Thank you so much for putting up this video, I knew I didn't like this book for some reason but I really couldn't verbalize why and I think you did it. Thanks again for your insight here. I didn't know that she has such a huge history of novels, I'm going to go check more out cuz I really did enjoy this writing style.
Glad it was helpful in that way! I knew I just needed to get it off my chest because it bothered me. She is a great author and I will keep reading her books this one just didn’t work for me. Thanks! 😊
SPOILERS: Completely agree - this was my first Kristin Hannah book and I was very disappointed. A lot of good intentions but the core story was like a lifetime movie. So many characters were one note like a Nora Roberts book - no depth for most of the book. There was no mention of childhood friends until the one disastrous party. Befuddling romances. TWO main characters coming back from the dead. Even the characters in Vietnam - was every one there kind and accepting (with Top gun style parties) while everyone at home was rigid and deluded in their rich world? Were her parents THAT cruel? (They were more fully developed later at least) To the good, the book powerfully portrayed the sights and smells of Vietnam and the horrors of the war, impact on the soldiers and civilians. To your point, it would have been great to have more of the story from other women’s point of view. Frankie was super privileged - no matter how far she fell she had money, a house on the beach, a car. What would her PTSD have looked like on a woman who had to struggle to make ends meet?
I definitely don't agree. I absolutely loved this book. It felt so real and emotional that I googled to see if Hannah had served herself and was bringing personal experience into it. I assumed that some liberties had been taken to move the plot along. We didn't necessarily need to read about every step she took between enlisting and seeing her first casualties. It's historical fiction, not a documentary. I think it's fine to suspend disbelief to get to the heart of the story. I do agree that if someone was going to come back from the dead, I expected it to be Finley!
Literally I counted the number of sentences that Hannah used to write the DRUNK DRIVING ACCIDENT that was supposed to be Frankie’s rock bottom. I was floored. Imo, there shouldn’t have been a love story at all. I think it would have been better if Frankie left a partner behind stateside after they had a disagreement about her going off to war, and I wish she had more resolve and drive about it instead of this sense of, “oh, well I may as well go to Nam anyway. What else am I gonna do?” Then in Vietnam I wish all these trials that Frankie faced were at the side of other nurses, not her relationship with the doctor. There’s 0 reason it couldn’t have been Barb or Ethel giving her the “no fear, McGrath,” etc.
I totally agree with you. I was looking forward to this book as I have enjoyed some of her other books. Years ago I read a memoir from a real Vietnam war nurse called Home Before Morning by Lynda Van Devanter. After reading this memoir this fiction book fell flat. Too many cliches in her fictionalized story. The real story in Lynda’s words is far superior to Kristin’s made up story.
Oh thank you - I will have to keep an eye out for that one! I know so many did love this one so it’s cool we have options and don’t all have to love the same thing. 🧡
My main problem with the book was that it was still male-centered with the many love interests she had and not centered on her friends who had amazing stories that could have been told. There were many times when I felt like putting the book down because all Frankie seemed to focus on was a male love interest or lack there of.
Spoiler alert! I completely agree. For a book called The Women, it was about *a lot* of men. And cliche and/or toxic relationships. So much of it was unrealistic, and a lot of it was like watching a train wreck in slow motion. Like, “no, don’t do that!” a bunch of times. Oh, and I knew Jamie couldn’t be dead because otherwise why was he even in the book?
Ooo I love seeing spicy Kristin with unpopular opinions! So I gave the book 4.5 stars but honestly it hasn’t stuck with me since finishing it and your review has made me rethink. I too didn’t care for the romance. Lots of rolling my eyes with all those scenes. But I thought we got a real look at someone who felt alone and survived, made it through, and dealt with a lot of hard stuff and there was hope in the end. That arc of the story worked for me. I also have never read anything about Vietnam, so I felt like I learned a lot about the actual war perspective. I agree about how amazing would it be to have her brother come back (or even more backstory on their relationship). Thanks for sharing all your thoughts!!
Glad that it does work for others! I think the distractions just didn’t allow me to connect with Frankie enough and I was ready for more depth in places it wasn’t. I did truly appreciate the feel of that war and found that in alignment with all else I have studied / heard about. Thanks for appreciating the spice. 🤣
I disagree I’m a britt and was totally enthralled by this book we read it in our book club and gave it 8/10. I did not know a lot about the Vietnam war. and it’s horrors it really brought to life the loss of life and the politics of the era
I liked the book a lot and recommend it all around so I was curious to see why you didnt like it. The review is fascinating to watch because I just feel we were focused on completely different aspects of the story. For me the whole time was the focus on Frankie‘s psyche and how her mind dealt with trauma, romance, healing, disenchantment, family relationships, friend relationships, sense of identity and motivation to keep going… The things you mentioned - yeah they are there - but for me those are completely overshadowed by the amazing story of the human mind and how life can transform it. From that perspective, the emotional impact and character development (albeit for only one single character) were phenomenal for me. So thats why I personally liked the book :) But youre right, thats why literature is so great - we get to discuss over it and noones opinion is right or wrong.
This one was special for me because I grew up on stories from a beloved father figure who was in Vietnam. She had a few lines that brought back memories from his stories. I pictured him in many scenes, and was weeping towards the end when they were at the memorial because, he was there that day. I struggled with the relationships and the modern use of names, but overall I enjoyed the book and this was my first Hannah book so I didn't have as high expectations as others.
This was my first Kristen Hannah book as well, but not my last! I liked it so much that I decided to read her more well-known one, The Nightingale! Wow! I can't say enough good about The Nightingale! It was absolutely fantastic! I liked The Women; I loved The Nightingale!
Thanks for your review, Which I thought was great. I'd already decided not to read another Hannah who I was not a big fan of but the topic was of great interest to me as I lived through so much of it. I did not want a cheesy type story about it. If you know of a better book you would recommend on the topic of the Vietnam war I would love to hear it. Great video.
Just for the record the Army did recruit nurses right out of nursing school during the Vietnam War. And for the record Frankie was in last year of nursing school working to graduate early and had done so. You might want to read the book again plus it's also a work of historical fiction.
The real key is likely just suspending disbelief for a work of fiction and I didn’t do a good job being in that place for this one. If he brother going to Vietnam for his first term of a year of service was a key reason she was going then completing that course and being recruited wouldn’t have happened before he was killed - maybe I missed something but really again it’s best to just go with these things. Happy it didn’t bother most people. What we take with us into a book does change it but that’s also part of the beauty of reading and why it is both fun and crazy how different books work for different people: thank you for the information.
So spot on! I love Kristin Hannah. The Nightingale and The Four Winds were written so beautifully. I felt for the characters, was invested in them. I couldn’t stand Frankie, she just kept making me angry. The pace was a mess also. Very disappointing. Glad I read it and will continue to read her books, but completely agree with you!
I totally agree with it being titled The Women, we should have had individual chapters of more women than just Frankie. This book should have been titled something like A Woman in 'Nam/Vietnam. I did notice the comment from the nurse on goodreads, but I don't recall what service she served, it did state in the book that Frankie tried the Navy and the Air Force and they did tell her she had to serve stateside time first before going over. Army said they'd take her now and send her over now. With all that said, I still did really like the book. I grew up on that beach! Probably my most favorite beach, and I've been to many beaches. My dad, biological father, stepfather were stationed there on North Island. My dad and bio-father, continued working there after getting back from Vietnam. They had to take they ferry over, the bridge was there by the time I was born. Don't recall what year they opened the second bridge.
Yes the title I think should be “women can be heroes” since it was all about her struggle to make peace with that / her family. I’m glad you liked it 😊 the beach yesssss 🏝️ ☀️
So disappointing! Your review was spot-on. So much dialogue but no emotional response or reaction. No feeling! Whatever happened to show, not tell? The writing seemed robotic and contrived. I started to count the number of times she described what someone was wearing. It was as if she wanted to make sure we knew she researched the time period. Ugh! One star for me.
I love reviews like this. I don’t often think critically about books, I either enjoy it or don’t and I don’t dig too much deeper. That being said, I gave this book 5 stars, the emotions it evoked for me had me hooked. Looking at it from a different lense though, the connection between the women was more so told to us rather than actually portrayed through the writing. I also hated the plot twist of Ry lying over and over again. It felt unbelievable by the end and kind of thrown in for emotional effect. Which I feel perhaps the same could be true for a lot of this book. I also felt throughout this book I made a lot of excuses for Frankie’s terrible decisions over and over again because she had been so much throughout the war, but I think I was actually annoyed 😅 Thanks for your thoughtful review, I always love to hear others perspectives
It was a decision and I don’t regret it- her books prior to Firefly Lane were very romance and not quite my thing but I did like them when ready for that.
I’m confused you mentioned that Frankie or Francis was corresponded back home and she had nieces and nephews but she was the only child after her brother passed away so I don’t remember reading about nieces and nephews
@@kizzywilliams7604 ya know someone else mentioned that the modern names did technically exist back then which is true. I gave the book away to someone else to enjoy so now I can’t look it up for you- but it was a letter her mom wrote her updating about home life and mentioned the family births. I may have misunderstood or misjudged that comment but overall my feelings remain it wasn’t thought through enough for me. Thanks for watching and taking time to comment.
I didn’t hate this book, but I didn’t love it. The romance aspect read as daytime drama plots and I feel she just scratched the surface on PTSD. The friends weren’t realistic to me either because they were just one dimensional characters who were at the main character’s beck and call. No, no, and no.
I couldn't agree more! We're reading this for our book club this month, and I'm pretty sure I'll be the outlier. Before I started, I had a feeling this was going to be one of those books where the author piles on the tragedy, trying to manipulate the reader into feeling something. The only thing I felt were my eyes rolling. This is only my second KH book, the first being Magic Hour (which I thought was decent), and I really have no desire to read another one.
@@georgiemerson5255 yes this one just wasn’t for me. Not every author works for us and that’s ok. My favorite by far is the Nightingale- still some romance but doesn’t at all feel like the focus.
Oooo - interesting!! I’m going to have to come and watch the rest of this once I’ve read it to let you know if I agree! My expectations are tempered though 😂
I'm 100 pages in. My friend in another country and I are reading partners and she raved about this book and absolutely loved it. I'm 100 pages in and am wondering why she was so enamored with it. So I am grateful to find out at least one other person feels the same way.
Yes one of the very few authors I have. Have you read The Nightingale? If you do read her it’s the way to go - just have to be ready for another novel on WW2- but it’s worthy. I just had my expectations too high for this one.
it's too new to be a movie just yet but maybe someday. There are movies out there showing the horrors of Vietnam but none that I know of about the women. the one that I first saw and sticks with me is Platoon. I am in favor of this history and these stories being honored! maybe others know of some?
I am looking forward to reading this so we will see where I land as, I too, have enjoyed so many of her books. Will have to come back for your thoughts on spoilers once I read the book. 😊💙
You are not wrong. It’s a story that needs to be told and I think is reaching a lot of people that had no idea, so that’s good. But you’re right there are so many obvious flaws. I would give it three stairs.
I 100% Disagree. The Vietnam Veteran's need all of the support that Americans can muster. As a 'native' Californian,. I can relate to growing up on Coranado Island BEFORE the bridge was built. The parents, who lived a country club lifestyle add to the background of this book. Remember that the Vietnam Memorial was built 10 years AFTER the 'fall of Saigon'.
I enjoyed Firefly Lane, but not every boom is for everyone. Appreciate the honest feedback. It can help people who know what you like and don’t like compare to their own preferences and make the best decision for them. Sorry this one didn’t work out for you but hope your next read is a better fit 😊
I think, as usual, it's a clash of expectations and reality. I bet you can imagine if folks didn't have great expectations for this book, they would think it's just great.
That was my opening disclaimer that I had very high expectations. Some books do live up to my expectations but I am happy that most people liked it even though it didn’t do it for me. Thanks for watching and your input.
It is interesting that I think your review would be spot on for Nightingale and Great Alone that you loved (and honestly other books of hers). This is her style, more of a pop literature and easy read. Not sure why you had such high expectations, it is good for what it is.
I was looking forward to this book. I was a child during the Viet Nam years. Fortunately, the men in my family fought in the Korean War and they all made it home with minor-to-no injuries. I had no personal connections/losses with VN. I had hoped this story would have been more action/medicine and little sex or drug use. (Drugs were rampant in VN.) But mistakes like unlimited long-distance calls is repellent to me. And these would have been trans-Pacific as well. Thanks for the heads-up.
She did a decent job showing some war but the story line was distracting and the calls were in US but still just wasnt believable to me the relationships. I bet there are better books out there for us.
Yes!!!! Thank god! I loved the first part of the book. It all started going downhill when ry came into the picture and the whole damn book became about a stupid baby. I also realized that Kristin Hannah really has a complex with writing her “perfect but still a badass” characters that are really one dimensional. I actually had to stop reading this book was so bad. The nightingale was her best work by far.
I didn’t mark the page but at one point there were births and names and it felt too modern to me even if there were some people named that way back then. Just little things started to really irritate me because I was already cranky. Ha!
Hmm…wow, I just finished this book and loved it…..remember it is a work of fiction based on historical fact, for me it brought e back to that time in my late high school days and nursing school..seeing the news and all the demonstrations this book brought tears to my eyes a few times and I feel the author did a great job in telling the story of how Frankie was so inexperienced and quickly with the help of her comrades came to excel in her role as a nurse , the book showed the raw emotions of people during wartime I thought very well…maybe as you suggest parts could have been embellished a lot more but I think the focus was on this one person who represented many more and the author did it well in my opinion. She did an excellent job in showing what these veterans went through after coming home and especially women who could not find the help how difficult their personal lives became and dependance on drugs and alcohol to cope.
I think her early romance are perfectly fine for standard romance- I’m not much into that but when I am it’s cute enough- and I like some of her historical fiction but not this one. Thanks! 😊
Girl, thank you!!! I was going crazy seeing all of these positive reviews. This is the worst book I’ve read this year. One of my biggest issues is the title. The Women. Ma’am. What women??? Our protagonist quite literally lives and dies for men’s attention. Her female friends were basically human boomerangs, always coming back around with no personality or personal motivation. The whole book is a very cringe #girlboss take on the issue. And I felt her only research was watching Forrest Gump lol. Sorry to dump all this on you I just finished and im mad.
Hi! It sounds like Kristin Hannah blew it. I like your review and your ability to articulate it. I’m not a KH fan. Her previous books were just too sad for me.
Yes she has written some sad books and this one is sad for good reason- her taking us to Vietnam was great - the story itself just drove me crazy distracting from the points that should have been powerful. Thanks for your comment 😊
Thank you for your review! No, it is not just you. I recently discovered Kristin Hannah through some literature/book presentation shows that I quite enjoy - and whose reviews I trust to mostly hit my taste. I started with The Nightingale and am now reading The Women. This although in both books, there is for example this lack of care/research of the author to choose adequate names for her characters. This is a detail that spoils my reading experience. For ex. in the Nightingale - I am of French mother-tongue - the name Viane disturbed me all along, and the unrealistic achievements of Isabelle, as described, in particular when crossing the Pyrenees so many times, taking the German soldiers for fools, made me sigh on too many occasions. I was interested to learn more about the role (and acknowledgement of their work) of women during the Vietnam war and this conflict in general, thus decided to purchase The Women. I did welcome the fact that Hannah gives the otherwise ignored war nurses a voice. As much as I welcome the behind-the-scene view coupled with the official presentation of this sorry situation, I, here again, find too many repetitive and sloppy jumping around in this book, and would also have liked to know more about the other women involved. The romance and sudden jump from "dead on feet" or ankle-deep in blood in the OR to cocktails on the white beach make me cringe. Although I am already struggling with its second part, I will finish this book and will probably come to the conclusion that in spite of so many happy readers and great subjects dealt with, Kristin Hannah books do not work for me. Last but not least, not mentioning the references to Linda Van Devanter's Book Home before morning, is what really makes me angry.
Thank you so much for all your thoughts- I hope they can help other people as well and I know no French so didn’t know about the names in The Nightingale. I did really love that book but maybe it helps to not know as much 😊 happy reading!! 📖
I enjoyed so much The four winds, The Great alone, and The Nightingale and was looking forward to reading The Women, but because of some of the reviews I have read, I don't think so at this time.❤
I’m glad I listened to your breakdown of Kristen Hanna‘s new book. The women because I sort of have really bad memories being 77 years old and having been married when all the guys I knew were going over to Vietnam getting killed coming back with stories that you don’t wanna repeat, knowing it was a war, we could’ve totally avoided if we had a political heads on right so I was reading it. So I will not buy that one. Tell us about some others you read that you really liked besides the obvious ones.
I love this book! Ethel and Barb can write their own books from their own perspectives. Hahaha. As for Henry, I think most people don’t need war to corrupt them in order to make bad decisions. People are more than capable of making bad choices on their own. I would have never ended up with the good guy that I didn’t love just because it was the right thing to do.
I have to agree with you- disappointed by this book and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. Frankie was not a well-developed character and I found her to be much too much of an innocent- and artificially so- and the relationships between her and literally everyone else in the book are under-developed, cliched, and incredibly...dare I say...dull.
Linda Van Deventer's book is indeed mentioned in the acknowledgements. Getting to the end of The Women, I was surprised that the author did not first let Frankie notice that Jamie's name was missing on the engraved memorial stone and send her around for another 200 pages, before she finds him. Just kidding. I regret to say that I had this love-hate relationship with both books and will not buy a 3rd one.
Oh that would have been a good plot twist- actually if he had been alive but still in a coma (the wife left over it) and then she brings him out of it- what about that??! 🤣
I’m not sure exactly why this book had such power over me, with all of its melodrama and soap opera embellishments, but the story just grabbed me by the throat. The women in The Women, however, were way too two-dimensional. Hannah should definitely have provided their perspectives.
Wow--the biggest disappointment ever?! I've not read any of Hannah's books (although I own one, The Great Alone), but I was sort of intrigued by this one because of the subject matter. I'm sorry this didn't meet your expectations. I'll probably skip it. Like you, I feel very connected to the Vietnam War. Just curious, did you watch the show China Beach back in the early 90s? I've also got a memoir by a Vietnam nurse on my shelf to read, called Home before morning. (And on a kind of funny note--I graduated HS in 1987, and I knew a Braden.)
It may be ever for me. I loved the Great Alone- I never understood why where the Crawdads sing was so hyped (don’t love that one) and the Great Alone wasn’t more praised. I know of that show but didn’t watch all them. All the movies and books about Vietnam get to me. And ok on Braden but I still say it wasn’t the best choice 🤣
I gave this one 5 stars. I really loved it. I get the disappointment though when you expect to love a book and don’t. That’s how I was with Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Everyone loved that book and I wanted to so bad but I just really didn’t like it 😅
I felt the same way. Did love Four Winds. That whole 'he's an asshole,' while she's doing the same thing...staying with a man she didn't really love. Let's be clear. Women can be as creepy as men.
Mmm I'm going to have to respectfully disagree. If there were multiple POVs it would not have been as good and we wouldn't have had enough time to have the main character grow on us. She did research to the point of using real events that happened in some people's lives. Part of the reason Frankie had learned her skills within a shorter time is because it is war and no one will be prepared for it, which is exactly part of what she wants to make us aware of. She did an excellent job of writing a historical fiction book that many different people would enjoy. Whether you normally like romance, fiction, historical fiction, action etc. We can all enjoy it and learn from it. I did love your review though, you are so lovely, you dislike something kindly. The world would be a boring place if we all liked the same stuff! I must admit, I wasn't a big fan of the affair part either... would be my only reason for lowering the rating.
Ya know I am good with those thoughts. The book does work for many people and I am happy for that. Was just sad for me. Thanks for the other perspective- that can be helpful to others and I appreciate the time and thoughts. Happy reading!!
Hannah has tackled a huge subject in this novel. For her to have embellished on the characters further would have made the book too heavy to lift. Frankie is a young naive girl at the start of the story and before she can mature to the point of figuring out her life she becomes overwhelmed by the events in Vietnam. She has a self destructive personality. Hannah does not make the reader like all the characters in her books. I absolutely hated the mother in ‘The Great Alone’ for not protecting her daughter so much so that it nearly ruined the book for me. I started The Women with no expectations and enjoyed it. I got emotional at the end. I loved the way Hannah recreated the time the novel takes place through music and clothes and room descriptions. My rating? Thumbs up. As they said on American Bandstand, “it had a good beat and was easy to dance to”.
Thank you for your thoughts! I don’t need to like characters as likable but I do like to connect and that happens differently for us all. It would have been better if I hadn’t had such high expectations.
My bookclub will be discussing this novel next week. I have sent members a link to your review. I found it thoughtful and I’m sure it will add a great deal to our conversation.
@@donaldadams1549 thanks! I am happy to be the unpopular opinion to discuss but overall I do appreciate Kristin Hannah and think I just had way too high expectations.
While I respectfully disagree with your opinion, I do have have to say a messed up mind does lead you to make bad choices. There were too many coincidences but I loved this book.
Thank you for your review. I did not like this book at all. The concept was good. I wanted to celebrate the role of women in the Viet Nam. I thought it was shallow, it lacked a full exploration of the other key female roles. Speaking as a retired AF Nurse - I wish it had been better.
I agree. Highly disappointed. I think I teared up once when children were involved. Not my usual reaction to one of her books. I just didn’t feel anywhere near invested in the characters as I did and, as you said, too many things happened too fast. Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler The Jamie storyline ruined the book for me. I understand she needed a catalyst to hitting bottom, but that was already there in many forms. His return didn’t need to be there. It felt trite and too easy.
Yes that was the biggest frustration Spoiler If he was alive even though married he should have let her know especially if he was then divorced! Just seemed too calculated. That did me in. I will try again though- I do love her as an author this one just wasn’t it for me.
AGREED. Not an intellectually stimulating book. POP FICTION/BEACH READ regarding an important historical event....especially for women's roles in society then and now. UGH!!
