The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

Nov 07, 2017 Deanna rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: my-favorites, highly-recommended, arcs, 2018

My reviews can also be seen at: https://deesradreadsandreviews.wordpr...

Wow!! This was a FANTASTIC novel. There is no way anyone could have pried this book from my hands while I was reading it.

Kristin Hannah is one of my favorite authors and I am always excited when a new book is going to be released. When I found out that her new book, “The Great Alone” was set in Alaska in 1974 (the year I was born); I was itching to get reading.

As the book opens, we meet the Allbright family. Ernt, Cora, a ...more

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Aug 15, 2017 Melissa rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2017, book-mail, heartbreaking, womens-fiction

*3.5 stars*

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. Where I think her magic lies is in knowing just the right moment to toss out a lifeline—restoring faith, inciting love and in some cases, leaving me in complete and utter awe.

Naturally, having experienced a number of her noteworthy r ...more

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Oct 31, 2017 Emily May rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-fiction, botm, 2018

All this time, Dad had taught Leni how dangerous the outside world was. The truth was that the biggest danger of all was in her own home.

This book completely stole my heart. Maybe it's just more fresh in my mind, but I'm pretty sure I enjoyed The Great Alone even more than Kristin Hannah's The Nightingale. In fact, it was verging on a five-star read for me until the final few chapters-- which I felt were too rushed and more sentimental than I personally like. But I still highly recommend it.

I ...more

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Jan 23, 2018 abby rated it liked it

Shelves: historical-fiction

Kristin Hannah wrote 70% of a novel and then 30% of a soap opera.

I know this isn't likely to be a popular opinion. Hannah is an incredibly popular writer whose books sell into the millions. This might be a case of "it's not you, it's me." The same problems I found in her sentinel work The Nightingale came back to haunt The Great Alone: weak female characters, use of death and tragedy as plot devises, and an overwrought, melodramatic narrative. People who liked Hannah's earlier work, will probabl Kristin Hannah wrote 70% of a novel and then 30% of a soap opera.

I know this isn't likely to be a popular opinion. Hannah is an incredibly popular writer whose books sell into the millions. This might be a case of "it's not you, it's me." The same problems I found in her sentinel work The Nightingale came back to haunt The Great Alone: weak female characters, use of death and tragedy as plot devises, and an overwrought, melodramatic narrative. People who liked Hannah's earlier work, will probably love this book. But if you've not been a fan in the past, don't expect much to change with this Alaskan tale.

The book starts when Leni Allbright is thirteen, awkward, and unable to fit in anywhere. It doesn't help that her parents are constantly moving her around the country. Her father, Ernt, is chasing that next big opportunity that will make him happy for good. Her mother, Cora, is hoping the next town will transform Ernt into the man he was before Vietnam. The Allbright family wind up in Alaska, in a cabin without pluming and electricity and far from any real civilization. When they arrive at the start of summer, Ernt is able to relax in the natural setting, and Cora and Leni think he might really return to how he was before the war. But as the days grow colder and the sun disappears from the sky, Ernt's demons come back with a vengeance.

Cora reminded me a lot of Vianne from The Nightingale, only with an abusive husband this time. Like her predecessor, she acts like a sad doormat the majority of the book until the moment she snaps out of character (view spoiler). Ernt is the usual abusive husband archetype-- drinking and beating and obsessing. One character I loved was Large Marge, who doesn't take any prisoners and doesn't suffer any fools. But I almost felt like making Marge an African-American in Alaska and obese gave her the "excuse" not to be yet another shrinking violet.

I actually quite liked the first 70% of the book. I was rooting for Leni, I enjoyed her friendship with Matthew, the understanding boy next homestead over, and I was waiting for Ernt's dangerous end-of-the-world prepping to come to a head. This book really brings Alaska and off-grid living to life. But then it all fell apart.

I feel like Hannah wanted to make her readers sad, so they would feel things, and isn't it a good book if it makes you cry? So lets kill off some characters. Heck, let's kill off all the characters! Teenage pregnancy? Sure, that's juicy stuff and very romantic. Wait, I killed off too many characters? There's a fix for that. Perfect bittersweet ending! The last hundred pages made me hate how much I enjoyed the first three hundred pages. I don't think I'll be picking up another Kristin Hannah book any time soon.

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. ...more

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Oct 27, 2017 Angela M rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley-reviews

“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;
With only the howl of a timber wolf, and
you camped there in the cold,
A half-dead thing in a stark, dead world,
clean mad for the muck called gold;
While high overhead, green, yellow and
red, the North Lights swept in bars? —

Then you've a hunch what the music
meant. . . hunger and night and the stars. “
( From The Shooting of Dan McGrew by Robert “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;
With only the howl of a timber wolf, and
you camped there in the cold,
A half-dead thing in a stark, dead world,
clean mad for the muck called gold;
While high overhead, green, yellow and
red, the North Lights swept in bars? —

Then you've a hunch what the music
meant. . . hunger and night and the stars. “
( From The Shooting of Dan McGrew by Robert W. Service)

It's to the wilderness of Alaska, this "Great Alone", a most fitting description, that Leni Allbright and her parents go, seeking yet another place that her mother hoped would be the place that made her dad happy. Kristin Hannah with vivid descriptions takes the reader here and while I've never been to Alaska, I certainly felt as though I was. Ernt Allbright, a POW who returned home from Vietnam a very different man could never keep a job and moved his family from place to place, clearly suffers from PTSD. It isn't until they move to Alaska that 13 year old Leni , realizes just how bad things are and the imminent danger in their lives. I couldn't help but love Leni. She's wise for her age recognizing what might set off her father's rage. As she grows and her character develops, into a strong , amazing woman in spite of all the tragedy and heartache, I loved her even more. My favorite passage is from Leni's college application several years later: "Books are the mile markers of my life. Some people have family photos or home movies to record their past. I've got books. Characters. For as long as I can remember, books have been my safe place. I read about places I can barely imagine and lose myself to journeys to foreign lands to save girls who didn't know they were really princesses. Only recently have I learned why I needed those faraway worlds."

