THE WOMEN by Kristin Hannah (audio)

5 stars!

This extraordinarily fantastic new novel from Kristin Hannah shares the moving and little known history of the women who risked their lives and served as front line nurses in the Vietnam War. Julia Whalen narrates with perfection, and her resonant voices for different characters sweep you along into the lives of brave women fighting to save lives and then coming home to be vilified for being part of an unpopular war and deeply damaged by what they experienced among the gore of the thousands of wounded and dead.

Frances “Frankie” McGrath, volunteers as an army nurse in the Vietnam War during the late 1960’s, idealistic about serving her country to fight off communism as well as earn to her place on her father’s “Hero’s Wall” of men in their family who fought for America across its various wars. Frankie’s a “good girl” secluded and educated in Catholic girl schools, who’s had no exposure to life outside her rarified, privileged social circle on the southern California coast. But after her only, fun-loving, rambunctious older brother Finley gets shot down shortly after getting deployed to Vietnam, Frankie considers taking her nursing training and putting it to use in the war. At age 19 and with little experience, only the Army will enlist Frankie, who joins and then has to contend with the horror of her wealthy parents at what’s she done.

Frankie literally gets air-dropped into a run-down, poorly staffed, rat-infested, moldy war hospital where endless waves of severely wounded and dying soldiers arrive by helicopters. Frankie’s shell-shocked, but a quick learner. She survives thanks to the fierce support and close friendship of two fellow nurses as well as being taken under the wing of a surgeon who teaches Frankie how to be an exceptional surgical nurse. Frankie re-ups for a second year and moves further into the jungle and the front lines. There are romantic entanglements, the dangers of men far away from home looking for sexual flings, boozy officer parties and spontaneous getaways, and the oppressive heat and unrelenting deaths to contend with in the hospitals.

The second part of the novel focuses on Frankie’s return to America, the hostility to Vets by a hippy, peace movement condemning both the war and those served in it. The Vet services don’t recognize or try to serve the PTSD of women who served, and Frankie descends into despair and drug use. It’s so powerful, so poignant and so moving that when Frankie finally gets to touch the Vietnam Vet memorial put up decades after the war in D.C, you’re misting up alongside her.

Like all of Kristen Hannah’s novels, you get immersed in a slice of history you know little about and come away profoundly moved. She’s created such a tribute to women who did not fet the national recognition and thanks they deserved.

Thanks to Macmillon Audio for an advanced listen of this novel.

Stacy DeBroff

Stacy DeBroff, founder and CEO of Mom Central.com and social and digital consultancy, Influence Central, is a social media strategist, attorney, and best-selling parenting author. A sought-after expert for national media, she trend-spots regularly with national brands and speaks frequently to national and international audiences on a wide range of subjects, including influencer marketing, social media, entrepreneurship, and consumer trends. A passionate cook, gardener, reader, and tennis player, she adores this new chapter of post-college-age parenting.