This is probably my least favorite of Kristin Hannah's books that I've read. It drags on way too long, and everything that goes wrong does go wrong for poor Lenny.

Unforgettable saga set in the last American frontier.

In 1974, Ernt Albright, ex Vietnam War POW decides to move his wife and daughter to the outer reaches of northern Alaska where they will try to make a life in the wilds off the grid. None of them have a clue as to what awaits and how desperate and dire their circumstances once they arrive. Summer treats them well and Ernt, Cora, and Leni work through all the daylight hours preparing for the coming winter. They make friends with some of the neighbors and there is relative peace. Then the darkness comes, ushering in a time of peril for them all. And all the worst dangers are not outside in the treacherous climate and the wild animals are not their most terrible threat. The biggest problem is inside their small cabin. It’s Ernt.

This novel gives you all the feels as the Allbright’s experience in Alaska runs the gamut from exciting to bloodshed. As they develop the resilience and skill to handle their daily existence, it’s obvious that Ernt is breaking down and that Cora and Leni are in fraught situations. He’s a loose cannon and Cora’s bad decisions don’t help. Leni loves her mother desperately, but she can’t get Cora to see the truth about Ernt. And then the moment comes when Leni and Cora have to respond.

I typically do not care for coming of age plots and teenage main characters so it surprised me how much I loved this book. I also found that Alaska itself was another main character and I could see the appeal of that wild place to a certain type of person. Me, on the other hand, lazy type princess who loves to have everything nice and fresh and clean, can’t wait to go to the grocery store and shop, could not have lasted a day there. I’m not cut out for that pioneer lifestyle, but I definitely admired those characters in the book for how they thrived and became part of their land.

I was able to listen to the audiobook narrated by the fabulous Julia Whelan. Her voice and passion really gave the characters distinct personalities and brought them all to life. It definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the story.

Highly recommend this. I’m sure I will be thinking about it for a long time.

The Great Alone is a captivating and emotionally resonant novel that explores the raw beauty of Alaska and the complexities of family dynamics. Set in the 1970s, the story follows the Allbright family as they move to the remote Alaskan wilderness seeking a fresh start. The father, Ernt, a Vietnam War veteran struggling with PTSD, brings both hope and turmoil into their lives. His wife, Cora, and their teenage daughter, Leni, face the harsh realities of isolation and the unpredictable nature of Ernt’s mental state.

Hannah’s vivid descriptions of Alaska's rugged landscape create a striking backdrop that adds to the novel's immersive quality. The way she portrays the challenges and triumphs of living in such a remote setting captures the spirit of adventure and resilience. Leni's coming-of-age journey is poignantly depicted, as she navigates the complexities of her family's struggles while forging her own path.

The novel’s exploration of themes like love, survival, and the impact of trauma is handled with sensitivity and depth. Hannah’s compelling storytelling and well-developed characters make The Great Alone a powerful and moving read. It’s a beautifully crafted narrative that will stay with readers long after they’ve turned the last page.

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah is a beautiful, heartbreaking, beautifully written story. It's difficult to read at times, especially for anyone who has suffered abuse, but it's very well done. It hit a little too close to home for me, and I struggled a lot getting through it, but not because it wasn't well written and compelling. It's full of hope and inspiration if you can get through it, and I'm glad I pushed through. I loved reading Leni's coming of age story, and beautiful Alaska. I loved the found family aspects and the relationship Leni and her mom developed with their neighbors. So amazing. Read it if you can. :)

I read this book quite a while ago, and I read A LOT of books, but I do remember that the story stayed with me for quite some time. Anything by Kristin Hannah I know will be a sure thing. Her character development, flaws, and humanity stay with you. This was no exception.

An Alaskan adventure that spans decades, family secrets, addition, betrayal, and a load of heart breaking discovery. Family expectations, obligations, a desire to thrive, and a desire to live.

The heart of a family struggling with PTSD, a changing post-Vietnam world, and the impact of struggles between those who have and those who want to!

What would you do if you witnessed two people who could not escape physical and emotional abuse, would you give up or continue to be there no matter the cost?

A must read for those who love Kristin Hannah as she takes us on an epic journey into the wild's of Alaska and the heart of a community that protects its own.

There is just something about Kristin Hannah's writing that completely draws you in. She has a way with dialogue and character building that feels real and authentic.

I thought this book was quite good. The subject matter is difficult at times and there is a fair amount of violence but there is an underlying theme of love and hope that surpasses the despair. The descriptions of Alaska are beautiful, it's almost as if the state is another character in the story. I will say that I think it could have benefited from more aggressive editing, some parts were repetitious and it did drag a bit at times. I'm glad to recommend it but it's definitely not for the squeamish!

