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joyceheinen's reviews
157 reviews
Find Her by Tessa Bailey
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
It’s a novella, only a little over 50 pages long. And only so much can happen in a short romance story like this. I got this as a gift with another book purchase and I’m glad I never paid for it. Because what the actual fuck. This is really bad.
First of all, this book reads like fan fiction. Like a teenage fangirl wrote it. Hope feels ‘in love’ with Johnny, when she attends his concert and he stops playing in the middle of his song when he spots her in the audience. And when they meet backstage, let’s just say, there is a lot of spice. Johnny really forces himself on her and Hope is just a naïve groupie. After meeting just a few hours ago, they already love each other. And he’s actually telling himself, that “I need to take it slow with her”. Well, that’s the total opposite of what you’ve been doing, Johhny!
This books feels so unrealistic, the characters are caricatures and it’s poorly written. Worst book I read all year.
First of all, this book reads like fan fiction. Like a teenage fangirl wrote it. Hope feels ‘in love’ with Johnny, when she attends his concert and he stops playing in the middle of his song when he spots her in the audience. And when they meet backstage, let’s just say, there is a lot of spice. Johnny really forces himself on her and Hope is just a naïve groupie. After meeting just a few hours ago, they already love each other. And he’s actually telling himself, that “I need to take it slow with her”. Well, that’s the total opposite of what you’ve been doing, Johhny!
This books feels so unrealistic, the characters are caricatures and it’s poorly written. Worst book I read all year.
The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I’m a big fan of Holly Jackson’s “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” series. Her 2023 novel, “Five Survive” was a huge disappointment, but I was still excited to read her 2024 release “The Disappearance of Rachel Price. And even though it took me a while to get into it, I’m glad I read it, because it’s a lot better than “Five Survive’.
The story is told entirely from the perspective of Bel, in third person. She was only 2-years-old when her mom Rachel Price went missing. So it’s obvious she has no recollection of what happened that day. The book is more about the plot and the characters and their development is secondary. However, it is immediately apparent that Bel suffers more from the sudden disappearance of her mother than she wants to admit. Bel feels like she and her father are a team, and their life has always been overshadowed by the disappearance of Rachel. And when she returns, it makes life even more difficult. And listening to Rachel’s story about the happenings, Bel evades questions about her mother’s disappearance.
It's a pretty big book and it took me a while to get into it. It takes some time for the mystery to become interesting. But when it does, it really does it well. Jackson manages to create a twisty, unpredictable mystery. This family has a lot of secrets. Towards the end, it becomes nail-biting exciting. But this is also the point where some plot twists/ plot points are less credible.
“The Reappearance of Rachel Price” is an interesting mystery for the most part. You have to push trough at first, but once you do, you’re in for a treat. I’m glad Jackson delivered again.
The story is told entirely from the perspective of Bel, in third person. She was only 2-years-old when her mom Rachel Price went missing. So it’s obvious she has no recollection of what happened that day. The book is more about the plot and the characters and their development is secondary. However, it is immediately apparent that Bel suffers more from the sudden disappearance of her mother than she wants to admit. Bel feels like she and her father are a team, and their life has always been overshadowed by the disappearance of Rachel. And when she returns, it makes life even more difficult. And listening to Rachel’s story about the happenings, Bel evades questions about her mother’s disappearance.
It's a pretty big book and it took me a while to get into it. It takes some time for the mystery to become interesting. But when it does, it really does it well. Jackson manages to create a twisty, unpredictable mystery. This family has a lot of secrets. Towards the end, it becomes nail-biting exciting. But this is also the point where some plot twists/ plot points are less credible.
“The Reappearance of Rachel Price” is an interesting mystery for the most part. You have to push trough at first, but once you do, you’re in for a treat. I’m glad Jackson delivered again.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
adventurous
challenging
informative
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Let me just start with telling you that I don’t get the hype. I understand why people may like this book, but I don’t think it’s one of the best science fiction books ever written. Because that’s how this book is being marketed.
We meet Ryland Grace, who is the only survivor on a space mission. Waking up, remembering nothing, he is trying to figure out what the mission is all about and finding his way back.
I really enjoy science fiction, but “Project Hail Mary” was not it for me. I don’t mind complex stories, but there is so much scientific information that it started feeling like a text book, more than a novel. I listened to the audiobook, and I’m glad I did. Because I don’t think I would be able to get through a physical copy. I think that this kind of sci-fi is better in movie form for me, because I would love to see this being turned into one. But if was a bit dry and dragging for my liking as a novel.
I still really liked the story, it was interesting. But I never felt fully invested in the story and the main character. And that’s mainly why I struggled with this book.
We meet Ryland Grace, who is the only survivor on a space mission. Waking up, remembering nothing, he is trying to figure out what the mission is all about and finding his way back.
I really enjoy science fiction, but “Project Hail Mary” was not it for me. I don’t mind complex stories, but there is so much scientific information that it started feeling like a text book, more than a novel. I listened to the audiobook, and I’m glad I did. Because I don’t think I would be able to get through a physical copy. I think that this kind of sci-fi is better in movie form for me, because I would love to see this being turned into one. But if was a bit dry and dragging for my liking as a novel.
I still really liked the story, it was interesting. But I never felt fully invested in the story and the main character. And that’s mainly why I struggled with this book.
Next of Kin by Kia Abdullah
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
When I read the synopsis, it reminded me a lot of an older episode of “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”, where a father left his son in the car on the hottest day of the year, forgetting he was with him. This book does its own thing, but also has a lot of similarities. And some I cannot see passed.
We meet Leila, a successful architect with her own business. She and her sister Yasmine have grown up together, without their parents for the most part, with Leila being the caregiver at 18 when Yasmine was only 11 years old. When Yasmine’s husband Andrew asks Leila to drop off three-year-old Max to day care, she does not hesitate. When Leila is at work, she receives a phone call from Andrew that Max never arrived at daycare. And then Leila remembers that Max is still in her car. When she runs to check on him, he is dead. Leila is accused of manslaughter and has to go to trial. But many secrets unravel while Leila awaits her fate.
The story is really strong and the twists are good and surprising. If you did not see that aforementioned episode of “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”. It follows the major plot lines, but changes the family situation and dynamics. And it still does its own thing, it's not a copy of this episode. That is okay with me, there are many books and movies that have very similar plots. But some crucial details in this book are also in that TV-episode, that it just can’t be a coincidence anymore.
Off course, the book is way more in depth and it doesn’t only focus on the incident, but also on the family dynamics. The bond between the two sisters, their partners, the investigation by the detective. The book is divided into three parts. The incident, the courtroom and the aftermath. That courtroom part is what makes this book so good. I was super invested and this is something I especially enjoyed reading about.
If I hadn’t seen the “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” episode, I would most definitely give this book a five-star rating and I would be more shocked by the twist. But because Kia Abdullah’s story has certain similarities with this episode, that I feel cannot be a coincidence, the book loses one full star in its final rating.
We meet Leila, a successful architect with her own business. She and her sister Yasmine have grown up together, without their parents for the most part, with Leila being the caregiver at 18 when Yasmine was only 11 years old. When Yasmine’s husband Andrew asks Leila to drop off three-year-old Max to day care, she does not hesitate. When Leila is at work, she receives a phone call from Andrew that Max never arrived at daycare. And then Leila remembers that Max is still in her car. When she runs to check on him, he is dead. Leila is accused of manslaughter and has to go to trial. But many secrets unravel while Leila awaits her fate.
The story is really strong and the twists are good and surprising. If you did not see that aforementioned episode of “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”. It follows the major plot lines, but changes the family situation and dynamics. And it still does its own thing, it's not a copy of this episode. That is okay with me, there are many books and movies that have very similar plots. But some crucial details in this book are also in that TV-episode, that it just can’t be a coincidence anymore.
Off course, the book is way more in depth and it doesn’t only focus on the incident, but also on the family dynamics. The bond between the two sisters, their partners, the investigation by the detective. The book is divided into three parts. The incident, the courtroom and the aftermath. That courtroom part is what makes this book so good. I was super invested and this is something I especially enjoyed reading about.
If I hadn’t seen the “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” episode, I would most definitely give this book a five-star rating and I would be more shocked by the twist. But because Kia Abdullah’s story has certain similarities with this episode, that I feel cannot be a coincidence, the book loses one full star in its final rating.
Out There Screaming by Jordan Peele, John Joseph Adams
challenging
dark
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-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? No
3.5
In the forword of “Out There Screaming”, Jordan Peele explains how the book came to be. How ‘The Sunken Place’ from his horror film “Get Out” is the starting point of each story. The sunken place is different for everyone and with that idea, 19 authors came up with varying stories.
I will not be getting into all induvial stories, I’m going to highlight the ones that stood out to me.
“The Other One”, written by Violet Allen” is about Angela, who gets mysterious text messages from another woman, who seems to be dating her ex. Things become sinister pretty quickly. I found this original and amazing, yet very disturbing. This is what I want for a short story in the horror genre. The ending was very worrying.
“Lasiren”, by author Erin E. Adams, was e strong, fantastical horror story, about three sisters. One is been taking into the ocean by a mysterious creature. The sister bond was what made this book special.
L.D. Lewis’ story “Flicker” followed Kamara and her friends, who ar trying to survive in a world turned upside down by unexplained ‘blinks’ of darkness that last seconds, then minutes, and so on. The premise was good, I could read a full length novel based on it.
“The Strongest Obeah Woman of the World”, written by Nalo Hopkinson, is a body horror story, so people will respond mixed to this one. Yenderil swims to the bottom of the blue hole to kill the beast that’s been haunting her village. But the beast latches on to her. This story was so original and kind of gross. But loved it.
There are also a few stories with realistic elements, of U.S. history, that are horrific because of it. My favorite of those was “The Norwood Trouble” by Maurice Broaddus follows a young girl that experiences a lynch mob in the years before civil rights was initiated in the U.S.
The best story in the entire anthology was without a doubt “Happy Place” by Terence Taylor. We meet Martin, whose job is to transport prisoners. He learns of ‘The Process’, which is a way to transfer knowledge to prisoners so they can leave as productive members of society. This was such a good story, loved the premise and that twist was a shock.
When I started this book, I felt a bit sad, because the first couple of stories didn’t really do much for me. But the best stories are still coming. Ranking each individual story, adding those and dividing this by 19, gives us an average rating of 3,5 stars. A really solid horror anthology, with some new-to-me authors that I will for sure keep my eye on.
I will not be getting into all induvial stories, I’m going to highlight the ones that stood out to me.
“The Other One”, written by Violet Allen” is about Angela, who gets mysterious text messages from another woman, who seems to be dating her ex. Things become sinister pretty quickly. I found this original and amazing, yet very disturbing. This is what I want for a short story in the horror genre. The ending was very worrying.
“Lasiren”, by author Erin E. Adams, was e strong, fantastical horror story, about three sisters. One is been taking into the ocean by a mysterious creature. The sister bond was what made this book special.
L.D. Lewis’ story “Flicker” followed Kamara and her friends, who ar trying to survive in a world turned upside down by unexplained ‘blinks’ of darkness that last seconds, then minutes, and so on. The premise was good, I could read a full length novel based on it.
“The Strongest Obeah Woman of the World”, written by Nalo Hopkinson, is a body horror story, so people will respond mixed to this one. Yenderil swims to the bottom of the blue hole to kill the beast that’s been haunting her village. But the beast latches on to her. This story was so original and kind of gross. But loved it.
There are also a few stories with realistic elements, of U.S. history, that are horrific because of it. My favorite of those was “The Norwood Trouble” by Maurice Broaddus follows a young girl that experiences a lynch mob in the years before civil rights was initiated in the U.S.
The best story in the entire anthology was without a doubt “Happy Place” by Terence Taylor. We meet Martin, whose job is to transport prisoners. He learns of ‘The Process’, which is a way to transfer knowledge to prisoners so they can leave as productive members of society. This was such a good story, loved the premise and that twist was a shock.
When I started this book, I felt a bit sad, because the first couple of stories didn’t really do much for me. But the best stories are still coming. Ranking each individual story, adding those and dividing this by 19, gives us an average rating of 3,5 stars. A really solid horror anthology, with some new-to-me authors that I will for sure keep my eye on.
