One of the best books I have read in a long time. Great descriptions of Alaska. Good plot, great character development. One of those "can't put it down" books. Highly recommend.

Set in the 1970s, The Great Alone is more than just a coming of age story. Kristin Hannah takes readers on an emotional journey in her story about family crisis, survival, PTSD, and first love.

Wow ! What a book. I'm a fan of Kristin Hannah, but this book is outstanding even for her.
The atmosphere and characters are so real, I had difficulty separating "fiction" from reality.
I ached for the characters, and cried with them. Highly recommended read.

I was introduced to Kristin Hannah and her poignant prose through The Nightingale. I was drawn in by its beauty and pain, so when I had a chance to pick up The Great Alone, I didn’t hesitate for a moment.

This story spoke to mean even more than The Nightingale perhaps because she wrote of a time familiar to me from my early childhood. Although her characters were older than I, Hannah’s rich description transported me right back to the ’70s and ’80s.

But far beyond being able to describe polyester clothes and Polaroids, Hannah paints a picture of Alaska that leaves an indelible impression on the mind. The raw and sometimes haunting majesty of The Last Frontier is captured on the page and the narrative she weaves is just as tragic and ultimately redemptive as the state itself. The pioneer spirit of survival fueled by hope and determination is the current that runs through all the characters in the book.

In a literary world cobbled together with tired clichés and flat characters, The Great Alone is proof that fiction can still move the soul in ways I feared was not possible any more.

I selected this book because several years back I had read a few of Kristin Hannah's earlier women's fiction novels. While I enjoyed them, I didn't enjoy them enough to want to read more of her work. She's a very prolific author, but the couple that I had selected were enough for me. Her success with The Nightingale, which I still haven't read, made me want to give her a second chance. I'm so glad I did.

Throughout the entire book, I was captivated by the characters, including Alaska, which serves as its own character. The beauty and bleakness of Alaska was described so well that at times, I really felt like I was there. The subject matter is grim, but what kept me reading was hope. I was hoping that somehow Leni and her mother would find a way out of the vicious cycle of abuse.

In the end, I was pleased with how things were brought together. For me, after all Leni had been through, it was the only way I was going to be satisfied. I would highly recommend this book to others and can't wait to check out The Nightingale.

Thank you to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for this review.

ALL THE FEELS!


Kristin Hannah has done it again. There is so much to this book - love, family, survival, growing up, struggles, friendship, hope, regret - all set in a remote location in Alaska. Leni's dad is a POW war veteran. It haunts him. He has nightmares and turns to alcohol, which results in lost jobs and violence. He is then gifted a home in the middle of nowhere Alaska and decides that a fresh start is what he needs to turn his life around. Leni and her mom, Cora, are shocked to find that this means no running water, no electricity, and how they will have to be self sufficient. They are welcomed by their neighbors, who all are a great supporting cast. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll be angry & happy. Great read!

This is my first read by Kristin Hannah and I adored it. Set in the 1970s, it is about Ernt Allbright, a man who returns home to Seattle after being a POW in the Vietnam War. He is now a changed man, suffering sleepless nights, flashbacks, nightmares and volatile in his behaviour. PTSD was an undiagnosed condition at the time but it ravaged Ernt's life and that of his wife, Cora, and his 13 year old daughter, Leni. The Allbright family used to have good times, but now Leni hears the fights and conflict between her parents. Ernt struggles to hold down a job and their moves makes Leni long for a sense of stability. When Ernt inherits a cabin and land in Alaska from a dead soldier, he pleads with Cora that this will be the making of him and them, they could live off the land and be free of the pressures that they have been living under. Driven by this hope, they sell up and buy a rickety old VW van and set off for their adventure in The Great Alone, having little idea as to what awaits them and just how ill prepared they are for it. Alaska takes no prisoners, it has a majestic, harsh, awe inspiring beauty but its wilderness and wildlife is a cruel and unforgiving testing ground for those who make their home there.

