The Bookmarker

There’s no denying my love for KH. The day she decides to stop writing stories is a day I will forever grieve. THE WOMEN is her most recent and no surprise, a 5 star read. I’m pairing it with THE GREAT ALONE for a few reasons: it may be easier to get at the library while waiting on THE WOMEN and both novels have strong tie-ins with the Vietnam war. Let’s dive in.

THE GREAT ALONE by Kristin Hannah
*Historical Fiction
*Themes: Vietnam vet, mother/daughter relationship, nature
*TW: domestic/child abuse, alcoholism, PTSD

Previously reviewed in long-form here, THE GREAT ALONE is such a beautiful gem. Set in desolate Alaska and completely off-the-grid, Leni can only remember her dad post-war; the violent outbursts, the blood, the cries, the pain; not the standup guy her mother claims to have fallen in love with. While the idea seemed absurd at first, abruptly moving their family to Alaska turned out to be exactly what they needed. I loved learning how Alaskan’s survive life off-the-grid among some of nature’s finest wilderness. With such a strong story of love and the bond of a mother and daughter, I was consumed in this book. Its unique and familiar story teaches us how to survive the toughest of situations yet shows the struggle of being torn between love, loyalty, right, and wrong.

“A girl was like a kite; without her mother’s strong, steady hold on the string, she might just float away, be lost somewhere in the clouds” – The Great Alone, Kristin Hannah

THE WOMEN by Kristin Hannah
*Historical Fiction
*Themes: Vietnam war, women in the war, love
*TW: graphic blood/injury description, sexism, miscarriage, attempted suicide, PTSD

If you’re looking for a book that really packs a punch, this book is it. THE WOMEN has a little bit of everything, resulting in the ultimate rollercoaster of emotions you’re sure to experience. Frankie decides, against the wishes of her well-known and high-society parents, she will follow in her brother’s footsteps and serve in Vietnam as a nurse. Unbeknownst to her, she went from what she describes as a “candy striper” to a full-blown army nurse saving America’s men by the dozens each shift. When her two-tour duty concludes in some of the harshest of conditions, she arrives back on American soil only to find a country who refuses to believe that women served in the war nor a country that gives its veterans the respect and care they deserve. THE WOMEN will captivate you from the first chapter. Diving deep into war, friendship, love, grief, PTSD, and so, so much more, this book will be burned into your memory for its rich story-telling on what appears as a silent era in time.

“Thank God for girlfriends. In this crazy, chaotic, divided world that was run by men, you could count on the women” – The Women, Kristin Hannah