The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah – Book Review
“In Alaska you can make one mistake. One. The second one will kill you.”
Book Synopsis:
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.
My Review:
This book was completely unexpected. In all honesty I wasn’t overly keen to even read it. Reading about the 70’s in Alaska is not something that interests me that much. However the constant recommendations to read this book finally pushed me to grab a copy and dive in.
I found the start a little bit slow going and I nearly put it down but I had a few people encouraging (or should I say INSISTING) me to continue. The rest of the book was un-put-down-able!
The Great Alone has sky rocketed to my top 5 books. I looooooooooooved it. It completely stole my heart and the story will stay with me for a very long time. I don’t think a book has ever made me feel this many emotions.
Kristin Hannah is an incredible storyteller and has once again created a masterpiece of a story that is entertaining, full of emotion and heartbreak. The book touches on topics such as life after war, survival, abuse and domestic violence, a parent’s incredible love for their child, sacrifice, young love and friendship.
The Great Alone literally has something for everyone: it is a very powerful and engaging story, with plenty of suspense. One of my favourite aspects of the book were the names of some of the characters: Large Marge, Mad Earl, The Generator.
Alaska is often described as The Last Frontier, The Land of the Midnight Sun and The Great Alone. Kristin’s story reveals the incredible harshness and wilderness of life in Alaska and the survival skills required to simply survive there and live there, especially through the long and dark winter months.
I do not want to write too much about the book itself outside of the book synopsis as I really do not want to spoil it for potential readers, but seeing Alaska through Kristin’s eyes was an experience in itself (especially with her incredibly beautiful descriptions) and as soon as I finished the book I started googling Alaska and potential holiday ideas to see the magnificent beauty of the place.
The inspiration for the story came from Kristin moving to Alaska as a child herself. She states:
“My family has a long history there. In the late 70’s my mom and dad went up and fell in love with Alaska. They met a woman and her daughter who were homesteaders there. Afterward, they decided to join in to build a fishing lodge on the Kenai River. Flash forward three generations and we are still running it. Since I still go every few years I wanted to write about the Alaska I know”.
The Great Alone is an extremely gripping and thought provoking book and I strongly recommend to add it to your list of books to read. I truly believe you will not regret it.
Book Depository: Click here to purchase your copy of The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
Amazon: Click here to purchase your copy of The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
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Favourite quotes from the book:
“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.”
“You know what they say about finding a man in Alaska—the odds are good, but the goods are odd.”
“Love and fear. The most destructive forces on earth. Fear had turned her inside out, love had made her stupid.”
“Alaska isn’t about who you were when you headed this way. It’s about who you become.”
“Alaska herself can be Sleeping Beauty one minute and a bitch with a sawed-off shotgun the next.”
“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.”
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