If you've only visited Alaska on occasion, and never lived there on a dirt road in the 1970s, you will probably like this book. This book paints a very superficial and stereotypical picture of life in Alaska, The usual "colorful" characters, and people running away from something. I lived there for multiple decades as a child and young adult, and so the book doesn't strike me as very authentic. The dialogue seemed stilted, in particular when characters introduced themselves to the family. The dialogue was primarily to quickly tell there "back story". I think fans of Kristin Hannah will like this book, however, I cannot give it a strong recommend.
Note: My comments are based on an advanced ebook copy from netgalley, and perhaps the areas where I saw room for improvement have been revised.

After unexpectedly inheriting a homestead in remote Alaska, Ernt Allbright moves his family to the Kaneq wilderness. Suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder from his time as a POW in Vietnam, he looks at his new life as the answer to his problems. And in the beginning, it is, but his demons begin to catch up to him during the long winter nights in a hostile landscape.

The Great Alone is not his story, it’s the story of his resilient daughter Leni and the life she’s able to carve out in the wake of the Allbright family wreckage. Set against the backdrop of the tumultuous ‘70s – think Vietnam, Patty Hearst, and gas shortages – Kristin Hannah has written a riveting novel of survival and brutality. That’s not to say it’s perfect, the novel can be melodramatic and a few plot points are rushed, but in the end, I still loved it. Memorable characters and an unforgettable setting make this bittersweet novel a winter standout.

Now, how do I get to Alaska?

I know it is extremely difficult for an author to follow up a huge bestseller such as The Nightingale. And even though it is completely different, The Great Alone is just as wonderful and beautifully written! I LOVED this breathtaking story and was glued to it from the beginning. Countless times I have recommended The Nightingale as one of my all time favorite books and now I will also be singing the praises of The Great Alone! Seriously, just read it! Kristin Hannah, you are a genius and I cannot wait to see what gift you have for us next. #TheGirlfriendGreatAlone

An emotional and gripping read that will keep you up all night.

The book opens with 13 year old Leni listening to her parents arguing. Leni reflects how this normal in her home especially since her dad came home from Viet Nam. Her dad is notified a comrade he served with in Viet Nam has left him his homestead in Alaska. Leni's dad thinks the best thing for his family is to move to the homestead and learn how to live off the land and provide for themselves. He tells them it will help him emotionally. Off the family goes to Alaska in the VW van with nothing more than the clothes on their backs pretty much. We follow Leni and her family as the learn what it takes to be a true Alaskan and a family that is riddled with abuse with nowhere to go.

I cried happy and sad tears as I read late into the night each night. Last night I read until my eyes could not focus as I wanted to finish the book. Just like she did with The Nightingale, I questioned what I would do in similar circumstances and if I had to the guts and strength to survive what the female characters survive. How much are you willing to love someone whether it be blood or not? Is blood love the strongest of love? You will find yourselves wrapped up in the characters so much that you will take a moment to refocus and remember where you are in the real world.

The description of the wilds of Alaska is beautiful but at the same time Hannah is not afraid to show the ugliness of Alaska either. Alaska is not for the faint of heart. It takes a special person to survive.

Run to the nearest bookstore, library or e-reader and pick up your copy today and make the time to read it over the weekend. I think you will be glad you did.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy in exchange for an honest review in my own words.

Absolutely loved this book, another bestseller from Kristin Hannah!

Wow! What a book! I was hooked from the first chapter and couldn't put it down. I particularly loved the descriptions of homesteading in remote Alaska. Brilliant!

Kristin Hannah takes you to hard places in her books which I experienced first in The Nightingale. Her new book, The Great Alone, is no exception. It begins in 1974, with thirteen-year-old Leni coping with a father who is a former POW home from Vietnam afflicted with PTSD in a time when little was said or done about it, and a mother who is drawn back to his volatile abusive behavior. The book pictures vividly the mindsets of the abuser and the victim who keeps returning for more. The setting moves from Seattle to the wilds of Alaska to add yet another difficulty to her life.

