“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.”
I checked this book out no less than 12 times at my local library. And each time, I never picked it up. I’m not sure why I didn’t seem interested because I have loved The Great Alone and The Nightingale. When I finally decided to give The Women a read, I couldn’t put it down. I was drawn into Frankie’s world from the first page. Hannah takes up back to the Vietnam War, when America’s focus was battling communism at all costs. War heroes were celebrated, and the fight was noble… for men.
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BUT women can be heroes. When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath hears these words, it is a revelation. Raised in the sun-drenched, idyllic world of Southern California and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing. But in 1965, the world is changing, and she suddenly dares to imagine a different future for herself. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path.
As green and inexperienced as the men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is over-whelmed by the chaos and destruction of war. Each day is a gamble of life and death, hope and betrayal; friendships run deep and can be shattered in an instant. In war, she meets—and becomes one of—the lucky, the brave, the broken, and the lost.
But war is just the beginning for Frankie and her veteran friends. The real battle lies in coming home to a changed and divided America, to angry protesters, and to a country that wants to forget Vietnam.
The Women is the story of one woman gone to war, but it shines a light on all women who put themselves in harm’s way and whose sacrifice and commitment to their country has too often been forgotten. A novel about deep friendships and bold patriotism, The Women is a richly drawn story with a memorable heroine whose idealism and courage under fire will come to define an era.
The Women Book Club Questions
What did you think of Frankie’s impulsive decision to join the war? How did her decision impact her life’s trajectory?
When Frankie landed in Vietnam, she was a fish out of water. How did her friendship with Barb and Ethel save her?
Frankie was quite sheltered before she enlisted. Discuss some of the ways she was thrown into the deep end of the world. Love and relationships? Lies? The pains of war?
When Frankie returns to California she is surprised by the hatred toward veterans. How does the novel shed light on the intricate issues veterans faced? How does society help those suffering from PTSD (or ignore)?
Barb and Ethel seem to dive back into “the real world” while Frankie struggles more. What do you think was the biggest factor in Frankie’s depression and inability to move forward after her return? Her family? PTSD? Love lost?
How does Hannah explore the political and social climate during the Vietnam War era? Did you think there were specific moments in time that stuck out to you? How did the public’s perception change over the decades?
Did you like the ending?
If you liked this book, you should check out The Alice Network or another Hannah novel with Vietnam ties, The Great Alone.
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