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. (goodreads.com)

Okay, cards on the table. I don’t love Kristin Hannah books; rather, I don’t love all Kristin Hannah books. She is really hit or miss with me. THIS BOOK was a hit. (In another post, you’ll see one that was a TOTAL MISS for me.)

Maybe my own tumultuous childhood was part of the attraction. I understood Leni. She has to save herself, and with her mother, she does. The complicated nature of loving parents who cannot or will not do what’s best for their children because of mental illness or misguided devotion has always been a string that pulled at my heart.

One of the other things that attracted me to the book was the setting. I have loved Alaska since I went there in 2016. Denali is a masterpiece of God’s creation. I was hoping for scenery that would allow my mind to wander back to the place I loved. It did in all the most beautiful and dangerous ways.

This is the second state (in alpha order) but the first I read for this challenge. Remember that since I am sourcing most of my books from the public library I read them as I can get them and not in order. This book set a high bar for those that came after it. I realized that later and had to rethink a couple of my ratings for books.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book. But I’d like to add a trigger warning. There are some very dark parts to this book. PTSD and childhood trauma recur throughout the book. I didn’t find any of it to be gratuitous, but it was tough at times.

I hope you’ll read it. If you have read it, please let me know your thoughts.