“Women can be heroes too.” “There were no women in Vietnam.” “We were there.”
I haven’t read a book that made me cry in a long time, but Frankie’s stor“Women can be heroes too.” “There were no women in Vietnam.” “We were there.”
I haven’t read a book that made me cry in a long time, but Frankie’s story of perseverance, heartache, and bravery just continually touched a part of my heart in a deep way, and l’ll remember it forever.
Frankie McGrath enlists as an Army Nurse in Vietnam to join her brother overseas at only 20, and the more time she spent in war, the heavier the weight of an unjust war and an ungrateful America shaped her view of the world. The horrors she experienced in war are only a part of the suffering she endures as she’s forced to grow up quickly.
I was always on my toes, and I thought Frankie’s friendship with Barb & Ethel was the core of this book. It’s devastating to read what so many vets and especially female vets experienced during this time in history. The suffering Frankie endured was unimaginable but watching her friends continually pick her up and to see the story come full circle, was really what made this book amazing....more
okay wow - this book is hard to review because it took a 180 about halfway through. The first half was depressing and an endless cycle of frustration okay wow - this book is hard to review because it took a 180 about halfway through. The first half was depressing and an endless cycle of frustration and distance between sisters and their mother. The second half provides the context it was building to and you are taken on an emotional rollercoaster.
Two adult sisters struggle against one another in the wake of their father’s death, as they attempt to connect and care for their fragile mother. As their mother starts to tell them a fairytale about a young girl and a snow kingdom overtake by evil, they begin see and understand her for the first time.
The story took too long to develop, but once it did, it was engaging and heartbreaking. Although an extended set up, it was a good concept with a devastating and impactful ending....more
So much to say about this book. it will bring you joy, bring you to tears, and allow you to reminisce on the stories your own family has been telling So much to say about this book. it will bring you joy, bring you to tears, and allow you to reminisce on the stories your own family has been telling for years.
Set during the pandemic, three adult daughters, home on their family’s cherry farm, convince their mom to tell them about the summer of 1988 at Tom Lake where she dated Peter Duke (a present day movie star). The way Ann Patchett weaves in the culture of 2020 in a subtle but authentic way was impressive.
Although it’s about her love affair with a charming actor, it’s more about her journey of self discovery in her 20s. It’s also about realizing your parents had an entire life before you, that you had the story of how they fell in love all wrong, and they made decisions that you’ll only understand when you reach that age. It’s heartbreaking and rewarding.
I thought everything about this book was perfect. Read it and then tell me why you agree....more
A story about the American dream and a mother who gives up everything to save her family.
There’s not much I would change about this book, I thought tA story about the American dream and a mother who gives up everything to save her family.
There’s not much I would change about this book, I thought the adventure and characters were written well with complex emotions and desires. It’s a story about the dust bowl and the courage of a woman to move her family to California. Kristin Hannah writes historical fiction and the story of women in a beautiful way.
I enjoyed the book, but it’s hard to really reflect on what it was I liked and didn’t like. Standing next to the nightingale, it feels slightly dull, and I felt like there were sections of the book that could’ve been shorter or better used to weave in the next part of the story....more
That being said, one of her strong suits is telling a story from different periods of time, and this stNo one tells a family story like Ann Patchett.
That being said, one of her strong suits is telling a story from different periods of time, and this story felt too static for her. Told over 24 hours, she tells the story of two families intertwined after a car accident, and she explores what it means to be family.
What I liked most was how critical each character felt to the overall theme and storyline, and how she brought the story full circle in such a short amount of pages without it feeling rushed at all. They each brought their own secrets and strengths, and displayed the different roles we play within a modern family. I liked how Patchett touched on social and class issues that were integral to the story, but I wish she explored it more which would’ve only felt natural had she told the story over a greater span of time....more
This was such a powerful story that left me heartbroken but so whole at the same time. The horror of the Second World War mixed with the sense of dutyThis was such a powerful story that left me heartbroken but so whole at the same time. The horror of the Second World War mixed with the sense of duty to one’s family, friends, and country was so overwhelming, without feeling falsely flashy or cheap.
A story about two sisters living in German-occupied-France, one who joins the resistance using her beauty as her disguise, and the other trying to keep her daughter safe while the Germans reign over her small town. It’s about love, sacrifice, and honor. What are you willing to sacrifice to save the ones you love? The ones abandoned? The ones fighting for your freedom?
I thought that the glimpses into the future were perfectly used to tease the ending without feeling like a spoiler. Both stories were heartbreaking, engaging, and incredible. I can’t recommend enough....more
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