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adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Mental illness, Grief, Death of parent
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Once again, Kristin Hannah does it again!! I was worried I wouldn’t enjoy this book as much as The Four Winds, but it surpassed my expectations. Julia Whalen complemented this book perfectly with her audio narration too. I found myself constantly wanting to know how Cora and Leni’s story would unfold.
KH definitely earned 5 stars with this one because she made me cry sad, mad and happy tears. 👏👏
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Blood, Car accident
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Death of parent
Moderate: Animal death, Cancer, Cursing, Blood, Medical content, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Gun violence, Misogyny, Pregnancy
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse
Moderate: Death, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Alcohol
Minor: Car accident, Abandonment
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It’s a slow burn. Tear-jerker. Beautiful descriptions of Alaska. Coming-of-age story. It’s got everything: young love, death/grief, and murder!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy
Minor: Vomit
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
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
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Minor: Vomit, War
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Violence
Moderate: Death, War
Minor: Child abuse
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Blood
Moderate: Cancer, Death of parent
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Great Alone—like all of Kristin Hannah’s books I’ve read—is extremely sad, but also beautiful. She has a remarkable ability to write a historical fiction novel that feels accurate and transports you into that time period. I couldn’t put this book down. Need to read something light and happy now that I’ve finished this one!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse