Reading 'The Women' by Kristin Hannah was an emotional rollercoaster I didn't see coming. From the first page, I was pulled into Frankie's world—a young nurse thrust into the chaos of the Vietnam War. The way Hannah writes makes you feel every moment, from the adrenaline of a red alert to the quiet despair of a mud-floor operating room.

What struck me most was how real it all felt. Frankie's transformation from a naive girl to a battle-hardened nurse mirrored my own experiences in nursing (though thankfully not in a war zone). The scenes where she's told 'there were no women in Vietnam' hit hard—it’s infuriating, yet sadly believable. Hannah doesn’t shy away from the ugly truths, and that’s what makes this book unforgettable.

The second half, focusing on Frankie’s return home, was just as powerful. The VA struggles, the PTSD, the way society dismisses her trauma—it’s all handled with raw honesty. I found myself taking breaks because it was too intense to read in one go. But that’s the mark of a great book: it makes you feel things deeply.

If you love historical fiction that doesn’t sugarcoat history, this is your book. It’s not just about war; it’s about sisterhood, resilience, and fighting to be seen. Warning: keep tissues handy.