What a powerful book about survival in Alaska. Ernt Allbright was a View Nam POW who was left some land and a cabin in Alaska by one of his Army friends. Ernt, his wife Cora and their daughter Leni leave Seattle for life in Alaska. The long dark Alaskan nights prove to be toxic for Ernt who suffers flashbacks from Viet Nam and is abusive to his wife and finally to his daughter. Daughter Leni meets a boy in school, Matthew, which blossoms into love. This is such a wonderful book with a lot of twists, a lot of heartbreak, a lot of love and family situations.

I lived in Fairbanks, AK for 10 years. Kristin Hannah captured the way of life, the people, the beauty of Alaska perfectly. The characters that she created were so real to me. This book is about survival, sticking together, community., and love. The ending was so perfect for this story. This is definitely one of the best books I have read in a really long time.

I really liked The Nightingale as was very much looking forward to this book. Definitely a fast read that grabbed my attention --and kept it--for the most part.

Often a 3.5 but at some point I got a bit bored. And I found some of the story line too predictable for such an unpredictable cast of characters. And--there were many--in fact, the entire populace of the book!

The setting [based in part on the author's family experiences--adventurers]. As noted: Alaska, 1974. Untamed and unpredictable. A Vietnam vet with PTSD, A wife who loes him too much and suffers physical and mental abuse. A teenage daughter who's caught in between. The cluster of people who escaped to the wilderness in search of a different life.

What worked for me.
The language--some of the very brief phrases/descriptions:
"spatula-shaped Earth shoes"
"blowing into the chapel of his bare hands"
"terrible, toxic knot that was their family"
"watched cancer erase her mother"

The cast of characters--so well drawn. I LOVED LARGE MARGE!! And even though I didnt like Mad Earl--I wasn't supposed to! And I found Leni refreshing. And mostly strong women.

All the information on living and working to survive in Alaska--what one had to do to prepare for the loooong winters. How the community banded together. Going back in time to the "great alone" of Alaska.

What didnt:
being hammered over the head with Ernt's drinking, abuse, and broken promises [and every love-filled reunion between Ernt and his wife, Cora--enough!]
figuring out several plot lines way too early

Nonetheless, I suspect that once you pick up this book you won't want to put it down until it ends and it's all tied together [maybe a bit too neatly].

If you haven’t read Kristin Hannah’s incredible novel, The Nightingale, do so immediately! In fact, here is the link from Amazon so you can get it now. In February, Kristin’s new book will be out and you won’t want to miss The Great Alone. What a talented author to write such varying books, yet still so detailed. Her books are unforgettable.

In The Great Alone, the setting is Alaska, which resonated with me since its one of my favorite places. The book starts in 1974 when young Leni is moved to a desolate, beautiful town in Alaska by her parents. Her father, Ernt, is a struggling Vietnam vet prone to violence and her mother, Cora, is a gentle hippie who is often the recipient of her husband’s anger. Leni quietly watches her parents struggle and fight, only to make up. For a while, things are better in Alaska where Leni’s dad bonds with some of the men and the women are quick to help Leni’s mother.

Soon though, Ernt begins to descend further into crazy conspiracies and mental instabilities, and Cora is unable to help him. With the long, dark days of cold Alaskan winters where the threat of wolves and bears is a daily consideration, the most terrifying threat to Leni and Cora is actually within the walls of their small remote cabin.

The Great Alone is a fantastic coming of age story that had me hooked from page one. You are going to love it!

Wow. Just wow. This book was incredible, and I fell in love with it from a few pages in. The characters and setting felt so real and the pain and heartbreak was so emotionally intense.

I felt like I was in the Alaskan bush with Leni and her family, laughing when she did and crying when things went downhill. I am glad for every moment I spent with this book

This was a sad, hopeful and deep love story. I really enjoyed the strength and courage of Cora and Leni, it stretched to the point of almost unbelieveable. I have recommended it to others.