Leni has a loving bond with her mother and together they try to survive this place with the freezing, treacherous, winters and the most terrifying of dangers that they face within the cabin where they live - the mental instability, the volatility combined with alcohol, and violence of her father as he wreaks havoc in their lives and the people of the town. It is the friendships that Leni and Cora make with a fabulous cast of characters that help them survive it all. Large Marge was my favorite but I also loved Matthew who was the only friend Leni could remember having in her life. This is more than a coming of age story. It’s about the reality of post war PTSD, the awful reality of spousal abuse, about the sense of community, of belonging, about survival not just in the wilderness of Alaska but in life in with challenges that seem insurmountable. I don't often cry when reading a book, but this was one of the times. It's gripping, gritty, heartbreaking and hopeful and illustrates the versatile storytelling of Kristin Hannah.

It was impossible for me to forgive Ernt, even knowing that he was a POW, but he brought to mind the POW's bracelet I wore for a long time. I remember his name but out of privacy and respect for him, I won’t mention it here . I’ll only say that he was captured in 1971 and thankfully released in 1973. This book prompted me to search for him online. It appears that he stayed in the Army and then after retirement went on to the private sector. I hope he has had a peaceful, happy life.

I received an advanced copy of this book from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. ...more

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Nov 18, 2017 Paromjit rated it it was amazing

Shelves: family-drama, adventure, historical-fiction, netgalley

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 c 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. ...more

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Feb 14, 2018 KAS rated it it was ok

One thing is for sure, Kristin Hannah, hands down, is a talented author who can weave a tale. I have read many of her previous novels and always found them to be beautiful and thought provoking. This one, however, rubbed me the wrong way.

Forewarning: This storyline deals with a lot of heavy issues, the most serious and horrific, physical abuse. I am trying my best to keep spoilers out of this review.

Just so you know where my thoughts are coming from, I am the wife of a twenty-seven year military One thing is for sure, Kristin Hannah, hands down, is a talented author who can weave a tale. I have read many of her previous novels and always found them to be beautiful and thought provoking. This one, however, rubbed me the wrong way.

Forewarning: This storyline deals with a lot of heavy issues, the most serious and horrific, physical abuse. I am trying my best to keep spoilers out of this review.

Just so you know where my thoughts are coming from, I am the wife of a twenty-seven year military veteran, and I initially connected with this story and my heart ached for the family whose lives were changed forever due to the traumas of war, but then I became perplexed and then disturbed with where the storyline was heading, especially regarding the actions of the father, named Ernt. In a manner of speaking, I wasn’t buying what was being sold. The “explanation” of his actions, one in particular, which he committed over and over again, wasn’t resonating with me at all.

The BEFORE “Nam screwed him up” excuse Ernt’s wife invariably gave, wasn’t cutting it. Numerous times the wife would say to their daughter ”I wish you remembered him from before.”

Yes, we are told Ernt was a Vietnam POW; he doesn’t do well in the darkness; he suffers severely from nightmares and flashbacks. Yes, he drinks way too much. But to basically make the case his ‘PTSD’ turned him into the monster he became, did not sit well with me. It never made any sense to me why Ernt’s actual thoughts were never revealed, only that his wife and daughter could see something was brewing in his eyes. He acted out in horrible ways and then apologized profusely, time and time again.

As a side note - nowhere, in this author’s acknowledgments at the end of the book, did she thank a psychologist/psychiatrist who deals with patients with PTSD for his or her expertise. I take that to mean she didn’t seek out their input, but I could be wrong.

Sorry if this sounds more like a rant than a review :(

There are thousands of 4-5 star ratings for this book, and I definitely understand why. The writing is flawless, the descriptions breathtaking, and as one would expect from Kristin Hannah and as I already stated, she can weave a story like few others. I am certainly in the minority only giving 2 stars.

MAYBE if I wasn’t the wife of a military vet, who unfortunately saw more than his fair share of war, and maybe if I didn’t relate to many of the issues Ernt was dealing with ...... maybe I would have given this a much higher rating.

Your experience with this book will most likely be totally different from mine, so I urge you to read the 5 star reviews. I will definitely continue to read Ms. Hannah’s future releases! ...more

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Feb 25, 2018 Larry H rated it it was amazing

Oh, man, this book.

In 1974, the world was turned upside-down, what with Vietnam, the gas crisis, Watergate, and so much more to cause people to feel unsettled. Thirteen-year-old Leni Allbright knew these feelings all too well, but more because her father, Ernt, a Vietnam POW, has never quite been the same since he returned from being captured during the war. Leni watches the almost all-consuming love her parents have for each other, which is exacerbated by the times when her father "just isn't

Oh, man, this book.

In 1974, the world was turned upside-down, what with Vietnam, the gas crisis, Watergate, and so much more to cause people to feel unsettled. Thirteen-year-old Leni Allbright knew these feelings all too well, but more because her father, Ernt, a Vietnam POW, has never quite been the same since he returned from being captured during the war. Leni watches the almost all-consuming love her parents have for each other, which is exacerbated by the times when her father "just isn't right," suffering nightmares, mood swings, and violent rages which have caused them to pick up and move several times over the last several years.

"One thing every child of a POW knew was how easily people could be broken."

