The Women by Kristin Hannah

Narrated by Julia Whelan

Historical (Vietnam) Fiction

I listened to The Women by Kristin Hannah over Christmas, fully expecting it to be my final addition to my Best of 2024 list. It had been everywhere, won tons of awards and was hyped to the max, so I went in blind—didn’t even read the blurb.

Honestly? It kind of ruined Christmas for me.

This was one of the most depressing books I’ve ever read. The first half? Excellent. So good that I immediately recommended it to my mom, only to find out she’d already read it and wasn’t a fan. And then I understood why.

Frankie McGrath is young, sheltered, and naive when she follows her brother’s footsteps to Vietnam and joined the Army Nurse Corps, thinking she’s answering a noble call. She has no idea what she’s walking into. The Women doesn’t shy away from the horrors of war. The blood, the loss, the impossible choices these women had to make. As gut-wrenching as it was, I still appreciated it. These women were heroes. Selfless, brave, and absolutely essential. Their friendships, their resilience, and the way they were respected in Vietnam made for a gripping read.

But then she came home.

And that’s where everything unraveled.

The way these women were treated upon their return was appalling—ignored, dismissed, even spit on. Many people, even within the military, denied that women had even served in Vietnam at all. Frankie’s life crumbled, her PTSD worsening with every page, and there was no relief, no light at the end of the tunnel. I expected some hardship, but this book just kept hitting her with one devastating blow after another. The Women left me in a days-long funk, and honestly, if my kids hadn’t been home, it could have been worse.

Likes:

The seemingly accurate stories of the women who served.
Highlighting the incredible bravery and resilience of these women.
The lives they saved and the men they comforted when they couldn’t be saved.
I’m glad someone told their story.

Dislikes:

Okay, this one is on me. I’m a romance reader, and I was hoping for even a glimmer of an HEA, but things just kept spiraling darker and darker.

The Narration:

Julia Whelan is an incredible narrator, but for me, something about her voice always feels melancholy. Or maybe it’s just that I tend to associate her with really heavy books? Either way, her narration didn’t help my overall experience.

The Down & Dirty:

I wanted to love The Women. I truly thought it would be a no-brainer for my Best of 2024 list. But in the end, it was just too bleak for me. I’m so glad these women’s stories were told, but I wish Frankie could have caught a break somewhere along the way.