I 100% agree with your review. This was my first KH book (read for a book club), and I didn't care for it at all. The writing was repetitive and had a lot of tell vs show. It was so man-centered for a book that was supposed to be about women. The characters were flat and needed to be fleshed out more. I disliked Frankie as a protagonist. I absolutely hated the Insta-love romances. I'll stop there, though I could go on. This book could have been so much more, but it missed the mark for me. I did not enjoy my reading experience, and I don't plan to read another book by her.
Oh well I am thankful to not be the only one. Really wanted this to be five star and honestly hope it still is for some. Thanks for letting me know I’m not alone.
I strongly disagree. While it wasn't my favorite KH, it was a solid 4 stars. And 93% of the ratings on Goodreads are 4 and 5 stars. If you go into a KH novel with the expectation that it's going to be on the level as say, Sarah's Key, you will be disappointed.
I found myself getting nauseated with the bad romance and non-stop tragedy in the second half of the book. Some of those elements felt very repetitive. Overall, I still say it was a decent read. Totally agree we should have heard more from Barb and Ethel.
I honestly liked the bad romances. Made feel like I wasn’t the only person to fall for the crap from lying jerks. And romance is a huge part of a persons 20s. Particularly during a time when women were expected to get married and have babies. That said I would have loved to hear from the perspectives of other women. Like maybe have the lives of Frankie, Ethel and Barbara
@@jAm117799 I get that perspective- and yes one crazy romance is ok I just found these to be distracting for me personally. I recognize it works for most people. Thanks for sharing 😊
I do appreciate your opiinion, however, I disagree. I felt this was a 5 star. What a shame that you are turning people away from this one. This was not a biography, it is a work of fiction, a novel. Maybe you should read the resource materal given at the end of the book to hear the voice of the humans that were there in Nam. This book can be a gateway for people to turn to non-fiction to learn more. To me, this is a story about how war completely shatters not only people, but families. i think she did a good of doing that, as well as shedding light on the Vietnam War and how difficult that time was for soldiers that were there and for those that came back home. She could have done more of a deep dive into so many areas, but then you would have a 3,000 page book. She probably HAD to edit down a ton of material--she spoke about the protests, the music, the violence here at home. I read the audio book and the narrator was fantastic. I never cry over books, yet this one had me in tears over and over. Ms. Hannah herself recorded the afterword and that also, had me in tears. I felt that this was nearly a perfect work of fiction, and I highly recommend it.
Sadly, the types of problems you found in this book are very consistent with what I've seen in all the books of hers that I've read. But I'm certainly in the minority. The books I've read were for my irl book club, but that recently fell apart, so I won't be reading this one.
While I enjoyed the first half, there were some glaring errors even there for something that is supposed to be so researched (like how often the women just hop in the chopper of some flyboy whenever they ask). Also, Hannah keeps using the same phrases to drive home a point. As others have said, she doesn’t show, she tells (the same thing over & over). For example, “ There are no women in Vietnam”. She could have made the point of how the women were disrespected in multiple ways upon coming home. Instead nearly EVERYONE Frankie meets after the war says this exact same thing - even fellow vets. It’s ridiculous! Did everyone have sudden amnesia of nurses who had also served in Korea, WWII, etc? It was irritating! And don’t get me started on the romances. Utterly ludicrous.
I think it all comes down to what we expect! Ha - I hear ya! I didn’t mind the Goldfinch and plan to read secret friend but it didn’t quite live up to the hype.
@@EntertheBook I read The Secret History in the 90s and loved it. I loved The Little Friend. I was so excited for The Goldfinch... I listened to the audiobook and wondered if that was my error. But, alas, I don't think k so. Many people didn't like The Little Friend. It is kinda southern Gothic. I thought it was great.
I couldn’t disagree with you more. The book is brilliant. “We have the same name….” You ramble on and on and you are guilty of the criticism you give the book.
I’m glad you liked it. Everyone gets their experiences with books and I likely had too high expectations. I never claim to be perfect just sharing my opinion. Thanks for stopping by.
It’s interesting that you made the choice to video yourself for 22 minutes to criticize this book. Are you a writer as well as a book club member? I think it’s much easier to pick apart the plot of another author than to write your own novel.
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Thank you so much for putting up this video, I knew I didn't like this book for some reason but I really couldn't verbalize why and I think you did it. Thanks again for your insight here. I didn't know that she has such a huge history of novels, I'm going to go check more out cuz I really did enjoy this writing style.
Glad it was helpful in that way! I knew I just needed to get it off my chest because it bothered me. She is a great author and I will keep reading her books this one just didn’t work for me. Thanks! 😊
SPOILERS: Completely agree - this was my first Kristin Hannah book and I was very disappointed. A lot of good intentions but the core story was like a lifetime movie. So many characters were one note like a Nora Roberts book - no depth for most of the book. There was no mention of childhood friends until the one disastrous party. Befuddling romances. TWO main characters coming back from the dead. Even the characters in Vietnam - was every one there kind and accepting (with Top gun style parties) while everyone at home was rigid and deluded in their rich world? Were her parents THAT cruel? (They were more fully developed later at least)
To the good, the book powerfully portrayed the sights and smells of Vietnam and the horrors of the war, impact on the soldiers and civilians.
To your point, it would have been great to have more of the story from other women’s point of view. Frankie was super privileged - no matter how far she fell she had money, a house on the beach, a car. What would her PTSD have looked like on a woman who had to struggle to make ends meet?
Thanks for your comments!
100% what a left down!
I’m really glad I found this video. I was thinking that I was the only one who thought about the book in this way
thanks for taking time to stop by and guess I'm not the only one either.
I definitely don't agree. I absolutely loved this book. It felt so real and emotional that I googled to see if Hannah had served herself and was bringing personal experience into it. I assumed that some liberties had been taken to move the plot along.
We didn't necessarily need to read about every step she took between enlisting and seeing her first casualties. It's historical fiction, not a documentary. I think it's fine to suspend disbelief to get to the heart of the story.
I do agree that if someone was going to come back from the dead, I expected it to be Finley!
I am glad it worked for you and so many people. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading!
Literally I counted the number of sentences that Hannah used to write the DRUNK DRIVING ACCIDENT that was supposed to be Frankie’s rock bottom. I was floored. Imo, there shouldn’t have been a love story at all. I think it would have been better if Frankie left a partner behind stateside after they had a disagreement about her going off to war, and I wish she had more resolve and drive about it instead of this sense of, “oh, well I may as well go to Nam anyway. What else am I gonna do?”
Then in Vietnam I wish all these trials that Frankie faced were at the side of other nurses, not her relationship with the doctor. There’s 0 reason it couldn’t have been Barb or Ethel giving her the “no fear, McGrath,” etc.
Good thoughts - and highly agree wish more alongside and power to the women which was the book title. Thanks for sharing.
I totally agree with you. I was looking forward to this book as I have enjoyed some of her other books. Years ago I read a memoir from a real Vietnam war nurse called Home Before Morning by Lynda Van Devanter. After reading this memoir this fiction book fell flat. Too many cliches in her fictionalized story. The real story in Lynda’s words is far superior to Kristin’s made up story.
Oh thank you - I will have to keep an eye out for that one! I know so many did love this one so it’s cool we have options and don’t all have to love the same thing. 🧡
I agree with your review!!! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for letting me know I’m not alone though I do wish I loved it. 😊
My main problem with the book was that it was still male-centered with the many love interests she had and not centered on her friends who had amazing stories that could have been told. There were many times when I felt like putting the book down because all Frankie seemed to focus on was a male love interest or lack there of.