The Golden Spoon by Jessa Maxwell
mysterious
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? No
3.0
“The Golden Spoon” is a cozy mystery, which was marketed as a mix of “The Great British Bake Off” and “Knives Out”. Lots of atmosphere, little blood. If you like mystery, but not the gore and blood that comes with them often, this is your type of book.
We meet the host, Betsy Martin, and all the contestants. The are introduced and all have their own chapters, told from their POV. I like that. The book is a very quick read and the story is easy to follow.
It is a mystery, but there is not a lot of suspense. For the majority of the book, we follow the six contestants and the host in their journey through “Bake Week”, each with their secrets and with strange things happening now and then.
Through the entirety of the book you are wondering who will be the one that gets killed, but it’s actually very predictable. I guessed it early on in the book. Obvious? Probably. The murderer and the person sabotaging the competition, not spoiling if it’s the same person or not, could also be guessed due to the few characters we are following. But are not as obvious.
“The Golden Spoon” is a quick read, but never extremely exciting. Good for beginners of the mystery genre. A book with a ton of potential, but didn’t fully succeed.
We meet the host, Betsy Martin, and all the contestants. The are introduced and all have their own chapters, told from their POV. I like that. The book is a very quick read and the story is easy to follow.
It is a mystery, but there is not a lot of suspense. For the majority of the book, we follow the six contestants and the host in their journey through “Bake Week”, each with their secrets and with strange things happening now and then.
Through the entirety of the book you are wondering who will be the one that gets killed, but it’s actually very predictable. I guessed it early on in the book. Obvious? Probably. The murderer and the person sabotaging the competition, not spoiling if it’s the same person or not, could also be guessed due to the few characters we are following. But are not as obvious.
“The Golden Spoon” is a quick read, but never extremely exciting. Good for beginners of the mystery genre. A book with a ton of potential, but didn’t fully succeed.
Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-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? No
3.5
In this book we follow the titular Vera Wong, an elderly lady whose energetic routines and diligent internet snooping keep her young at heart. However her son and her potential clients at her tea shop are not very interested in it. With so little going on in her life, you can’t blame her to take matters into her own hands, when a dead man is found in her tea shop. Because she believes the cops are not capable of solving the crime, what is clearly a murder in her eyes, Vera decides she will solve it for them. Especially when the police claim it’s just an accident. Not one, but four people later show up at her shop, that try to find out what happened to the dead man. Making them potential suspects.
The book has some funny and hilarious moments, but is also heartwarming at times. Jesse Q. Sutanto wrote Vera as a meddling mother and combined this with her being a very sympathetic character. She is outrageous and arrogant, but also smart, caring and full of love. And this all makes Vera to a very loveable character. Sutanto added four more complex characters to the story, all with their own trauma. And together as a group they form a great dynamic, healing each other along the way. With Vera as the link.
The story reads from multiple perspectives besides Vera’s and I always enjoy this in mysteries. We get to learn about each character before the rest does and they are all interesting to read about.
The story has some moments that feel repetitive, especially at the start. And there is a romance in it that felt a bit forced. I also found the eventual culprit a bit predictable, even though the revealed link I didn’t guess.
“Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers” is a funny, cozy mystery that I really enjoyed for the majority of it. It’s the first book in a series, the sequel will come out in 2025. And I think I will be picking that up as well.
The book has some funny and hilarious moments, but is also heartwarming at times. Jesse Q. Sutanto wrote Vera as a meddling mother and combined this with her being a very sympathetic character. She is outrageous and arrogant, but also smart, caring and full of love. And this all makes Vera to a very loveable character. Sutanto added four more complex characters to the story, all with their own trauma. And together as a group they form a great dynamic, healing each other along the way. With Vera as the link.
The story reads from multiple perspectives besides Vera’s and I always enjoy this in mysteries. We get to learn about each character before the rest does and they are all interesting to read about.
The story has some moments that feel repetitive, especially at the start. And there is a romance in it that felt a bit forced. I also found the eventual culprit a bit predictable, even though the revealed link I didn’t guess.
“Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers” is a funny, cozy mystery that I really enjoyed for the majority of it. It’s the first book in a series, the sequel will come out in 2025. And I think I will be picking that up as well.
Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
I was intrigues by the story. A young boy drawing creepy images and having an imaginary friend. And the drawings are in the book as well. I had such high expectations about this book and everyone has been raving about this book ever since it came out. But may I say that the drawings in the book are the only redeeming feature. I hated this book.
We meet Mallory, who just got out of rehab. She manages to get a job with the Maxwell family, Caroline and Ted, to take care of their five-year-old son Teddy. She gets her own living space, has stability and Mallory really enjoys spending time with Teddy. But Teddy draws disturbing images that get worse and worse. Mallory wants to know what these drawings mean and is determined to find out the hidden meaning behind all these pictures.
First of all, this is not horror. Because horror means scary. This book is not scary at all. And I scare easily. To be honest, the book is pretty boring for the most part. But that was not my biggest issue with “Hidden Pictures”. Beside it being non-scary, the book is transphobic, anti-atheist, anti-left-leaning, fatphobic.
WARNING!!! THIS MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!!!
The twist was shocking, but for all the wrong reasons. Using the child’s gender as a final twist is just distasteful. The Maxwell’s are atheists and it’s clear that the author wants us to believe that trans kids are being forced into it by “evil atheists”. There is so much that is not okay about this. The author clearly misunderstands everything about trans people.
END OF SPOILERS!!
I can’t believe this book won the GoodReads choice awards in the Horror category. And that som many people are rating it 5-stars. But there are still plenty of people that feel the same way as I do, all having the same bad after taste. They all touch upon the same issues that I had with the book, which made it that I could simply not like this book.
We meet Mallory, who just got out of rehab. She manages to get a job with the Maxwell family, Caroline and Ted, to take care of their five-year-old son Teddy. She gets her own living space, has stability and Mallory really enjoys spending time with Teddy. But Teddy draws disturbing images that get worse and worse. Mallory wants to know what these drawings mean and is determined to find out the hidden meaning behind all these pictures.
First of all, this is not horror. Because horror means scary. This book is not scary at all. And I scare easily. To be honest, the book is pretty boring for the most part. But that was not my biggest issue with “Hidden Pictures”. Beside it being non-scary, the book is transphobic, anti-atheist, anti-left-leaning, fatphobic.
WARNING!!! THIS MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!!!
The twist was shocking, but for all the wrong reasons. Using the child’s gender as a final twist is just distasteful. The Maxwell’s are atheists and it’s clear that the author wants us to believe that trans kids are being forced into it by “evil atheists”. There is so much that is not okay about this. The author clearly misunderstands everything about trans people.
END OF SPOILERS!!
I can’t believe this book won the GoodReads choice awards in the Horror category. And that som many people are rating it 5-stars. But there are still plenty of people that feel the same way as I do, all having the same bad after taste. They all touch upon the same issues that I had with the book, which made it that I could simply not like this book.
Rabbits by Terry Miles
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I expected a book that would be full of references to videogames, technology and pop culture. The first two I would probably not get. Instead I got a mysterious, amazing trip, that still raised more questions then answers, but that sucked me in from the start. At the end I was left confused, especially about what this games was actually all about. But it was a great adventure. Lots of alternate dimensions, missing time, weird dreams and even weirder clues. At the end it still is difficult to fully explain what is going on. But I think that’s the charm of the book.
Rabbits is a game that no one is supposed to talk about. Everything is secretive, but people still know about its existence. What it really contains is unknown, but it’s all about finding clues, contradictions and coincidences and following the lead to the conclusion of the game. K has been obsessed since the someone called The Magician. Then K meets Alan Scarpio, the alleged winner of the sixth Rabbits game. He tells K to fix the game, before bad stuff happens. But later, right before the eleventh game begins, Scarpio goes missing and K has to play the game.
“Rabbits” is one of the strangest books I’ve ever read, because it’s still really difficult to explain what I actually read about. You really have to focus and pay attention at all times to keep up and you still won’t fully understand it. And I believe author Terry Miles meant to do that. It gets you thinking and talking. This is part of the charm of the book. I really enjoyed the mysterious adventure K went on.