Early on, Leni seems to be the most adult member of this dysfunctional family as she questions “How was Mama’s unshakable belief in Dad any different than his fear of Armageddon? Did adults just look at the world and see what they wanted to see, think what they wanted to think? Did evidence and experience mean nothing?” The question looms often of how many ways are there are to die in Alaska. In a bit of balance, the unique Alaskans who have carved out a life in this unforgiving land add color and helpfulness to the newcomers.

Tempted to close the book as one difficulty piles on the next, I really couldn’t but needed to turn yet another page since I couldn’t leave Leni in that chapter’s trouble. Also, there was a love interest as she grew up. Surely, something good would come of it.

I’m glad I stayed for the resolution, though Kristin Hannah took her own good time in coming to it. This thought-provoking book kept me turning pages, but I’ll need recovery. I think I’ll have time before she gets another one on the market.

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah is a very highly recommended coming of age story and portrait of a family and a time in history.

It is 1974 when her father, Ernt Allbright, loses his job yet again, and decides he will move his family, wife, Cora, and daughter, Leni, north to the untamed wilderness of Kaneq, Alaska, where Ernt has inherited his deceased buddy's cabin and land. Thirteen-year-old Leni is used to be uprooted and moved at her parent's whim. Her father Ernt is a former POW and according to her mother, Cora, he came home a changed man, full of anger and nightmares. Even with the violence, Cora will do anything for Ernt. Now Leni has no choice but to head north with her angry father and learn to live off the grid. All she can do is hope she will find a place to fit in and that Alaska will calm her parent's unhealthy, passionate and volatile relationship.

At first Alaska seems to be the answer to her family's dreams. Kaneq is made up of fiercely independent, strong people who all have a before and after story. Alaska changes Leni. She falls in love with the land, the way of life, and Matthew. The community believes in bartering and they pitch in to help the Allbrights prepare during the long summer days for the harsh, unrelenting winter. As Large Marge tells them, "There's a saying: Up here you can make one mistake. The second one will kill you." But that saying is referring to the harsh, unforgiving wild nature of the land. For Cora and Leni the real danger as winter approaches and darkness increases is Ernt. The darkness brings out his nightmares, paranoia and violence, especially toward Cora. Soon locals have to step in and find a way to keep Cora and Leni safe, but it is a tenuous solution at best.

The Great Alone is a wonderfully engaging novel and will hold your rapt attention from beginning to end. The writing is exceptional. Hannah depicts the violent effect of of Ernt's PTSD on the family and his toxic relationship with Cora, while expertly weaving into the story events from the 1970's and the attitudes from the decade. All the characters in this admirable novel, including the state of Alaska, are unique, deftly drawn and expertly developed. Leni is a wonderful character.

This is a perfect stay-up-way-too-late reading book, which makes it a wonderful choice for long winter nights (or overnight at the airport). The plot is complex and layered, like life itself. Hannah perfectly describes the essence of the relationship between mother and child, of love and loss, of sacrifice and regret. It is also an emotional novel. There was a point when I wondered where else Hannah could take us, what was left to experience, and she surpassed my expectations with this insightful and intelligent novel. This is one of the best novels I've read this year.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of St. Martin's Press.
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Kristin Hannah tackles life in the Alaskan wilderness in the 70’s in The Great Alone. Having lived through this time, I well know it is before cell phones, satellite TV, and the World Wide Web. This is the world that Leni Albright spends her teenage years, more isolated than me because of the vastness of Alaska. It is a coming of age book, a survival book, a book if despair and one of hope too. It is a story of mother and daughter banding together, of how war changes a man into a monster, and a story of love.

Fresh starts would work better if one didn’t have to take their old selves and old issues with them to the new beginning. The unforgiving environment is not only without but also within the walls which should been a refuge but instead is a warzone for the Albrights. Ms. Hannah does not shy away from the stark but vivid described setting and events. One could not come away from this book without feeling that they had experienced along with Leni the merciless beauty and cruelty of the Alaskan environment as well as sense of community among the people who lived there.

Ms. Hannah builds this story through the careful development of the characters in the first half so that the second half has a much quicker pace. Like a snowball it starts out slow and small then builds, gaining momentum. Likewise, there is an emotional intensity throughout the story that makes this longer novel hard to put down. Even when I had to put it down I was anxious to get back to the story to see how Leni was faring. Powerful, poignant story that I can highly recommend.