@@baileymiller5319 valid observation- it maybe was trying too much to capture some of her older romance audiences perhaps. 🤔
Spoiler alert! I completely agree. For a book called The Women, it was about *a lot* of men. And cliche and/or toxic relationships. So much of it was unrealistic, and a lot of it was like watching a train wreck in slow motion. Like, “no, don’t do that!” a bunch of times. Oh, and I knew Jamie couldn’t be dead because otherwise why was he even in the book?
Yes more women less men would have suited me better- or change the name of book. Thanks for your feedback 🧡
Ooo I love seeing spicy Kristin with unpopular opinions! So I gave the book 4.5 stars but honestly it hasn’t stuck with me since finishing it and your review has made me rethink. I too didn’t care for the romance. Lots of rolling my eyes with all those scenes. But I thought we got a real look at someone who felt alone and survived, made it through, and dealt with a lot of hard stuff and there was hope in the end. That arc of the story worked for me. I also have never read anything about Vietnam, so I felt like I learned a lot about the actual war perspective. I agree about how amazing would it be to have her brother come back (or even more backstory on their relationship). Thanks for sharing all your thoughts!!
Glad that it does work for others! I think the distractions just didn’t allow me to connect with Frankie enough and I was ready for more depth in places it wasn’t. I did truly appreciate the feel of that war and found that in alignment with all else I have studied / heard about. Thanks for appreciating the spice. 🤣
I'm glad to found someone felt the same as I've read the same book. The "water" incident did cringed me away.
@@badlywritenbyhuman yes that felt off for me from the start. Thanks for finding me.
I disagree I’m a britt and was totally enthralled by this book we read it in our book club and gave it 8/10. I did not know a lot about the Vietnam war.
and it’s horrors it really brought to life the loss of life and the politics of the era
Happy to hear it worked for you- I do agree it did a good job of painting the horror of that war.
I liked the book a lot and recommend it all around so I was curious to see why you didnt like it. The review is fascinating to watch because I just feel we were focused on completely different aspects of the story. For me the whole time was the focus on Frankie‘s psyche and how her mind dealt with trauma, romance, healing, disenchantment, family relationships, friend relationships, sense of identity and motivation to keep going… The things you mentioned - yeah they are there - but for me those are completely overshadowed by the amazing story of the human mind and how life can transform it. From that perspective, the emotional impact and character development (albeit for only one single character) were phenomenal for me. So thats why I personally liked the book :) But youre right, thats why literature is so great - we get to discuss over it and noones opinion is right or wrong.
Truth! Thanks for your perspective.
This is so spot on! Thank you!
Thank you 😊
This one was special for me because I grew up on stories from a beloved father figure who was in Vietnam. She had a few lines that brought back memories from his stories. I pictured him in many scenes, and was weeping towards the end when they were at the memorial because, he was there that day.
I struggled with the relationships and the modern use of names, but overall I enjoyed the book and this was my first Hannah book so I didn't have as high expectations as others.
This was my first Kristen Hannah book as well, but not my last!
I liked it so much that I decided to read her more well-known one, The Nightingale!
Wow! I can't say enough good about The Nightingale! It was absolutely fantastic! I liked The Women; I loved The Nightingale!
Thanks for your review, Which I thought was great. I'd already decided not to read another Hannah who I was not a big fan of but the topic was of great interest to me as I lived through so much of it. I did not want a cheesy type story about it. If you know of a better book you would recommend on the topic of the Vietnam war I would love to hear it. Great video.
@@Ihearbooks I’ve read a few books both fiction and nonfiction set during this war but still looking for the really great one. 🧡
Just for the record the Army did recruit nurses right out of nursing school during the Vietnam War. And for the record Frankie was in last year of nursing school working to graduate early and had done so. You might want to read the book again plus it's also a work of historical fiction.
The real key is likely just suspending disbelief for a work of fiction and I didn’t do a good job being in that place for this one. If he brother going to Vietnam for his first term of a year of service was a key reason she was going then completing that course and being recruited wouldn’t have happened before he was killed - maybe I missed something but really again it’s best to just go with these things. Happy it didn’t bother most people. What we take with us into a book does change it but that’s also part of the beauty of reading and why it is both fun and crazy how different books work for different people: thank you for the information.
So spot on! I love Kristin Hannah. The Nightingale and The Four Winds were written so beautifully. I felt for the characters, was invested in them. I couldn’t stand Frankie, she just kept making me angry. The pace was a mess also. Very disappointing. Glad I read it and will continue to read her books, but completely agree with you!
@@85ksteiner thank you- I feel just as you do on all this 😊
I totally agree with it being titled The Women, we should have had individual chapters of more women than just Frankie. This book should have been titled something like A Woman in 'Nam/Vietnam. I did notice the comment from the nurse on goodreads, but I don't recall what service she served, it did state in the book that Frankie tried the Navy and the Air Force and they did tell her she had to serve stateside time first before going over. Army said they'd take her now and send her over now. With all that said, I still did really like the book.
I grew up on that beach! Probably my most favorite beach, and I've been to many beaches. My dad, biological father, stepfather were stationed there on North Island. My dad and bio-father, continued working there after getting back from Vietnam. They had to take they ferry over, the bridge was there by the time I was born. Don't recall what year they opened the second bridge.
Yes the title I think should be “women can be heroes” since it was all about her struggle to make peace with that / her family. I’m glad you liked it 😊 the beach yesssss 🏝️ ☀️
So disappointing! Your review was spot-on. So much dialogue but no emotional response or reaction. No feeling! Whatever happened to show, not tell? The writing seemed robotic and contrived. I started to count the number of times she described what someone was wearing. It was as if she wanted to make sure we knew she researched the time period. Ugh! One star for me.
Yes I agree with you- thanks 😊
I love reviews like this. I don’t often think critically about books, I either enjoy it or don’t and I don’t dig too much deeper. That being said, I gave this book 5 stars, the emotions it evoked for me had me hooked. Looking at it from a different lense though, the connection between the women was more so told to us rather than actually portrayed through the writing. I also hated the plot twist of Ry lying over and over again. It felt unbelievable by the end and kind of thrown in for emotional effect. Which I feel perhaps the same could be true for a lot of this book. I also felt throughout this book I made a lot of excuses for Frankie’s terrible decisions over and over again because she had been so much throughout the war, but I think I was actually annoyed 😅
Thanks for your thoughtful review, I always love to hear others perspectives
@@maddiemurphy6114 glad you were able to love it and also wrestle with it. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Yesss everything you said in the spoilers is exactly how I felt reading this!
@@christiana2381 glad to know I’m not alone! ❤️
Hi Kristin! I'm impressed that you have read all of her books. That takes commitment.
It was a decision and I don’t regret it- her books prior to Firefly Lane were very romance and not quite my thing but I did like them when ready for that.
This was my first Kristin Hannah book and I was very let down! I felt very similarly to you
@@emilywest2987 yes sorry- I super enjoyed Great Alone and Nightingale and liked many of her others but this one missed the mark for me for sure.
I’m confused you mentioned that Frankie or Francis was corresponded back home and she had nieces and nephews but she was the only child after her brother passed away so I don’t remember reading about nieces and nephews
@@kizzywilliams7604 ya know someone else mentioned that the modern names did technically exist back then which is true. I gave the book away to someone else to enjoy so now I can’t look it up for you- but it was a letter her mom wrote her updating about home life and mentioned the family births. I may have misunderstood or misjudged that comment but overall my feelings remain it wasn’t thought through enough for me. Thanks for watching and taking time to comment.