After Ernt loses another job, he makes an impulsive decision: he is going to move his family to a small town in Alaska, and settle on some land left to him by a fellow soldier. The thought of moving somewhere so remote, so dangerous, so unknown, is tremendously frightening, but Leni's mother, Cora, has never abandoned her husband no matter what he has done, so she's willing to follow him into the wilderness, in the hopes this may be the fresh start he needs.

When they arrive, they are all bewitched by the immense beauty of Alaska in summer—the vivid colors, the sounds of animals they had never seen in person before, the feel of living off the land. Yet they know that winter is not that far away, and they've heard that many people don't even survive one winter in Alaska. With limited money and supplies, they prepare as best they can, but they are buoyed by the generosity of the community they've moved into, despite Ernt's resentment that others are providing for his family.

"Alaska isn't about who you were when you headed this way. It's about who you become. You are out here in the wild, girls. That isn't some fable or fairy tale. It's real. Hard. Winter will be here soon, and believe me, it's not like any winter you've ever experienced. It will cull the herd, and fast. You need to know how to survive."

Winter pushes the Allbrights to their limits, and Ernt's mental state begins to deteriorate more and more. Leni realizes that her father is dangerous and she can't understand why her mother continues to stay with him, to even provoke his moods somewhat, and yet refuse to leave when things get bad. And they get bad, with increasing frequency. But Leni knows that she cannot leave her mother, or she might not be able to save her.

As Leni gets older, she becomes less forgiving of her father's moods and her mother's refusal to help them escape. When the community's residents get divided between those who want to see change and modernity brought to the wilderness, and those who prefer living off the grid and fending for themselves, Ernt's resentment grows, drawing his entire family into a dangerous struggle, one from which escape is becoming increasingly unlikely.

The Great Alone is the story of survival, not just in the harsh Alaskan wilderness, but within your own lives. It's a book about confronting your fears and realizing how strong you are, of feeling the need to protect those you love from pain or hurt no matter what the sacrifices you must make in exchange, and how the things we most want to say are the hardest to verbalize. This is a book about courage, the power of love and friendship, and an unshakable bond between parent and child.

I've never read any of Kristin Hannah's books before, and I don't know why that's the case, but this book blew me away. The story is tremendously compelling, and even though it has familiar elements, Hannah's storytelling made it feel fresh. There is such a poignancy in this book, and I'm not ashamed to say it wrecked me emotionally at times, but I kept reading and reading and just couldn't stop. Thanks to a cold, rainy Sunday, I read the entire book in one day, but now I'm sad it's over.

Is this predictable? Perhaps a bit. But this is an exceptional story populated by complex, fascinating characters and vivid imagery that made you feel you were experiencing the beauty and harshness of Alaska. Boy, did I love this.

"In the vast expanse of this unpredictable wilderness, you will either become your best self and flourish, or you will run away, screaming, from the dark and the cold and the hardship. There is no middle ground, no safe place; not here, in the Great Alone."

I have four words for you: Read this book now.

See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com, or check out my list of the best books I read in 2017 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2018/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2017.html.

...more

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Jan 24, 2018 Elyse rated it really liked it

Kristin Hannah fans will be more than satisfied!!!

I found the story a little predictable- and not all characters as layered as I would have liked, yet the sincerity in which Kristin wrote this novel is admirable and beautiful....with much to respect for taking on these serious themes. Kristin’s heart and passion is mixed between all her words on every page.
The writing flows with emotional intimacy.

This story is told through the eyes of Leni, daughter of a former Vietnam POW.
Leni, an only chil ...more

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Oct 05, 2017 Diane S ☔ rated it really liked it

Book coincidences. I always read multiple books at the same time, always have. So, I was reading History of Wolves, and because I had paper Arcs of both books and wanted to pass them on, I also started this one. Both deal with the trauma of war, but this one was set in Alaska, and I love books set in cold climates. It is the seventies and Ernt, who came back much changed from Vietnam, can't seem to settle. Moving his small family from place to place, until he is left a small cabin in Alaska, fro ...more

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Nov 20, 2017 Carol rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical-fiction, published-2018, netgalley, favorites, read-2017

OH BOY. ALASKA. THE GREAT ALONE.

KRISTIN HANNAH grabbed my attention from the get-go with her freaky cold (Brrrrrrrr) descriptively atmospheric novel set in a remote 1970's Alaska where "you can make one mistake, but the second one will kill you"......literally.

THE FIRST HALF of the story introduces the reader to the Allbright family and the shock of their unimaginably dangerous and unpredictable new life in the wild.

LIVING ROUGH (Yikes!) in their inherited little cabin, they must haul water, g

...more

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Feb 27, 2018 Jen rated it it was amazing

I think Kristen Hannah is like a fine wine. With each new novel, she gets better and better.
Thirteen year old Leni and her parents move to the Alaskan wilderness as a possible solution to her dad's illness. He suffers from PTSD having returned from Vietnam broken, with an extreme vision and little survival skills.
Once the harshness of winter sets in, the human spirit is tested in a family whose relationship is already in a delicate balance; the lack of daylight brings with it the challenges of ...more

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Feb 17, 2018 Susanne Strong rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalley, traveling-sister-read

4 Stars.

Alaska, 1974: This is the story of the trials and tribulations of the Allbright family. Life has not been easy for Ernt, Cora or their daughter Leni. Ernt is a POW, home from Vietnam. He is now prone to fits of anger and extreme violence. Ernt considers alcohol to be his savior – yet for his wife and daughter, it is the devil.

After coming home from the war, Ernt feels as though he doesn’t fit in anywhere and that everyone is against him. In an incredible turn of events, a home is bequeat 4 Stars.

