Kristin Hannah

“The women had a story to tell, even if the world wasn’t quite yet ready to hear it, and their story began with three simple words. We were there.”

The Women by Kristin Hannah follows twenty-one-year-old Frances “Frankie” Grace McGrath, a sheltered young woman from an affluent family, who enlisted as a nurse during the Vietnam War. The narrative follows Frankie through the years of the war and the decades that follow.

There is a lot to like about this novel. The author writes with compassion and the narrative flows well. The fact that the author wanted to tell the story of the women who served in the Vietnam War, giving those whose contributions have been ignored a voice, renders this novel remarkable in its scope and intention. I loved how the author describes the camaraderie between friends and colleagues, their support for one another, the resilience, compassion and bravery of the women who served and the sacrifices they made. I also liked how the author incorporated the public outcry and protests back home - the mixed feelings about the war and those who served and the politics of the time - into the narrative. The author’s unflinching depiction of PTSD and how so many people could not find the help they needed to cope with the trauma they carried back home was heartbreaking as were the descriptions of the horrors of war (some of which were more than a little difficult to read) was realistic and thought-provoking and despite the story being set in years of the Vietnam War and its aftermath, the issues that she has raised are both crucial and relevant even in today’s world.

Unfortunately, there are a few issues that prevent me from giving this novel a higher rating. I was invested in Frankie’s journey and was eager to see how she evolved from a privileged young woman whose sheltered upbringing could not have prepared her for what she would have to endure. The weak character development, the focus on her love life, and the stereotypical and slightly disrespectful representation of the men (with whom she gets romantically involved) who serve their country did not make for pleasant reading and detracted from the overall experience. The ending was poignant, but again, the author’s choice to provide a “happy” (melodramatic) ending lessened the overall impact.

Both Ethel and Barb were well thought out characters ( in fact, I found them more interesting than Frankie). Though we do get to know their stories in segments interspersed throughout the novel, mostly through Frankie’s interactions with them, I feel the author has missed an opportunity to further enrich the narrative. In my humble opinion, focusing on one woman’s perspective and relegating the other characters to supporting roles, defeats the purpose of this novel. All three women, each with their distinct convictions and motivations, deserved to have their voices woven into the narrative. The perspectives of all three of these women from diverse backgrounds, each of whom embark on their respective journeys facing their own set of challenges, would have provided much-needed depth to the narrative.

Given the strong historical context and the premise of the novel, I’d expected to enjoy this novel more than I actually did. Overall, while l did not dislike The Women, I can’t help feeling a tad disappointed with certain aspects of the story. However, many have enjoyed this novel more and I would request you to read those reviews before deciding on whether to read this one.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.… (mais)