexities surrounding that time. This book was an eye-opener, shedding light on the emotional and psychological scars left behind. Many people, especially those who have relatives that served in the war, seldom speak of it, and this story helped me understand why.

There are so many layers to The Women. The fictional characters are brilliantly crafted, and the storyline is deeply immersive. I’ve never read a book that so vividly captures the true chaos of war while showing the impossible task of trying to maintain control in a medical setting under fire. The balance between romance, sorrow, excitement, stress, and sadness is masterfully done. It evokes such strong emotions—especially if you’re an empathetic person, you’ll feel like you’ve been through the emotional wringer.

If you’re looking for a powerful, multi-layered narrative that not only entertains but also educates and challenges your perspective, The Women is a must-read.

Content Warnings

kmsander4's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Easiest 5 stars I've given so far this year. Kristin Hannah is unbelievable. She weaves tales and tells stories that everyone else shies away from - and she takes them on headfirst. I haven't read anything of hers that I haven't loved but I fear this one may ruin those that are to come.

If you pick this one up, you will be transported. One moment you will be in Vietnam, side-by-side with Frankie in the OR. Then in a blink, you're back on US soil witnessing the vets of Vietnam - and the women in particular - get left behind. There are twists and turns. There is heartbreak. There is grief and loss and coming to terms with the harsh realities of war.

And the last few pages...there are no words.

Content Warnings

More...