A review/my thoughts

Genre: Historical Fiction

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I have never read a historical fiction novel in my life (unless you count A Farewell to Arms in high school). I’ve heard rave reviews over all the works that Kristin Hannah has written. As a member of BOTM (Book of the Month), “The Women” was one of the selections for February. I also picked up two others along with this one but that will be discussed in another blog.

I wasn’t really expecting much when first starting to read this novel. As of have never reading anything by Kristin Hannah, I went in with a complete wide open mind.

This novel starts off in the middle of the Vietnam War (1955-1975). The main character’s name is Frankie McGrath (Frances). Her parents want her to do the normal woman thing…get married and have babies. But that is not her. She is her own person! Her father has a wall of heroes in their house. The hall of heroes all include men. Why can’t a woman join that wall of heroes?

Her older and very close brother, Finley, decides to join the military and fight in the Vietnam War. While their parents throw Finley a going away party, Frankie meets Rye (one of Finley’s best friends). Rye is also joining the military to go overseas and fight in the Vietnam War. One of my favorite quotes that Rye tells her throughout this novel is “Women can be heroes.” Even though I just finished this novel, this quote will resonate with me throughout the rest of my life.

Women can be heroes.

I do not want to spoil the rest of this incredible story for you but I will only tell the main points throughout it. There are a few things that I find funny when a nurse wants to go overseas to help bring our injured boys back home to their loved ones. When a nurse wants to join the Navy or the Air Force, they have to have two years state side hospital experience prior to basic training. In the Army, nurses could go out right away after basic training. Frankie joined the Army once she heard those rules. Nowadays, those rules could have changed. I am not sure.

SPOILER! Before Frankie flew off to Vietnam, her family got an unexpected visit from the military at the family house. Finley had been shot down in the middle of the war. No human remains were found. The family was shocked…Frankie’s parents did not want her to go to the war but she still went anyways because she is her own person.

While stationed in Vietnam (outside Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)), Frankie because very close to two nurses: Ethel and Barb. Barb was an African American nurse which was very rare in the 60s. After the war ended, they were all still the best of friends.

A lot of different things were happening in the United States during the Vietnam War. Everything telling LBJ (Lyndon B Johnson) and Nixon to stop the war because, in my very honest opinion, it was pointless. It did absolutely nothing for our relationship with Asia or throughout the world. American boys were burning their draft cards while American women were burning their bras in protest to the war.

One of the bloodiest days in the Vietnam War was January 31, 1968. It was called the Tet Offensive which was a massive coordinated attack across the country.

There was no winning in war. Not this war anyway. There was just pain and death and destruction; good men coming home either broken beyond repair or in body bags, and bombs dropping on civilians. How could all this death and destruction be the way to stop communism?

pg. 141, “The Women”

Frankie had served two tours in Vietnam. Both her best friends, Ethel and Barb, both have returned back to the United States safely. They corresponded by letters all the time. Frankie had returned back home on March 14, 1969. Her parents did not give one crap that she had returned home even when they begged her not to go to Vietnam.

Love means never having to say you’re sorry.

Now as I said earlier, I do not want to completely spoil this book but I do want to give my thoughts over how the women were looked at after the Vietnam War. There were so many protests towards the ending of the war regarding the POWs and how the veterans were treated. Many of these veterans were treated like complete shit. Women were not even seen in the eyes of many during the war and even after the war! It is like women did not have their own voice throughout the entire war. They were expected to stay at home and keep up with everyday things, like childcare, every day house things etc. Frankie (and the rest of the nurses) made their voices heard!

It seems like it has taken forever and a day, but women are finally gaining their exposure and respect throughout the military. Men and women should be equal when it comes to getting ready for war or whatever occupation both men and women want in their respective lives. As reading this story, it just really pissed me off that women simply did not exist during the Vietnam War unless they were at home stateside. They were like ghosts when they were busy saving lives in the war hospitals. Besides women simply did not “existing,” suicide rates and PTSD rates were very high amongst Vietnam War veterans.

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.

Thank you for reading something that I was really looking forward to reading. I hope you enjoyed this review/commentary.