I stayed up until almost 4 am reading this book. With my husband asleep at my side, his arms around me, I was transported to Alaska and to the painfully beautiful love story of Leni and Matthew. This is a book you won't soon forget. This is a book you'll find hard to put down. It's a winner, and I highly recommend it. Thank you, Netgalley, for this arc.

1974 Alaska.  The beauty of the land is breathtaking, but it is counter-balanced by the cruel and unforgiving elements of nature.  A terrible and beautiful mosaic.  An emotionally scarred man moves his wife and daughter to the remote town of Kaneq for a fresh start.  They are welcomed by the community, but their problems have not been solved.  Tough, hopeful, and bittersweet.  You may leave a little piece of your heart behind when you close the pages of this one.

This was one of my favorite Kristin Hannah books. I wasn't quite sure what to expect, and I'm no nature lover so the thought of moving not just to Alaska, but to off the grid Alaska, had me grinding my teeth. What kind of parents do that to their child? The answer is crazy ones.

Ernt has come back from the Vietnam war changed. His wife is still madly in love with him and goes along with the frequent moves that come with the frequent job losses, and the paranoia that leads to quick anger and lack of sleep for the whole family.

When Ernt receives a letter from the family of a dead Army buddy, he doesn't hesitate to uproot his entire family to move into a house sight unseen. No running water, no bathroom, no electricity, no nothing.

But Leni and her mother Cora make the best of a bad situation. This was crazy to me, it's like it never occurred to the that there was any other option. Although this was during a time when a woman couldn't have a credit card unless her father or husband co-signed for her. Complete madness.

The years pass, and Leni develops an attraction to Matthew Walker, the richest boy in town, an attraction that is reciprocated. But her father's paranoia has continued to grow, and his envy towards the Walker family is all consuming. The means that Leni has to sneak around, not an easy task in a tiny town.

The best part of Kristin Hannah books is that they usually follow a large span of their character's lives, which I find immensely satisfying. Every life has good times, bad times, births, deaths, and messy, messy relationships. This book covers all of these chapters of life, set in the wilds of Alaska, where the landscape presents as much danger as the people who proclaim to love you.

Returning home after several years as a Viet Nam War POW, Ernt Albright has many unresolved emotional and psychological issues, to say the least. Because of this, he and his wife, Cora, and their teenage daughter, Leni, move around a lot, as Ernt tries unsuccessfully to get his life back on track. When he inherits some property from a Nam buddy who never made it home, Ernt decides to move, with his wife and daughter, to Alaska to live on the property. Once there they find out just how hard life can be living on the edge of nowhere, with almost no amenities. Still, they manage to make a life, though Ernt never does overcome his short temper and the abusive way he treats his wife. As the years pass, we see just how much this family sacrifices to stay in Alaska, which is Ernt’s decision, while Cora and Leni and most of their neighbors and the townsfolk put up with Ernt’s frequent, abusive temper tantrums. During this time, Leni finds and falls for a young man who also lives a hardscrabble life in the area, while Cora manages to somehow keep Ernt as much in check as anyone can, while learning to adapt to the hard life herself. However, as can be expected, one day, things come to head, and actions ensue that impact on their lives forever after.

This is a fantastic story of love, endurance and acceptance of what life throws at you. I did not particularly like Cora staying with Ernt, as abusive and difficult a person as he was, year after year, but I realize some people are like that. I also felt sorry for Leni throughout a most of the story, because she was an innocent victim, thrown into a terrible situation, from which there really was no escape as long as her mother Cora stayed with Ernt. I enjoyed watching Leni’s relationship with her beau, Matthew, develop, but knew, as most other readers probably did, that a relationship with the son of the man Ernt most despised in town was eventually going to cause some real problems, which it did. The author’s descriptions of the hard life these modern-day pioneers in Alaska endured so recently was extremely well done and fascination to read about. There were also many twists and turns in the story that kept my attention. In fact, I could hardly put the book down most of the time. I have read most of what this author has written, and this book is right up there with the best. I find it hard to believe that any reader would find this one boring or even want to put it down. My only regret is that I am limited to giving it five stars, so, if there ever was/is a book to deserve more, this is it. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good book or to anyone who likes this author. I received this from NetGalley to read and review.

