This was a really good read. Kristin Hannah can be relied on to tell a great story. I thought the characters were wonderful and I thought she did a good job in particular with the father. I hated and feared him while still maintaining an understanding of him and feeling empathy for him. The descriptions of life in Alaska were beautiful to read. I was compelled to Google images of Alaska several times throughout the book. I also admired the ending. I wondered how the author would wrap it up and I was pleased that it was a happy ending while still being realistic. This will be an easy book to recommend for 2018.

I had the pleasure of receiving an advanced copy of Kristin Hannah's gripping novel about homesteading in the Alaskan wilderness. I could not put this book down! In this story Hannah paints a vivid setting, keeping the reader on the edge of her toes with a raw look at one family's struggle to survive nature's harshest elements and one another. Told from the point of view of the young daughter, this tale defines the meaning of the term brave. Emotional and suspenseful. I'm a Kristin Hannah fan forever.

The Great Alone
Kristin Hannah


MY RATING ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
PUBLISHER St Martin’s Press
PUBLISHED February 6, 2018

A spellbinding family drama of survival set on the wild and rugged side of the Kenai peninsula of Alaska.

SUMMARY
It’s 1974, gas prices are up, the country had been divided over the Vietnam war, and women had begun to disappear in Washington State without a trace. Leni Allbright, 13, was the new girl at another new school, with no friends other than her dog eared copy of Watership Down. She was worried about her family. Her parent were always fighting, they never had enough money and they moved all the time to get away from creditors. Her dad, Ernt, had been a Vietnam vet, who had gotten shot down and captured. He’d come home four years ago a changed and volatile man. He hated the government, thought it was being run by lunatics. Now he had another plan to change their lives, he’d had lot of plans in the past. But this plan involved moving to a cabin in Kenaq, Alaska on the Kenai penninsula. This, he said, was a place they could be self-sufficient and live off the land and have a simpler life. It was just the change Ernt thought he needed in order to forget the torture he endured in Vietnam.

But when they got to Alaska, things were no better. The property and cabin were in shambles and the family had arrived ill prepared. The welcoming Kaneq community swept in to help the Allbright’s prepare for the upcoming winter and for being off the grid. The work was hard, the winter was dark, and the drinking was easy. Ernt’s drinking and jealousy got the better of him and he took it out on his wife, Cora, who was always quick to forgive the man she loved. Leni has finally made a friend at school, a boy. Matthew is about the only person in school who is even close to her age. But her dad doesn’t approve. Matthew is the son of Tom Walker, a man of money and influence over the town, a man who Ernt detests.

It’s Leni’s come of age story, as she and her mom face the dark harsh winters and her father’s relentless demons in the small snow covered cabin. It the story of human frailty, strength and survival.

Leni was afraid to stay and afraid to leave. It was strange—stupid, even—but she often felt like the only adult in her family, as if she were the ballast that kept the creaky Allbright boat on an even keel.

REVIEW
THE GREAT ALONE is a stunning family drama! Having made a recent trip to Alaska I was so excited about the setting for this novel. As anyone who has been to Alaska knows, pictures don’t do it justice and its rugged beauty is impossible to describe. But KRISTIN HANNAH did a marvelous job painting the natural backdrop with magnificent and vivid details. Her descriptions were intoxicating.

Hannah expertly delivers a family story, not soon forgotten. She effortlessly blends a father with PTSD, a fragile mother and victim of spousal abuse, and Leni, who just wants to fit in somewhere, but carries the weight of her families secrets in her heart. The mother-daughter bond between Cora and Leni is so strong it’s palpable, making the story all the more poignant. It is together that these two women face the backbreaking work, the dangers from the land, and the havoc at home. It is out of necessity that Leni quickly grows into a strong young woman. The Kaneq community characters are all refreshingly unique, and you can’t help but fall in love with the general store owner, Large Marge, and her larger than life personality.

Hannah’s writing is fast and fluid, and kept me reading long into the night. It is an arresting story of modern day homesteading that would make an excellent movie.

