Review: The Great Alone

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Leni’s father has returned from Vietnam and is having trouble adjusting to civilian life after being a POW. They continue to move and try different situations, but nothing seems to work for very long. When Leni is thirteen years old, her father inherits a piece of land in Alaska and he promises this is their last move. He wants to live off the grid and assures Leni and her mother that this is the solution to all of their troubles. But when the first endless night continues, they discover that the nightmares have returned. With the help of the locals, they devise a temporary solution, but are the Allbrights ready to live in the Alaskan wilderness? How will a woman and girl survive with such an unstable man?

The Great Alone is a stand-alone novel that starts out in 1974 and continues for many years. This is an epic story that is not meant to be read quickly or in one sitting. Hannah has created characters that have hidden depth and readers will quickly take the side of these strong and unforgettable women. There are times that the story jumps a large span of months and years, but in the end, this adds to the feeling of being lost in the wilderness. A good read that will be enjoyed by many, but not for readers who want something light and easy.


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