Ernt is a Vietnam war veteran. He has become unstable, volatile and abusive since his time as a POW. When he inherits a homestead in Alaska, he decides to move his family for a fresh start on life.

Alaska has always been on my bucket list. The vastness is appealing to me. So, I jumped on this book as soon as I heard it was available. Kristin Hannah nailed Alaska for me. I could just picture the greatness and the dangers which encompass this last frontier.

Not only did Kristin Hannah have a great setting she also created some of the best characters. Ernt with his insanity, Cora with her strength and Leni, their daughter, with her determination form a family like no other. And then there is Large Marge…yes that is her name…Matthew and his family, just to name a few. I enjoyed this community of outcasts. They have a tough exterior but their hearts know no limits.

Parts of this novel I savored and parts I rushed through because it was terrifying. It was tough to get through some spots. I had to stop and breathe in places, especially where Leni was concerned. This is an incredible book! This story encompasses so much. And I cannot tell you what I liked more…the story, the land, the people…all of it creates a tale of survival, love and hope.

I received this novel from Netgalley for a honest review

Alaska. The Great Alone. In 1974, a Vietnam vet suffering from PTSD takes his wife and teenage daughter to a small community in the wilderness of Alaska. A buddy who died in Vietnam left him his land and cabin. Ernt and his family are unprepared for what living in Alaska requires, but the tight-knit community rallies around them to help teach them to survive. For awhile, life in the wilderness calms Ernt's nightmares, volatile temper and paranoia. But, soon things start to unravel. Ernt is like a ticking time bomb.....his wife and daughter both know at some point he will explode. His daughter, Leni, loves him but at the same time, his behavior terrifies her.

This is such a moving story. The Great Alone doesn't just speak to the isolation in Alaska. Ernt is alone because he is a veteran left to deal with extreme PTSD with no support structure. His wife is alone because she just can't bring herself to escape from their abusive, toxic relationship. And Leni is a child caught in the middle of it all.

As a former victim of spousal abuse, this book was difficult for me to read. I kept wanting to jump into the book and plead with the mother to at least send her daughter away to safety, and to STOP making excuses for her husband's behavior. Every time she was weak, selfish and ridiculous, I wanted to shake and smack her. There is never an excuse good enough to keep a child in an abusive atmosphere. NEVER. In the end, the situation had a life changing effect on Leni. How could things have been different if Ernt had sought help instead of running from place to place and letting his demons gain control? How would things have been different if Cora had put her daughter's safety first and sent her to live in town, or Anchorage.....anywhere but in constant fear of her father and in view of their disintegrating marital relationship. And Leni.....how would things have been different for her if she wasn't constantly in fear of, and victimized by, her father's temper, violence and erratic behavior.....and her mother's refusal to do anything about it. In the end, I guess the truth is that love, when it is an addiction or too powerful, can be dangerous. Human emotions like jealousy, anger, resentfulness can be overpowering in a rough wilderness like Alaska. In the end, the parents' inability to control their emotions and situation was just as dangerous, unpredictable and volatile as wild Alaska.

Wonderful, haunting story. It's a difficult subject for me to read about....but I was hooked from the first chapter. Portions were gut wrenching and emotional. The story is very well-written and engaging. Kristin Hannah has written several other books. I will definitely be reading more by her.

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from St. Martins Press via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

The Great Alone by Kristen Hannah was a moving story about a family’s strength and survival. Set in the seventies, a family finds themselves moving to Alaska for a second chance. For the father, a Vietnam POW, who is suffering from PTSD, this is the fresh start he seems to be looking for. For the mother and daughter this may be the change they need for the man they both love and want back to who he was.

This was without a doubt a very touching and heartbreaking story. A family struggling to find their way, a father, Ernt, suffering from a condition that was not acknowledged at the time and a mother, Cora, and daughter, Leni, trying to survive. All of this while they move to a new home with conditions they never expected. Even so, they find a camaraderie with the small community they are now a part of.