Leni doesn’t understand the love that binds her mother in marriage to a man suffering from PTSD. Hannah’s sympathetic view of a Vietnam War POW is heartrending as he struggles to assimilate back into a normal life in Seattle. He ultimately decides to take his family to Alaska to avoid the government and live off the grid. Kristin Hannah is familiar with the harsh wilderness of Alaska, and she depicts well the lifestyle of those who choose to live where one mistake can cost you your life. All characters are well developed and their reasons for living in such isolation are hinted at and sometimes told outright. The reader can feel the lure of the landscape and the wildlife, and the pragmatic nature of small town Alaska, where everyone takes care of even the most resistant newcomer. As Leni comes of age and finds herself falling for her classmate and friend, her father’s paranoia escalates to dangerous heights for his family. This is when Leni discovers her mother’s breaking point, and eventually her own need for the kind of freedom that Alaska offers. Leni’s story is one of many that show how living outside the mainstream can become a lifestyle choice, a necessity for the soul. Her parents are not unusual in their challenge to maintain a marriage in the face of one partner’s personal demons. When external influences exacerbate those demons, the other partner finds the limit to the relationship.

This is a gorgeous novel of Alaska, a setting that comes across as a main character in the story, ever present, a big personality.

I’m thankful to have received a digital ARC of this wonderful story through NetGalley.

I shared my review also on Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads.

The Great Alone is a compelling read that showcases the strength and bond between a mother and daughter. As you read through The Great Alone, you will gain insight into the love and struggles of men and women in our country after the Vietnam War. This story gives your mind’s eye breathtaking views of Alaska, followed by the heartbreak that followed those who lived there at a tumultuous time in our countries history, and how a community can come together during adversity to support those they love.

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah is a story about a family and love and a story about fear and pain. The book brings you down to the lowest depths and then up into the heights. Leni, the main character is brought up to Alaska as a teen. She knows that her father is damaged and her mother always tries to keep things moving to a safe place. Moving to Alaska without enough money, food and knowledge was a dangerous choice. However, Leni begins to flower with the land and people. Her father continues his slow descent into hell and her mother continues to try to keep everything together. Leni meets Matthew and realizes that for the first time she has a friend, a home, an opportunities, but life is not a smooth path. Things happen as the seasons change, yet Leni continues on the rocky path with her family.

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah is a fabulous book. You know a book is fabulous when your emotions are so tied to the characters that you breath when they breath. A book is a fabulous book when you are so entranced with a book, but you are almost afraid to complete the book, because you are so worried about what will happen next. I loved reading this story with all the ups and downs. I cried and laughed and smiled and shivered in the cold.

There are always books that leave you speechless. The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah was one of those books for me!

I greatly enjoy all of Kristin Hannah’s books and The Great Alone is just another great novel by her. I connected with Lenora (Leni) and her family’s story. The struggles her mother and her go through with her broken dad it was scary and sad. The descriptions of life in Alaska made you feel like you were there with them in their daily lives. It shows that love doesn’t let you give up on your family no matter how much you want to run and never look back. I was relieved when her mom finally went into protective mode but I wished she would’ve had the strength to leave sooner and not resort to what she did but during that time domestic violence was not really talked about and help readily available for women and children like there is today. Also the struggles her dad went through with his flashbacks and nightmares from the war wasn’t talked about and recognized like it is today. I disliked her dad as well as felt sorry for him and imagine if he had not suffered through what he did their life would’ve been so much better. I will highly recommend this book to family and friends.

I received an advanced copy from Netgalley

This is a great book if you want a detailed glimpse into life off the grid in the wilds of Alaska. The descriptions are beautiful and you truly get a sense of the day-to-day joys and hardships. But this book is about a third too long and so much could be gained by cutting down on the analogies and the repetition (lost count of how many times Leni's dad's anger was simmering to a boil).