The Allbrights arrive in remote Kaneq, Alaska, shocked by the state of the tiny dilapidated cabin and taken aback by all that needs doing and facing a desperately steep learning curve. Without the small community rallying together to help the family they would not survive the bitter, brutal Alaskan winter and the hardships that are to follow. They stock up on supplies, working the land in preparation. However, Ernt's condition worsens, exacerbated by alcohol. He takes out his rage and temper on Cora and the tiny home becomes a place of darkness and domestic violence. Leni learns to read the signs and triggers that foretell when Ernt is going to lose it and you cannot help but feel for her and Cora. Mother and daughter have a close relationship giving them the emotional strength to endure the unbearable. Leni finds solace in books, something I completely understand and relate to. She forms her first friendship with Matthew and begins to grow roots in the community. The community prove to be an invaluable support to Cora and Leni such as the inimitable and capable Marge and Tom Walker. The angry Earl rails against the injustices of life, politics and institutions, grieving over the loss of his son. As the years go by, Leni is changed and shaped by the tragedies and hearbreak she faces,

Kristin Hannah has written a beautifully detailed and emotionally affecting novel that is both compelling and gripping. She captures the twin threats posed the Alaskan environment and the home ripped asunder by the dangerous Ernt. Hannah's greatest achievement though is the characters she creates and the in depth development that takes place. This is Leni's story, the burdens she grows up with, her emotional bond with her mother, and her search for identity and roots. Its a a tale of love and hope despite the battering that life can give. It is remarkably instructive on the cost, consequences and damage of war on families and the suffering that ensues. A brilliant read that I will not forget and recommend highly. Many thanks to St Martin's Press for an ARC.

Right off the bat, I want to say Kristin Hannah is one of my favorite authors. Her novels have all been 5+++ star reads for me!! The Nightingale is quite possibly my favorite book ever (if you haven’t read it, it’s a MUST READ). Ok, so knowing all that of course I was thrilled to dive into The Great Alone!! The synopsis is only a couple of lines and very vague, but that only make me want to read this novel even more!!!! Now sitting here after reading The Great Alone, I know why the synopsis was so short - the blinder you go into this the novel, the better!!

I am sort of at a loss of words to describe my thoughts on The Great Alone- phenomenal and amazing are my initial thoughts, but they don’t give the magnitude of just how epic this book is. Kristin Hannah exquisitely and intricately added layer upon layer to the create a completely original storyline which wow’ed me the entire way through. My heart went on such an emotional roller coaster with beautiful highs and heartbreaking lows and there were definitely lots of tears (of both joy and sadness)!! There were plenty of well timed twists and turns that I never saw coming— loved that!!! The Great Alone is a 5++++ star read that is a top favorite book of 2018 for me. I don’t say this lightly, but if you only read one book it his year, The Great Alone is the one you want to read!!

If you've read Hannah's previous work Night Road you can kinda get the same feeling from that book to this one but with twists. This is probably one of favorite Hannah books.

Good read, very compelling descriptions of domestic abuse. Ending was neatly wrapped up (too neatly?).

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
Have read other works by this author and have learned so much from them, looking forward to more of the same with this book.
This one starts out with Leni and she's a teen and they are moving again. Her dad keeps losing his job, drinks a lot and beats up her mother then when he comes out of his PTSD he apologizes.
They end up in Alaska, a cabin from one of his Nam buddies and they are welcomed into the community. What I like the best is how others help take care of them and prepare them for the winter months.
Leni is able to go to school then come home to do chores-she also is into photography. Her school buddy Matthew shows an interest in her and her in him. They are able to spend some time not at school but her dad doesn't like the way Matthew's father pays attention to his wife, Cora.
He has blowups and takes things out on his wife still. Love hearing of all their struggles and how they are able to make it all work. As Leni gets older she's able to learn more and experience more in nature to help keep them alive and safe.
So much to this story, locations, colors, love all the nature, very detailed descriptions of the area and issues surrounding the community, Northern Lights, school excursions.
Love where this story goes and glad things went in the direction they did and how things go full circle. So much to look forward to. Love hearing the connection she has with him over the years and waits for his words to reach her-they are both so damaged.
You can always go home and you don't have to be alone.
Love how this story came about from real experiences. Went through so many emotions as I read this book, had a hard time putting it down to make dinner.
I received this review book from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

Full review to be published online in mid February, 2018.