As we read their journey, it is heartbreaking to see Ernt’s downfall, Cora’s courage and struggle and experience Leni’s heartbreak. The characters, story and vivid detail of Alaska will draw you right in. An emotional story that will touch your heart.

Happy reading!

How to write this review. From the moment you pick this book up, it sucks you in and you don't want to put it down. You will go on an emotional roller coaster. Ernt came back from Vietnam a broken and changed man suffering from PTSD, which they didn't recognize how to treat after that war. Cora loved him through all the mood changes and abuse. I still don't understand this personally. Daughter Leni is on the cusp of coming into her own. She wants her dad back, the man who used to laugh and smile. Wishing for better times, Ernt was left a cabin in Kaneq, Alaska. So off they went. The feeling of getting away and going off grid. No mortgage, living off the land and no pressure. The cabin was small, dark, no running water or electricity. Winter was coming and they weren't prepared. The people of Kaneq pitched in to help them prepare. When winter arrives, no one can prepare you for the constant darkness. No one can prepare you for your worst nightmare.

You have to read this book. If you don't read any other book this year, this is a must.

Kristin Hannah hit it out of the park again.  I previously read her book The Nightingale – a story of World War 2 + the French Resistance (click to read the review) and it was so good that I jumped at the opportunity to review her latest novel The Great Alone.

The novel begins in the mid-1970s with a family - father Ernt, mother Cora, and their young teenaged daughter Leni.  After coming home from the Vietnam War, Ernt is a very different man; a drinker, moody, sometimes scary.  Today we call what he has PTSD.  He's a man who's suspicious of the government and other people and can no longer hold a job.  The thought of getting away from civilization appeals to him.

When an opportunity to move to a little village in the wilds of Alaska pops up, Ernt jumps on it with little consideration of Cora and Leni.  They move into a small cabin without much preparation for the coming winter - one with 18 hours of darkness, weeks without being able to travel, and no fresh food.  Thankfully, for them, some of the residents come and help them prepare.

The cast of characters living in and around Kaneq, located off of Homer in Kachemak Bay, is fascinating and as varied as the day is long.  There are those who long to improve Kaneq and make it place others would want to visit and those who want the outsiders to stay away.  Ernt is eager to join those who enjoy keeping others away.

The main character, though, is Leni.  A 13-year-old young lady who has moved multiple times, attended multiple schools, and who doesn't understand how her mother can continue to stay with a man who drinks too much.

But Leni is coming of age in a small village, learning how to defend herself against wild animals, hunting for food, and experiencing friendship.  At the same time, the hours of darkness and cold of the winter changes her father.  Makes his dark moods return.

Soon Leni and Cora are defending themselves from Ernt.

I loved this book and had a very hard time putting it down.  Hannah writes a fabulous book that would appeal to women and men.  I highly recommend reading both of these books.

Historically, Alaska is a place that has attracted those fed up with conventionality. - Bill O'Reilly

I have been a fan of author Kristin Hannah for a long time. I believe this is her best book to date.

This is a story that will make you feel - and not all of those feelings are going to be good ones. I spent most of this book tense, upset, and waiting - because I knew something terrible was going to happen.

So, okay, that might not be everyone's idea of an excellent book but, in this case, it really is. Do be aware, though, that this story contains a lot of triggers. It sure enough triggered some bad memories for me. But the writing and the story are excellent and important.

The story fits my own timeline too. It starts in 1974, which is near to the year I graduated high school. At that time in my life I almost moved to Alaska for some of the same reasons mentioned in the book. And I had an abusive boyfriend at that time.

1974 - Ernt and Cora Allbright move near Homer, Alaska with their young teen daughter Lenora (Leni). Ernt fought in the Vietnam War and was a POW, now back and suffering PTSD (not something that people knew much about in those days).

The Allbright family is financially unprepared to live in the boonies of Alaska and Ernt is emotionally unprepared for the long, dark winters. And so a cycle of domestic abuse starts with Leni caught right between her mother and her father.

This is one of the best books I've read about this cycle of abuse but it's also a story of the great beauty and unforgiving nature of Alaska. I've been there in the wintertime. It's awesome and scary.