Ironically, the final portion of the book (after the dramatic event) was rushed. The series of changes that followed were significant but it felt like all the author wanted to do was get to the ending she had in her mind.

I also felt that many of the other characters were too one-dimensional and I even forgot many times who they were and didn't really care enough to go back and find out.

But I read this pretty much non-stop to find out what happens so I have to give a nod to Kristin Hannah's talent at crafting yet another intriguing story.

The Great Alone was a fantastic story full of complex layers. I'm not quite sure how to describe this book except as powerful and all consuming. I was so in love with Leni. Kristin Hannah is skilled at creating well-developed characters and describing the setting in a way that makes you feel as though right there with them. She knows exactly how to tug at your heartstrings and punch you in the gut at the same time. Although it is still early in the year, I can say with certainty that this will be one of my favorite books of 2018.

An amazing story! Alaska and Leni are fascinating. Strongly recommended.

When Leni is just 13, her parents bring her to Alaska to start over. Starting over happens a lot for the Allbright family; ever since her father returned from the Vietnam War, where he was held as a POW for six years, he has been mercurial and restless. The family is dangerously ill-equipped and unprepared for survival in the wilds of Alaska, but they learn quickly. Leni thrives, feeling as if she belongs for the first time in her life. But her father grows angrier and more dangerous with each long, dark Alaskan winter. This novel was gripping, harrowing, and touching, and had a lovely sense of place. It was my first book by Hannah, but it won’t be the last.

Alaska. The Great Alone.

"Were you ever out in the Great Alone, when the moon was awful clear,
And the icy mountains hemmed you in with a silence you most could hear..."
Robert W. Service, The Shooting of Dan McGrew

The Allbrights come to Alaska in the 70s to run away from the world below and get a fresh start. Ernt Allbright is a Viet Nam vet and former POW who is still suffering the effects of his war experiences, what we now call PTSD. He has been chasing one bright idea after another with his wife and young daughter in tow...but somehow things always end in dismal failure for him.

Then he receives a letter and learns that he has inherited a cabin and piece of land in a remote part of the Kenai Peninsula from his deceased war buddy, Bo Harlan. A chance for a new start! The Allbrights pack up their decrepit VW bus and take off--no planning, no skills, very little food, supplies or money. Luckily what they do find there are good people who are willing to help these raw newcomers they call 'cheechakos.'

But it isn't long before winter sets in with its darkness, cold and isolation. And the darkness of
Alaska reveals the darkness of Ernt's character and soon he is drinking and abusing his wife. And even in a place where everyone is allowed to do his own thing, Ernt's paranoia is beginning to divide the townspeople.

Can one person ever save another? Ernt's wife, Cora, thinks she can save him with her tremendous love and patience. She and her daughter, Lenora, live on that hope...at least for a while. Neighbors and friends urge them to leave Ernt but life is all about choices, decisions, isn't it? Where will Cora's choices lead? Will mother and child be able to survive the cruel beauty of Alaska...or the cruelty of the wild man inside their cabin?

Kristin Hannah has created some truly awesome and strong female characters in her story. Big kudos for that! Leni was my favorite: she had to be strong for both her mother and herself in this strange, harsh new world. But I especially identified with her love of books to which she turned for comfort and escape. And in later years, when she first sees the library at the University of Washington, she reacts in this way: "And the books! She had never seen so many. They whispered to her of unexplored worlds and unmet friends and she realized that she wasn't alone in this new world. Her friends were here, spine out, waiting for her as they always had."

And then there is Large Marge, who runs the general store and dishes out more than just supplies and friendship. She's a rock! For a long time, I wasn't so sure about Cora; she seemed to be suffering from 'battered wife' syndrome. I wondered what in her life had set her up for that. How much pounding can one woman take before she fights back? What will be the breaking point?

