Twenty-year-old Frances Grace McGrath saw her older brother, Finley, as a role model. After he graduated from the Naval Academy and was dispatched to Vietnam, she felt inspired to pursue a similar path and join The Army Nurse Corps. However, he was killed in action and Frances was torn between her commitment to the army and staying with her parents to grieve and be safe.
During her time in Vietnam, Frances befriended other female volunteers and formed a close sisterhood. As a seasoned nurse, she played a crucial role in saving the lives of locals and American soldiers. However, the reality of Vietnam was pain, death, and destruction. It was a constant struggle to not be scared all the time. The main focus of the first part of the book centres around Frances and how she copes with her emotions during her time in combat, friendships, and romantic entanglements.
The second half of the book is about her homecoming, where she experiences PTSD and overcomes the stigma that women don't fight in wars. Betrayal, pain, and humiliation almost brought her down, but she managed to overcome these obstacles. The author has done a great job of remembering women who served in the Vietnam War and stepped outside of conventional gender roles.
Thanks to @definitelybooks #pansing and Izah for the review copy. Opinions are my own 💙
*Available at all major bookstores in Singapore and Malaysia and their online store
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