Frances “Frankie” McGrath is a twenty-year-old nursing student raised in a sheltered, conservative community on Coronado Island. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, Frankie impulsively decides to join the Army Nurse Corps, believing in the romanticized idea of being a hero.
Upon arriving in Vietnam, Frankie is immediately plunged into the chaos and carnage of an evacuation hospital. She quickly evolves from a green, terrified recruit into a skilled surgical nurse, finding a sense of purpose and deep “foxhole” friendships with her fellow nurses. However, the true battle begins when she returns home. She finds a fractured America that is hostile toward the war and a society that refuses to acknowledge that women served on the front lines. The novel follows Frankie’s long, painful struggle to heal from her PTSD and find her place in a world that wants her to forget everything she saw.
Reviews
- The New York Times:“Hannah brings her signature emotional intensity to a subject that has long been overlooked. It is a grueling, heart-wrenching, but ultimately triumphant story. You will cry, but you will also be inspired by the sheer strength of the women portrayed.”
- People Magazine:“A stunning epic. Hannah’s research is impeccable, but it’s her ability to make the reader feel every heartbeat and every heartbreak of her characters that makes this book a masterpiece. A tribute to the ‘forgotten’ veterans.”
Reason to read The Women to witness a side of history that is rarely given the spotlight: the female nurses who served in the Vietnam War. It is a powerful correction to the historical record, showing that women were “there” too—exposed to the same trauma, loss, and danger as the men. If you enjoy stories about sisterhood, extreme resilience, and the difficult journey of coming home to a country that doesn’t recognize your sacrifice, this book will be an emotional tour de force for you.