I didn’t hate this book, but I didn’t love it. The romance aspect read as daytime drama plots and I feel she just scratched the surface on PTSD. The friends weren’t realistic to me either because they were just one dimensional characters who were at the main character’s beck and call. No, no, and no.
Agree with your thoughts. I was trying to hate on the book but so very disappointed.
I felt exactly the same way about this book! This review is spot on for me.
Thanks- nice to know I’m not the only one.
I'm so glad I'm not the only one... just finished this book and it was painful 😬 so hard to even finish! ❤
@@letishanorrisfineart thanks for the support!
I couldn't agree more! We're reading this for our book club this month, and I'm pretty sure I'll be the outlier. Before I started, I had a feeling this was going to be one of those books where the author piles on the tragedy, trying to manipulate the reader into feeling something. The only thing I felt were my eyes rolling.
This is only my second KH book, the first being Magic Hour (which I thought was decent), and I really have no desire to read another one.
@@georgiemerson5255 yes this one just wasn’t for me. Not every author works for us and that’s ok. My favorite by far is the Nightingale- still some romance but doesn’t at all feel like the focus.
Oooo - interesting!! I’m going to have to come and watch the rest of this once I’ve read it to let you know if I agree! My expectations are tempered though 😂
🤣I hope you get on with it better than me.
I'm 100 pages in. My friend in another country and I are reading partners and she raved about this book and absolutely loved it. I'm 100 pages in and am wondering why she was so enamored with it. So I am grateful to find out at least one other person feels the same way.
Yeah you can see from quite a few of the comments there are some of us with you. 😊
@@EntertheBook I am trying to decide if it's worth finishing
@Wendys_lovinglife probably not but this is my biased opinion. Can read others thoughts to know if it’s for you.
Wow! You've read ALL her books?!!! As for The Women, I wasn't going to read it anyway, so I'm happy with just your take on it! :)
Yes one of the very few authors I have. Have you read The Nightingale? If you do read her it’s the way to go - just have to be ready for another novel on WW2- but it’s worthy. I just had my expectations too high for this one.
Hi Kristin, do you know if there is a movie for this book? If not, do you know of any movie that sort of represents this book? Thank you.
it's too new to be a movie just yet but maybe someday. There are movies out there showing the horrors of Vietnam but none that I know of about the women. the one that I first saw and sticks with me is Platoon. I am in favor of this history and these stories being honored! maybe others know of some?
@@EntertheBook you’re fantastic thank you
I absolutely loved this book
I am truly glad.
I am looking forward to reading this so we will see where I land as, I too, have enjoyed so many of her books. Will have to come back for your thoughts on spoilers once I read the book. 😊💙
I hope you like it! 🤞
You are not wrong. It’s a story that needs to be told and I think is reaching a lot of people that had no idea, so that’s good. But you’re right there are so many obvious flaws. I would give it three stairs.
@@vansumcir yes to all you said. Thanks
I 100% Disagree. The Vietnam Veteran's need all of the support that Americans can muster. As a 'native' Californian,. I can relate to growing up on Coranado Island BEFORE the bridge was built. The parents, who lived a country club lifestyle add to the background of this book. Remember that the Vietnam Memorial was built 10 years AFTER the 'fall of Saigon'.
I support Vietnam vets. Thanks for stopping by!
I enjoyed Firefly Lane, but not every boom is for everyone. Appreciate the honest feedback. It can help people who know what you like and don’t like compare to their own preferences and make the best decision for them. Sorry this one didn’t work out for you but hope your next read is a better fit 😊
True- I personally love Firefly Lane. On to the next book! Thanks as always for stopping in ❤️
I think, as usual, it's a clash of expectations and reality. I bet you can imagine if folks didn't have great expectations for this book, they would think it's just great.
@@leespencer9843 totally- truly happy it worked for most people. Thanks! 😊
Thank you. Trying to read for a book club, but it’s a big fail for me.
Not all books work for all people. Way to keep things more interesting 😊
I think sometime we put to high of expectations on books. I personally loved it.
That was my opening disclaimer that I had very high expectations. Some books do live up to my expectations but I am happy that most people liked it even though it didn’t do it for me. Thanks for watching and your input.
It is interesting that I think your review would be spot on for Nightingale and Great Alone that you loved (and honestly other books of hers). This is her style, more of a pop literature and easy read. Not sure why you had such high expectations, it is good for what it is.
You may be right though I enjoyed those others. So much does depend on our own expectations. Thanks for watching.
I was looking forward to this book. I was a child during the Viet Nam years. Fortunately, the men in my family fought in the Korean War and they all made it home with minor-to-no injuries. I had no personal connections/losses with VN. I had hoped this story would have been more action/medicine and little sex or drug use. (Drugs were rampant in VN.) But mistakes like unlimited long-distance calls is repellent to me. And these would have been trans-Pacific as well. Thanks for the heads-up.
She did a decent job showing some war but the story line was distracting and the calls were in US but still just wasnt believable to me the relationships. I bet there are better books out there for us.
Yes!!!! Thank god! I loved the first part of the book. It all started going downhill when ry came into the picture and the whole damn book became about a stupid baby. I also realized that Kristin Hannah really has a complex with writing her “perfect but still a badass” characters that are really one dimensional. I actually had to stop reading this book was so bad. The nightingale was her best work by far.
@@hscha2085 thanks for the solidarity 😊
Frankie had nieces and nephews in this book? I do not remember reading about this at all?! 😮
I didn’t mark the page but at one point there were births and names and it felt too modern to me even if there were some people named that way back then. Just little things started to really irritate me because I was already cranky. Ha!
@bananaboat237 - I thought same thing lol - Frankie couldnt have had nieces or nephews b/c after Finley she had no more siblings
This is one of my favorite books both from this author and from all I have read🎉❤
@@lindatrommer7164 so glad it worked for you 😊
I really enjoyed it
🧡🙌
Hmm…wow, I just finished this book and loved it…..remember it is a work of fiction based on historical fact, for me it brought e back to that time in my late high school days and nursing school..seeing the news and all the demonstrations this book brought tears to my eyes a few times and I feel the author did a great job in telling the story of how Frankie was so inexperienced and quickly with the help of her comrades came to excel in her role as a nurse , the book showed the raw emotions of people during wartime I thought very well…maybe as you suggest parts could have been embellished a lot more but I think the focus was on this one person who represented many more and the author did it well in my opinion. She did an excellent job in showing what these veterans went through after coming home and especially women who could not find the help how difficult their personal lives became and dependance on drugs and alcohol to cope.
@@netty10453 yes thank you for your thoughts.
I saw this as: first part - MASH episode, the second part a Harlequin romance
Not a bad analogy- thanks
I agree. Unfortunately this is the first book I've read by this author. I found it very soapy. Not sure if I'll read any more of her novels. Maybe.
It may be somewhat her style but maybe try one more to see. Thanks 😊
I used to read her books from the early 2000s, but I'm not a fan of her recent historical fiction. I know I'm in the minority, but that's okay 😁
I think her early romance are perfectly fine for standard romance- I’m not much into that but when I am it’s cute enough- and I like some of her historical fiction but not this one. Thanks! 😊
Girl, thank you!!! I was going crazy seeing all of these positive reviews. This is the worst book I’ve read this year. One of my biggest issues is the title. The Women. Ma’am. What women??? Our protagonist quite literally lives and dies for men’s attention. Her female friends were basically human boomerangs, always coming back around with no personality or personal motivation. The whole book is a very cringe #girlboss take on the issue. And I felt her only research was watching Forrest Gump lol. Sorry to dump all this on you I just finished and im mad.
