A review by gellyreads
The Women by Kristin Hannah

emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I struggled to understand the purpose of this book as I was reading it, even though I was enjoying it. A coworker recommended it to me, raving about it, talking abut how its about a woman who served in Vietnam and then her life after she came back. So, I won't lie, I thought this book would be about half in Vietnam and half back home. It's not. I would say maybe a quarter of the book is in Vietnam. That's not the purpose of this book. This book is about the forgotten women who have served, those who served that weren't soldiers, who still suffered the effects of PTSD, Agent Orange, and discrimination ruining their lives and bodies. Once I knew that's what this book was about, I thought it was pretty good. I genuinely liked the character of Frankie and enjoyed reading about her journey. Although....I was told I would cry. And this book is sad. But, I'm an easy crier and I don't think I ever came that close. My main complaint with this book has to do with the writing itself: it feels a little bit repetitive after a while. (How many times does she have to tell someone she was a vet? I mean...is this conversation and question a motif? I suppose it is. And it does serve its purpose; I'm sure that's exactly how it was as a woman coming back from 'Nam...but damn. It did get a little old after a while.) I also felt like the author did a lot of telling in her writing and not enough showing at times.
I felt like she shouldn't have included the whole plot of her one fellow combat nurse working for race relations; that felt like it was going to be significant and go somewhere, and it just never came back or was developed. I get that this is a white author and she may feel some kind of way, but it would've been nice to see Frankie at least.... talk about other issues? Besides mentioning them casually?? I also thought the whole "twist" (which, debatable? I saw it coming, and my coworker didn't, so idk if it is or isn't) with Rye being alive, then still being married and the affair was just... too much. I didn't need all that melodrama. I also didn't need her finding yet another an at the end.
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