Kristin Hannah again knocks it out of the park with an emotional ride of a novel, the Great Alone. The story of a recovering Vietnam POW taking his family to Alaska for a fresh start was both enthralling and horrifying. I couldn’t stop reading Leni’s story. There were a few things that were tied up too neatly, to mention would spoil things, but overall it was an excellent addition to Hannah’s collection.

Kristin Hannah has done a marvelous job of taking us back to the mid 1970'sto mid-1980's in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. I didn't realize just how drastically our world has changed over these last thirty-eight years until she allowed me to revisit the Alaskan communities of Homer and the graveled and rutted dirt ALCAN highway back in 1974.

We travel through time and space to a whole new generation for the Allbright family, and it is a compelling story. This is another Hannah novel I can recommend to all my friends and family. Those of us who grew up in the the '70's can look back with nostalgia, and those youngsters in the mix can take a peek at what it was. And no, the lack of support both civil and legal for abused women was not exaggerated. It was really this bad. And Alaska was really this free, for which one had to pay the price.

received a free electronic copy of this novel from Netgalley, Kristin Hannah, and St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me.

What can I possibly say about this story that will do it some justice? I’m downright speechless about this emotionally charged masterpiece.

I’ve read every single story this author has ever written. Let’s be honest I didn’t relate to every one of them but when I love a writing style I stick to it. The Great Alone is one of my most memorable reads to date. It’s does deals with PTSD and domestic violence. What’s great about that? It’s not. It’s the love of a community that comes together in time of need.

Ernt comes back Vietnam to Cora, his wife and daughter Leni when he shouldn’t have. Years of moving around, ever loss of jobs and instability brings them to the Alaskan’s wilderness. It’s a fresh beginning for all of them but little did they know that it could be their worst nightmare. That’s all I’ll say about what it’s about.

This story took my emotions, spun them at tornado speed, twisted them and left me reeling at the end. It’s a raw and powerfully written story. The scenes in Alaska where described so vividly that it felt like I was there. The culture and their way of living felt like so real. The characters emotions latched on my entire being and left me a crying mess. Beautifully written story with an excellent storyline that was set from 1974 to 1986.

Standalone told in the third person with its unique HEA. I strongly encouraged the reading of this story.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC.
After reading The Nightingale, one of my favorites, I was really looking forward to this book.
Despite the many 5 star reviews I just couldn't finish the story past the halfway mark (which makes me feel a little guilty). It started well, I really enjoyed the descriptions of Alaska and the people who moved there. Despite the brutal conditions they had to endure, they truly loved the land and worked extremely hard to make a life for themselves and their families. But as the story progressed, the spousal abuse became worse and worse and I hated the man who totally ruined the lives of his wife and daughter. And the excuse of being a Vietnam vet didn't make him any less despicable in my mind. By the time he caused a rift in the community, I'd had enough. I glanced at the final chapters, which didn't change my mind; it was not my kind of book...

This is by far the best book I have read this year. The characters are well developed, relate able, and easy to like, (with the exception of a couple characters). I was in no way prepared for the journey that this book takes you on. I was torn between not being able to put it down and not wanting to read, because I wasn't ready to be done with the story or the characters. This is a heartbreaking, gut wrenching, amazing, beautiful book. It is a book that I will read more than once.

Leni shows great character in her struggles with change, unreliable parents and the rugged wilderness of Alaska. Her struggles feel real, and the reader rejoices in her triumphs over difficulties. This is a great coming if age novel and I will recommend it for teens and adults alike.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and Net Galley for an ARC of this book! Kristin Hannah is one of my favorite authors, and this book does not disappoint! I felt everything the characters were feeling. This would make a fantastic book club pick because there is so much to discuss throughout the book.

This novel felt like two different books to me. The part I loved was the descriptions of Alaska and it’s residents in beautiful, evocative detail. The part I did n0t find as believable which lessened the n0vel’s appeal for me, was the melodrama and overwrought story of the star crossed lovers and their fate.
I was annoyed by the predictability of the storyline that marred the wonderful portrait of an untamed wilderness and the people who are drawn to it. The social issues she tackled though the abusive Vietnam veteran and the discord created by tourism and “progress’ were interesting components of the story. I thought Hannah painted a marvelous picture of the beauty and ruggedness of Alaska but wish she had made the central romance less of a soap opera.

