Dorie - Cats&Books :) 's Reviews > The Women

***HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY - ONE OF MY TOP 5 BOOKS OF 2023 ***

There have been books written about some things that occurred in the 60’s – the music, the activism, the “summer of love”, the protests over the war, but this is the first book that I’ve read that has touched my heart so deeply.

If not for a high lottery number, my husband would have been one of the thousands of young men who fought in this senseless war.

Women have been largely ignored in most wars and it seems the same was the case in the Vietnam War (the Vietnamese called it the American war). The government misinformed the public about so much, including the fact that WOMEN WERE THERE TOO!

Frankie McGrath’s brother has just enlisted and she decides to follow him, she enlists in the Army. Just out of nursing school and only 20 years old, she has no idea what to expect. She had lived a sheltered life on Coronado island, her parents were well off and she had an idyllic childhood.

Once in Vietnam she is thrust into taking care of severely wounded men, horrible living conditions and a lack of trained staff. She is unprepared for what is ahead. She will not only learn nursing in extreme conditions but eventually taught how to do surgical procedures. Her base camp had one doctor and three nurses along with medics to care for the hundreds of injured men. Frankie came to dread the sound of helicopters approaching!!

She is fortunate to have incredible roommates who will be her friends for life. She learns love and heartache, loss, anger and frustration.

Upon returning home, there is no welcome, not even from her parents. After all of the parades and sit-ins to protest the war, no one seems to want to SEE THOSE WHO FOUGHT FOR THEIR COUNTRY.

Eventually with lots of help Frankie carves out a life. She had to hit rock bottom before she got help. She struggled with PTSD, depression, alcoholism and betrayal on her path to a new life.

The author states that this was a book that she had wanted to write for a long time. I applaud you Ms. Hannah for putting your heart and incredible research into this book.

“Women can be heroes too” – and they so often are even though their voices aren’t always heard.

I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Edelweiss. It was my pleasure to read and review this title.