Alaska, 1974: This is the story of the trials and tribulations of the Allbright family. Life has not been easy for Ernt, Cora or their daughter Leni. Ernt is a POW, home from Vietnam. He is now prone to fits of anger and extreme violence. Ernt considers alcohol to be his savior – yet for his wife and daughter, it is the devil.

After coming home from the war, Ernt feels as though he doesn’t fit in anywhere and that everyone is against him. In an incredible turn of events, a home is bequeathed to Ernt in Kaneq, Alaska and he feels that it is has last chance. Wanting to make him happy and keep him calm, Cora and Leni agree. The move is one for which they are wholly unprepared. Winters are fierce, harsh and absolutely terrifying. There are only 6 hours of sunlight a day, and the conditions are dire.

The atmosphere and the wilderness however, give something to Leni Allbright that she has never had before, peace and solitude. If only it was enough. Cora is a woman who fell very hard for a man who treats her the way that no woman should ever be treated. Her family is trapped in a vicious cycle, one whose demons it seems impossible to out run, even after having reached the ends of the earth.

“The Great Alone” is a novel so full of beautiful, vivid descriptions that I could close eyes and see the land, the mountains, the water: the immense beauty that is Alaska - even though I have never been there before. The characters are captivating and rich. They made me so very anxious at times, I couldn’t help but clench my fists and hold on for dear life, yet they also made me love. “The Great Alone” is my first Kristin Hannah novel – it will not be my last.

This was Traveling Sister Read. The discussion for this book was very lively and full of emotion. I was glad to have my sisters close while I read it!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Kristin Hannah for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Published on NetGalley, Goodreads, Amazon and Twitter on 2.17.18. ...more

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Oct 30, 2017 Linda rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 5-star-winners, alaska-theme, fiction, nature-themes, net-galley, favorites

Like a curved, upturned palm, Alaska beckons with her beauty, her majesty, and her prolific grandeur.

The awe-inspiring allure gestures first until the ruggedness of her backbone sets in.

The Allbright family lives on the edge of a nomad's existence. Seattle, once filled with promise, no longer does. It's 1974 and these displaced individuals are the walking wounded. Ernt bears the mental and physical scars of being a prisoner of war held in Vietnam. The nightmares are no longer wrapped in the dar Like a curved, upturned palm, Alaska beckons with her beauty, her majesty, and her prolific grandeur.

The awe-inspiring allure gestures first until the ruggedness of her backbone sets in.

The Allbright family lives on the edge of a nomad's existence. Seattle, once filled with promise, no longer does. It's 1974 and these displaced individuals are the walking wounded. Ernt bears the mental and physical scars of being a prisoner of war held in Vietnam. The nightmares are no longer wrapped in the darkness. They seep into the day and explode without warning. Cora, his wife, flits back and forth with her feeble attempts to sidestep his abusive behavior. And caught in the throws of this disfunction is thirteen year old Leni. Her silence lays a mantle over the brokenness.

Ernt receives a letter from the father of his best friend who was killed in Vietnam. Earl Harlan tells Ernt that Bo left a sizable plot of land and a cabin to him in Kaneq, Alaska. It's his for the taking. Ernt whoops with joy and begins to sell everything they have for a beat-up VW bus in order to make the journey. Cora sees the face of the love she long remembered from before the war. Perhaps this is the new beginning that they are so desperate for. And Leni just yearns for a place of permanence for once in her young life.

With hardly a plan or adequate preparation, the Allbrights find themselves in the jaw-dropping majesty of the Alaskan wilderness. With the help of Mad Earl's family and the resourceful Marge Birdsall, also known as Large Marge, the Allbrights cut into the land and start to dig in. Like the famous line from Game of Thrones: "Winter is coming." Tremendous effort must be put forth in order to exist through the brutality of an Alaskan winter.

"Alaska herself can be Sleeping Beauty one minute and a bitch with a sawed-off shotgun the next."

Filled with grizzly bear, caribou, wolves, and enormous moose, danger is around every turn. But our story brushes against more than Nature......human nature to be exact. Ernt begins to resent his new neighbors as the darkness within him takes hold once again. And once again, Cora invents excuses for Ernt's behavior until she begins to believe it all herself. She and Leni hardly breathe in the confines of that tiny cabin.

Kristin Hannah creates a storyline that lays bare the tragedies of war, broken families, unfulfilled dreams, and the explosive side of a dormant wound. Her characterizations are remarkable as life unravels from 1974 to 1986. We will experience the dramatic changes that take place within Leni as she shields herself from the rages that exist within as well as those from the treacherous land itself. Kristin Hannah writes from a source of profound respect for the individuals who ramble down the uneven terrain of life. Her words will invoke a gamut of feelings within you as you leave your own footprints behind. A remarkable read, indeed, and so worthy of your attention.

I received a copy of The Great Alone through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to St. Martin's Press and to Kristin Hannah for the opportunity.

...more

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Apr 20, 2018 Julie rated it really liked it

Shelves: st-martin-s-press, paperback, historical-fiction, 2018

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah is a 2018 St. Main’s Press publication.

Alaska- beautiful, harsh, dangerous, addictive-

After Ernst comes home from Vietnam, he flounders, suffering from what we would now term, PTSD. His wife, Cora, sees a much different man in front of her than the one she married. But, she is determined to help him, and so when he inherits a home in Alaska, she and their thirteen -year old daughter, Leni, follow him into unchartered territory. As they begin their journey they ...more

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Feb 24, 2018 Arah-Lynda rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: i-said, top

There’s gold, and it’s haunting and haunting;
It’s luring me on as of old;
Yet it isn’t the gold that I’m wanting
So much as finding the gold.
It’s the great, big, broad land ‘way up yonder,
It’s the forests where silence has lease;
It’s the beauty that thrills me with wonder,
It’s the stillness that fills me with peace.
Robert Service

This book got me to thinking about why I read and at times it would seem I have as many answers as there are moments to consider them..
For me I guess it all began when I ...more

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Feb 28, 2018 Norma * Traveling Sister rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley-edelweiss-approved, traveling-sister-reads, favourite-reads-of-2018

*4.5 stars* rounded up for The Great Alone!

