The WomenThe Women
What it's about
In 1965, Frankie McGrath is a sheltered twenty-year-old nursing student in Southern California when she hears that women can be heroes too. When her brother ships out to Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and is thrown into the chaos of combat hospitals, where she learns to save lives in impossible conditions and finds lasting friendships. But the hardest war starts when she comes home, to a country that doesn't want to hear about the women who served.
Why it's worth reading
Kristin Hannah gives voice to a group history almost forgot, the women who served in Vietnam, and the result is deeply emotional storytelling that has made readers everywhere cry. It's a tribute as much as a novel.
You'll love it if you liked
The Four Winds
All the Light We Cannot See
The Frozen RiverGood to know
The war scenes are graphic, and the second half deals with PTSD, addiction and loss. Have tissues nearby.
By the numbers
- Readers99 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller91 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz49 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #4 of the 116 historical novels we rank
- #7 of the 481 new books we rank
- #28 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
More by Kristin Hannah
The NightingaleThe Four Winds
The Great Alone
Home FrontIf you like this, read next
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My Friends
The Safekeep
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Quick answers
Is The Women worth reading?
Yes. Kristin Hannah gives voice to a group history almost forgot, the women who served in Vietnam, and the result is deeply emotional storytelling that has made readers everywhere cry. It ranks #28 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 91.0 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Women about?
In 1965, Frankie McGrath is a sheltered twenty-year-old nursing student in Southern California when she hears that women can be heroes too. When her brother ships out to Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and is thrown into the chaos of combat hospitals, where she learns to save lives in impossible conditions and finds lasting friendships. But the hardest war starts when she comes home, to a country that doesn't want to hear about the women who served.
How long does it take to read The Women?
About 12 hours (464 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has The Women won?
Goodreads Choice (historical fiction) winner (2024).
What should I read after The Women?
If you liked it, try The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah, All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr or The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon.