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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I loved this book! I learned a lot about living in remote Alaska, but I also loved the story line.
I really liked this book. Captivating from page 1 to the end!
Excellent writing and character development. Learned a lot about life in Alaska and the specific challenges one doesn’t usually think of. Loved being back in the ‘70’s!
This book will stay with me for quite a while. A family moves to Alaska & plans living off the grid. This is about love, power, survival, triumph in the face of evil.
Kristin Hannah is an accomplished writer, with a talent for storytelling that engages the reader right away. While The Nightingale was more coherent and consistent throughout, this tale, for me, seemed to lose momentum when the protagonist left Alaska. It was if the book went from vivid color to a fade.
The descriptions of subsistence life in Alaska were stark and very realistic. The father with PTST was a character both sympathetic and horrific. The Alaskan community and the cast of characters were believable, some even unforgettable. I recommend this book.
A really great read!!!!
i absolutely loved every page of this book !
4.75 STARS!
(Audio: 5 STARS!)
Near perfection! I knew this would be a tough read since the blurb indicated a troubled and volatile husband/father suffering from the after-affects of being a POW in the Vietnam War. That only touched on this family’s saga. This story was mainly told through daughter Lenora’s POV from the ages of 13-28 with a few moments peppered in with alternate character POV’s. Lenora was a reliable and captivating narrator with an evolving maturation that was well beyond her years due to her circumstances. Seeing the rugged and intimidating 1970’s Alaska through her eyes was informative and often shocking. Towards the last 25% of the book, the story felt a little more rushed, but overall it was in turns an exhilarating and heartbreaking story with an utterly satisfying conclusion. Highly recommended reading.
Read it over a weekend. Really good read! Great characters and plot!
Liked the book, but ending was predictable.
My first introduction to Kristin Hannah was the Nightingale and The Great Alone did not disappoint. The Great Alone is a heartbreaking family drama about love and loss and fighting for survival. A Vietnam POW returns home with PTSD. The issues the family deals with from that point forward are never sugar-coated and are certainly not pleasant. One is left wondering what if the family had gotten help instead of pretending all was well?
Regardless The Great Alone is another gripping read that you won’t want to put down.
One of the best books I have read for a long time. Couldn’t put it down!
Omg! This book like all other Hannah books had all the feels! Love fear sadness just everything you could imagine. Best book I’ve read in 2018.
Great read. You can feel the cold, the inhumanity and the will to rise above it all. Highly recommend
This author captures me with ALL of her books, especially this one.
I could “see” Alaska through the author’s words
This author seems to write two books in one. The story of the violent, war-damaged father, and his dangerous pipe-dreams of the simple life is frightening and rings true. She then introduces maudlin romance that one would expect from a bodice ripper. Mesmerizing early on; then downhill.
Kind of sad story that ends well. I enjoyed it
I have read most of Kristen Hannah’s books. They touch my heart in many ways. They also make me cry a lot of times and that is good.
It was an amazing read. I’ve been to Alaska many times but never to places that were remote and so difficult to live. Gave me another look at people who do this and make it seem so normal. Bravo to these brave souls – I’m certain the beauties and wonders they experience make it worth while.