THE GREAT ALONE is actually my first time reading Kristin Hannah’s work; and I must say I was pleased. I was attracted by the setting of the wilds of Alaska, and stayed for the evocative writing. Len and her family moved to Alaska when she was a teen. Her father suffers from PTSD since the Vietnam War, and is looking for a life of isolation after having difficulty functioning in society. Unfortunately, all is not well with the family, as the reader discovers. Kristin Hannah, lushly portrays the loveliness and the brutality of the Alaskan landscape, as well as the struggles of those who choose to live there. The unadulterated essence of family life is well played; the pain, love, and loss that each member inflicts on each other as well as the compassion and loyalty that comes from friends. The book shows the harsh life in the Alaskan wild, and the close relationships between members of the community needed to survive living so far off the grid.

THE GREAT ALONE has lingered in my mind long after turning the last page. Beautifully written, and I will be looking for more works by Kristin Hannah.

Great character development and an unusual setting combine to make this a great read! I was drawn in right away to the story of Leni and her parents, Cora and Ernt, as they move to a remote part of Alaska in hopes of getting a fresh start. Ernt suffers from PTSD after serving in Vietnam, and is convinced moving to Alaska will be the spark they need to overcome their problems. Set against the starkly beautiful landscape of Alaska, the struggles of this family are both heartbreaking and hopeful.

This is my first Kristin Hannah title, but I can guarantee that it will NOT be my last. This story about Leni and her parents, seeking healing and solitude in Alaska was amazing! The story, set primarily in the 1970's explores the dysfunction of Leni's family - a father who was a POW in the Vietnam, a mother who loves and fears him and Leni. Her father believes that Alaska is his 'promised land', far from the disappointments of the 'civilized' world and that he will be better there - no nightmares and no violence. None of them are prepared for the cold, dark, isolation that comes with the Alaskan winter. As the years pass and Leni realizes the threat posed by her father, the suspense builds and the book becomes harder to put down. I am hooked!!!

I am a huge fan of Kristin Hannah and was excited to get my hands on her newest book. It did not disappoint!! I loved exploring the wild landscape of Alaska and seeing the different types of love between the various characters. This was a fabulous read and another hit book for this amazing author.

A surprising story from Ms. Hannah. Not because it differs from previous books, but because I did not know she was from Alaska. This was a good story because her descriptions of the desolation, abuse and community were realistic.

This was a wonderful book that kept me enraptured with the story and the characters. One of the characters was Alaska herself. Well written, absorbing and brutal. I can't imagine going through all Leni went through. great read!

The 'Great Alone' is a great read. It is gripping and heart-breaking, with real, flawed characters. Alaska, in all its wildness and beauty, is as much a character in this novel as the misfits and refugees who dare to make a home there. I have never been to Alaska, but this book transported me there for a short while.

This is a very different novel from 'The Nightingale', but it is written with the same care and skill. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who reads.

This was a great read. In The Great Alone, Kristin Hannah takes us to Alaska in the 1970s to follow the story of Leni Allbright and her parents, Cora and Ernt. Her father has been unable to settle anywhere or to cast off his demons from his time in the Vietnam war and as a POW, so they move to Kenai for a new start. Initially, the Allbright family are wholly unprepared for what Alaska holds in store for them, but they settle in over time.

I found their struggles to adapt to Alaska to be so vivid and fascinating-it sounds like such a breathtaking and rugged place. I had wondered how true to life these aspects of the story were, so I was pleased to read that Hannah has a connection to Alaska and that she also consulted with early homesteaders to capture their experience. The Allbrights' other struggles were less welcome; I found it heartbreaking that Leni and Cora had to deal with domestic violence and Ernt's struggles and abuse of his family and the other townspeople. Speaking of the townspeople, I loved Large Marge and Thelma, in particular, but there were so many other interesting types, too.

I was thankful for the early focus on Leni's relationship with Matthew and her dreams of a different life, as I found the scenes with Ernt a bit stressful. The last part of the novel moves rather quickly and felt a bit like a rollercoaster, but I was glad that I held on until the ending. Very pleased that I was able to read an advanced copy through net galley in exchange for an honest review.

I love Kristin Hannah books and this one didn’t disappoint.