THE GREAT ALONE by KRISTIN HANNAH is an absolutely wonderful, spellbinding, powerful, tense, touching, and heartbreaking domestic family drama story that was an all-consuming and emotional read for me. I was totally captivated with what I was reading and it was extremely hard for me to put down. I couldn’t think of anything else but this story and I don’t think I have felt so many different emotions from reading a book in quite some time. The way that ...more

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Feb 10, 2018 Nat rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: pink-covers

“And you,” Large Marge said. “What’s your story, missy?”
“I don’t have a story.”
“Everyone has a story. Maybe yours just starts up here.”

I was on the look-out for a novel set around quiet people, and The Great Alone looked like one to fulfill that promise with “the harsh, uncompromising beauty of Alaska.” Plus, the mention of exploring PTSD in the father figure piqued my interest.

The bonus was when I started reading the book and became quickly swept up in Leni's life. She's thirteen when the novel ...more

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Jan 14, 2018 Karen rated it it was amazing

5 Stars for The Great Alone... Alaska. It’s 1974 and a family of three, including a father mentally traumatized by his service in the Vietnam War, move to Alaska to a forty acre plot of land left to him by a fellow soldier who never made it out.
Life there is so hard and very bleak. This story is fast paced, and riveting. The characters so beautifully brought to life. Such an atmospheric read, I am so happy that I was able to read this at a time when we have our own Arctic Blast going through her ...more

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Dec 01, 2017 Theresa Alan rated it it was amazing

This is a breathtakingly well-written novel.

At only thirteen years old, Leni has already been bounced from school to school, city to city. Her father returned from Vietnam after being a POW a damaged man who is unable to control his nightmares—or his temper, causing him to get fired from job after job.

When he learns that a war buddy of his left him a house in Alaska, Ernt is sure this time happiness will be theirs, so he packs up his daughter and wife and they head for The Great Alone.

I fell ...more

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Feb 08, 2018 Cheri rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2018, library-book, alaska, 1970s, domestic-violence, ptsd

4.5 Stars

”Well she seemed all right by dawn's early light
Though she looked a little worried and weak.
She tried to pretend he wasn't drinkin' again
But daddy'd left the proof on her cheek.
And I was only eight years old that summer
And I always seemed to be in the way
So I took myself down to the fair in town
On Independence Day.

“Well ,word gets around in a small, small town
They said he was a dangerous man
But mama was proud and she stood her ground
But she knew she was on the losin' end.
Some folks whi ...more

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Mar 08, 2018 Liz rated it it was amazing

Shelves: best-of-2018

Some plans just have “bad idea” written all over them. This would include Ernt’s plan to take his family to Alaska in 1974. Ernt, a Vietnam vet and ex-POW, is suffering from what we now call PTSD. But back then, there was no diagnosis or treatment.

The story is told from the perspective of his daughter, Leni. When they arrive in Alaska, everyone tries to prepare them. To tell them how hard it’s going to be. How one mistake can be fatal. But Leni and her mom, Cora, are desperate to believe that t ...more

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Apr 07, 2018 Lindsay - Traveling Sister rated it really liked it · review of another edition

4.5 stars!

Beautiful. Emotional. Atmospheric. Heart-wrenching. Stunning. Raw. Intense.

I love Kristin Hannah’s writing! I’ve been a fan of her for years, but fell absolutely head over heels in love with her writing after reading The Nightingale. Though I wouldn’t class this book as highly as my love for The Nightingale, it was still an extremely powerful and thoroughly enjoyable novel that I truly loved reading.

This story revolves around thirteen-year-old Leni who moves to Alaska with her highl ...more

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Jul 09, 2018 Brandice rated it it was amazing

Wow! The Great Alone was another captivating story by Kristin Hannah. This was my second book by Hannah, after just finishing The Nightingale and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The story is about Leni Allbright, an only child and teenage girl whose parents move around frequently to support her dad’s latest and greatest ideas for new ventures. Her father, Ernt, is skeptical of the system, the government, and modernization. He is also a veteran of the Vietnam war and dealing with PTSD which has seriousl Wow! The Great Alone was another captivating story by Kristin Hannah. This was my second book by Hannah, after just finishing The Nightingale and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The story is about Leni Allbright, an only child and teenage girl whose parents move around frequently to support her dad’s latest and greatest ideas for new ventures. Her father, Ernt, is skeptical of the system, the government, and modernization. He is also a veteran of the Vietnam war and dealing with PTSD which has seriously changed him. Leni’s mom, Cora, puts up with Ernt’s abuse but shields Leni as much as she can, and tries to side with Leni in all situations as she remembers what it was like to be young and crave freedom. The Allbright family moves from Seattle to Alaska when one of Ernt’s fellow soldiers gifts him property there. The story follows their journey North and their attempt to adapt to the harsh frontier and Alaskan wilderness, with minimal modern conveniences.

As many other reviews of this book have noted, Hannah’s sweeping descriptions of the Alaskan landscape are wonderful throughout the book. I had no trouble vividly picturing the scenes and this was just another enjoyable element of The Great Alone.

