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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What can I possibly say about this story that will do it some justice? I’m downright speechless about this emotionally charged masterpiece.
I’ve read every single story this author has ever written. Let’s be honest I didn’t relate to every one of them but when I love a writing style I stick to it. The Great Alone is one of my most memorable reads to date. It’s does deals with PTSD and domestic violence. What’s great about that? It’s not. It’s the love of a community that comes together in time of need.
Ernt comes back Vietnam to Cora, his wife and daughter Leni when he shouldn’t have. Years of moving around, ever loss of jobs and instability brings them to the Alaskan’s wilderness. It’s a fresh beginning for all of them but little did they know that it could be their worst nightmare. That’s all I’ll say about what it’s about.
This story took my emotions, spun them at tornado speed, twisted them and left me reeling at the end. It’s a raw and powerfully written story. The scenes in Alaska where described so vividly that it felt like I was there. The culture and their way of living felt like so real. The characters emotions latched on my entire being and left me a crying mess. Beautifully written story with an excellent storyline that was set from 1974 to 1986.
Standalone told in the third person with its unique HEA. I strongly encouraged the reading of this story.
Literally my life:
“For as long as I can remember, books have been my safe place.”
It’s hard to not like a book that has that to say, or a fictional young adult with that sort of wisdom.
Love and fear. The most destructive forces on earth. Fear had turned her inside out, love had made her stupid.”
That quote is definitely befitting of this story. There’s no way I could find the words to do this reading experience justice so I’ll just say it packs real feels … all of them. Those of family love, friendship, loyalty, romantic love, complete and utter heartbreak and repeated satisfaction. This is one of those reads where the characters can be so frustrating … but I found their end results extremely satisfying.
Very well played and I love how complete this tale is, it did not leave me wanting more. Would love to see this made into a movie or mini-series.
5 stars.
Note:
I listened to the audiobook; 5-star performance.
This book stressed me out so much but in the best way. An amazing story set in Alaska full of family dysfunction and the very real issue of surviving in the wilderness.
Because I loved THE NIGHTENGALE, I was eager to read THE GREAT ALONE. I was struck by how completely different these stories are, and that’s not a criticism. As an author of stand-alone novels myself, I appreciate a new setting, different theme, and original plot in each book I read. Hannah’s depiction of life in Alaska gave me an experience I’ve never had. Though the story is tragic, its theme of domestic abuse echoes the secrets of far too many families, and Hannah does not leave us hopeless at the end.
There is no such thing as a bad Kristin Hannah book. I marvel at the research that goes into each story to be so diverse in topics and story lines. The Great Alone is amazing.
Loved it!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved the story it told of life in Alaska – so interesting. The characters were all very well written. I found myself nervously waiting to see what was going to happen. It is a story that stays with you long after you finish it.
Such a great set of characters. The mother/daughter bond set the theme and carried the story through hardship and domestic abuse, as well as incredible joy.
I kept thinking, wow, Kristin Hannah really did some in-depth research on Alaska and living off the grid. It was a delight to read the author note and discover her family took off in a VW bus,and eventually settled in the Pac NW. Later, her parents took off for Alaska. Her family, along with another mother/daughter team, owns the Great Alaska Adventure Lodge, a name you may recognize from the book.
This is one of my favorite books of 2019!
Intriguing look into the heart of domestic abuse both of perpetrator and victim. Wasn’t at all prepared for that surprising ending, but beautifully done. Alaska comes alive almost like an additional character in this book.
This story is captivating, definitely not a story you’ve heard before. The author describes conditions in Alaska in a very real and unnerving manner, making you glad you are sitting in the comfort of your own home and not in the freezing, bleak conditions portrayed.
This was an interesting book to me, especially since I went through a very abusive relationship in my earlier years. I found the characters very believable and tragic in the sense that I understood their motivation and felt their pain. I would have wished for a better (happier) ending but also understand the author’s reasoning behind choosing the ending that she did. Sometimes it is good to have a tough ending, and in that way, it haunts the reader and causes more discussion of the plot and story. All in all, it was an excellent book and I still remember it months later because of the ending.
The Alaskan setting of this book was a character all on its own. I was mesmerized by all the sensory descriptions of the place, the people, and the time. Yes, the storyline about abuse was tough to read at times, but this book stuck with me for a long time afterward. Fantastic read.
I was really gripped to this powerful tale of two women surviving against the odds. Utterly absorbing.
A fabulous book by a wonderful author. A fantastic vision of Alaska with the issue of PTSD. It was difficult to put down once I started reading it. Needless to say I read it within 24 hours.
This book was a reminder of what the Vietnam war did to a generation of men and their families. Things would be different if better decisions were made by our elected officials.
This book really kept me reading into the night. So much going on and so many conflicts to solve. The characters were very believable and I found myself pulling for some of them throughout the book. It’s somewhat intense in places but it’s a very compelling read!
This book gave wonderful insight on living in Alaska in the 1970’s and how survival was truly a daily effort. Very interesting and well written book.
This book held my concentration and I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN. Great story about the state of alaska and how people lived there in the 80’s. Greatook characters and it was a page turner. I really loved this book.
My wife and I spent some time in Alaska and for anyone who has spent time there they, too, would see things in the book they saw in Alaska.