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Kristin Hannah for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

THIS BOOK! OH MAN! I'm writing this review days after reading this book and this book is still with me. I can't stop thinking about it. It was EPIC! Now, for me, the beginning of this book was a little slow, but it soon picked up the pace and I was lost in Leni's journey. I loved the way Kristin describes Leni's trip from Seattle to Alaska and what she and her family found when they arrived in this new land. I felt like I was there and could picture it so well. I held my breath and watched as Leni grew up in Alaska. Some were great and others had me so mad! Kristin definitely gave me ALL the FEELS in this read and I couldn't pull myself away. This was such a captivating read and left me with my first book hangover of 2018. I can't tell you quickly enough to GO ONE-CLICK THIS BOOK! This is a journey by a young girl, who has to grow up in a unique way, and how her environment makes her into a strong woman. You'll laugh and cry with her and cheer her on. I was totally blown away by this book. Please, do yourself a favor and don't miss this amazing story.

Ernt Allbright returns from Vietnam and a stint as a POW a changed man. When he learns that an army buddy who was killed has given him land and a house in Alaska, he moves his family there. His wife and daughter hope that the move is what will help him get away from the memories that have scarred him and changed him.

I very much enjoyed this book. I think it gave a very realistic view of survival in Alaska. It also showed the difficult situation that an abusive relationship is. It is not as black and white as we on the outside think sometimes, especially in the 70's when women did not have as many rights and power. I will highly recommend this to others!

The Great Alone, Hannah captures life in Alaska in the 1970s. The Allbrights, Ernt, Cora and Leni, set out for their new adventure in their VW, with little supplies to make it during the harsh winter. Ernt suffers from PSTD long before it was diagnosed. Cora shield their daughter, Leni from the reality of what is going on but living in close quarters, the truth comes out about her family.

This book really put the reader in the setting of Alaska with all of its beauty and dangers, both physical and psychological. It tells the story of Leni and her codependent parents and their move to Alaska in the 1970's to get away from the crowded lower 48. The long winters exacerbate her father's PTSD and make him more abusive of Leni and her mother. Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for his honest review.

Leni’s father has returned from Vietnam and is having trouble adjusting to civilian life after being a POW. They continue to move and try different situations, but nothing seems to work for very long. When Leni is thirteen years old, her father inherits a piece of land in Alaska and he promises this is their last move. He wants to live off the grid and assures Leni and her mother that this is the solution to all of their troubles. But when the first endless night continues, they discover that the nightmares have returned. With the help of the locals, they devise a temporary solution, but are the Allbrights ready to live in the Alaskan wilderness? How will a woman and girl survive with such an unstable man?

The Great Alone is a stand-alone novel that starts out in 1974 and continues for many years. This is an epic story that is not meant to be read quickly or in one sitting. Hannah has created characters that have hidden depth and readers will quickly take the side of these strong and unforgettable women. There are times that the story jumps a large span of months and years, but in the end, this adds to the feeling of being lost in the wilderness. A good read that will be enjoyed by many, but not for readers who want something light and easy.

An interesting look at many issues such as PTSD, chemical dependency, domestic violence, living in the wilderness, Traumatic Brain Injury, and much more. It’s told through the eyes of the daughter as she grows from 13 years old to 25 years old. Many twists and turns towards the end that keep you turning the pages. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

This is the story of a young family, a Vietnam veteran and POW, his dreamer wife, and their practical child Leni. When Leni’s father inherits land up in Alaska, his father views it as a fresh start for the family. Before she knows it, they are on their way to Alaska in their new VW bus.

Leni falls in love with the beauty of their little community and the wonderful people living there, but when the dark winters begin to press in, she sees a change in her father, and not a good one. Was moving here a terrible mistake?

For fans of Kristin Hannah, it’s been a long wait for a new book. After the intense popularity of The Nightingale, the next book was more anticipated. The Great Alone was absolutely worth the wait. Filled with hope, love, pain, and fear, this book grips you from the first page, and doesn’t let go. I couldn’t put this book down and found myself reading way past my bedtime.

This book covers some very important topics: abuse, PTSD, and the way they affect more than just the victim. This story shows exactly how far out the effects reach. Lives are forever changed, and in the 1970’s, the laws and knowledge were definitely not up to where they needed to be. Thankfully, times have changes and I hope a lot of this wouldn’t be able to happen now days.

I found this incredibly well written, as all Kristin Hannah books are. The writing was vivid and well detailed. I could hear the water, see the mountains and lakes, feel the fear and pain, the love and joy. I felt as if I was truly there, fighting the winters and waiting for spring.

