Review: The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

Alaska, 1974.

Unpredictable. Unforgiving. Untamed.
For a family in crisis, the ultimate test of survival.

Ernt Allbright, a former POW, comes home from the Vietnam war a changed and volatile man. When he loses yet another job, he makes an impulsive decision: he will move his family north, to Alaska, where they will live off the grid in America’s last true frontier.

Thirteen-year-old Leni, a girl coming of age in a tumultuous time, caught in the riptide of her parents’ passionate, stormy relationship, dares to hope that a new land will lead to a better future for her family. She is desperate for a place to belong. Her mother, Cora, will do anything and go anywhere for the man she loves, even if it means following him into the unknown

At first, Alaska seems to be the answer to their prayers. In a wild, remote corner of the state, they find a fiercely independent community of strong men and even stronger women. The long, sunlit days and the generosity of the locals make up for the Allbrights’ lack of preparation and dwindling resources.

But as winter approaches and darkness descends on Alaska, Ernt’s fragile mental state deteriorates and the family begins to fracture. Soon the perils outside pale in comparison to threats from within. In their small cabin, covered in snow, blanketed in eighteen hours of night, Leni and her mother learn the terrible truth: they are on their own. In the wild, there is no one to save them but themselves.

In this unforgettable portrait of human frailty and resilience, Kristin Hannah reveals the indomitable character of the modern American pioneer and the spirit of a vanishing Alaska―a place of incomparable beauty and danger. The Great Alone is a daring, beautiful, stay-up-all-night story about love and loss, the fight for survival, and the wildness that lives in both man and nature.

Kindle Edition, 435 pages

Published February 6th 2018 by St. Martin's Press

Terri's Thoughts

Just Wow!

I have been a fan of Kristin Hannah for quite some time.  She is an author that I know I can turn to consistently for a good read and I have enjoyed all of her work that I have read.  Yet it seems lately she has upped her game even more.  With the last two books I have read, it seems she has transitioned from good books, to epic books.  Epic books to me are ones that draw me in so completely that I feel every emotion and I literally mourn the book once it is completed.

This story take us to Alaska in the seventies when people had to rely on their smarts and each other.  So I will share now, that I have no desire to ever visit there.  It doesn't even rank anywhere near my list of top fifty places I would like to visit (despite others proclaiming their love for it).  Hannah made me reconsider my position with how she described the rugged landscape.  I fell in love with it as I fell in love with Leni. I am thinking now perhaps I can add it to my top 100 list.

This was a story of resilience, community, love and of course mental illness.  I simply do not have the words to describe the spell it put me under.  I am glad that I went in to book blind without reading the summary.  I entered with no expectations and here I sit over two weeks after completing it and I am still thinking about it.  As I said, Epic.

If you are one of few who has not yet read this, what are you waiting for.  I can guarantee it is worth it.  As for me, I simply can not wait to see what Hannah will come out with next

About the Author

Kristin Hannah is the award-winning and bestselling author of more than 20 novels including the international blockbuster, The Nightingale, which was named Goodreads Best Historical fiction novel for 2015 and won the coveted People's Choice award for best fiction in the same year. Additionally, it was named a Best Book of the Year by Amazon, iTunes, Buzzfeed, the Wall Street Journal, Paste, and The Week.

Kristin's highly anticipated new release, The Great Alone, will be published on February 6, 2018 (St. Martin's Press). The novel, an epic love story and intimate family drama set in Alaska in the turbulent 1970's is a daring, stay-up-all-night story about love and loss, the fight for survival and the wildness that lives in both nature and man. It has been listed as one of the most anticipated novels of the year by The Seattle Times, Bustle.com, PopSugar, Working Mother, Southern Living, and Goodreads.

The Nightingale is currently in production at Tri Star, with award-winning director Michelle MacLaren set to direct. Home Front was optioned for film by 1492 Films (produced the Oscar-nominated The Help) with Chris Columbus attached to write, produce, and direct. Movie news on The Great Alone is coming soon.

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