“Even with all the pictures Leni had studied and all the articles and books she’d read, she hadn’t been prepared for the wild, spectacular beauty of Alaska. It was otherworldly somehow, magical in its vast expanse, an incomparable landscape of soaring glacier-filled white mountains that ran the length of the horizon, knife-tip points pressed high into a cloudless cornflower-blue sky. Kachemak Bay was a sheet of hammered sterling in the sunlight. Boats dotted the bay. The air smelled briny, deeply of the sea. Shorebirds floated on the wind, dipped and rose effortlessly.”

I really liked Leni as a character, but I didn’t care for either of her parents. Ernt was clearly dislikable but I also found Cora to be unlikable, less so than Ernt, yet it was tough to appreciate what I thought were poor choices in her actions for the majority of the book. Leni had to endure so much - a lot for anyone - but especially someone so young. There was a lot of sadness in this story but Leni’s resiliency was admirable. I also loved her love of books, and enjoyed many of the characters of the Allbright’s Alaskan community.

”This state, this place, is like no other. It is beauty and horror; savior and destroyer. Here, where survival is a choice that must be made over and over, in the wildest place in America, on the edge of civilization, where water in all its forms can kill you, you learn who you are. Not who you dreamed of being, not who you imagined you were, not who you were raised to be. All of that will be torn away in the months of icy darkness, when frost on the windows blurs your view and the world gets very small and you stumble into the truth of your existence. You learn what you will do to survive.”

Hannah is an excellent storyteller. I highly recommend The Great Alone. ...more

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Jan 31, 2018 *TUDOR^QUEEN* rated it really liked it · review of another edition

4.5 stars

I was a bit out of my usual comfort zone as far as reading genres when I came to this book. When I was about 5 percent into the book I was loving it, but as I got just a little bit further I thought to myself, "if I wasn't committed to reading this for NetGalley, I'd move onto something else." However, after taking a deep breath and persevering with the book, I came away with a healthy admiration for this author's writing.

I've held the lifelong belief that while reading books I've trav 4.5 stars

I was a bit out of my usual comfort zone as far as reading genres when I came to this book. When I was about 5 percent into the book I was loving it, but as I got just a little bit further I thought to myself, "if I wasn't committed to reading this for NetGalley, I'd move onto something else." However, after taking a deep breath and persevering with the book, I came away with a healthy admiration for this author's writing.

I've held the lifelong belief that while reading books I've travelled all over the world in my mind. For this reason, I do not feel at all like I've missed out due to my anemic personal travel log. One of the gifts I received from this book was the very unique experience of living "off the grid" in Alaska.

It's the early 1970s, and 13 year old Lenora (Leni) Allbright is living with the stress and uncertainty of her parents' volatile marriage. Her father Ernt is a Vietnam POW, never quite the same upon his discharge from the Armed Forces. His sleep is often disturbed by flashbacks and he's unable to control his jealously where his attractive and dedicated wife Cora is concerned. Leni has too often seen her father's hair trigger violence towards her mother, as well as Cora's willingness to forgive without consequences. Cora and Ernt fell in love quite young, culminating in unexpected pregnancy and a rushed, simple wedding. Cora came from wealth and her parents disapproved of the marriage, but her love for Ernt was steadfast. Even though Ernt didn't come home from the war the same man, Cora stoically dealt with the rollercoaster moods from her husband. As Leni witnesses her parents riding the wild emotions of their marriage, their sexual passions still intact... she's a young teenager with a secret to be embarrassed about. Her father sometimes hits her mother.

Then a life-changing decision is suddenly made: Ernt receives a letter from the father of a fellow POW- one who didn't make it home alive. His comrade willed him some land and a home in Alaska. Ernt views this opportunity as a lifeline; a place where he can live in solitude off the land. A place to start anew. With hope and some trepidation, Cora agrees to leave their Seattle home along with Leni and Ernt for an unknown future in Alaska.

When the Allbrights arrive in this remote strip of Alaska, it's quite unsettling just how "off the grid" this new life will be. There is no running water or electricity, and their modest cabin is littered with dead bugs. There is no bathroom; those needs are met by an outhouse. The only means of communication with their fellow cove inhabitants is by ham radio. They are also warned by the locals how easily one can die during the cruel Alaska winters. The Allbrights must learn how to hunt and fish, can foods, tend to livestock and cut firewood... just to name a few life-saving skills. During the heart of an Alaskan winter, there are barely 8 hours of light in the day. Talk about cabin fever! This was where I hit critical mass in the book and felt so claustrophobic and disturbed that I wished to put aside the book.

Ernt at first thrives with the simplicity and physicality of working the land, but does not do well when the unrelenting winter hits. I won't get into the nuts and bolts of the story. Suffice it to say, and I quote Leni, her parents were in a "sick, twisted love that bound her parents together." There are characters that you will grow to love in this book, and one will absolutely turn your stomach. This is a story that is rich, atmospheric and fraught with great emotions. I came away from this book with utter respect and appreciation for the people who homestead in Alaska, with all its beauty and challenges. For all the hard physical work to survive there, they seem to love it and would have it no other way.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the gift of a great read. ...more

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Feb 25, 2018 Eryn rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: owned, cover-love, reviewed, painful-withdrawals, meaningful, i-cried, fiction, all-time-favorites, 5-stars, historical-fiction

5/5~~

This book completely broke me. I mean, it's wonderful, but also so terrible and heartbreaking. I swear, I don’t think I’ve felt this many emotions from a book in a long, long time. It made me feel happiness, sadness, rage and love — sometimes all at the same time.

It’s funny how I ordered this book purely because of it's lovely cover and because it was about Alaska (I’m in a random stage where I want to move there). And now it’s one of my all time favorite novels. Funny how these things work 5/5~~

This book completely broke me. I mean, it's wonderful, but also so terrible and heartbreaking. I swear, I don’t think I’ve felt this many emotions from a book in a long, long time. It made me feel happiness, sadness, rage and love — sometimes all at the same time.

