The Great Alone

I flipped between liking and hating this one several times before finally loving the book enough that it has a place on my own bookshelf. Leni's coming-of-age story kept me reading, but I nearly did not finish it because of the mom, Cora.

I hated her so much because I was thinking of leaving the man she was married to, but we wouldn’t have a story if it were that easy. The more I read, the more I realized that Cora displayed a different kind of strength. She believed with all her heart that her husband would get better (he… show more.

In this book, thirteen-year-old Liv captivates my imagination and heart with devotion to her mom, a broken soul that endures her husband’s abuse, endless arguments, and irrational decisions. I’m drawn to coming-of-age stories that tug at memories of my own battles with self-criticism and angst.

As a survival story, the book serves up a double portion that I devour with every turn of the page. At its heart, the story contrasts the expansive, unforgiving, unrelenting climate and terrain of Alaska with a claustrophobic family dynamic. I love stories that weave in the raw beauty of nature and, at times, the… show more.

This story captures the realities of surviving the Alaska winters before the advent of the internet, cell phones, cable TV, or increased commercial development. The descriptions of the rugged terrain, the wild animals and the harsh weather put me right there in the story.

This is nothing I was at all familiar with, so it was fascinating to read what daily life was like before more modern-day technologies made things a little easier. Yet my takeaway was that the absence of those very things actually made communities in Alaska stronger because folks up there had no choice but to depend… show more.

This historical novel is about a Viet Name vet with PTSD who moves his wife and daughter to a wilderness area of Alaska in the 1970s.

It’s hard enough to survive during the light of summer, but when the dark winter days fall on them, the father’s mental health deteriorates. He becomes embroiled in conspiracy theories. The family fears for their safety. The characters are unique and perfectly written.

The storyline is imaginative and captivating. You know it can’t end well. The last pages left me bawling uncontrollably.

With the stark backdrop of the wilds of Alaska, one might be lured into thinking the desolate yet stunning landscape with danger at every turn is at the heart of The Great Alone. It is however, the story of domestic abuse, trauma, and a father suffering from PTSD that captivated my attention into the wee hours of the night. I found the thread of the human spirit, not only desperate to survive, but to thrive, to be one of the most enduring and poignant themes of the novel. Happily-ever-after isn’t a requirement of the books I enjoy. It is… show more.

I’ve loved all of Kristin Hannah’s books, but this one tops my list. It transported me to the beautiful but treacherous coast of Alaska, where a brave young girl must face steep obstacles to break free of the dangers all around her. Drawing from her own family’s experiences living in Alaska, Hannah takes readers through the complicated layers of his wild landscape while exploring the complicated tangles of an unhealthy family system. A must-read. 

This book speaks of dynamics. Although not humorous it makes one think about how important family is—no matter how dysfunctional. This book grabbed me and didn't let go. It's a story about survival—both with family and the Alaska wilderness. Parts were really hard to take, but the spirit of the characters came through brilliantly.

Wild has many definitions, and while the setting for this disturbing story, in a remote Alaskan village, might seem like this book’s main qualification, The Great Alone explores the wilderness of the mind as well — or rather, how a wild man can create a more terrifying reality than the most demanding landscape. That beautiful, harsh landscape shapes the story’s heroes as well, forcing them to find their strength, build that strength, and lend each other strength when the going gets rough … which it does, in a big Alaskan way.