One of Kristen Hannah's best. She really pulled you into the state of Alaska. Strong female lead who had to navigate the harsh climate and seasons of Alaska .

Before now, I haven't read a Kristin Hannah book (I know- I can't believe it either). The Great Alone is a story about a struggling family that moves to Alaska in the hopes of a fresh start. Leni is 13 and worried that Alaska will make her dad's nightmares worse. He returned home from Vietnam as a former POW who drinks to deal with his anger at the world. This is not a feel-good easy beach read. Instead, it paints a stark picture of survival, both physical and mental, and how Leni grows up in the environment. Alaska is an amazing place that I would love to go back to visit and I loved that Hannah made it almost a character of its own. This was a tough read but so amazing. I really need to read more by her!

This was my first foray into Kristin Hannah and what an emotionally draining ride. A beautifully written heartbreaking journey to Alaska. The characters were well developed and realistic. After I recover I may try another one.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

Kristin Hannah does such a wonderful job creating a character here with her vivid description of Alaska and the community with these rich, quirky and interesting characters. Happy Reading!

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

***This ARC was provided by Netgalley for a free review***
I have no idea why I’ve waited this book for so long. It’s an epic adventure told from a 14-year-old‘s point of you until she grows into adulthood at the age of 25. The story begins in the 70s with Leni Albright and her family moved to the frontier of Alaska. Her father a Vietnam vet and a POW inherited a chunk of land from one of his army buddies who died in Vietnam. Her father suffers from severe PTSD after being captured during the war and becomes a violent, hateful man. Once they arrive in Alaska they find out that life will have to change, or they won’t survive the winter. Along the way Leni befriend a void in Matthew who is 14 just like her. The story takes you through the trials and tribulations of living in Alaska and Leni life as she grows into an adult. She survives not only the elements in the very rural part of Alaska but also her fathers rage.
I have always been a fan of coming of age story because you find out how their life turns out not just how it is at a certain point in time. It’s also fascinating to learn about Alaska and the way things were before it became more modern.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this reader's copy. In exchange, I am providing an honest review.

Similar to my reading of Where the Crawdads sing last month, this book makes me feel and I'm on the edge of gushiness about it.

Leni Allbright's dad, Ernt, is a Vietnam POW. For a long time, it was just her mom, Cora, and herself. Then Ernt was found and came back home with no visible wounds or scars. But sometimes the deepest and most painful wounds aren't able to be seen with the physical eye. Ernt has nightmares, he can't hold down a job, he drinks a lot, he is jealous, he is angry. As a result of Ernt's psychological wounds, the family moves around a lot as he tries to outrun the demons from the war. When Leni is 13 years old he moves them to remote Alaska. Alaska is already pretty remote and Ernt moves them to an even remoter place. Having no knowledge or understanding of what it means to survive the wilds of Alaska, especially in the winter, the Allbrights land in Kaneq, Alaska just as summer is coming to that part of the world. Surviving Alaska is work. Work all of the time. There is no rest. Summer is spent preparing for the long and unbending winters. The winters are spent trying to survive. The Allbrights are clueless. But the residents of Kaneq pitch in to help the cheechakos prepare for their first winter in Alaska, these aren't the first people who have come in search of a simpler life in the wilds. The question is, do they have the strength and fortitude to stay? Most don't. But Ernt is determined. He needs this wild country to hide from his demons. He needs the wide-open spaces so he can breathe again, he needs to live off the land and not the government that betrayed him, he needs to protect his family from all the evil - perceived and real. And because Cora, and Leni, love him they are there with him. At first, all seems to be going well. But the sun is up for 18 hours a day, one might call it the honeymoon phase of Alaskan life. But then winter comes, and the sun shines - just barely - for maybe 6 hours a day if they are lucky. And the demons, flashbacks, and nightmares return. To keep them at bay Ernt drinks and when Ernt drinks he gets jealous, angry, spiteful. To be stuck in a remote part of Alaska with a man who cannot outrun his demons is dangerous and Cora and Leni find ways to adapt to his moods. They have no choice if they want to survive, after all, everyone knows there are a thousand ways to die in Alaska.

