Summary by Goodreads:
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.
“…but home was not just a cabin in a deep woods that overlooked a placid cove. Home was a state of mind, the peace that came from being who you were and living an honest life.”
My Thoughts:
Where do I begin with such an exquisite book? A book with such breathtaking imagery, a book with the most complex of human emotions, a book with inexplicable yet painfully relatable hardships, a book written with such care and precision? What a deep, intense read. I felt like I was reading more than just a book, more than just a life lesson—I was reading the rawest form of beauty.
I have to point out the power of description and imagery Hannah used to not only create the beautiful setting of Alaska, but also to mirror the characters’ moods and trials. Hannah instilled in me—my nature-loving self—the deepest of desires to visit the splendors of Alaska. I could feel Alaska’s openness and freedom, I could nearly touch it’s untamable wild, I could feel the thrills of being near bears, eagles, sea lions; and I could see the vivid hues of the Alaskan scenery. If you love nature and yearn for its adventure, it’s unpredictable forces, then I absolutely recommend getting lost in The Great Alone.
Let’s talk about the point of view. POV is important for me in a book. If it doesn’t fit, then I easily get distracted from the story. The Great Alone is told from the young protagonist Leni’s point of view, but still from the third person perspective, which worked very well in my opinion. Not only did I love Leni’s interest in Lord of the Rings and her constant book references, but I loved being able to see the pureness, the naivety and innocence she experiences when watching her parents’ toxic relationship. As adults we forget the way things appear through a child’s eyes and it’s quite interesting diving back into that child’s mindset we all once had—especially seeing young Leni endure her father’s violent outbursts. She feels loyalty and love for this man who is her father, she makes excuses for him—she sees his smile and is lured back in by her sense of loyalty to her father. But as readers we want to show her the truth, a truth we hope she finds out for herself. We judge people thinking we know the whole story; thinking it’s easy to get out of an abusive relationship, thinking we understand PTSD, thinking we know better. But we never even begin to understand the turmoil inside, the love and hate, the passion and anger, the loyalty and fear—we need to look through a different POV…Leni’s. Through Leni’s eyes we get to see inside, a totally different perspective that we would have never been able to comprehend.
Can we also talk about the strong female leads? Leni and her mother Cora? These two women are tossed into the unknown and experience horrible pain. But they are there for each other. Just these two women supporting each other, leaning on each other. They didn’t need a man’s help, they didn’t need to be saved—they saved themselves. They could survive rural Alaska, they could withstand traumatic events, and they continued to grow and fight as strong, independent women.
I don’t like spoilers because I am the kind of reader who dives into a book unknowingly and steps almost blindly into the adventure—but I will say that the second half of the book was completely unexpected. The first half of the novel was slower, it took me about two days to read the first few chapters. But I read the second half of the book alone, in my bed, in one night, up until 4 am. I couldn’t stop. I had to know what was going to happen, and once something got resolved another thing happened and another and another. I cried, I smiled, I felt heart-leaping joy, I experienced literal gut-wrenching sadness, and in the end my heart ached because it was over, but I also felt completely satisfied because I had gone on a fulfilling journey and experienced a beautiful ending. That’s what I look for in a great book—one that can bring out the purest human emotions in me.
Listen, ¾ of the way into the book I admit I got slightly frustrated because of how dark it’s content was. I thought to myself, “I read to escape the terrors of life, not dive even deeper into them.” But then I got to thinking…this book is life. Our lives aren’t fairytales…our lives are real. This book dove into real topics. It showed us how to get past our trials, no matter how dark they may be. It shows us that when you overcome one trial you simply just get another thrown at you. You get away from the sadness and then it comes back knocking on your front door. But that’s life. Happiness is how you live in each moment, cherish each memory, enjoy the harsh truth of nature, and keep becoming a better, braver version of yourself. We all have trials, trials so crippling we feel it to our very core. I do. You do. Cora did. Ernt did. Leni did at 13, at 18, at 25…. I learned from this beautiful book and engaging story to appreciate the beauty of the world, appreciate the relationships I have with people, and appreciate the things that shape me and make me who I am.
“…women could be in control of their destinies. Even in a cruel, dark world that tested women to the very limits of their endurance…”
I recommend this book to…
…those trying to find themselves, those of you looking for a deeper read, those struggling with the trials of life, those who love nature, and those who can appreciate the beautiful complexity of humans and love. Give this book as a gift to the women in your life. Let your teenagers read it. Hand a copy to the men you know. Get lost in it yourself. This book definitely impacted my life and I hope it impacts yours.
Comfort Guide:
Moderate swearing. No uses of the “F” word. Triggers include physical abuse and a mention of rape. Mild mentions of gore pertaining to animals. One mildly graphic violent scene. A lot of physical abuse with mild description.
Info:
Author – Kristin Hannah
Published – 2018
Page Count – 448
Excellent review by an superb writer.
Thanks! 🙂