I appreciated this book on many levels. I easily recall this time in history since I graduated from high school in 1968 during the heat of the Vietman War. Some of my friends did not return, one was a POW for five years, and those who did return were forever changed by their experiences and especially by certain Americans and lack of support from our own government.
The women in this book were even more neglected and ignored and even disbelieved of their support in the war. They played a role and this book is well written to extoll those truths. The characters are well developed and I still feel attached to them. The men in the story are somewhat typical of men but they were veterans which has value, to me.
The main character is Frankie McGrath and she certainly had her share of problems on her return from the war, even from her own parents which was even harder to believe. I was surprised at her treatment but certainly recall my husband pulling my hair rollers from my head and throwing them like grenades across our bedroom. I also remember his nightmares which is exactly the same thing these nurses experienced as well but no one believed them. They were regularly ignored and even denied veterans services for their mental health care which is now commonly referred to as PTSD.
All veterans matter!
The author, Kristin Hannah, again does not disappoint her readers. She does her research and brings her characters to life. She never ceases to amaze me at her skill to incorporate facts into her stories and this one is no exception.
No comments:
Post a Comment