@@kaitlyngret I agree if the title wasn’t misleading it would have helped at least. I had the wrong expectations for sure. Thanks for the comment!
Hi! It sounds like Kristin Hannah blew it. I like your review and your ability to articulate it. I’m not a KH fan. Her previous books were just too sad for me.
Yes she has written some sad books and this one is sad for good reason- her taking us to Vietnam was great - the story itself just drove me crazy distracting from the points that should have been powerful. Thanks for your comment 😊
Thank you for your review! No, it is not just you.
I recently discovered Kristin Hannah through some literature/book presentation shows that I quite enjoy - and whose reviews I trust to mostly hit my taste. I started with The Nightingale and am now reading The Women.
This although in both books, there is for example this lack of care/research of the author to choose adequate names for her characters. This is a detail that spoils my reading experience.
For ex. in the Nightingale - I am of French mother-tongue - the name Viane disturbed me all along, and the unrealistic achievements of Isabelle, as described, in particular when crossing the Pyrenees so many times, taking the German soldiers for fools, made me sigh on too many occasions.
I was interested to learn more about the role (and acknowledgement of their work) of women during the Vietnam war and this conflict in general, thus decided to purchase The Women. I did welcome the fact that Hannah gives the otherwise ignored war nurses a voice. As much as I welcome the behind-the-scene view coupled with the official presentation of this sorry situation, I, here again, find too many repetitive and sloppy jumping around in this book, and would also have liked to know more about the other women involved.
The romance and sudden jump from "dead on feet" or ankle-deep in blood in the OR to cocktails on the white beach make me cringe.
Although I am already struggling with its second part, I will finish this book and will probably come to the conclusion that in spite of so many happy readers and great subjects dealt with, Kristin Hannah books do not work for me.
Last but not least, not mentioning the references to Linda Van Devanter's Book Home before morning, is what really makes me angry.
Thank you so much for all your thoughts- I hope they can help other people as well and I know no French so didn’t know about the names in The Nightingale. I did really love that book but maybe it helps to not know as much 😊 happy reading!! 📖
I enjoyed so much The four winds, The Great alone, and The Nightingale and was looking forward to reading The Women, but because of some of the reviews I have read, I don't think so at this time.❤
I enjoyed all those too! And I will still read her next one! Thank you for the comment 😊
I’m glad I listened to your breakdown of Kristen Hanna‘s new book. The women because I sort of have really bad memories being 77 years old and having been married when all the guys I knew were going over to Vietnam getting killed coming back with stories that you don’t wanna repeat, knowing it was a war, we could’ve totally avoided if we had a political heads on right so I was reading it. So I will not buy that one. Tell us about some others you read that you really liked besides the obvious ones.
Of Kristin Hannah? I did love Nightingale, Great Alone and Four Winds.
I love this book! Ethel and Barb can write their own books from their own perspectives. Hahaha. As for Henry, I think most people don’t need war to corrupt them in order to make bad decisions. People are more than capable of making bad choices on their own. I would have never ended up with the good guy that I didn’t love just because it was the right thing to do.
Always appreciated for those that loved it too- I am a Kristin Hannah fan 😊
Now now let’s all be nice. I personally have yet to have a book published. With that being said. There must be a reason she’s written 25 books.
@@mickeypantaleo5171 yes and I love some of her books! I’m just putting out my opinion to help people decide- I did warn it was unpopular opinion 🤣
I have to agree with you- disappointed by this book and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. Frankie was not a well-developed character and I found her to be much too much of an innocent- and artificially so- and the relationships between her and literally everyone else in the book are under-developed, cliched, and incredibly...dare I say...dull.
Yes I just didn’t like her I’m afraid. I feel bad about it but it does happen. Thanks 😊
Linda Van Deventer's book is indeed mentioned in the acknowledgements.
Getting to the end of The Women, I was surprised that the author did not first let Frankie notice that Jamie's name was missing on the engraved memorial stone and send her around for another 200 pages, before she finds him. Just kidding.
I regret to say that I had this love-hate relationship with both books and will not buy a 3rd one.
Oh that would have been a good plot twist- actually if he had been alive but still in a coma (the wife left over it) and then she brings him out of it- what about that??! 🤣
I’m not sure exactly why this book had such power over me, with all of its melodrama and soap opera embellishments, but the story just grabbed me by the throat. The women in The Women, however, were way too two-dimensional. Hannah should definitely have provided their perspectives.
@@Mona07452 it’s a gut wrenching story! I just wanted even more. Thanks for your comment
Wow--the biggest disappointment ever?! I've not read any of Hannah's books (although I own one, The Great Alone), but I was sort of intrigued by this one because of the subject matter. I'm sorry this didn't meet your expectations. I'll probably skip it. Like you, I feel very connected to the Vietnam War. Just curious, did you watch the show China Beach back in the early 90s? I've also got a memoir by a Vietnam nurse on my shelf to read, called Home before morning. (And on a kind of funny note--I graduated HS in 1987, and I knew a Braden.)
It may be ever for me. I loved the Great Alone- I never understood why where the Crawdads sing was so hyped (don’t love that one) and the Great Alone wasn’t more praised. I know of that show but didn’t watch all them. All the movies and books about Vietnam get to me. And ok on Braden but I still say it wasn’t the best choice 🤣
I gave this one 5 stars. I really loved it. I get the disappointment though when you expect to love a book and don’t. That’s how I was with Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Everyone loved that book and I wanted to so bad but I just really didn’t like it 😅
Yes it is sad when it can’t live up to the hype. Glad you loved it!
I felt the same way. Did love Four Winds. That whole 'he's an asshole,' while she's doing the same thing...staying with a man she didn't really love. Let's be clear. Women can be as creepy as men.
@@leespencer9843 people are people and fun to read about good characters- thanks for your comments 😊
Mmm I'm going to have to respectfully disagree. If there were multiple POVs it would not have been as good and we wouldn't have had enough time to have the main character grow on us. She did research to the point of using real events that happened in some people's lives. Part of the reason Frankie had learned her skills within a shorter time is because it is war and no one will be prepared for it, which is exactly part of what she wants to make us aware of.
She did an excellent job of writing a historical fiction book that many different people would enjoy. Whether you normally like romance, fiction, historical fiction, action etc. We can all enjoy it and learn from it.
I did love your review though, you are so lovely, you dislike something kindly. The world would be a boring place if we all liked the same stuff! I must admit, I wasn't a big fan of the affair part either... would be my only reason for lowering the rating.
Ya know I am good with those thoughts. The book does work for many people and I am happy for that. Was just sad for me. Thanks for the other perspective- that can be helpful to others and I appreciate the time and thoughts. Happy reading!!
Hannah has tackled a huge subject in this novel. For her to have embellished on the characters further would have made the book too heavy to lift. Frankie is a young naive girl at the start of the story and before she can mature to the point of figuring out her life she becomes overwhelmed by the events in Vietnam. She has a self destructive personality. Hannah does not make the reader like all the characters in her books. I absolutely hated the mother in ‘The Great Alone’ for not protecting her daughter so much so that it nearly ruined the book for me.