I loved these characters. Leni was strong and really smart, Matthew was loyal and caring, Mama was really trying the best she could, and I had love how protective Mr. Walker and Large Marge were. The way everyone came together in this wonderful community was heartwarming and inspiring.

This book was wonderful from the first page to the very last; I loved every second of it. I would recommend this book to anyone.

*I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher. A positive review was not required. All opinions are my own.*

The thing I like the most about Kristin Hannah’s book are the deep character dives and how you get so close to the main characters as you explore their world, story and feelings. This book was no exception. I loved the survival aspects. Growing up my sisters and I called that type of book saving up for winter books. I was so delighted by the description of the general store and was like I feel like I am reading a Laura Ingalls book and then Leni thought the same thing. I loved this book.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2103317946?type=review#rating_147854507

Net Galley ARC. Lots of four- and five-star reviews already up, so it might just be me, but I felt this could have been a great book but wasn't. Three stars. The characters felt pigeonholed to me (Dad, the drifter, the Nam vet, the good guy but hard to live with); Leni, the good girl; Mom, the long-suffering, will-do-anything-for-Dad wife. Even Alaska and its harsh nature became a cliche, especially, I think, for those who've lived there. After plodding through the first half--the book is 450 pages and too long--the pace picks up, and it all felt as though Hannah's editors were telling her, Wrap it up.

Wow. What a tale Kristin Hannah has spun. It was so bleak, yet I couldn’t stop reading it. I’ve ordered several copies for my library and am likely to order more as demand is already high. I like that I can recommend this title to so many patrons: readers of drama, history, survival, and women’s lit. The appeal is very widespread! Thank you so much for allowing me to read The Great Alone.

ScrappyMags 3-word review: Escape to Alaska?

Genre: Chic-Lit/contemporary fiction (my 6th Hannah book I've read)

Shortest summary ever: It's the 1970's and 13 year-old Lenora “Leni” Allbright is suddenly uprooted to Alaska by her Vietnam vet dad and can’t-leave-the-man-I-love mom after inheriting a plot of land in the lush, beautiful wilderness. Hoping her father will “get better”, she acquiesces, but life is hard in Alaska and Leni’s days are full of chores, constantly prepping for winter, and worrying as her father slowly worsens when days grow shorter and shorter and a long, cold winter settles around them. Amidst the cold terrain, friendship and love flourish - a special friend named Matthew provides Leni with what she desperately needs - someone to talk to. Neighbors care for her and pitch in to help the Allbrights. However, the demons battled by her father won't simply die and her mother’s love for him seem to push Leni’s life in directions she never sees coming...

What’s good under the hood: Alaska. I think there might be a part in all of us that thinks - What if I LEFT, went to Alaska and disappeared and lived in a cabin. Or maybe that's just me? I adored that flight-from-the-every-day fantasy aspect alive in this book. As a child we had 5 acres in rural Northern Michigan. No TV, phone, or bathroom. And I loved every second of it. I’m sold on Alaska (to visit ... I’m not cut out for mountain life) and felt is was almost a character in the story - an entity given breadth and life. That and the town - the people, the LIFE was by far the best part of this book.

What’s bad or made me mad: I will fervently admit that I am and forever will find it difficult to understand women who refuse to leave abusive husbands, particularly when they have children and particularly when they are offered multiple ways to escape. I found some of the book predictable but that was okay, made up for with wonderful writing.

Recommend to:

Hannah fans will give this an easy 5.
It's great chic-lit (not really my jam right now, but I can acknowledge it's a wonderful addition to the genre)
If you're in the mood for love, Alaska, passion, ruggedness, small town life, etc..

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review and for many Googlings of the Alaskan wilderness.

Thank you for sharing this book with me. Very descriptive book that was well written by this beloved author. I was taken by the landscape and the feelings and tragedies the characters were depicted as going through. It was an insightful journey to what I imagine is still a hard life in Alaska and for those suffering with PTSD. I think the story was a bit slow and predictable to give it a higher rating.

If you read The Nightingale and loved it, know that this is a completely different book but one you will most likely love as well. While this story combines a lot of themes, coming of age, survival, abusive relationships, enduring love, what I liked most about it was how the Alaskan setting was a character in its own right. The descriptions of the wilderness were beautiful and this story would not have been half as harrowing if it weren’t for the setting. I’ll be recommending this to anyone looking for a good love story, a good adventure story or just a good, fast book to love.

