The Women Book Club Discussion Questions

Inside: The Women book club discussion questions

The Women by Kristin Hannah is the official book club selection for May 2024 in the Happy Simple Mom Book Club.

This book is a historical fiction novel that tells the story (and struggle) of the women who were in the Vietnam War, roles that were often forgotten or even ignored when they returned home.

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Happy Simple Mom Book Club May 2024 Pick

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Don’t miss out on any other reads from 2024. You can find those in the 2024 Happy Simple Mom Book Club picks.

May 2024 Pick: The Women by Kristin Hannah Book Club Discussion Questions

The Women by Kristin Hannah is Kristin Hannah’s latest book released.

Genre: Historical Fiction; Coming of Age Fiction; Women’s Fiction

Length: 480 pages

Audio Length: 14 hours and 57 minutes

Buy on Amazon

Publisher’s Description:

Women can be heroes. When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath hears these words, it is a revelation. Raised in the sun-drenched, idyllic world of Southern California and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing. But in 1965, the world is changing, and she suddenly dares to imagine a different future for herself. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path.

As green and inexperienced as the men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is overwhelmed by the chaos and destruction of war. Each day is a gamble of life and death, hope and betrayal; friendships run deep and can be shattered in an instant. In war, she meets—and becomes one of—the lucky, the brave, the broken, and the lost.

But war is just the beginning for Frankie and her veteran friends. The real battle lies in coming home to a changed and divided America, to angry protesters, and to a country that wants to forget Vietnam.

The Women is the story of one woman gone to war, but it shines a light on all women who put themselves in harm’s way and whose sacrifice and commitment to their country has too often been forgotten. A novel about deep friendships and bold patriotism, The Women is a richly drawn story with a memorable heroine whose idealism and courage under fire will come to define an era.

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If you don’t want to purchase her new book or if you can’t get it in the timeframe you wish from the library, I highly recommend these other Kristin Hannah books:

• The Nightingale
• The Great Alone
• Winter Garden

SPOILER ALERT!!! The following discussion questions WILL give away things from the book. Read at your own risk.

The Women Book Club Discussion Questions

Question 1:

What is your personal experience with the Vietnam War? How do you remember that time period? What stands out to you the most?

Question 2:

Kristin Hannah’s books often tell the tough stories of women.  I was reading in one group how several readers couldn’t get through the book, as it was just too much (totally OK to not finish a book!!). 

Did you get through the book? If not, where did you get to decide it was not one to finish? If you did finish it, what were the toughest moments for you in the book?

Question 3

Did you know about the women who were in Vietnam during the war?

Question 4

Frankie would have been lost without her best friends. Tell us about any experiences with your best friends that may have saved you from yourself or any situation you may have found yourself in.

Question 5

Was there a character you especially loved in The Women? Why?

Question 6

Was there a character in The Women that made you furious? Why?

Question 7

Rye was supposedly the love of Frankie’s life. Were you surprised by how things ended up between the two of them?

Question 8

How do you think the Hero’s Wall played a role in Frankie’s going to war and returning home?

Question 9

What role do you think Frankie’s family played in her successes and struggles with returning home?  

Question 10

Frankie was part of a group of women that advocated for the return of Naval POWs.  Were there any other groups that you personally knew about or heard stories about from the Vietnam War?

Question 11

What did you think about the ending, when Frankie ran into Jamie at the wall? How would you envision the “next” chapter going?

Question 12

Have you visited the Vietnam Wall or Vietnam Women’s Memorial in Washington, D.C.? Tell us about your visit.  If you haven’t been, do you think this story will change your reaction if you get the chance to see it?

Question 13

What part(s) of the book stood out to you more than anything else?

Question 14

Have you read any other Kristin Hannah books? If so, which ones are your favorites?

What were your thoughts on the May Happy Simple Mom book club pick, The Women by Kristin Hannah? Let me know in the comments below.