I started The Women with no expectations and enjoyed it. I got emotional at the end.
I loved the way Hannah recreated the time the novel takes place through music and clothes and room descriptions.
My rating? Thumbs up. As they said on American Bandstand, “it had a good beat and was easy to dance to”.
Thank you for your thoughts! I don’t need to like characters as likable but I do like to connect and that happens differently for us all. It would have been better if I hadn’t had such high expectations.
My bookclub will be discussing this novel next week. I have sent members a link to your review. I found it thoughtful and I’m sure it will add a great deal to our conversation.
@@donaldadams1549 thanks! I am happy to be the unpopular opinion to discuss but overall I do appreciate Kristin Hannah and think I just had way too high expectations.
While I respectfully disagree with your opinion, I do have have to say a messed up mind does lead you to make bad choices. There were too many coincidences but I loved this book.
I am truly happy it worked for you and so many people. And true about making bad choices with a stressed out mind.
Thank you for your review. I did not like this book at all. The concept was good. I wanted to celebrate the role of women in the Viet Nam. I thought it was shallow, it lacked a full exploration of the other key female roles. Speaking as a retired AF Nurse - I wish it had been better.
@@janetbarrett1312 thank you for your service! The concept IS great- I just wanted it to be something it really wasn’t.
I agree. Highly disappointed. I think I teared up once when children were involved. Not my usual reaction to one of her books. I just didn’t feel anywhere near invested in the characters as I did and, as you said, too many things happened too fast.
Spoiler
Spoiler
Spoiler
The Jamie storyline ruined the book for me. I understand she needed a catalyst to hitting bottom, but that was already there in many forms. His return didn’t need to be there. It felt trite and too easy.
Yes that was the biggest frustration
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If he was alive even though married he should have let her know especially if he was then divorced! Just seemed too calculated. That did me in. I will try again though- I do love her as an author this one just wasn’t it for me.
AGREED. Not an intellectually stimulating book. POP FICTION/BEACH READ regarding an important historical event....especially for women's roles in society then and now. UGH!!
I was thinking of reading this at some point, but me thinks i will avoid it, thanks for your honest opinion 🎉
Ha! Well don’t think I can recommend it but you can always check what other think 😊
I 100% agree with your review. This was my first KH book (read for a book club), and I didn't care for it at all. The writing was repetitive and had a lot of tell vs show. It was so man-centered for a book that was supposed to be about women. The characters were flat and needed to be fleshed out more. I disliked Frankie as a protagonist. I absolutely hated the Insta-love romances. I'll stop there, though I could go on. This book could have been so much more, but it missed the mark for me. I did not enjoy my reading experience, and I don't plan to read another book by her.
I was super disappointed. I’m surprised how well it worked for so many but I am glad for them! Thanks for your feedback and thoughts 😊
You are the third reviewer I’ve seen who didn’t care for it.
Oh well I am thankful to not be the only one. Really wanted this to be five star and honestly hope it still is for some. Thanks for letting me know I’m not alone.
I strongly disagree. While it wasn't my favorite KH, it was a solid 4 stars. And 93% of the ratings on Goodreads are 4 and 5 stars. If you go into a KH novel with the expectation that it's going to be on the level as say, Sarah's Key, you will be disappointed.
Glad it worked for you. Thanks for stopping by!
I found myself getting nauseated with the bad romance and non-stop tragedy in the second half of the book. Some of those elements felt very repetitive. Overall, I still say it was a decent read. Totally agree we should have heard more from Barb and Ethel.
Thanks for your input- I know it worked for many people but I agree with you.
I honestly liked the bad romances. Made feel like I wasn’t the only person to fall for the crap from lying jerks. And romance is a huge part of a persons 20s. Particularly during a time when women were expected to get married and have babies. That said I would have loved to hear from the perspectives of other women. Like maybe have the lives of Frankie, Ethel and Barbara
@@jAm117799 I get that perspective- and yes one crazy romance is ok I just found these to be distracting for me personally. I recognize it works for most people. Thanks for sharing 😊
I do appreciate your opiinion, however, I disagree. I felt this was a 5 star. What a shame that you are turning people away from this one. This was not a biography, it is a work of fiction, a novel. Maybe you should read the resource materal given at the end of the book to hear the voice of the humans that were there in Nam. This book can be a gateway for people to turn to non-fiction to learn more. To me, this is a story about how war completely shatters not only people, but families. i think she did a good of doing that, as well as shedding light on the Vietnam War and how difficult that time was for soldiers that were there and for those that came back home. She could have done more of a deep dive into so many areas, but then you would have a 3,000 page book. She probably HAD to edit down a ton of material--she spoke about the protests, the music, the violence here at home. I read the audio book and the narrator was fantastic. I never cry over books, yet this one had me in tears over and over. Ms. Hannah herself recorded the afterword and that also, had me in tears. I felt that this was nearly a perfect work of fiction, and I highly recommend it.
I hope the people who will resonate with this will find it. And I’m not opposed to a 3000 page book when it’s worth is 😃
I’m with you. 😢.
Sadly! Thanks for lending the solidarity- here’s to next time! 😊
I disagree with you it was well thought out and interesting
@@Tinyturtle1973 I am so glad it worked for you and so many others - I wish it had for me.
Sadly, the types of problems you found in this book are very consistent with what I've seen in all the books of hers that I've read. But I'm certainly in the minority. The books I've read were for my irl book club, but that recently fell apart, so I won't be reading this one.
Maybe we need to start a whole minority club 🤣 skip this one and I’ll keep ya posted on anymore that come out. 🧡
While I enjoyed the first half, there were some glaring errors even there for something that is supposed to be so researched (like how often the women just hop in the chopper of some flyboy whenever they ask). Also, Hannah keeps using the same phrases to drive home a point. As others have said, she doesn’t show, she tells (the same thing over & over). For example, “ There are no women in Vietnam”. She could have made the point of how the women were disrespected in multiple ways upon coming home. Instead nearly EVERYONE Frankie meets after the war says this exact same thing - even fellow vets. It’s ridiculous! Did everyone have sudden amnesia of nurses who had also served in Korea, WWII, etc? It was irritating! And don’t get me started on the romances. Utterly ludicrous.
How could any book be more disappointing than The Goldfinch???!!!
I think it all comes down to what we expect! Ha - I hear ya! I didn’t mind the Goldfinch and plan to read secret friend but it didn’t quite live up to the hype.
@@EntertheBook I read The Secret History in the 90s and loved it. I loved The Little Friend. I was so excited for The Goldfinch... I listened to the audiobook and wondered if that was my error. But, alas, I don't think k so. Many people didn't like The Little Friend. It is kinda southern Gothic. I thought it was great.
@@tmtb80 yes there are two others - I mixed them up but I want to read them! Good to know they are better than Goldfinch! Yay!
Hated this book! The florid prose, the predictability. 🤮
Thanks 😊
Just one word. Boring 😮
I couldn’t disagree with you more. The book is brilliant.
“We have the same name….”
You ramble on and on and you are guilty of the criticism you give the book.
I’m glad you liked it. Everyone gets their experiences with books and I likely had too high expectations. I never claim to be perfect just sharing my opinion. Thanks for stopping by.
It’s interesting that you made the choice to video yourself for 22 minutes to criticize this book. Are you a writer as well as a book club member? I think it’s much easier to pick apart the plot of another author than to write your own novel.
Never claimed to be brilliant nor a writer. Just a book tuber giving my opinion and experience. I did label it unpopular opinion 😊