And of course I loved the Alaskan setting! Alaska herself will always be one of the main characters in any novel set in her wilderness. I chose to read this book because I have a great love for Alaska and have had the great fortune to have made two trips there so far (so far, meaning we hope to go back yet again!) But I know I could never spend winters there with its darkness and isolation. I get cabin fever here in Illinois!

One thing I've learned from all the books I've read about Alaska (both fiction and non-fiction) is that Mother Nature is in control and can find more ways to kill you than you could ever imagine. Five out of every 1000 people in Alaska go missing without a trace. I was a little surprised that the Allbrights didn't have more problems with wildlife than they did--especially with penned-up farm animals as an attraction.

I detracted a little from my rating for the melodrama in the last half or so of the book that seemed a bit drawn out to me. At some point the story turns from adventure to romance, which leads to the predictability of the ending. But yes, I did have tears in my eyes at several points, even as I complained that I KNEW that would happen... :)

One caveat to recommending the book to other readers: the spousal abuse depicted will be very hard for some to read, especially those who have lived through abuse or observed it as a child.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for granting me an arc of this new book to read and for the free trip to Alaska through its pages.

I have been a fan of this author since her first books years ago, and I have been a fan of Alaska since my first visit there in 2014. This is a powerful story packed with emotion, drama, and engaging characters who tugged at my heartstrings. I couldn't stop reading this because I cared about Leni and her mother so so much and wanted to make sure they were all right. Kristin Hannah is very sensitive to the needs of Vietnam veterans as well as to accurately describing the beauty of the Alaskan wilderness and the heartrending fear of living with a violent person. Highly recommend!

I felt as if I were on a great adventure into the wilderness of Alaska while reading The Great Alone. Witnessing the lives of all the characters, all the emotions of these very brave people. Love that endures. Kristin Hannah is my favorite author and she does not disappoint. I did not want this book to end. Highly recommend this book to any one who enjoys a well written book.

This book! I devoured it. It was such an emotional read for me and I literally didn't put it down until I'd finished (it was a long evening). I remember my heart pounding at one specific, suspenseful point in the book, and I felt such hope for the protagonist. The writing was so lovely and I felt that the author did a wonderful job of really placing you in remote Alaska. A fantastic read.

"The Great Alone" follows the Allbright family, and focuses on 13 year old daughter Hannah after her father,
a vet and former POW in Vietnam, decides to take his family to Alaska to homestead. As isolated as Alaska is now, the book begins in 1974 and so their homestead is completely off a relatively non existant grid. I really enjoyed the parts of this book that focused on homesteading in Alaska, they felt authentic and addressed the myriad of terrifying and exciting adventures one would face in that last frontier. However, I feel like it’s important for other readers to know that that storyline is a pretty small part of the overall plot. Much of the book focuses on the domestic abuse that the wife and daughter suffered and how their isolation in Alaska heightened and complicated that. My biggest disappointment with this book was the ending, my Kindle said I had about 2 and a half hours of reading time left at the point that felt like a natural ending to the story.

*An ARC of this book was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

This book broke my heart and I loved every minute of it. These are complicated people living in complicated times, and as we follow Leni through her unusual adolescence we are repeatedly challenged to examine what it means to love someone, to accept their faults, and where we would be ready to draw the line.

This is the first Kristin Hannah novel I have read and if even some of her others are this good, I understand the hype. My only complaint was in pacing at the end; the climax seemed to come a bit early and even though the denouement was long, the final few chapters seemed rushed. There was A LOT to tie up and the book is already pushing close to 500 pages, but I would have gladly read another hundred just to wring a little more out of the final summation.

Definitely expect to see this one on bestseller lists and book club picks!

I was excited to read this book as I am a big fan of The Nightingale. Unfortunately, I was ultimately disappointed. I didn't thing the story was as compelling -- a former Vietnam POW had trouble adjusting when he returns home. He takes his family to Alaska for a fresh start. The harsh conditions and climate only compound the problems for the vet, his wife and daughter.

I received a free ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.