Reviews with content warning for Cursing - The Great Alone

So, I accidentally joined five book clubs this year. Three are with various friends and two from Instagram and Tiktok--but five clubs are nothing I can't handle. One that's meeting this very weekend (which I'm admittedly nervous for since I don't know everyone) is reading The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah. This book was already on my to-read list so this sped up my process of actually getting it from the library.

Kristin Hannah is an iconic author, and though this was my first book I read by her, she is famed for other works like The Nightingale and The Four Winds. Originally a lawyer in the Pacific Northwest, her works as an author have made this a much more popular career choice!

The Great Alonefollows the Albright family through the eyes of the 13 year old girl, Leni, as they move from Seattle to the wilds of Alaska. While some of this coming-of-age historical fiction is about their learning of survival in the wilds known as The Great Alone, the real survival is the lonliness of surviving domestic violence and being silenced by the father, Ernt Albright, a Vietnam POW veteran.

The biggest tip to reading this book I'd say is have tissues close by and be prepared to cry. Good thing I like sad things and am no stranger to tears...

Through the tears and trauma, themes become present and clearer. I'd say the biggest theme comes from the title, The Great Alone. Though this nickname comes from a Robert Service poem and refers to the solitude of the Alaskan wilderness, the book actually uses it as a metaphor for lonliness that comes from a violent father and surviving a trauma that teaches you to be silent and fear love. Other themes feed into this bigger one, like grief, isolation, PTSD, and the meaning of community.

The characters are also multifaceted. Leni and her parents, Cora and Ernt, are at the forefront of the novel, but their allies and (in Ern't case) enemies also help paint the novel. Some of my favorites are Matthew and Tom Walker, who show us what real men look like compared to Ernt, and Large Marge, an outspoken, often comedic, but always loyal friend.

Probably the most beautiful and breathtaking part of this novel is the descriptions. Hannah depicts a beautiful and dangerous Alaska, never failing to show us the environments in which Leni finds herself. I also admire the symbolism, particularly of cracking ice in the Alaskan winter. There are many times when there is danger on thin ice--literally--in the novel, but walking around Ernt and his temper is also thin ice. I lost track of the times when Cora warns her daughter to "be extra careful" around him.

My one criticism of this book is the danger of portraying those suffering from PTSD as violent. While there are certainly those who do become violent, I think portraying this can further stigmatize mental illness and shame those who are suffering. Also, this book is just so sad--definitley not a book for an escapism.

Overall, I'd give this book four stars. I'd recommend it to those who like sad stories, who want to learn more about survivng trauma or living in the Pacific Northwest, and those interested in more recent historical fiction.

Check out this link for Kristin Hannah's book club discussion questions on this book.

Content Warnings

wreckaj's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

kelly_e's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Title: The Great Alone
Author: Kristin Hannah
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 4.25
Pub Date: February 6, 2018

T H R E E • W O R D S

Emotional • Layered • Atmospheric

📖 S Y N O P S I S

Alaska, 1974. Ernt Allbright came home from the Vietnam War a changed and volatile man. When he loses yet another job, he makes the impulsive decision to move his wife and daughter north where they will live off the grid in America's last true frontier.

Cora will do anything for the man she loves, even if means following him into the unknown. Thirteen-year-old Leni, caught in the riptide of her parents' passionate, stormy relationship, has little choice but to go along, daring to hope this new land promises her family a better future.

In a wild, remote corner of Alaska, the Allbrights 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 newcomers' lack of preparation and dwindling resources.

But as winter approaches and darkness descends, Ernt's fragile mental state deteriorates. 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.

💭 T H O U G H T S

As an avid historical fiction reader, it will come as no surprise that Kristin Hannah is a favourite author of mine. I knew The Great Alone was going to be just as hard hitting emotionally as The Nightingale, yet covering a completely different time and place. And it certainly delivered.

Hannah has an incredible gift in delivering horrific, yet beautiful stories that cut right to the heart. In this case, the lives of the Allbrights go from dark to darker. When a book can take the reader on such an emotional journey, it is the sign of a good book. And this one does that. It made me angry, it made me sad, it made me empathic, and it made think. The characterization is fantastic. In fact, the author brings Alaska to life, making it its very own character. I felt the heard reality and beauty of the wilderness, which mirrored the plot. Additionally, Hannah paints a realistic picture of the struggles of post-war America, capturing the history, the environment, and the culture of 1970s Alaska.

The relationships are another standout with one of the most genuine pictures of the unbreakable bond mother and child. My heart was with Leni and her mother through the whole story, and I could understand the internal struggles of each. Additionally, the community and family aspect were incredibly well done.

My one criticism would have to be the ending. With so much time spent getting to know the setting, the characters, and having the story sink deeply into my bones, the ending felt rushed and jumbled. Considering the build up, it simply left me feeling less than satisfied, something I am not used to with Hannah's books.

Overall, The Great Alone is a heartbreaking, yet beautiful story of life's fragility, of survival and resilience, and most importantly, of love. While I cannot say this is my favourite of her works, it still had me completely immersed and took me on a deeply emotional journey with the characters. I will continues to make me way through her backlist, and look forward to her next novel.

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• Kristin Hannah devotees
• historical fiction readers
• mother/daughter trope lovers

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"In the silence, Leni wondered if one person could ever really save another, or if it was the kind of thing you had to do for yourself."

"You don’t stop loving a person when they’re hurt. You get stronger so they can lean on you."

"Nature never deceives us; it is always we who deceive ourselves."

Content Warnings

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