***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.

I really wanted to get into this book but it just was not for me.  it started off slow and was hard for me to get into.  i was able to read about 3/4 of it before putting it down. i will try to get back into it another time.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me this ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review. Kristin Hannah  has woven a tale about a very dysfunctional family (think The Glass Castle on steroids) that goes to Alaska in the 1970s to once again start over. Vietnam Nam vet Ernt, wife Cora, and 14 yr old daughter Leni go to a remote village to claim the cabin and land willed to him by a deceased Vietnam Nam buddy. Ernt's psychological problems are further exacerbated by the long dark cold winters. The first half of the book went fairly slowly, but the action sped up considerably after that. The author actually went with her family to live in Alaska as a child

This was probably my least favorite book by Kristin Hannah. It was just too wordy and drawn out for my taste.

Leni's father is a POW of the Vietnam War,  Due to his experiences, he suffers extreme PTSD, is unable to hod a job, and drinks to numb his pain.  When he receives a letter inviting him to come to Alaska he jumps at the chance.  Only 13, but hopeful this will help her father, Leni and her mom go along with the plan.  At first, things go well.    The small town is welcoming and does everything they can to help the young family prepare for the winter.  As the nights get longer, and colder, and Leni's father becomes more volatile, Leni realizes she must take it upon herself to keep her and her mother alive.
A beautiful, fast moving story that keeps you at the edge of your seat.  I loved it.

Although I read this book ages ago, I never submitted a review.  Kristen Hannah is one of my favorite authors and this book was fantastic.  I have recommended this book to many others.  Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

When it comes to emotionally compelling fiction, without a doubt, Kristin Hannah is in a league of her own. Over the years, she’s taken me to the brink of hopelessness, dangled me over the edge of complete devastation and trampled my heart in the process.

What a heart-wrenching book of family, first love, and survival. Kristin Hannah's writing just tugs at the heart.. Struggling with alcoholism, isolation, and PTSD. Ernt inherits a home in Alaska and moves his family there. The Albright's have no idea how harsh the winter can be or how to survive on their own. The locals try to teach them how to survive, plant, hunt, etc., to be prepared but Ernt's paranoia begins to get the best of him. Great recommendation for historical fiction and war fiction.

I spend much of Saturday crying my eyes out at the end of this book. In the same strains as The Glass Castle and Educated, Lenny is being raised in chaos, being loved and abused at the same time. This tells the story of her overcoming her surroundings in the face of impossible tragedy. Gutwrenchingly good.

It was hard to read about Cora's helplessness in her situation of domestic abuse. If that wasn't enough Ernt became more paranoid and unreasonable, and still Cora couldn't find a way to get help. It was difficult to see friends reach out to her, but not be able to do anything since Cora didn't want their assistance...more helpless feelings! Because of my own childhood experience with domestic abuse in our neighborhood it just hit too close to home. (No pun intended.) When the situation was finally resolved (well over half-way through!), I was able to enjoy the story better.

A hard to read book that deals with living in Alaska far into the wilderness with an ex-soldier suffering from PTSD.  Writing very good and descriptive but violent

Modern day Romeo and Juliet with a dash of domestic abuse. Might be hard for some people to read, but it is a good story of resilience. Kristen Hannah is an excellent writer. Her character and story development really get you involved in the worlds she creates.

I've read almost all of Kristin Hannah's books and usually love them. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case with The Great Alone. Sadly, I did not finish this title. In fact, I barely made it through a couple of chapters before giving up. I found that the descriptions were so long and drawn out that I quickly lost interest. Hopefully, her next release will be better suited for me.