Take a dysfunctional family in crisis, add in the long, dark winter nights of Alaska and you have the basis for Kristen Hannah’s phenomenal new novel, The Great Alone. Leni’s dad, Ernt, is a Vietnam POW with a temper that is hard to control due to horrible war experiences. Cora, her mother, loves him and takes the adage, “Stand by your man” to a new level. Leni’s mother is her best friend and she does all her in power to protect her. All this combines to make for a heartbreaking story you can’t put down.

The plot is multi-faceted but Ms. Hannah handles the various plots and relationship dynamics superbly creating a seamless storyline that holds you enthralled to the last page. The characters are normal everyday people and we can relate to them and their situations. The emotions that are displayed are heartwarming and at times, also gut wrenching. Just when you think you know where the storyline is heading, it abruptly changes.

I read this book in two days, I could not put it down. I identified closely with the relationship between the mother and daughter (which I’m sure a lot of readers will) which made the novel very personal. Because this story deals with very adult situations, I recommend it for older teens or young adults to adult readers. Pick this book up, you won’t be disappointed.

I loved this book; I couldn't put it down! I think I'm going to read it again!

Leni, Ernt and Cora seem like the perfect family: tightnight, always together, loving. But inside the family circle the truth is far different; Ernt has never been the same since coming back from Viet Nam, and the stresses of is service manifest in the physical abuse he heaps on his wife Cora. When a former comrade leaves Ernt a cabin and some land in Alaska, it seems like the perfect option for finally leaving his past behind and starting over. But its not that simple. As the family takes everything they have and move to an isolated plot at Lands End, with no running water, no electricity, very long summer days and very short winter days, Ernt goes farther and farther over the edge.

Leni is 13 when they move and thrives in Alaska. But her father's increasing paranoia and resulting abuse of her mother makes it clear that they need to escape. Her mother Cora's love for Ernt is so deep that she will do anything to help him, even at the expense of her own life. As Leni grows up, the situation grows more and more dire, and Leni see's that they most make a change, or they may die.

The Great Alone is one of those books where you become engrossed in the characters lives. Leni in particular is so real; you feel her love for her father, and feel as it changes to fear. You know when she realizes what she most do to save her mother's life and her own. When things reach a crisis point, Leni and Cora face a terrifying moment of truth...

I can't recommend this book enough. It's not only worth a read, it's worth re-reading and reading again.

I loved this book. Kristin Hannah is one of my go to authors and she did not disappoint!

An interesting but disturbing story about a father, (PTSD after Vietnam) young mother and pre-teen/teen daughter's (yet another) move, this time to remote Homer, Alaska without the life skills needed to survive to appease the disturbed father. The beauty and terrors of remote Alaska are beautifully rendered, as well as the small colorful pragmatic clannish town folk that save the Allbright family.

Kristen Hannah is a third generation Alaskan with a passion for her native state. It comes through every page of her story. Unfortunately the tension created by the Vietnam vet father of the main character, Leni, is so explosive and all-consuming, that I didn't have time to enjoy the wonders and beauty of Alaska. Instead the danger of the north country had me on the edge of my seat. As an aside I wonder what authors would do if they didn't have the Vietnam War to blame for the madness of their men.
Leni is caught in the sick pas de deux of her parents' relationship, with her mother constantly excusing her husband's abuse by declaring her undying love and telling Leni, "Oh if you only knew him before." Well frankly, that got old very quickly and I had little patience for her and her fatal flaws. Perhaps a decade ago this continuing pattern would pass unexamined, but to today's reader, being imprisoned in a destructive marriage has lost its dramatic appeal. The setting is the 70's, but the reader is contemporary.
The other major complaint is the author's use of deus ex machina to extricate Leni from one bad situation after another. Those great neighbors with their powerful friends and the grandparents with an unending supply of money all manage to appear at just the right time.
I must say, after enjoying The Nightingale thoroughly, I found this book a disappointment, especially since it was a subject dear to the author's heart.