In Kristin Hannah’s The Great Alone, a desperate family seeks a new beginning in the near-isolated wilderness of Alaska only to find that their unpredictable environment is less threatening than the erratic behavior found in human nature.#1 New York Times Instant Bestseller (February 2018)A People “Book of the Week”Buzzfeed’s “Most Anticipated Women’s Fiction Reads of 2018”Seattle Times’s “Books … Women’s Fiction Reads of 2018”
Seattle Times’s “Books to Look Forward to in 2018”
Alaska, 1974. Ernt Allbright came home from the Vietnam War a changed and volatile man. When he loses yet another job, he makes the impulsive decision to move his wife and daughter north where they will live off the grid in America’s last true frontier.
Cora will do anything for the man she loves, even if means following him into the unknown. Thirteen-year-old Leni, caught in the riptide of her parents’ passionate, stormy relationship, has little choice but to go along, daring to hope this new land promises her family a better future.
In a wild, remote corner of Alaska, the Allbrights find a fiercely independent community of strong men and even stronger women. The long, sunlit days and the generosity of the locals make up for the newcomers’ lack of preparation and dwindling resources.
But as winter approaches and darkness descends, Ernt’s fragile mental state deteriorates. Soon the perils outside pale in comparison to threats from within. In their small cabin, covered in snow, blanketed in eighteen hours of night, Leni and her mother learn the terrible truth: they are on their own.
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Be prepared for depressing…
Fascinating book. I still think about it over a year later.
Depressing! She can do so much better as a writer. I did not care for this book at all.
What more can a family go through, having a violent husband and father. The ending does not surprise me, although it was meant to. This book created a character you hate.
Best one I’ve read in awhile!!
Loved this story. Couldn’t put it down once I started.
This was not my favorite Kristen Hannah novel.
My favorite author hands down
Hannah captures life in 1970s Alaska to a tea. We lived in a remote area during those years and as I was reading I kept nudging my hubby and announcing, she so gets it! The characters and their interactions are realistic and the setting is spot on.
I loved reading this book. I didn’t want to put it down, but I wanted the story to go on forever. A book that creates anticipation of reading it the next day is always a good sign. I was blows away when I realized Kristin Hannah, the same author who wrote The “Nightingale”, wrote this book! She’s a genius.
Okay, I know I’m late the the Great Alone love fest, but oh my goodness…is this an amazing story or what?!!!!!! This modern-day twist on the Romeo & Juliette tragedy is set in the rugged world of Alaska that becomes an imposing character all its own. If this world had not been populated with so many really good people, this would have been a hard story. It makes me realize that no matter my struggles, there are people willing to help…just ask. Beautiful work, Kristin Hannah.
When I started this book I had no idea it was going to crush me the way it did. I ugly cried. I had a nervous breakdown at the dinner table. But despite that and all the emotions I wouldn’t change a minute of it. It’s all about the journey. Leni’s father was a POW and has not been the same since he returned. Leni and her parents move to Alaska hoping for a fresh start. What ensues is anything but. Even though this story starts in the 70’s, its message is timeless. I loved being immersed in the Alaskan culture and loved how the community came together and supported each other. Through all the twists, turns and heartbreak I had hope. That hope was rewarded in the end and it was absolutely worth all the bumps along the way.
One of my favorite books from a couple of years ago. Had great characters and the story was really interesting.
Great story.
This book really had me from the start and the further I read, the more enveloped I felt in the time and place of beautiful, dangerous Alaska. The characters and their dilemmas are built in such a believable way that I truly felt for their problems and worried right along with them as the story unfolded. I will say the ending seemed a little awkward as I was given big dilemma after big dilemma. I questioned what the author wanted me to care about most. What was her overarching story? She seemed to have three or four of them and it made the last quarter of the novel clunky.
It’s an interesting story!
Fantastic read!
Having fallen in love with Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale, The Great Alone was met with excitement from our members. Hannah’s prose was equally descriptive this time around. Like the setting in Where the Crawdads Sing, the harsh Alaskan environment became a character in itself. There are several comparisons and correlations between these two books that make them fun to listen to in succession. The Walking Book Club ratings:
Motivation to Move: 4.9 Sneakers
Narration: 4.8 Sneakers
Overall experience: 4.8 Sneakers
A dark but interesting story of people willing to live in Alaska all year .
Loved reading about Alaska. The book had many twists and turns, and I was relieved at the ending. Could not put it down!