Storyline: 5 Stars
Vietnam. I have only read a few Vietnam books, and I have loved them all. There are so many books about the world wars, which of course are of great importance, but I think that there is so much unknown about Vietnam for the regular citizens. I am always heartbroken when I read about Vietnam. So many deaths for no definite purpose, unlike World War II, and those veterans who were there treated so horribly. It breaks my heart when I read or think about it.
The Women was fantastic. Most of the Vietnam books that I have read do not follow the character after the war, and I know I read some reviews of people disliking the second half, I actually really enjoyed it. Kristen Hannah always does a fantastic job of writing epics that span over a long period of time. So many emotions, so much heartache, but a heartwarming ending. I will definitely recommend this book to others!
Parental Guidance: 65% Recommend
The Women was similar to other Kristen Hannah books. I would recommend it 65% of the time. There was not frequent swearing, although the parts of the book in Vietnam there was more swearing than the other parts. I am sure the swearing was nothing compared to what it was actually like, but it was not obnoxious swearing. The “F*ck” word was used a few times, but again, it was mostly during the parts of the book in Vietnam.
There was romance, including kissing and implied s*xual relationships. There was a paragraph or two that I skipped, but it was not too bad. There was also drunkedness and drugs, mostly used to cope with the trauma of Vietnam. It was not glorified, and it was sad more than anything else.
The most traumatic part of the book was the violence. With the book being based in Vietnam, there were bombs, graphic wounds, death, and a lot more. The descriptions were not overly graphic, but they were definitely disturbing. They did the job of making the reader really hurt for the characters and the Vietnam veterans.
Real Book Chat
*Spoilers Ahead*
Okay, I’ve been waiting to get into the real talk for this book! The Women. I loved the women in the book. Their relationships were strong, and they supported each other without question.
The men in the book . . . I liked some and disliked others. I liked Jamie from the start, but was disapointed that he was married. I really appreciate that the relationship was built and never romantic every happened. Now, Jamie would have been willing and probably had cheated on his wife, which I didn’t like that part of him, but I appreciated that he and Frankie never did anything. And I knew he was going to come back at the end! I was happy that he came by the end. Rys . . . I never liked him. I know he inspired Frankie to go to Vietnam, but even in the beginning Frankie knew what kind of guy he was. He was a big liar, and I did not trust him when he told her that he was not engaged. I also figured that he would come back as a POW, and I disliked him even more when he lied AGAIN. Yes, it’s partly Frankie’s fault for believing him again and having the affair, but Rys is really at fault. Henry was a great guy. I liked him all around. Unmarried, no cheating, just a widower who loved Frankie. I know that it was not a good start and was not based on love, but it was based in security and hope. I honestly felt bad for him when Frankie broke it off, but I was happy to know that he eventually did get married to someone who loved him because he deserved it!
My heart broke for Frankie the entire way through the book. In Vietnam, I couldn’t imagine going through all that, and her experienced at home were terrible. I was so annoyed with her parents, but I am glad that they came to the memorial at the very end of the book. I read some reviews from those that did not like the second half of the book, but I actually appreciated it. A lot of books do not talk about what happens after the war, and this one did. Kristen Hannah does a great job writing her epics that span across time.
Definitely a 5 star from me!
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