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The Women
- Author
- Kristin Hannah
- Narrator
- Julia Whelan
- Publisher
- Pan Macmillan
- Publish Date
- 15 February 2024
- Run Time
- 14 hours 56 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
- Genre
- Historical fiction, Modern and contemporary fiction: literary and general, Vietnam War fiction, Narrative theme: death, grief, loss
- Rating
- 4.8 (6 reviews)
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What to expect
Read by Julia Whelan, including an Author's Note read by Kristin, revealing her inspiration for telling the women's heroic stories, which had been either forgotten or entirely overlooked.
Adored by millions and soon to be a major motion picture, The Women is a sweeping story of epic love, heartbreaking loss, extraordinary bravery and the unbreakable bond of female friendship about the women who answered the call of the Vietnam War and paid the price.
'Utterly absorbing . . . A triumph' - Taylor Jenkins Reid
'Stuns with sacrifice. Uplifts with heroism' – Bonnie Garmus
'Never has a novel of war metamorphosed so profoundly into a story of the human heart. The female heart' - Delia Owens
They answered the call. Then they fought to be remembered.
'Women can be heroes, too'.
When twenty-year-old nursing student, Frances "Frankie" McGrath, hears these unexpected words, it is a revelation. Raised on California's idyllic Coronado Island and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing, being a good girl.
But in 1965 the world is changing, and she suddenly imagines a different path for her life. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she impulsively joins the Army Nurses Corps and follows his path.
As green and inexperienced as the young men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is overwhelmed by the chaos and destruction of war, as well as the unexpected trauma of coming home to a changed America. But Frankie will also discover the true value of female friendship and the heartbreak that love can cause.
'Thank God for girlfriends. In this crazy, chaotic, divided world that was run by men, you could count on the women'
Listeners love The Women:
'The sure touch of Golden Voice narrator Julia Whelan transforms Kristin Hannah's absorbing novel about Vietnam War combat nurses into an addictive listen' - AudioFile
'It honours ALL women: those who have fought for their rights and freedoms, those who have been overlooked and underappreciated, those who have been forgotten by families and society'
'I’ve been looking forward to this book’s release for months'
'Kristin Hannah has done it again'
** PRE-ORDER THE FIRE, KRISTIN HANNAH'S NEW NOVEL, COMING MAY 2027 **
The Women was a Sunday Times bestseller from 17.2.24-13.4.24
Critics Review
-
Hannah’s tale, rich with period detail, is an impassioned tribute to the heroism of the many thousands who did serve, as well as a hymn to female solidarity in the darkest of settings. It’s a surprisingly original take on a well-trodden subject
The Times
-
Stuns . . . Uplifts with heroism
Bonnie Garmus, bestselling author of Lessons in Chemistry
-
Astonishing. Compelling. Powerful
Delia Owens, author of Where the Crawdads Sing
-
A sweeping, powerful story of courage with a detail-rich setting
Good Housekeeping
See more reviews See fewer reviews
-
An epic story
Woman&Home
-
Hannah is in top form
New York Times
-
Moving, exceptionally well researched
Stephen King
-
Kristin Hannah’s novel shines a light on the sacrifice, commitment and heroism of the incredible women often forgotten about in history books. A truly emotional, realistic and unforgettable book
Culturefly
-
Epic and immersive, this is a moving novel
HELLO! Magazine
-
The author weaves an epic, luminous novel that explores the forgotten stories of heroic women who sacrificed all for their country
Woman's Weekly
-
Hannah explores the forgotten stories of heroic women who sacrificed everything for their country
Woman's Own
-
A beautifully written tribute to a group of veterans who deserve more appreciation for the incredible sacrifices they made
Bill Gates
User Reviews
Book 4.8
Narration 5.0
-
5.0 5.0
Brilliant book, eye opening and totally engaging. Highly recommended.
Bridget73 2025-11-22 -
5.0 5.0
Very hard read but so worth it. Kristin Hannah is a wonderful writer.
patriciapidgeon 2025-10-18 -
4.0 5.0
A good story, a little predictable in the second half but captivating enough to enjoy. The narrative about Vietnam and the role and lives of the women was really interesting to read as I was not too familiar with the Vietnam War.
susiesocial 2024-05-13
Details
- Author
- Kristin Hannah
- Narrator
- Julia Whelan
- Duration
- 14 hours 56 minutes
- Release Date
- 15 February 2024
- ISBN
- 9781035005710
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Pan Macmillan
- Genre
- Historical fiction, Modern and contemporary fiction: literary and general, Vietnam War fiction, Narrative theme: death, grief, loss
- Rating
- 4.8(6 reviews)
- Narration
- 5.0(6 reviews)
Synopsis
Read by Julia Whelan, including an Author's Note read by Kristin, revealing her inspiration for telling the women's heroic stories, which had been either forgotten or entirely overlooked.Adored by millions and soon to be a major motion picture, The Women is a sweeping story of epic love, heartbreaking loss, extraordinary bravery and the unbreakable bond of female friendship about the women who answered the call of the Vietnam War and paid the price.'Utterly absorbing . . . A triumph' - Taylor Jenkins Reid'Stuns with sacrifice. Uplifts with heroism' – Bonnie Garmus'Never has a novel of war metamorphosed so profoundly into a story of the human heart. The female heart' - Delia OwensThey answered the call. Then they fought to be remembered.'Women can be heroes, too'.When twenty-year-old nursing student, Frances "Frankie" McGrath, hears these unexpected words, it is a revelation. Raised on California's idyllic Coronado Island and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing, being a good girl.But in 1965 the world is changing, and she suddenly imagines a different path for her life. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she impulsively joins the Army Nurses Corps and follows his path.As green and inexperienced as the young men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is overwhelmed by the chaos and destruction of war, as well as the unexpected trauma of coming home to a changed America. But Frankie will also discover the true value of female friendship and the heartbreak that love can cause.'Thank God for girlfriends. In this crazy, chaotic, divided world that was run by men, you could count on the women'Listeners love The Women:'The sure touch of Golden Voice narrator Julia Whelan transforms Kristin Hannah's absorbing novel about Vietnam War combat nurses into an addictive listen' - AudioFile'It honours ALL women: those who have fought for their rights and freedoms, those who have been overlooked and underappreciated, those who have been forgotten by families and society''I’ve been looking forward to this book’s release for months''Kristin Hannah has done it again'** PRE-ORDER THE FIRE, KRISTIN HANNAH'S NEW NOVEL, COMING MAY 2027 **The Women was a Sunday Times bestseller from 17.2.24-13.4.24
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