Wow.

Kristin Hannah packs a punch with The Great Alone. Set primarily in Alaska in the 70's, Hannah introduces us to the Allbright family - Ernt, Cora, and Leni. Ernt has returned from Vietnam and is suffering from PTSD (an unknown diagnosis in the seventies). Struggling to return to regular American life, Ernt moves his family to Alaska, completely unprepared for the harshness of the landscape and winter, and the sense of community they discover there. We follow the Allbright family on an incredible journey of self discovery and sorrow.

An emotional novel, Hannah does a beautiful job of developing three-dimensional and meaningful characters. She uses the landscape of Alaska to shape her characters and provide a sense of home. Themes of abuse, home, and family fluidly run throughout the novel. This is also a page turner - I could not wait to get to it every day. I have recommended it to many friends, and I look forward to delving further into Hannah's works.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this novel in exchange for review.

The Great Alone is the best book I've read in a long time. And although it's January 11 today, I will be hard pressed to find a better book the rest of the year. Every once in a while, a book comes along that just sweeps you off your feet. As you read, it folds you into the world of the book and you feel as though you are experiencing it all first-hand. 
The Great Alone is THAT book. 
As I read it, I was living in Alaska with Leni, Ernt, Cora, Tom, Matthew, and the rest of them. I lived through an Alaskan winter. I struggled and hunkered down and came out the other side. So what if it just took two days and I experienced it from my couch? In my defense, we did have a pretty impressive cold snap here in the Midwest. 

The Great Alone is set in the 70's and tells the story of Leni, her mother Cora and her father Ernt, a rescued POW with real issues. Yet despite all of that, and always hoping he will change, they follow him all the way to the great alone, rural Alaska, and stupid loved him and the wilderness too much to leave either. The story is real and tragic and heartbreaking and heartwarming and just amazing!

It releases February 6, 2018 so there is time to preorder it so that you can have it delivered to your door on the release date. It's that good! In this day and age, I don't buy a ton of books, but this one warrants a purchase. People will be talking, just wait and see!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's for an e-galley in exchange for my honest review. I won't be forgetting this book anytime soon!

Kristin Hannah is back with The Great Alone, her first book since 2015’s hit, The Nightingale. Set in 1970s Alaska, The Great Alone is my second Hannah book. I read The Nightingale, and while I enjoyed it, I couldn’t help but wonder what all the fuss was about. I gave it 4 stars – to me, it was slightly better than average, but it wasn’t thebestbookI’deverread. Regardless, the synopsis for The Great Alone intrigued me enough to pick it up, and since I’d liked The Nightingale, I figured I was in for a pretty good read.

And as it turned out, I did enjoy The Great Alone, but it took a REALLY long time to get there. Like….half the book long time. I’ll be honest and admit to nearly abandoning it after I’d read roughly 100 pages. But, I kept going, and eventually fell into the rhythm of the story.

Unlike The Nightingale, The Great Alone is a rather….slow?...story. It’s much more about the characters than it is about any kind of story. In general, The Great Alone is like watching through the window as the Allbright family moves to Alaska and then learns how to survive there. The tension comes, surprisingly, not from Alaska, but from the abuse Leni and her mother suffer at the hands of her father. For me, that was kind of a turn off…I would much rather have read about them fighting off bears than fighting off an abusive father with PTSD.

And that was another thing that bugged me – the characters, Ernt in particular, lacked the depth necessary to care about them. Everything felt like it was on the surface, and that I was supposed to take Leni’s love for her mother at face value just because Kristin Hannah told me it was there. I also loathed the all-consuming descriptions of love both Leni and her mother had for their men. I think Hannah was trying to show the conflicting emotions abuse survivors go through, but to me, it just felt overdramatic.

What I did like, though, were the glimpses we got of life in Alaska, and the pioneer spirit exhibited by the townspeople of Kaneq. The interactions Leni has with Large Marge, Tom, and the rest of the crew really drives home the idea that family isn’t always blood. That, I think, is The Great Alone’s biggest strength – it shows that even when you think you’re alone and helpless, there are people around you who want to help.

Well, unless you’re an abusive husband, that is.