Reviews

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

naomi_fearnon's review against another edition

4.0

I am going to be brutally honest. It took me so long to get into this book, I was almost gonna DNF but then it did a complete 360 and made me cry like a baby. Kristin Hannah has this unbelievable way of writing where you can see so clearly in your mind exactly what she wants you to see!! It’s honestly a wee bit scary.

I throughly enjoyed this book, have not enjoyed my crying induced migraine I’ve had for 24hrs tho.

“Loved…you…my baby girl” - broke me into a million pieces.

Matthew has my whole heart

lydiasaurus's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark 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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book gripped me and didn’t let go. I can’t remember the last time, if ever, I felt such strong emotions and a pull toward this story. The writing is beautiful and moves at a steady pace. I actually WANTED to sit down and keep reading this book, never did I have to convince myself I should. I was completely invested in these characters and the world around them. (Emotional, not plot, spoiler ahead)

I haven’t sobbed like this while reading any other book. This story did things to me, and several times I was worried it wouldn’t resolve or pay off, but it did. I feel like I was put through the wringer and am so thankful for it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Child abuse

booksandlipsticks13's review

adventurous dark emotional 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

alicebme's review against another edition

2.0

Large Marge? Really? I chose this book after a quest to find snow books. The Alaska parts were good, but there’s some cringe colonizer shit in here. Also, Large Marge. Let’s have a black character, but fat shame her and give her a name from PeeWee’s Big Adventure. Gross.

joanna_chavis's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

creedmk's review against another edition

4.0

Alaska, The great alone, the place where you can both lose yourself and find yourself, and sometimes at the same time.  The wildness of the place gets inside of some people, like Leni in this story.  This is a heartbreaking story of love and loss, and is a great read for anyone who loves Alaska and/or Kristin Hannah's characters.

dimplesjr's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

jennbm's review

adventurous dark emotional fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Cancer, Abandonment, and Child abuse

kmlamb01's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

5.0

idle_reader's review against another edition

4.0

It is always so hard to read the type of books where you feel the characters should be a certain way or act a certain way without question because it’s what you would do. I kept thinking, ‘If I were Cora, I would have been long gone.’ But the truth is, you cannot know that you would leave in the same situation unless you’ve lived through it. Nevertheless, It bugged me so much how often Cora would defend Ernt’s actions. It infuriated me how often Cora would put the burden of protecting her father’s fragility on Leni’s shoulders. What a horrible thing to ask of such a young girl. But this is how an abusive and toxic relationship affected everyone around them and Kristen Hannah wrote it so well.

Kristen really played with my emotions by giving Leni that little gleam of hope for a normal life with Matt and then taking it away from her (and me) in an instant. I will always read something Kristen Hannah writes from now on. I just love her writing.

Goodreads, please find a way to let us give half stars. I was conflicted on a 4 or 5 star rating for this one.