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The Women Book Review

Posted on by Econogal

Vietnam War

Kristen Hannah has outdone herself with her penning of The Women. The author known for her historical fiction from various eras including World War II, turns to Vietnam with her 2024 release. The novel is provocative. Those born after the war will find a glimpse of history.

However, readers like myself will have the anguish of those years brought fresh as if David Brinkley reported the weekly deaths just yesterday. Pretty sobering that the death counts are among my first memories of television. Furthermore, the stigma of having a military Dad in the late 1970s returns. The public turned against the soldiers. Thankfully, that is no longer the case, most likely due to 9/11.

Hannah brings all these emotions into play.

Protagonist Frances “Frankie” McGrath

The heroine of The Women is young Frankie. Idealistic and naïve, the teenager becomes a nurse in order to follow her brother Finley, to Vietnam. Shipped over to Vietnam shortly after learning of her brother’s death, Frankie is dropped straight into the war zone. She grows up almost overnight and loses so, so much.

The Women Serving in Vietnam

Frankie and fellow bunkmates Barb and Ethel forge the strong bond of warriors as they treat the wounded and the dying daily. They face a different battle then the men. And they are in great danger in these advanced medical units close to the fighting. The descriptions of Hannah take the reader straight to the jungle. And to the war itself.

Coming Home

One by one the women return home. But they are not greeted warmly as sentiment against the war now includes those in service. For Frankie, the return and the attitude of her parents and society is her undoing. Hospitals don’t respect the skills developed in the triage of battle. She is forced to prove herself as if she was still the young teenager.

Furthermore, the VA does not recognize her service and like many of the women returning, she is denied counselling services. She spirals downward. It is painful to read the fiction that reflects reality.

The Vietnam Vets were not welcomed home, not seen as heroes for the most part. Many became addicted to drugs and alcohol. Many became homeless. Kristen Hannah is outstanding with this portrayal of the men and women who served.

Recommendation for The Women

Once again, Hannah is atop various bestsellers lists and The Women will certainly make Econogal’s top books of 2024 list. Ninety-five percent of the book moved me. I cried throughout the book remembering the divided country of the 1960s and 70s. The almost happy ending jarred a bit. And I’ll reflect upon that in the final paragraph of this review. Overall, it was outstanding and a must-read type of book. Great perspective on the Vietnam War and those who survived.

Furthermore, I recommend the reading of The Women as a way to remember the past. Too many individuals identifying as political extremists and calling for a civil war need to understand war is not good. There are no winners in any war. Certainly not within a nation.

As I have repeatedly stated. This nation, undivided after 9/11, is under attack by propaganda. Our enemies understand a divided house cannot stand. We need to recognize internal unrest is a threat. For those never exposed to the horrors of war, you need to read books such as The Women. And accounts of the Civil War. Divided nations suffer greatly and in the 1860s, brothers did fight against one another. Regardless of the voting outcome in November 2024, Americans must not turn against each other. Instead, if unpleased by the results-start planning for the 2028 elections and consider running for office yourself.

Good Night, Irene Book Review

Posted on by Econogal

Red Cross Clubmobiles

Luis Alberto Urrea’s recent release Good Night, Irene is outstanding. In a year which has already had multiple great books reviewed, this historical novel based on the operators of Red Cross Clubmobile’s of WW II vies for top position on any 2023 “Best Of” book lists. Adding to the interest for this reader was the author’s note. His mother was one of the Donut Dollies manning the clubmobile’s.

Urrea paints a realistic picture of the impact war has on individuals. The loss of innocence and the very real PTSD the horrors of battle induce. Adding in the atrocities of the Hitler death camps completes the grim visualization that is the background story for Good Night, Irene.

Essence of Good Night, Irene

The novel is a coming-of-age story. And so much more. Irene Woodward volunteers for the Red Cross duty. She has multiple reasons, including the fact she is engaged to a man who has beaten her. Dorothy Dunford is running from loss- loss of family and loss of the family farm. The two women operate the Rapid City Clubmobile with various “Third Girls” thrown into the story line.

The brutality and boredom of war creates a deep bond between Irene and Dorothy. Urrea provides the point of view of both characters as well as that of Hans, Irene’s love interest. This approach draws the reader into the emotions of the characters. And tugs on the heartstrings of the reader.

Good Night, Irene details the connected lives of the two women up to the point of the liberation of Buchenwald. Then Urrea reaches the turning point. The war is almost over yet tragedy still strikes. Irene must live on with her injuries, both physical and of the soul.

Recommendation

Luis Alberto Urrea presents a fictional account illustrating the importance of women during war. The Donut Dollies were not nurses or warriors yet their service was indispensable. War damages the psyche as well as the body.

Good Night, Irene rises to the top of the many women and World War II books I have read with its’ unexpected outcome. Strength in the face of adversity and the ability to embrace life in the face of personal tragedy is a lesson all need to learn.

The Best is Yet to Come Book Review

Posted on by Econogal

Sweet Romance

Debbie Macomber’s 2022 release, The Best is Yet to Come is a sweet romance with good characters and meaningful story lines. If you are a fan of Macomber you will love it. For those not familiar with the author, the book is an easy read and should be available at both libraries and book stands. (Click here for a review of her Alaskan Holiday romance.)

Dual Romances

Hope Goodwin and Cade Lincoln both carry the burden of loss. Both look to start anew in a coastal area of the Pacific Northwest. They meet in an animal shelter and interest in each other piques. But romance must take a back seat while anger and grief are confronted.

Since the aptly named Hope works at a high school, a secondary romance between two students as well as a secondary plot line flow easily into the story of The Best is Yet to Come. Super student Spencer Brown and cheerleader Callie Rhodes are miss matched from the start. But the confrontations they face create a good platform to introduce the subject of performance enhancing drug use by high school students.

The Best is Yet to Come and PTSD

A key component of the novel is the treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among veterans. The Best is Yet to Come highlights the benefits of both individual and group therapy. Acknowledgement that wounds are not always visible is an important part of the story. So too is the need for support whether from family or friends.

Debbie Macomber

Veteran authors have a knack for telling stories that endear the characters to the readers. Debbie Macomber is such an author. Readers can connect with both main and secondary characters, their struggles as well as their successes.

PTSD is difficult to overcome and even harder if survivor’s guilt is an additional factor. Confronting drug use in a high school setting is equally challenging. Macomber presents characters that can meet these challenges all while engaging the reader.

The Book Charmer Book Review

Posted on by Econogal

Every once in a while I want a book to escape in, so I can leave stress behind. I found The Book Charmer perfect for my needs. This delightful novel by Karen Hawkins provided an afternoon of pleasurable reading. The characters were easy to like and the plot straightforward if predictable.

Multiple Back Stories

There are three central characters in the book. Sarah Dove and Travis Parker are life-long next door neighbors in Dove Pond, North Carolina. The third character, Grace Wheeler has arrived in Dove Pond with the intention of staying just a year. All three neighbors form bonds albeit with reluctance on Grace’s part.

Key to the formation of friendship is dementia. Travis’ dad passed away from the disease and Grace’s foster mom is rapidly deteriorating. The two grudgingly work through initial dislike aided by this common ground. Furthermore, Grace’s orphaned niece brings the battle-scarred vet and overwhelmed guardian together.

Book Charmer

Sarah Dove is the book charmer. She brings a touch of mysticism to the story. Books talk to her and she listens.

As a member of the founding family of Dove Pond she has strong ties to the area. Unfortunately, Dove Pond is in decline. When a book whispers to her that Grace can save the town, Sarah does everything she can to entice Grace to stay beyond the short term.

Contemporary Topics

In addition to the backstory of dementia, Hawkins touches on the state of the foster system. Grace’s determination to raise her niece stems from her own experience as an orphan. Back flashes explain how and why Grace is so attached to her own foster mother, Mama G. Thus her willingness to leave her city job for small town life in hopes of easing the confusion of dementia makes sense to the reader.

An additional topic that is touched on is the overdose death of Grace’s sister. But, despite all of these difficult topics, The Book Charmer leaves the reader in an upbeat mood. The efforts of Sarah, Grace and others give Dove Pond the spark it needs. Plus, the development of friendship between the characters showcases the power of relationships even among those hiding or running from the past.

I loved reading The Book Charmer. Readers can escape for a few hours of pure fiction. This was the first Karen Hawkins novel I have read but it certainly won’t be the last. I look forward to more in the series.

 

Daydreams of the Aging

Posted on by Econogal

You’re So Very Welcome

I can’t quite remember the quote about bravery and aging, but the gist is that growing old isn’t easy. Nor is watching someone with dementia or like condition. I am not there yet so I can’t give a first-hand account. But something I witnessed today at a nursing home put a new spin on aging. For the short-term, a differentiation between the sexes based on the experiences of yesteryear.

It was a beautiful morning and several of the residents were enjoying the open air of a back porch. Among the group were a pair of 80ish folks. Each was accompanied by a family member. And each dozed off and on. But here the similarities ended. In my opinion the differences hinged on sex. As in male or female.

DayDreaming

I do not know the background of the gentleman. But he is certainly of an age to have experienced the draft. Therefore, from what happened I suspect he saw battle. The solitude was abruptly broken with a cry of “he has a knife, watch out.” It took his family member some time to calm him down. He gradually became aware of his surroundings. But we all experienced his terror albeit briefly. From the conversation, it seems these day terrors were recent, after a fall.

On the other hand, the second day dreamer I know a great deal about since I belong to her. She is suffering from dementia, most likely Alzheimer’s. She did not comment on the outburst from her co-resident. Instead she drifted back to sleep.
But the next time she awoke she too spoke out into the quietude: “You are so very welcome.” These pleasant words were accompanied by an infectious smile. I truly hope when I reach this stage my daydreams are similar.

Much is known about the aging process, but there are still mysteries. I am very interested in the aging of the brain. However, until today I had not considered how the sex of the individual might predispose the symptoms. I am sure there are studies but I have not looked for the research. If any of you know, please share in the comment section.

Women: From the Maternity Ward to the Battlefield

Of course there are instances of women in the midst of battle. The review of We Band of Angels discusses the story of the nurses caught in the Philippines during World War II. The late 1970s ushered in an era of women and matriculation at the military academies. So it is possible that instead of a bias from gender, one needs to look at experience. But some experiences do come with a gender bias. Men may be present during childbirth but they still do not undergo labor.

All in all it was an eye-opening day. PTSD is present long after the stressful experience. How this affects our brains as we age and the triggers, such as a fall as we get older is something I plan to research. I also wish to find scientific studies involving gender and aging. Even though it may be redundant, I still hope my aging has daydreams ending in “You are so very welcome!”

The Verdun Affair Book Review

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The Verdun Affair

Nick Dybek’s The Verdun Affair reminds me of the books assigned in my high school English classes. Full of deep meaning, filled with ambiguity. Fodder for discussion. Passages to quote. Books such as Saul Bellow’s Henderson the Rain King, Joseph Heller’s Catch-22, and Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man. Only time will tell if Dybek will reach such a point. But sentences such as “He couldn’t have known that a lifetime is a sad thing, that, in the end, it is a bridge between two worlds that don’t believe in one another” which ends Chapter 3, have the depth for quotation. And discussion.

I struggled reading The Verdun Affair much as I struggled to read the above mentioned classics. The plot was fairly simple, the characters straightforward. But the presentation is one of shifting back and forth between the years.