It’s funny how I ordered this book purely because of it's lovely cover and because it was about Alaska (I’m in a random stage where I want to move there). And now it’s one of my all time favorite novels. Funny how these things work.

The Great Alone begins with the image of a wonderful little family: Cora, Ernt, and Leni. Sure, there are underlying problems but every family has problems, so you don’t think much about that. That is, until the story continues and you begin finding out things you didn’t have a clue were happening in their "wonderful little family."

Segueing away from that for a moment, the main character (for the majority of the novel), Leni, is an absolute joy to read about. The novel starts off when she is thirteen and ends with her being twenty-five, so you get to see her grow tremendously. Regardless, Lori is not your average thirteen-year-old. She is smart and realistic, and I was often shocked by her interpretations of the world around her.

Her mother, Cora, otherwise known as “Mama,” is an awesome character, too. I really liked her, flaws and all, because of how much she loved Leni and would do anything for her (even though it doesn’t seem like that at first - but trust me, it’s there). Not only that, but the mother and daughter bond that Leni and Cora share is so similar to my mama and I, that I loved this book even more because of that.

All the other characters were great in their own ways, too: Ernt, who I don’t like, for good reason, but I sympathize with because of what he’d went through in 'Nam; Large Marge, who is hilarious and an ex-lawyer (that surprised me!); Mr. Walker, who I’m still upset Cora didn’t end up with because he’s a sweetheart; Matthew, who I freaking love and had me almost, almost crying when he had that accident. And of course, all the other characters were wonderful and realistic — but these were the one’s that left lasting impressions.

All of the descriptive scenery and realistic dialogue and believable characters, just goes to show you how strong of a writer Kristin Hannah is. As a lawyer turned writer, I wouldn’t expect any less. People might be surprised to know, but lawyers have to be really good writers!

Honestly, Hannah has become an instant-buy author for me. Just like that. I have another one of her books in my room, which I fully intend to read soon, because her writing and storytelling is brilliant and oh-so-heartbreaking.

Overall, I tried not to spoil too much in my review because half of The Great Alone's charm comes from all of its twists and turns. Seriously, I cannot recommend this book enough. It won’t disappoint you — but it may break your heart. ...more

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Jul 24, 2018 Christine rated it it was amazing

Shelves: ebooks, historical-fiction, favorites, award-winner-nominee

To me, the number one criterion for a book to be deemed superior is that it makes me feel, really feel. The Great Alone went one step further and utterly ripped my heart out.

This is Leni’s story. We follow her, with some skips in time, from 1974 to 1986. We also get a short epilogue in the form of a letter written in 2009. Leni’s life is difficult and often harrowing. It is also very rewarding.

Much of the book covers Leni’s time as a young teenager living with her parents in the Alaskan bush, b To me, the number one criterion for a book to be deemed superior is that it makes me feel, really feel. The Great Alone went one step further and utterly ripped my heart out.

This is Leni’s story. We follow her, with some skips in time, from 1974 to 1986. We also get a short epilogue in the form of a letter written in 2009. Leni’s life is difficult and often harrowing. It is also very rewarding.

Much of the book covers Leni’s time as a young teenager living with her parents in the Alaskan bush, basically living off the land. Alaska is not for sissies, especially in the winter, extra especially if you have a dad that served in ‘Nam and came home with a bad case of PTSD.

Ms. Hannah’s writing skills excel in this book. Her ability to bring forth the sense of being in Alaska and being away from “the Outside” (mainland US) and most of its comforts, with the primary aim being survival both within the environment and within the home itself, is mesmerizing. The author opens our eyes to the way small villages develop a kinship where all pull together to help those in need and how devastating it can be if that feeling of kinship is destroyed.

The characters are wonderfully drawn, especially that of Leni. There are also unforgettable side characters such as Large Marge and Mad Earl. I was particularly fond of Large Marge, Tom and Matthew Walker, and Cora.

This book covers so many themes with a few being love, hate, loss and recovery (or not), unfulfilled dreams, strength of family, knowing how far you will go for family and for survival, redemption, and the sense of home.

The Great Alone provides all the feelings. I cried twice. It’s really something if I ever cry once. I carried the book in my head the entire time I wasn’t reading it. It put my real life in a melancholy mood, something I rarely experience when reading a book. It’s most definitely one I will never forget.

The only negative I can think of is that the first part of the book was slow for me. This was not enough, however, to affect my 5 star rating.

I highly recommend The Great Alone to all readers. I read it as a change-of-pace from my usual thriller/crime fiction fare. I have read a number of books outside of my usual genre over the last few weeks, something I would encourage everyone to do at some point. It feels good to experience a whole other world of extraordinary books.
...more

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Jul 24, 2018 Matt rated it liked it

Recommended to Matt by: Adrea Pierce

Shelves: audiobook

Perhaps a 3.75 star rating (but not yet four!).

There is something about Alaska that tends to pique my interest, though I cannot put a finger on precisely what it might be. Could it be that it is so isolated from all that I know or that the stories that come from this far-away land tend to contrast so much with those I am used to reading? Whatever it might be, Kristin Hannah takes the reader on quite the adventure, exploring the land as well as the psyche of the characters she peppers throughout Perhaps a 3.75 star rating (but not yet four!).