I recommend this book highly even though it is a story with many dark moments.

I received this book from St. Martin's Press through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.

After reading a fair number of KH's books, I find myself still very much in love with her brand of storytelling. Fellow fans and new fans, I do very much believe that "The Great Alone " shall be trending the book lists as soon as it hits stores this Tuesday(February 6th).

The Great Alone introduces us to Alaska in the 1970's- the last frontier and the American population was still feeling the effects of the Vietnam War as soldiers like Leni's father adjusted to civilian life. But "battle stress" clearly shows that Leni's father is not the same man that he was before. Trigger Warning for scenes involving domestic violence. Certainly an issue that is certainly very much a conversation in our society with veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq.

Although a bit "long in the tooth" and a fairytale quality ending that has me holding back from a 5 star, The Great Alone demonstrates once again that Kristin Hannah is not afraid to tackle the tough issues of the heart.

I received a free Kindle copy of The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah courtesy of Net Galley  and St. Martins Press, the publisher. It was with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes and Noble and my fiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google Plus pages.

I requested this book as I am looking for asomething different and it takes place in Alaska, one of my favorite places. It is the first book by Kristin Hannah that I have read.

The author's writing style makes this an easy and fairly quick read. The book itself did not overly engage me as the main plot line was very predictable as to outcomes. The book itself deals with young love, domestic violence, PTSD, and community support. The book itself will appeal to certain types of readers (based on reviews I have seen), but it did not resonate with me.

The Great Alone spans about four decades telling the story of Leni whose life was anything but easy. Kristin Hannah told Leni’s story with emotion and compassion. There is much to like about the book from a simple entertainment view.

What is not to like is the tired, stereotypical portrayal of the Vietnam veteran. Only a few pages into the book I knew it would be the same old story of an abused man becoming the abuser. While the mid-1970’s was not known for being on the forefront of positive treatment of the vets, there were places and people who did do marvelous work with PTSD. I would love to read a novel by an excellent writer who tackled this subject and showed some positive outcomes. Leni’s story could have been that book, but it is not.

Four stars for the prose. Kristin Hannah is one of the best. One star for taking the easy way out in the portrayal of the veteran.

I received a free copy of the book from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for my honest review. Thank you.

Latest book from Kristin Hannah details the lives of a family affected by the father's PTSD after serving in Vietnam. Hannah deftly outlines how the family was affected and how the mother dealt with raising a teenage daughter under these conditions.

The Great Alone is the latest novel by award winning author Kristin Hannah. As in all of her stories, the depth of research and understanding of her subject matter is amazing. The rich portrayal of her characters is perfection. And her underlying threads of PTSD and abuse of women, although shown back in time, are so incredibly relevant today.

This story is set in the mid 1970's to the latter 1980's. Leni Allbright is thirteen and a very lonely young lady. Her family's constant moving and lack of funds continues to make her the new girl and the poor girl in school. Although an avid reader and an interested student, moving so often makes school difficult. Leni's Vietnam POW veteran dad Ernt, once a skilled mechanic, has suffered so much he can no longer hold a job and they live on her dropout mom's waitress wages.

When out of the blue, Ernt receives a letter telling him that his best Army buddy, who their Vietnamese captors killed before Ernt's eyes, had left his cabin and forty acres near Homer, Alaska to him. Feeling this is the best thing that has ever happened to him, Ernt sells off their few belongings, gets a used VW bus, and packs up what they have left and heads north from Seattle to Alaska, the great alone.
When they arrive in the small town of Kaneq, the first person they meet is general store owner Large Marge, who is also a neighbor. But soon they have found something they never had before, friends and a community. On her first day at the one room schoolhouse Leni makes a friend of her own, 13 year old neighbor Matthew Walker. They have both waited their entire lives for a friend the same age.

As Ms. Hannah spins this very poignant coming of age story, she does so in a vast and desolate, yet picturesque landscape. The harshness of the setting reflects the unsettling depth of this story. The wildness of the land, the strength seen in so many of the characters, and the way they came together to take care of their own is a gripping tale that I did not want to put down. I wholeheartedly recommend this book!