Hannah gives us great characters in this book. She gives us the Allbrights, Large Marge, Matthew and Tom Walker, various family members of the Harlan family. But the character that looms large in this story is Alaska. Hannah brings Alaska to life, as much as one can, through this story. I read a lot of this book, maybe all of it, in the dark before bed each night. And so I felt Alaska. I felt the cold, the darkness, the beauty. Maybe reading in the dark (thanks to my backlit Kindle) contributed to the impressive character of Alaska Hannah wrote about but I suspect had I read the book in my recliner in broad daylight I still would have felt it like I did in the dark. It plays such an important role in the lives of the Allbrights and then the other characters we meet. I think it could be argued that it is the main character and the rest are secondary. Hannah captured what I imagine to be a pretty accurate picture of what life was like with a man who returned from Vietnam, POW or not. The longing for that person to be who they were before the war, the attempts to understand the terror and anger they still lived with each day, the adjustments needed in order to live with them in any kind of harmony. There was no understanding in the mid-late '70s about PTSD, it didn't even have a name yet, although some psychologists were starting to identify and name certain characteristics of the disorder. It makes me sad for the person suffering as a result of a war we never should have engaged in. It makes me sad for the families that had to endure PTSD without knowing what it was and how to help their loved ones. It makes me sad for the families that held potential and never saw it come to fruition because of the distress their loved ones brought back with them from Vietnam.

Some people might read this book and think, the wilds of Alaska are where I need to be. Even today, in 2020, there are parts of Alaska still as untouched by the modern world as there was in the '70s. I read the book, appreciated the wilds of Alaska from the comfort of my very modern home, and thought no thanks - I could visit those wilds for a day, maybe two, but I need plumbing, electricity, the knowledge that medical help is literally right down the street, cars, food already dug up from the earth or skinned, deboned, and cut apart, etc. I was not born for the wilds of Alaska but I do appreciate them. I felt Leni's growing up years and found myself wanting all good things for her throughout the book. I was satisfied and warmed by how the story concluded. It gave me all the feels.

I really enjoyed this book. It had lots of good elements. The writing was beautiful, the story was heartbreaking, yet satisfying, and the characters were wonderful. I am working on reading through Hannah's backlist and looking forward to her next book.

This book had been on my to be read list since before it came out, so I was thrilled that two of my book groups selected it to read this year. I know it’s early in the year, but so far it’s one of two that have been my favorites. I have always enjoyed the books I’ve read by Kristin Hannah, but I think her writing has risen to a new level starting with the Nightingale, and it just keeps getting better.

The book is told from the point of view of thirteen-year-old Leni Allbright whose father is a former POW from Vietnam and now suffers from PTSD. Ernt Allbright struggles to keep a job and support his family, so the family moves frequently, and Leni never feels she fits in anywhere. When Ernt finds out that his friend who died during the war, left him property in Alaska, it’s like a prayer was answered, and Ernt decides to relocate the family. The family feels like this will be a fresh beginning for them, solving all their issues. When they arrive, they find it is in an extremely remote area, and the small cabin is unlivable as is. They start cleaning and repairing the house to make it livable. The community warns them of how difficult it is to survive the winters where one small mistake can result in death, and someone dies every year. Leni, though, has found a friend, Matthew, who has similar interests and is the only one her age, finally letting her feel she fits in somewhere. All is not good, though. When winter comes with its 18 hours of darkness and mountains of snow, Ernt’s mental well-being declines, and he drinks and becomes abusive, leaving Leni caught in the middle of her parents’ abusive relationship.

I almost didn’t read this after all because a friend who has similar reading tastes said she found it very depressing to read. The subject matter is sad, but her writing is excellent. Her descriptions were so evocative that I felt like I was living in those unbearable circumstances right along with the characters. The characters are well fleshed out, and there was growth of several characters throughout the book. Although the subject matter is depressing, it didn’t leave me feeling down myself. I just felt sorry that they couldn’t work themselves out of the situations. I did get frustrated with the Mom. Although it is realistic, I have trouble understanding how someone stays in an abusive relationship. I think part of why I didn’t get completely bogged down by the abusiveness, though, is because there was some good in book portrayed by the people of the community. I found it refreshing how the community came together for each other. Because of the dire circumstances, they really relied on each other to a level we don’t see in our lives every day. This book was also longer than I typically like to read, but because of her superb writing, she kept me engrossed throughout the book.

My Rating: 4.5 Stars

What a story this was my first Kristin Hannah book and I absolutely loved it! Leni's family moves to Alaska to live on the great frontier. I felt a mix of emotions throughout the story - I cried, I was angry at times, and felt happiness throughout.

OH my gosh — with every Hannah book I read, I love her writing and plots more and more. Set against the backdrop of Alaska — always a winner setting for my reading pleasure,, with family poignancy and drama throughout. A veteran’s mental pain and how it tragically effects his family — just an overall very enjoyable read.

Leno and her family move to Alaska in the seventies so her father can escape his demons from being a POW in Vietnam. ARC from NetGalley.

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah is a wonderful book about a family relocating to Alaska. The landscape and harsh living conditions become a character in the book. Beautfully written story. Highly recommend, especially for book clubs.