There is something about Alaska that tends to pique my interest, though I cannot put a finger on precisely what it might be. Could it be that it is so isolated from all that I know or that the stories that come from this far-away land tend to contrast so much with those I am used to reading? Whatever it might be, Kristin Hannah takes the reader on quite the adventure, exploring the land as well as the psyche of the characters she peppers throughout this piece. After her father is returned stateside from a P.O.W. camp in Vietnam, Lenora ‘Leni’ Allbright is not sure how things will change at home. Having spent so much time with only her mother, Leni is forced to acclimate to this new dynamic. When Ernt Allbright learns that he has been left a parcel of land up in Alaska, he announces that they’ll relocate there for a fresh start. With a few supplies to get started, Ernt leads his wife, Cora, and Leni up North to part of the world that Robert Service poetically called ‘The Great Alone’. It is here that things begin to unravel, as Ernt suffers from debilitating nightmares, which turn him sour and help justify an alcoholic crutch. This altered state has him raising a fist to a wife who has succumb to his violent ways, having forgotten her feminist beliefs from earlier in the decade. It’s 1974 and Leni is isolated from her friends and the world at large, a horrific thing for any girl of thirteen. As the story progresses through a series of vignettes, Leni begins to set down some roots and soon finds solace in the only classmate her own age, Matthew Walker. Leni comes of age in this desolate land and learns to hate her father’s explosive temper, but also her mother’s inability to leave him behind. Even when an escape from this vast loneliness seems possible, Leni finds a way to put the kibosh on it and remain cemented in the one place she cannot stand. Surrounded by others, the Allbrights each find their own way to suffer in the ‘Great Alone’, but might there be a glimpse of happiness on the horizon for the Allbrights, or simply the dashing of the Northern Lights? Well-crafted and strong on character development, Kristin Hannah offers an interesting tale of self-discovery against a frigid backdrop. Recommended for those who enjoy tales that take things off the beaten path and allow characters to meander along ti find their own way.

I agreed to try this book when a good friend of mine mentioned that it was set in Alaska. I read the dust jacket summary and immediately felt that I had to explore what Kristin Hannah might have to offer. What I discovered was that Goodreads was flooded with laudatory comments for this book, finding diamonds on offer with the turn of each page. While I cannot echo some of the blind praise, I did feel that there was much more to this book than the summary promises. Leni is an interesting character, who has been torn away from everything she knew and forced to grow up quickly. She suffers loss, anger, and isolation simultaneously, but cannot convince herself to shed this skin when given the chance, falling back on her loyalty above all else. Cora and Ernt also prove noteworthy, enriching their daughter’s journey while also proving to be oil and water in their marital interactions. The Allbrights serve to complement one another well, but seem so different that it is no wonder that they cannot live under the same roof in harmony. The author offers a handful of other characters who push the narrative forward effectively and serve to offer depth to the various vignettes that provide glimpses into this jagged way of life, loosely woven together to call this journey a single story. Speaking of vignettes, I agree with the idea put forward by some that there is no true sense of story arc, in that the entire narrative is a set of pocketed happenings that resolve themselves before moving onto the next. The reader may have a hard time solidifying their appreciation or ire towards anyone, as things keep changing, like the pieces of an ice floe. There is no setting other than Alaska that Kristin Hannah could have used and kept some of the deeper meanings within the novel. Symbolism peppers the narrative to the point that the reader cannot deny its existence. Each of the three protagonists seek to define and resolve their own form of ‘alone’ doing so with varied degrees of success. While I cannot offer blind praise, I can see significant growth in the characters throughout and in myself as I travelled this journey alongside them.

Kudos, Madam Hannah, for such a thought-provoking piece. I am happy to have taken the time to read this novel, but remain on the fence if I want to try more of your work. Allow this book to percolate for a while.

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/... ...more

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Jan 16, 2018 Lisa rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2018, 5-star-reviews, netgalley, netgalley2018, kindle

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 worrie ...more

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Apr 08, 2018 Malia rated it really liked it

Shelves: literary-fiction, historical-fiction

3.5 stars

“Leni saw suddenly how hope could break you, how it was a shiny lure for the unwary. What happened to you if you hoped too hard for the best and got the worst?”
― Kristin Hannah, The Great Alone

I am of two minds when it comes to this book. On one hand, it is compulsively readable; on the other, it is relentlessly bleak. Basically everything bad and frustrating that could happen, does happen, and after 435 pages, it gets exhausting. That being said, it was a well-written (if cliché-rich) 3.5 stars

“Leni saw suddenly how hope could break you, how it was a shiny lure for the unwary. What happened to you if you hoped too hard for the best and got the worst?”
― Kristin Hannah, The Great Alone

I am of two minds when it comes to this book. On one hand, it is compulsively readable; on the other, it is relentlessly bleak. Basically everything bad and frustrating that could happen, does happen, and after 435 pages, it gets exhausting. That being said, it was a well-written (if cliché-rich) and deeply atmospheric book. The character of Leni is certainly sympathetic, and I cared about what would happen to her and her mother. The plot is very emotionally involving and the slow pace with slightly jarring moments of action sort of works well with the contrast between the Alaskan beauty and its brutality. However, given the fact that it takes a long time for the plot to develop, the ending did feel a little rushed and rather cringe-worthy. The most interesting part of this book, for me, was the description of life in rural Alaska. I knew next to nothing about this state (beyond the whole Sarah Palin debacle, and the less said about her, the better) and it was fascinating to learn about the trials of the day-to-day, and the way the season's changes hugely impact the lives of the residents. I also liked that this book was set in the 70s and 80s, before cell phones and the internet, which served to strengthen the sense of other-worldliness, and of course the effects of Vietnam War were a critical part of this story and why it had to be set in this time.
I know I sound a little critical of the book, and maybe, once time has passed and my frustration with the relentless misery foisted upon the characters has worn off, I will be inclined to change this review a bit. For now, though, I can say it was a worthwhile read, but a fairly draining one as well, and in a different way than Hannah's previous WWII novel, The Nightingale, which I thought was stunning and heartbreaking at once.

Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com ...more

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