The story is split between 1950 and the post World War I years. Tom, an American boy caught in France during the war tells the narrative. He is but one of many orphaned by war. He comes of age under the care of French priests and remains in Europe following the war.

The aftermath of The Great War led to many families, parents and wives, searching for those missing or lost. Tom’s task is to recover bones from the battlefields of Verdun while the priests tend to the many searching for lost loved ones.

The White Lie

The story truly unfolds from there. In the absence of clergy, Tom is tasked with consoling a fellow American, Sarah Hagen, searching for her husband. In an attempt towards compassion, he tells a lie. Some would classify it as a White Lie. He claims to have met her husband. This gives her hope. But it will haunt him.

Sarah continues searching. She travels to Italy in hopes that an amnesic is her missing husband. Smitten, Tom finds a way to follow. Italy introduces other key characters. One of whom, Paul, also has a presence in both past and present tales. He, too is searching for someone and thinks the amnesic is that person.

Purpose

The Verdun Affair ponders much. Truth, revenge, conflict and purpose are all posited for the reader to reflect upon. Dybek shows how war affects those involved directly as well as indirectly. Actions have consequences. This novel creates many questions for the reader. When does truth matter? How does one let go of a loved one? Is revenge always needed? How do actions today steer one’s life tomorrow?

I believe this book offers much to the reader looking for reflection. It is not an easy read, but life is not easy. The Verdun Affair is the type of literary work students should be assigned. But, it also holds value for those of us on the other side of the bridge.

The Alice Network Book Review

Posted on by Econogal

Kate Quinn offers a treat for history buffs and those who like a bit of romance. Her book, The Alice Network, is set in the years immediately following World War II. But, the focus of more than half the book is World War I, also known as The Great War.

Charlie

Alternating chapters reveal the stories of two women. Charlie, short for Charlotte, opens the story in 1947. She is searching for her cousin Rose. The family lost contact with Rose while France was occupied by Germany. Charlie has one lead, Evelyn Gardiner.

Charlie is also running away. Her story is a combination of post war stresses as well as her search for Rose. War has long-lasting consequences for both soldiers and families. Quinn does an outstanding job of conveying post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) throughout Charlie’s tale.

Fans of romance are treated to just a bit as Charlie becomes attracted to Finn Kilgore, employee of Evelyn Gardiner. Kilgore’s background is of a former soldier with some issues. He is struggling a bit but is a rock to both Eve and Charlie.

Eve/Marguerite

Evelyn Gardiner is the protagonist of The Great War story as well as the support Charlie needs in her search for Cousin Rose. Evelyn now known as Eve and sometimes as just Gardiner, is a drunk. But during World War II she served as a spy with the assumed name Marguerite.

Marguerite Le Francois is an integral member of the Alice Network. She is recruited in England but placed in France. Her fluency in English, French, and German makes her an ideal spy. Of course Marguerite is entirely concocted by Quinn. But The Alice Network was real. So too were some of the key supporting figures in the story of Eve. The weaving of fact and fiction is expertly done.

The Alice Network

Throughout history, women have been a party to war. During the Great War, women served as key figures in spy rings operating behind enemy lines. In the chapters focusing on Eve’s storyline, Quinn demonstrates the sacrifices made by these women. Then through Charlie’s story, she gives the readers a glimpse of how long-lasting the impact of war is.

I really enjoyed The Alice Network. The back and forth between storylines worked. Although the reader knows Eve survives World War I since she is still around in 1947, there is still quite a bit of suspense to this novel. I greatly appreciated the author’s notes at the end of the book. Quinn spells out fact from fiction as far as the war events. Those more knowledgeable of The Great War might not appreciate the notes as much.

I strongly recommend this book. The members of The Alice Network went to great lengths to shorten the war. The author does a really good job of showing the impact of war on soldier and civilian as well.

The characters are endearing. The story is suspenseful. The ending is akin to a romance novel even though there is a dose of bittersweet. Kate Quinn has a winner in this well researched and well written book.