The book confused me many times and I kept adding questions to my list. And at the end, not a lot get an answer. Which might leave you a bit unsatisfied. And I wanted an ending that was more scientific, instead of magical realism. It didn’t feel right to me. It’s also not really clear if K is a man or a woman. K read like a man, but because I listened to the audiobook narrated by a woman, it was confusing.
“Rabbits” is an intriguing read, full of mystery and a great adventure to go on if you want to dive into science fiction a little more.
Rabbits is a game that no one is supposed to talk about. Everything is secretive, but people still know about its existence. What it really contains is unknown, but it’s all about finding clues, contradictions and coincidences and following the lead to the conclusion of the game. K has been obsessed since the someone called The Magician. Then K meets Alan Scarpio, the alleged winner of the sixth Rabbits game. He tells K to fix the game, before bad stuff happens. But later, right before the eleventh game begins, Scarpio goes missing and K has to play the game.
“Rabbits” is one of the strangest books I’ve ever read, because it’s still really difficult to explain what I actually read about. You really have to focus and pay attention at all times to keep up and you still won’t fully understand it. And I believe author Terry Miles meant to do that. It gets you thinking and talking. This is part of the charm of the book. I really enjoyed the mysterious adventure K went on.
The book confused me many times and I kept adding questions to my list. And at the end, not a lot get an answer. Which might leave you a bit unsatisfied. And I wanted an ending that was more scientific, instead of magical realism. It didn’t feel right to me. It’s also not really clear if K is a man or a woman. K read like a man, but because I listened to the audiobook narrated by a woman, it was confusing.
“Rabbits” is an intriguing read, full of mystery and a great adventure to go on if you want to dive into science fiction a little more.
The Women by Kristin Hannah
challenging
emotional
sad
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
4.5
Kristin Hannah had the idea for “The Women” back in the late 90s, but she didn’t think she was ready to write about such an important subject then. Fortunately for us, she did eventually write it and I loved this novel.
Hannah is a very popular author, known for her historical fiction novels. I had never read from her, but after “The Women” I feel like I need to read more of her backlist.
Everyone has read about the Vietnam war at some point in their lives. Read stories, articles, seen movies and documentaries. Talking about the men that fought for their country. But no one ever talks about the women that were there. Because there were no women in Vietnam, they didn’t see combat. Hannah wrote the story, from the perspective of combat nurse Frankie McGrath, for the whole world to know about all the brave women that have saved many of these soldiers. They made sure many of these men got to return home.
After two tours in Vietnam, Frankie returns home, not knowing that her own war is just beginning. Where she thinks all the Vietnam veterans will be welcomed back with open arms, as heroes, she comes home to a divided America.
Hannah managed to portray Frankie respectfully. Starting out as a naïve girl, thinking she can be a hero and change the world, coming back broken, damaged and lost. I loved reading from Frankie’s perspective, I liked her as a character, felt empathy for her and understood her.
“The Woman” is a big book, the only reason I could not give it a perfect score. It felt a tad too long for me.
Hannah is a very popular author, known for her historical fiction novels. I had never read from her, but after “The Women” I feel like I need to read more of her backlist.
Everyone has read about the Vietnam war at some point in their lives. Read stories, articles, seen movies and documentaries. Talking about the men that fought for their country. But no one ever talks about the women that were there. Because there were no women in Vietnam, they didn’t see combat. Hannah wrote the story, from the perspective of combat nurse Frankie McGrath, for the whole world to know about all the brave women that have saved many of these soldiers. They made sure many of these men got to return home.
After two tours in Vietnam, Frankie returns home, not knowing that her own war is just beginning. Where she thinks all the Vietnam veterans will be welcomed back with open arms, as heroes, she comes home to a divided America.
Hannah managed to portray Frankie respectfully. Starting out as a naïve girl, thinking she can be a hero and change the world, coming back broken, damaged and lost. I loved reading from Frankie’s perspective, I liked her as a character, felt empathy for her and understood her.
“The Woman” is a big book, the only reason I could not give it a perfect score. It felt a tad too long for me.
If you like reading historical fiction, “The Women” is a wonderful pick. I’m definitely going to make my mom read this, she will love this.